Originally Posted by Ragekage

Hey Everyone,

I'm looking for some help finding a folder to fit my very limited budget. I'm taking classes this summer semester at the local community college. I'm only 18 going on 19 and I've recently moved out of my grandma's place. (Bad living situation at home. My dad's not a very good guy, and I live with my 26 year old sister who has three kids ages 4/3/2.) I moved out to kind of get a taste of life and to start fending for myself. I felt like I was being held back at home, since I was stuck parenting three children.

Okay, so enough of that. The situation is I'm a poor 18 year old going to college, pretty common scenario lol. I walk 10 mins to the nearest train station in the morning and take the train to the nearest stop and walk another 30mins to the college. In addition, I have no license. (Working on getting one, but it's hard to find people willing to help me practice driving.) So, I pretty much have to walk everywhere I go. I often travel back and forth to my old place which is a 30 min walk one way. My karate school I attend is also near my old place so I have to walk 30 mins there and back whenever I have class. Alot of walking.. ugh.

Now I love to stay in shape and I have nothing against walking, but sometimes it's nice to get things done a little quicker. I've never been a major biker, but I'm really interested in starting. I know very little about bikes. I know how to ride one, two hands, one hands, no hands, that's about it. However, I'm willing to learn as much as I need to, to get an affordable efficient folder. My idea is to get a folder so I can take it with me on the train without much of a hassle. I work at the college I attend, so I'm positive I can even take it with me to class and store it in my boss's office so I wouldn't have to worry about theft. The problem is that most of the folders being recommended on these forums are around the 400-500$ price rance. I'm working with a 100$-200$ budget, and 200 is pushing it. I'd really like to keep it nearest to 100$.

So my question is, is it worth investing in the 400$ folders? Can I get a descent experience with a cheap folder. Maybe there are descent cheap ones, or maybe there are beat up expensive folders that need alot of work that I can get for cheap. I really wouldn't mind doing alot of extra work to modify a cheaper folder if it's worth my time. I wouldn't want to buy a 200$ folder and spend 200$ modifying it so it rides just as good as a 400$ folder, ya know what I mean? So, what do you guys recommend I do, or what folder do you recommend I buy? I'm 6'1 and I'd like to get a 16" so it folds a little more compact, but it seems like 16" tend to be more expensive.

I hope my expectations aren't impossible to meet.
Thanks in advance for helping,
Ryan