Originally Posted by
jmaher
I’m new to the folding world but have been lurking for the past few weeks. I am looking for a folder I can carry in my car (very small trunk) and have with me to drive around downtown St Petersburg and Sarasota Florida. I am just 5’8 and am looking for a bike that will allow me to be fairly upright with a handlebar height over that of my seat so that I can ride in a relaxed posture and have good visibility.
There appear to be a number of choices but these two seem like the best ones for what I want. Unfortunately there are no dealers within driving distance that I can find so I need your help.
Obviously the Brompton (M3L) is the smallest folder but the Birdy seems to be close. For those who have tried both is the seating upright or stretched out? Is there a significant difference in how comfortable they are in a downtown environment and how fast they each feel? While I am looking for a folder to add to my other bikes I wouldn’t mind it replacing my normal ride if that were feasible.
I admit I am really drawn to the fold and the overall look of the Brompton. However from what I read the Birdy has a superior ride and it’s suspension system might be a real benefit.
Any thoughts?
-Jim
If you're considering the Brompton, you might want to also consider some of the Dahon folders, as Lalato suggests, but also the Tikit from Bike Friday. The Tikit is comparable to the Brompton; general consensus seems to be that the Tikit is a better "bike"; it also folds down faster than any other. The Brompton, on the other hand, is a very good bike, and quickly folds down into the smallest, neatest package - even smaller than the Tikit. With a cover over it, the folded Tikit looks like a French Horn; but the Brompton gets even smaller and, I think, draws even less attention to itself. I have to smuggle my folder into a stuffy corporate office building; so I chose the Brompton (which I'm loving, by the way. To suggest that it was good "in its day" and is now something of a dinosaur is, IMO, misleading; it's a terribly well thought out machine. Whether folding it - or riding it - the Brompton exudes quality and, bopping around the city, it's a blast to ride).
But for your purposes - carrying it folded in your car - I'd go for the Tikit:
http://bikefriday.com/tikit