Since I've been commuting to work, I've used my trusty DaHon folder (16" wheels) to ride about 16 mi. per day, plus folded for 22 mi. per day on the Metro Green Line train.

I thought it was a good compromise between ride-ability and fold-ability. I really felt good about not having a huge (relatively speaking) bike for non-cycling commuters to have to get around (or over) when entering or exiting the train. Okay, the fit and riding position weren't as good as on my road bike, but good enough for a short commute.

Until this morning . . . As I rolled the DaHon down the driveway, the rear tire blew out big time (my wife heard it and she was inside the house!). Not wanting to take the time to put a new tube in (IGH and attendent hassle) I just grabbed my road bike, transferred the lunch, clothes, etc. from the DaHon bag to a backpack, and I was on my way.

Wow, what a huge difference! The ride was wonderful compared to the DaHon.

No problem on the train this morning . . . will advise how bad it was (probably) on the return train ride this evening!

Rick / OCRR

A bike friday might serve you well.... or a swift. Some of the Terns with 20" wheels have a nice fold and ride. I was in NT over the weekend and went to NCYEcycles (yes and talked to Peter), and I test rode a pacfic Reach https://www.pacific-cycles.com/review.asp?catid=6 .. Baby if I had one folder... it would be this.

even though i'm a bit sour on folding bikes these days (see thread: I love my dahon, but it's been nothing but problems), i still think they make the most sense for any kind of multi-modal use, if for no other reason than many (most?) transit agencies that i'm aware of forbid full size bikes on trains at rush hour.

in addition, from test rides i've done, i do prefer a 20" wheel over a 16" wheel whens it comes to ride performance. a 20" wheel isn't THAT much bigger, but it makes quite a noticeable difference to me.

I'm going through this thought process right now. My potential commute would involve a bus (with very limited rack space) rather than a train though. The riding distances would be nearly identical.

If you can *always* get your conventional bike on the train it seems like a no-brainer to me. If full sized bikes are restricted during certain hours or your bike parking situation at work sucks those would be good reasons to keep using the folder.

If the job thing works out I imagine I'll build up a Xootr Swift frameset singlespeed with drop bars. I love the fold of Bromptons but unless I have to fold my bike for every single trip it doesn't seem worth the financial hit and less than ideal riding position.

I imagine in my situation availability of bus racks could fluctuate seasonally too (empty in January, full in July). We'll see.

Well, everybody's multimodal commute will be different, and what's jim-dandy for one person might suck for someone else.

I've used the full size bike multimodally a couple of times since BikeFriday sent me an email two months ago telling me my tikit might suddenly break and kill me. Here, it's permissible to board a light rail train with a full sized bike, it's just not always physically possible during rush hour. Man, I really miss having a folding bike.

[pictures from] India, I see bikes hung off the outside of railroad cars ..

How about a mini velo?

Thanks Dan, Yes the Los Angeles Metro used to prohibit (officially) full sized (non-folding) bikes during morning and afternoon rush hour but no one paid any attention to thet rule and there was no enforcement (okay, those 2 go together!) so . . . LA Metro rescended that rule and said, okay, full size bikes any time. To their credit, they did remove several seats from some cars creating a "space" for "Luggage, Strollers and Bicycles."

Also, yes I did see your prev. post on problems with your DaHon and (thankfully!) mine has been lots more dependable, no broken frame issues; so big picture the DaHon has been fine (150+ commutes on in since Aug. of 2011). Yes, occasional adjustments to the hinges and QR's but nothing major.

Re:OP, on the ride home yesterday afternoon the train was more crowded but after I rolled my (full-size, non-folding) bike into the train car, I stood it up on the rear tire, so it didn't really take up any more floor space than another (standing) person would.

Thanks to everyone on suggestions for other folding bikes that give a better riding position too! Will have to check those out. Will also test ride a 20" folder to see how much better they ride.

Bike commuting is a constant learning experience!

Rick / OCRR

About a week ago I needed to travel to a job interview.The trip involved bus and train. As th ebus approached I noticed that the front rack was full. I released the center hinge on my Dahon and got no flack as I rolled it onto the bus with that fold only.

Now I realize that folded that way really saved no space; however, it did show compliance with the rules. I think the ideal would be a full size folder like the Montague bikes. If I were ever to get another folder, that is probably the way I would go.

The mini-velo would not suit me. About the only advantage is the ease of snaking through doorways (at least compared to the recumbent that I prefer to ride). The mini-velo still does not get around the "folding bikes only" rules and still has the small tires.

Lobby for more buses and train cars...

Thanks Robert, The Montague is an excellent idea!

As it is, my DaHon (16" wheels) is a 5 step fold: 1. QR Seatpost down 2. QR rotate handlebars 90 Deg. 3. QR raise upper steering tube 4. QR Fold down lower Steering tube 5. Frame clamp hinge/fold bike in center.

On the plus side, it is a small fold, perfect for the Los Angeles area Metro. My wife says the folding bike is more "friendly" since it gives non-cycling passengers more space whereas my full-sized bike is more "selfish" since it gives me a better ride when I'm not on the train.

Re: Mini-Velo, yes I need one that folds, so I guess that would point me toward the Bike Friday Tikit?

Rick / OCRR

I've wanted to test ride the IF Reach for awhile now but can't find a place that has one. Although not a compact folder it certainly has it's niche and seems to really be a nice solid design.

For the record I ride a Swift when I just take the subway and a Tikit when I take the train and the subway. Phlia trains a very crowded and the new trains not so bike friendly... even when folded.

I test rode a Tikit when they first came out (and was considering the same commute then). I really was not a fan of the ride. Probably fine for a mile or two, but not for 7 or 8. I'm not sure what the recall entailed, but it's off my list regardless.

I'm struck by the fact of just how much room my regular bike(s) take up, but my wife's and my Bromptons are nicely tucked along the wall, taking up no more room than a single bike, and in fact less.

My full size bikes of course ride better overall, and I thought of commuting more regularly on them when the weather improves, but now that our new building at work has opened, I'm not sure that's going to work. In the old building, I had a basement office and lab where I could stash my bike and then head up to my administrative office. I still have a lab here in the new building, but my faculty office is on the 3rd floor, and hauling my bike up to it would be very noticeable and likely objectionable. I could put a full size bike in my relocated lab, but it's a much more "public" area than before to go through.

The last resort for the full size bike would be to lock it up outside the entrances: there are lots of new, secure bike racks, but I'm leery of leaving out a full size bike for an extended period of time. I have an old hybrid that I could use and not regret too much if something happened to it, but that sort of defeats the point.

I think in the long run, a folder still works the best: I guess that's why they exist in the first place.

You test rode a Tikit, As Is, and had not yet made any adjustments to make it Fit You.
the contact points are all the same , saddle. bars and pedals, and all can be changed,
to make the fit Similar to bigger Wheel bikes ..
the gearing is just higher to spin the little wheel more often, to get you over the ground,
at a good clip..

Admittedly the urban Pothole may be closer to 16" around, than 29" around.


But if you are 3rd Guy on the 2 Bike rack on the front of the Bus , and you will be late ,
riding the bike all the way , or waiting for the next Bus, to Try again ,
there is another trade off, eh?

It's not for everyone but the people who do like commuting and touring on a Tikit (or any BF for that matter) surely seem to enjoy themselves a great deal.

Yes, Ozonation, that's it for the big picture, agreed. Which is why I'll probably continue to use the folder most often. At home, no problem, I leave it unfolded. At work, same thing, plenty of room in my office fairly close to my desk.

The Metro train though, has smaller cars (like a Euro train size) as opposed to the larger cars on the LA area Metro-Link (more like Amtrak size). While the non-folders out number the folders 10 to 1 (my approx. guesstimate), I do feel better with my folded folder on the Metro. Plus, I've had a few passengers (non-cyclists) thank me for using a folder instead of "one of those Big Bikes."

Right now, anyway, I see myself sticking with the DaHon most of the time, but riding my road bike as a kind of "guilty pleasure" every so often.

Or . . . I'll lay out the major money for a Pacific Reach or Bike Friday that gives me both the correct riding "fit" and fold-ability. But yikes, I've looked around and we're talking major money there!

Rick / OCRR

Agreed. When I plan on simply riding to work and back I take the Salsa full sized bike, but if I involve the bus or an odd or sketchy place for bikes I bring the folder (rides very nice and 14 plus mile round trip). That way I know I can get on the bus no matter what. Also, I can bring the bike inside with me for security purposes.

It was the correct size for me and set up well enough for my dimensions to get the idea.

Yes, I'm aware of the compromises involved in designing a bike like this. I flat out didn't like it, and now having ridden a few other folders my opinion hasn't changed. As a bicycle it isn't that great.

As for the getting on the bus thing, that is why I'm considering the folder option. Riding the bus portion of the route is not an option. Buses run frequently, but miss two because I can't get my bike on and I'm screwed. If the price for getting on the bus reliably is riding a bike I'm less than thrilled with, so be it.

Fixed it for you.

But as I've learned in the past two months since BikeFriday told me I was risking severe bodily injury if I continued riding my tikit, I've found it is quite a superlative doorstop.

I have three folding bikes and tend to use the full size 3 speed because it's just more enjoyable. I'm not fast but the bigger bike just feels safer. I was wondering if anyone on this forum with a full size bike ever experimented with the Nashbar Transport bag? It might take about 5 minutes or less to remove the wheels from the frame and put everything into the bike. However, I kinda like this idea since a bag like that would have far less problems on a train and might even work on some city buses. What do you think?

I think it wold take too much time to take the wheels off. My front wheel is QR so no problem (other than lawyer tabs I've yet to remove).

But the back wheel requires a 15mm wrench, plus I have to disconnect the shift cable and deal with the chain. Since the Metro train part of my commute only lasts 16 or 17 min; by the time I had the bike packed it would be time to unpack it.

If my train ride was an hour or more long . . . maybe, but probaby not even then. My folded DaHon takes up so little space (16" wheels remember) that a bag really isn't needed.

YMMV of course, and it might work wonderfully for some riders . . . but not for me.

Rick / OCRR

You're right. They should have never voluntarily acknowledged that there was a problem. That way, theoretically, a problem would never have existed... unless, of course, a large contingent of owners took it to court in a class action suit and won. Isn't that the way it works with large manufacturers in the states? But let's please conveniently disregard overseas manufacturers that are beyond reproach and any litigious attempts.