Bike Friday is offering a preview on their new pack in a backpack bike, which weighs in at as little as 16 pounds (presumably the titanium version, built for a very small rider).

Interesting concept, but I'm wary of the separate bits you have to put together - forget to put a pedal in the backpack, and you're SOL. Will there be real advantages over Dahon/Brompton and friends? Is is really a folder, if you spent a couple of minutes dismantling it each time?

Thoughts?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=op3aHDOunW4

Interesting bike...seems to be a combination of my Brompton and Swift in the rear wheel folds under the top tube, (both) and the seat post and stem riser come out with a QR (swift). In fact, my Brompton S only weighed a few pounds more in a single speed configuration and Jur's Swift weighed a bit less than 20 lbs, if I recall. Also this bike seems really stripped... no fenders, no lights or reflectors and is a single speed. I couldn't tell if it had a belt or a chain. Not revolutionary, but a well thought out and attractive package. Should have minimal maintenance needs as well.

Definitely reminds me of a Brompton/Xootr combo. I kinda like it,...

yes but then you are spending 1.5 minutes at the station putting all the bits and separate pieces together. while if you where a brompton owner after 15 seconds you would be long gone down a few blocks while the backpack friday you are putting in the finishing touches on the pedal snap in. I would be very weary of using such an item in crowded subway areas like London and Singpore and even my city where you'll just be in the way laying all that out unless you are far from others.

but for the bike itself and not the fold it looks like a really nice and stiff ride, the main bar has no hinges and zero fold and the handlebar is one piece. So without a hinge in the middle of the main bar that already saves a few lbs of metal there automatically. It'll be hard to convince me to pick one up for daily use though because my mini bike is already light and i can fold it in 15 seconds and i'll be way down the street before I even start riding with this.

In the end though i would still be interested in seeing more info on this and the options they will have with this. looks interesting and kudos for them to keep pushing forward and innovate with new designs and not just stagnate with minor improvements on one product

Where I live, and now commute, I don't need to worry about being in the way. And 1.5 minutes to pack up is acceptable to me. As for ride, I had a Xootr Swift, and the ride was excellent. If this rides like the Swift I'll start saving asap!!!

Some text here.

No joke and about time! New Bike Breakthrough from Bike Friday

They're looking for helpful comments.

It looks interesting, although the backpack looks really awkward.

I'm surprised they didn't use their traditional folding seatpost. I really can't tell what would make that much more compact than any other Bike Friday, or folding bike for that matter.

fixed or 1 to 3 speeds maybe a different category of bikes than they've done in the past. I'd expect to also see the Alfine 8 & 11, although not necessarily the lightest.

I'm torn on this. The lighter weight is great, especially for women who have to carry them up steps. But I am not sure I see myself busting it down and rebuilding it to go in the backpack. I'd probably just carry it assembled. That's what I do now with my 24 pound bike friday. And I lock it up when I need to (through the chain ring and the struts). And my current BF is easy enough to knock down to size to go in a car and takes less than a minute. I don't think it will intrude on the brompton market, if that was the intent, because it is just too cumbersome. IMO the whole backpack thing is kinda pointless but the smaller and lighter bike is a win.

Agreed on the weight, but you need to add lights and fenders if you want to commute on it, and who knows what fenders will do to the fold/pack. Can you imagine riding to the station in the rain, and then having to pack a wet, muddy bike into a backpack. And then at the other end, you take out a wet and muddy bike, put it back together again and ride to the office?

I'd want to see it in real life rather than sign up for the kickstarter. And the Helix is still more tempting, if it ever happens.

Come visit Eugene, or do a coast ride, and swing inland for a couple of days.

Someone at Bike Friday should be able to answer questions. They are generally quite responsive.

I could swing by the factory if you had some specific questions and wanted a 3rd party reviewer.

Bike Friday has been producing bikes for a few decades, and there are plenty of their other bike models around.

Considering that, unlike other folderss, a folded Brompton can be rolled without any problem, that BF prototype has no competitive advantage. Besides, the titanium version of the Brompton is even lighter.

How many commuters will actually bother taking a backpack and carry the bike on their back? In that respect, the Dahon/Tern bag is a more compact solution for those who do need to bag their bike.

90 seconds to fold/unfold is way too long for a commuting bike.

They also forgot to weld a lug on the headset to carry a bag in the front.

And considering how much BF bikes cost, it's unlikely to be cheaper than the Brompton.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not that intrigued. I have a Bike Friday - it's my travel/touring bike - and I have a Brompton, which is the city bike. I guess they are positioning this as offering elements of both bikes, but I can't see it as something that really grabs me. But I assume they assume there's a market for the bike, or they wouldn't be building it.

There's no way I'm walking through a store or standing in line at Starbucks with that ungainly pack on my back. And the assemble/disassemble process is a bigger project than my recently sold NWT. I don't see this working for its intended market.

I just can't figure out who the customer for this would be. Why would you want to have to take apart the bike to carry it?

They are touting the "real bike" feel, so it probably rides more like a regular Friday, which in turn rides like a regular bike. And of course the fact that it comes in three sizes makes it more useful for some riders.

I wish them well, but like DLB, I can't figure out the market for this bike.

I might have considered it before I got my current BF. I could not get comfortable on a Brompton, at least not as the dealer was able to configure it. And I'm 5'4" so weight carrying the bike up steps at BART was a major concern. Maybe if I had the option of a 16" wheeled bike that was very light, that actually rode well and - most importantly - could be sized to fit me, I would have chosen it. The Backpack/folding business would have been a very low factor. Had I gotten one, I would have only folded using the rear triangle in most cases; breaking it down just seems unnecessary with a sub 20 pound weight which I can carry assembled and well balanced. Of course, now I can carry my 20" BF as I've developed a few muscles ;-).

I supposed it might make sense for folks with small studio apartments in NYC or SF because you could even store it under a bed. Otherwise....not so sure about the folding/backpack thing.

The front fender will be the problem ... I think.

The lightest Brompton -- titanium single speed, no fender nor rack -- is essentially 20 pounds, I believe. So if a 190 pound rider limit is OK, then one should expect a 5 pound difference.

That's a big overstatement, IME. A Brompton rolls OK with the EZ wheels, but needs further modifications for anything other than smooth of surfaces like a supermarket floor. In the past, those modifications (skate wheels) would result in voiding the Brompton frame warranty. A BF tikit rolls much better. A STRIDA rolls even better than that.

As far as market group. I think the bike uses a fold that allows a straight chain without tensioner. So, fixies, SS, & IGH.

The advantage of a small mostly direct marketing company is that even if they only build and sold one packable BF a day, they could still build and make money on it.

My guess is that a lot of them will be used without particularly using the pack. Just a lightweight foldable bike. Maybe just use the pack for long-term storage and for travelling.

BF Fenders are fairly flexible, I think. So the fender may not be a problem (although it could throw it out of alignment).

For the 5 people who want a really light bike that folds its rear triangle under, this will be great. It doesn't fold any more than that, so I don't see it being of much use to the rest of us.

All the Bromptons I see simply have their rear wheel kicked forward when locked at bike racks. Perhaps there is something more to it.

Sent in my bene sugg Brompton head tube block* & have the pack function as a touring/shopping bag when you ride.

with reusable grocery bags for your stuff.. then put the bike in the bag when you need to. take your shopping bags Out.

* they already have that as a Tikit Frame Option..


Another Idea: Shock cord inside the seat and bar Masts , Then only the front wheel is a loose part.



yea the Brompton rear wheel fold is like their Kickstand. thats how I use It.

That backpack just looks really unpleasant. Almost like the video should have been posted on April 1.

Good for travelling - especially on airlines . Look more compact than the Brompton. I own a Brompton and feel it still big to carry and fly with.

Don't mind spending couple of minutes dismantling it as a trade off for compactness & good ride feel.

Reminds me of the Hummingbird in concept.

I think the packing into backpack is meant for more extended times when you can't have the full bike with you, such as shopping and traveling. For commuting, I would be inclined to just fold the rear and stand it vertically to reduce footprint.

I would be interested to see how compactly one could pack this. Perhaps it could be a possibility for cabin luggage by also removing the rear wheel. A backpack might attract less attention when stepping up to a cabin gate.

Quite a steep price, I think. I like it, but I don't see one in my future garage.