NYT Article on Folders
 

New York Times May 15, 2005
Wheel Simple
By MIKE GUY
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/tr.../15T-BIKE.html

Marc Monzo is a jeweler in Barcelona who resembles his Brompton folding bicycle -- that is to say, he is a handsome and practical man, yet quirky and adaptable. When he arrives at a cafe on his black Brompton, he hops off and, in three economical gestures, transforms his bike into a portable package.

''I've never felt more in touch with this city than when I'm on this bicycle,'' he says. Barcelona, with its high theft rate, congested streets and appreciation of design, is ideal terrain for the folding bicycle.

Monzo is a member of a global cult, and as devoted as any Harley hog rider. With popular brands like Brompton, as well as Dahon, Birdy and Bike Friday, America is beginning to embrace the collapsible two-wheeler.

Most folding bikes have a low-slung frame that folds right in the middle. The handlebars reach high above the frame, like a chopper's. And those tiny 20-inch wheels are a dead giveaway to serious bikers. Beyond the Dahon and Birdy there is the Strida, a strange deltoid bicycle that resembles a toy. Connoisseurs recommend the Brompton ($750 to $1,200). You can even get a Brompton with a Connolly leather case for $13,240.

But are folding bikes safe? One sunny afternoon, I decided to give the Dahon Speed P8 a test ride in Central Park. The P8 is a dynamic, top-shelf ride that costs $500. Lightweight and well balanced, it folds into a pleasing jumble, smaller than a bag of groceries. But soon, the nearly perfect day became stormy. As I rode down Park Avenue in the rain, the ride turned into an endurance test. Suddenly my perch was too small. I began to teeter, and when I stopped at a red light, I felt like a fat man on a tightrope. A few blocks later, the bike slid out from under me. Later, when I had folded up the bike and hailed a cab, I was philosophical. Sure, these bikes have their limitations, but the trade-off is worth it. After all, it fit in the cab.

Maybe he just needs a bigger saddle.

I don't think he is a regular cyclist. More like a journalist-who-hasn't-ridden-in-years-on-a-folding-bike. :D

Ah'hh it becomes clearer now.

Thanks, I believe I need one of those $12,000 Connolley leather cases for my Brompton T6.

He sounds like an incompetent, bumbling dumbass. A newbie riding in the rain, probably with little experience with riding at all, and is probably overfat.

Yeah, I'll listen to him when I make my next bike purchase... :rolleyes:

Koffee

Riding a 16' inch folder is more squarely than a 20' inch wheel or larger. I suspect he found riding in the rain to be more dangerous which is true. I've ridden my 16' inch folder without much problems in the rain. Snow is a different story!

LOL at your acidic comments... I'm imagining he looks a bit like Phillip Seymour Hoffman in one of his sweatier roles... :)

Go fixed with it ,that will help a great deal on snow/ice.Or get a classic 3 and convert it to fixed.

You mean squirrely, not squarely, yes? IMO, 16" front-wheeled bikes all have more squirrely steering than bikes with larger wheels. These bikes just want to jump in the direction you point that 16" wheel, oversteering can be a problem! That's true for every 16-incher I own, a Strida and two Raleighs (RSW-16 and a chopper).