Folding Bike $300 or less (Urban Work Commute)
 

Hi everyone,

I did some searching through the forums, and there're not too many recent "help me find a bike, I have no idea" threads. And the ones I did find have very different conditions or monetary restrictions.

A little about myself:
I am 32 years old, 5'11'', and weight around 180lbs. I live in NYC, and I am considering riding my bike to work and taking the subway back home. I'm fairly confident in my riding ability, although I haven't rode regularly in a long time.

My workplace gives me a $300 fitness reimbursement, which I can use on a bike! I strongly prefer a new bike, but I am open to some suggestions of used.

Thanks!
Rich

$339 will getcha a new Gazelle.

http://origamibicycles.com/product/gazelle/

Thanks. I guess I can explore a bit over $300. :-)

I've read a few bad things about Artek Vigorous Disc brakes, any thoughts? Would it make sense to get the Mantis for a bit more for better (more reliable) brakes?

Not a fan of disc brakes on folders except in one circumstance - if you ride in very hilly/mountainous terrain. Unlike rim brakes, discs prevent the rims from overheating on long descents, preventing tire blowouts which could send you careening. Otherwise, discs and pads need to be kept meticulously clean (which most people don't do) to avoid excessive wear. I'd stick to rim brakes on a budget folder.

In NYC, you have the advantage of having two very nice folder shops - NYCEwheels and B'fold. Spend some time test riding and getting to know different models and price points before you plunk your money down. Also spend some time folding, unfolding and carrying, because you want to know how easy (or how difficult) it is before you commit.

Weve got EuroMini Urbanos, and been delighted with them. Presently on sale at $299, with free shipping and a money back guarantee. Theyve exceeded my expectations even after several months of ownership, and nearly daily use. I recommend them highly (obviously). Lots of great product out there.

I'd second the recommendation of the Euromini Urbano because you have stated urban-work-commute so the bike is likely to get a fair amount of use and so ideally needs a good quality freehub/cassette based drivetrain. The Urbano has such a good quality drivetrain which is likely to be more consistent, reliable and longer lasting and also means the rear wheel axle will be stronger than a freewheel based folding bike, so more resistant to hitting potholes or dropping off kerbs etc. However there may be other choices at that price point (I'm not based in the US) but would certainly avoid any folding bike with a freewheel.

The only issue is, is a direct seller, imports in bulk and sells directly through the internet, basically a box shifter and won't be able to provide the support of a local bike shop. If you or someone you know is capable of doing the maintenance and possible repairs then it makes sense but if you are going to be reliant on a local bike shop it may be better to buy there even at a much higher price for the equivalent spec because you will be charged for every little bit of work if you take an internet purchased bike into that shop be it punctures, brake adjustment etc and that soon adds up. I do all my own maintenance so its a no brainer for me to get the best possible bike I can for the money wherever possible.

Some people like to support local bike shops, many have closed in recent years around Europe and the US as more people buy online. Such shops can help promote cycling in our communities and keep existing bikes on the road. The US like the UK is running a large trade deficit and also the two biggest countries for buying goods online. The only reason I mention it is in the past some cycle shops and their customers forge relationships that can last decades for the same bike. Such support is declining as these shops close. As an example 'bikemanforu' on youtube is a fly on the wall view of a new york cycle shop which is now running down to closure as the owner moves into oyster fishing! I've seen people come in to get their bike serviced or repaired that was bought from that same shop 40 years ago.

At least the Euromini Urbano features good quality components that should give it a reasonable lifespan. Buying a low end freewheel based folding bike can lead to frequent problems and hassle which in the end can cause people to not ride it or throw the bike away to scrap/landfill and add to our wasteful throwaway society.

[QUOTE=Buying a low end freewheel based folding bike can lead to frequent problems and hassle which in the end can cause people to not ride it or throw the bike away to scrap/landfill and add to our wasteful throwaway society.[/QUOTE]

Keep an eye out for after Christmas specials since you are so close to the holiday. I scored my Dahon Vybe for $300 this past January and it has been a reliable workhorse. It has a freewheel which has had 0.0 affect on my riding or the bikes reliability. It is considered low end but it is cheap to customize and held up to multiple trips around the country and is great for commuting by train. One thing to consider is gear inches. Was not on my radar. I prefer biking fast, so I had to increase my gear range. The Crane gear range is better than the Vybe. It cost me about 70 to remedy that.

Contact me at paul@origamibicycles.com. I have a good option for you.

The folks at EuroMini have proven quite helpful when we did have a small issue, and offered to either reimburse us for a trip to my LBS to remedy , or send me a replacement part.

As a businessperson myself, I have a moral issue with visiting a LBS with an internet purchase, so I opted for the latter from them and all’s well that ends well and frankly the parts replacement took less time than driving to a LBS.

I now have purchased 4 of their bikes, our 2, 2 as gifts, and been responsible for recommending them to friends resulting in at least 3 other purchases by them.

I have NO qualms with their after sale support, and Im delighted with the bike every time I ride it.

Some Da Hon Clones are about that, depreciating when resold used.

I see some Dahon's and Citizen's on the NYC Craigslist for about $300. A few claim to be like new.

If you are going to be commuting in the rain and snow, get some fenders. This will help to keep you dryer and the bike cleaner.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Take the $300 allowance and add a little more (or match it even) and you can get a really nice bike. Best deal on the planet for such a bike is the Vitesse D3. My company Nomadic (and a few others including ThorUSA) have these going for $382 incl freight. You can also get 7 Speed Vybe D7 for $405.

For commuting and hard, no issue use, I would go with the internal hub Vitesse D3. Its half the price of t he Vitesse I7 (7 speed right now). And it has a Post Pump! (No rack, but fenders)

Great bike for sure.

I agree, that's an unbelievable price for the Vitesse D3. I spent about $150 to upgrade the crank to increase gearing and it's now perfect. Best folder I've ever seen (for my needs) here in NYC or elsewhere. I still think getting it at $500 was a steal.

I'm sure not all freewheels are problematic and unreliable but if $300 will buy a bike with a higher quality drivetrain why buy a bike with such a low end drivetrain? It's the same low end freewheel as fitted to low end walmart bikes and I just don't see the point when $300 will buy something better. Many people are happy with their walmart bikes and many would always warn against buying them. You may get lucky but why gamble with a freewheel just seems false economy especially when there is a bike at that price point not compromised with such weak low end components.,

I like the Op am fairly new to folders. There were things I wished I knew more about before my purchase. Only telling the Op that gear range to me is more important than the whole freewheel vs cassette thing.

I've had freewheel based bikes on and off for nearly 40 years and never had an issue and would not have known the difference before this forum.

Nomadic.net has a great article on gear range which is a bigger deal when moving down to 20 tires.

Absolutely agree with buy as much bike as you can for the dollar.

In fairness their could be an environment factor. Here in the UK we get lots of rain and many old roads with potholes and issues so many bikes will get wet and get a few bangs. Some riders are also are carrying too much weight.... cough. All factors that give huge benefits to freehubs over freewheels. I'm pretty sure even Shimano themselves have presented freewheels as their budget, light use drivetrains for those who can't afford anything better basically. I expect to see them on walmart bikes and other entry level low cost models but I'm always disappointed when more expensive bikes have such low quality components. Doesn't meant they aren't fit for purpose if you are lightweight, hardly ever use the bike or are a fair weather cyclist. They should never, ever be fitted to mountain bikes though. I don't mean the mountain bike style bikes at walmart I mean the serious mountain bike brands that have them on their entry level mountain bikes, absolute joke and not fit for purpose.

Nobody in this thread is purchasing a mountain bike with a freewheel, so I think it's a moot point. Freewheels have worked fine for commuting for many decades, and will be fine on the OP's folder.

Thank you for all of the help, guys. Unfortunately with work and a baby, I'm not going to have much time to try out different bikes or scour Craigslist.

So far I am thinking about there two bikes:
1) Dahon Speed Vybe D7, which I can get for $367 shipped
2) Euromini Urbano w/ fenders added, $335 shipped

Any opinions on which you would choose?

I'd prefer the one with the largest gear combination. I don't know the biking term, but it's what let you go fastest in the top gears, front and rear. If you plan to ride 12 mph and slower, maybe not an issue, but with a 20" bike, you can be pedalling pretty fast if your gears do't match your crusing speed.

I love my Vybe, but had to swap to a 56t chainring (add 70) with an 11-28 freewheel (add 35) to get to my road speed.

How much is time a factor on your commute? My goal is to get anywhere comfortably at a 4 minute mile pace.

The Urbano has a slightly larger 48t vs 46t chainring and an 11t vs 14t rear, plus it has the cassette.

For the price I would go with the Urbano. I can tell you that either choice is good and these entry level folders provide just what you need to enjoy your commute while maximizing portability.

Thanks!
Google maps says my commute is 6.9 miles, and will take 40 minutes. It’s mostly downhill though.
I was looking at this thread from earlier this year. There seemed to be some concern over the EuroMini being nutted axeled. A worker from EuroMini popped in too. bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/1123354-origami-gazelle-citizen-seoul-looking-my-first-folder-2.html
Thanks for the advice. I’m not sure I’d like being stuck to one gear.

Thanks guys!

I like multiple gears. I especially like multiple gears because the older I get, the more I find I have to be nicer to my knees, which means not straining them by being in too high a gear. So unless you're young and/or have legs of steel, I recommend more than one gear.

I understand that single speed bikes are simpler and lighter weight, but I'm always going back to protecting my knees whenever I can - so that they last longer and I can be riding well into my 80s and 90s instead of looking at knee replacements well before that.

OK that helps. That distance you want a good gear range. Downhill means uphill in the other direction :) So 7 speeds or more (I have a 7 speed and predominately use 3 of the gears) and a 50+ tooth count chain ring. The Urbano is pretty close. Now I know more options at this point only add to the confusion but there is a Dahon speed under the garage sale at ThorUSA in your price range. That said the Urbano costs less and it is not super expensive to upgrade the chain ring or cassette if you feel you spin out at the max gearing.

Bolts vs. quick release- to me a non-issue, I disassemble my tires all of the time to fly with the Vybe and it is a 10 second difference than QR. It is a forum so everyone has something that they feel strongly about but at the end of the day "will this get me from point A to point B reliably and timely" is a priority. All of the other things that are mentioned are not game changers to that. Some value weight, but again I have not found it to be an issue, a 20-25-30 pound weight is about the same when carrying a short distance like on/off a train. When you commute you carry gear so the weight is always more. Hope that helps.

But the standard 11 tooth high gear on a cassette is a big step up for most riders of small wheeled bikes from the standard 13 tooth on most freewheel bikes. Unless you will only ride the bike in slow mode I would go for a 8 speed cassette or 9,10,11. 7 speeds are nearly always freewheels---a no go in my opinion.

I actually have issues with my knees, so my thoughts exactly.

The reason I want a folder is to not usually take that uphill ride home. ��

The Dahon Speed from ThorUSA, are you referring to the D7? Is that the same as the Vybe D7? If so, I can get a brand new one for a bit cheaper, shipped.

Thanks!