Help with low end folder for a sailor?
 

I'm looking for a folder to keep on my sailboat. I plan to use it to explore the towns and villages I visit in
my travels. The best choice seems to be a Bike Friday or Brompton, but I don't want to spend a lot until
I try the sailboat-folder concept out a bit. So, I'm looking at some of the cheaper brands/models and am
willing to compromise. If I find things work out, I will probably sell it and upgrade.

My priorities are:
1. low price
2. small fold (16" I assume)
3. corrosion proof (alloy I assume)

There seem to be lots of good choices (Greenzone, Solorock, etc)

Any guidance appreciated.

A used almost anything bike will meet your needs. In Dahon's at one time they made a stainless steel folder called the Mariner. Go and look at what is available and do test rides. One of the bikes will speak to you and buy that one. The speaking will be telling it rides nice, the cost is great etc. Buying bicycle on the net and by window shopping is probably why most of them never get ridden. Roger

I have been watching CL for months but haven't seen anything that meets my needs. Folding bikes on CL tend to be in bigger cities and that is
not at all convenient for me. I did go to Nycebikes in NYC (days before they went under) and test drove a Dahon. It is not easy to find folders
to test drive. I've concluded I will probably have to take a chance and buy online w/o ever having tested the model first. I understand the risks.

It's true the Dahon Mariner had a stainless frame decades ago, but that didn't really help. It isn't the frame that rusts - it is all the components. No bike will fare well around salt water unless you keep it clean & lubed.
The current Dahon Mariner is a great option. Downtube makes some great folding bikes in both 16 & 20 wheel size, and at competitive prices. The 16 vs 20 wheel thing is subjective. I far prefer the ride of a 20" wheel bike, but others will differ.

As much as I admire Bromptons, I don't think they are a good choice for most cruising sailors. Get a simple bike that is less attractive for theft.

Just that those were the initial main target group and buyers of Bromptons. Julian Vereker, the man who put the money into Andrew Richies idea and acted as the business-man counterpart to the engineer AR was from that group. And still today Brompton are a very good (and common) choice for sailors.

Perhaps in the UK they are. I live on the ICW on the NC coast. We cruised for a couple years before living here. Cruising sailors stop in the harbor that I can see out my window. I've chatted up hundreds (perhaps thousands) of sailors in the past 15 years. I've seen exactly one boat with a pair of Bromptons aboard. Dahons prevail. After that, a bit of everything.

What does "ICW on the NC coast" mean? :foo:

Maybe that was because all the Brommis were stored out of sight under deck due to their small footprint whereas the Dahons, due to their clumsy nature, had to be stored on deck? :p Honestly: If you are talking about the US Brompton's presence has not been very strong until recently. Which might explain why you haven't seen a lot but does not say a thing about how good they are suited for sailing. I am not a sailor myself but a lot of my friends are and if I hear one thing from them it is that storage space is an issue on a sailing boat. And a lot of them look for a folder to take with them on trips. And that's where the Brompton's footprint shines. In other aspects any bike will do: The typical sailer won't cover a lot of miles on his bike, he does not use the subway or commute, he does not ride in the rain, etc. etc.. And as sailing is not a very cheap thing to do the higher price of the Brompton often is not too relevant for sailors. However: Obviously you can use a lot of other bikes as well as long as your boat offers the necessary space to store them.

https://www.greenzonebikes.com/index...&product_id=72

These look good. Three speed, 16" tires.
$300 including shipping.

ICW
NC = North Carolina

Big thanks! In this case I live close to an ICW in B in NG :)

Acronym apologies. Intracoastal Waterway on the North Carolina Coast. The ICW runs along much of the US east coast.

Cruising sailors are a notoriously thrifty group. Please understand, my comment isn't anti Brompton. They are great bikes with a brilliant design. They just are not used much here by cruising sailors. Dahon makes pricey folders too, and you won't see those on boats either.

I would definitely spend the money on a Brompton once I confirm that I can make a folding bike work well
for me. That's the main reason I want to start with an inexpensive bike - even though I understand it won't
be as good as a Brompton.

The Greenzone suggested by BikeKraft really looks like it ticks all the boxes.

Thanks for all the feedback.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...056e041f85.jpg
As I said in my first post if you spend the money you are stuck with it. It would be like buying a car before driving it. If doesn't fit right it is probably at least without expense not going to get better. There are several other dealers in NYC that sell folding bikes. Give us details of yourself. Height. weight, inseam, fitness level, age, mechanical abilities and so on. Me I collect folders and own a bunch of different ones. I would also go with a 20 inch tire size (406) wheel. I am not in love with Dahons and would not pressure you to that brand and am only using this picture as an example. I bought this last June for $50 at a bicycle show in IL. Roger

I will continue to watch CL but don't have high hopes of finding what I want. I think your car analogy is a good one. I'm pretty
sure any new car these days would be would be fine for simple missions. I'm betting (hoping) the same goes for new folders.

I'm 6', 170lbs and very fit. I'm also able to fix and mod a bike.

Because fold size is critical to me and because I read in this forum that 16" wheels are a perfectly reasonable
option, I'm planning on sticking them that size.

But I'm open to other options.

You got a Locker below decks to stow it in?

BTW don't be surprised at how quickly chromed steel gets rusty in a marine environment... so air tight stowage, might keep the mist away..


Brompton is about as small & tidy a fold as any in the business... Approximately 24 x 24 x 12 is the hole you need to make to put it on.

mostly you like it or you don't, Folding bikes (except Bike Friday) only come in one size.. [Brompton has bar mast options ,1 frame]


... in a Fishing Town..


..

I will keep it below decks but I do know it is likely to get splashed on the dinghy ride to shore and I understand that this a
very difficult environment for a bike. That's why I want as much non-steel as possible and a low price.

got an oxymoron there even if the frame is aluminum* the steel parts won't be stainless..

you will find a low price bike, that you will probably get rid of when all the bolts are too rusty..

* Tern, aluminum, but not Low Price.. still bolts: chromed steel ..




...

Just curious here.....I understand that steel is more prone to rust in areas close to the ocean. Unless it is an alloy formulated to be unaffected by salt, isn't AL also affected? Maybe neither is true.

Well when non ferrous metals combine with oxygen ,. (and Salt,) its called Corrosion, not Rust..

Anodizing is a surface treatment of aluminum to resist corrosion ..

my opinion that your bike simply dont exist.
you want full stainless and cheap price.
materials would be steel or aluminum.
aluminum does corrode, as steel gets rust.
steel bolts in aluminium frames will lead pitting corrosion by eletric diference.

i would suggest strida folding bike for you.

https://www.strida.com

i guess no cheap opition would last.
raising money you could swap

Check out the Euromini LIberte. Every bit as good as a Dahon Mariner (in some respects better) for $399. It's a nice bike and cheap enough that you wouldn't necessarily feel terrible for subjecting it to the elements.

Here's a Citizen Tokyo for $100 https://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/d...815369277.html 16" wheels, 6 speed. Spray liberally with Boeshield and ride it until it dies, then buy another $100 folder.

MooGroc here is a You Tube video that compares different wheel size fold and the benefits of each. Roger

After you do your initial testing,...consider the Dahon Curl:

I think it's a bit overpriced,...but it's definitely another option. I'd get it over a Brompton, as upgrading a Brompton to an 8 speed internal geared hub is even more expensive. So, to me, the Dahon Curl is my bike of choice. Especially considering it's higher weight limit.

Thanks for the recommendation, it's very helpful as I had not considered this make/model. It does seem corrosion resistant but the website is
poor (I can't find the folded size) and the wheels are 20" - still worthy of consideration.