Hi, bunch of 20" trifold clones on Aliexpress. Anyone buy one?

No, only because the shipping cost is over $300.

Oh, 20", not 16". There's a BIG thread, Folders For Family Fun, the OP bought 2 different 20" trifolds, my guess is from Ali, but I don't know. Used on monthlong trip to SE Asia, both held up well, although near end needed hub repair in Japan because typically come with too little grease on bearings. Always grease a new hub.

I live in SEAsia and could easily, quickly and cheaply buy most all of those tri-folds, including the model that our Aussie Chiapas friend called his "dream tri-fold". Yet I do not.

Are you a "frequent folder" and carrier, like on a daily basis? Or do you mostly fold your bikes for travel?

The last time I folded my trifold bifold was several years ago for a train trip (excluding when I fit my own Deltech). When I do fold it, it's a bit of a pain, as both frame hinge and handlepost hinge are clamped pretty tight to eliminate wobble, I sometimes need a plastic tent stake to pry up the hinge handles in recent years, due to age. I only carried it the distance of on and off the train, it carries terrible. So, infrequent fold and short carry.

If I was a frequent folder and carrier, I'd have a trifold.

I am not a frequent folder, no.

Well that explains it.

And I mispoke, I meant to say my bifold, not trifold.

No, it doesn't. That's only half of it.

Conversely it doesn't explain the obsession with these trifolds by other folks who are also not frequent folders.

With my Brompton, it is almost always folded if I am not riding it. Inside places, it handles much better folded. It is easier to move into tight spaces to store.

Unless they fly even occasionally with the bike. But only local use, very infrequent folding, I'd agree. It can't be due to suspicion about the hinge on a bifold, as Bromptons have a hinge, just further forward. It's probably ease of transport in a car, not needing a roof or trunk rack, if you don't own a wagon, ute, van, or truck. I fold very infrequently, but when I do, I NEED it. Oh, one other need for a trifold, you can wheel it on casters folded through a store, library, etc. Some places won't let me wheel my unfolded bifold*, and I won't leave it outside chained in this city, theft has gotten out of hand.

* Like the large Asian market in town the other day, I wheeled in to get panang curry paste and miso paste, the eye in the sky called security who ordered the bike out, fortunately I had gotten both items and they let me go through checkout. My local grocery lets me wheel through all the time. Library, nope. If I needed to frequent a place that did the same, I'd need a trifold. My bifold folded in a shopping cart would probably fly, but then I've gotta pull off the panniers, fold, then unfold, put the panniers back on for the groceries, put the food inside. My local grocery, easy, I wheel thru, say "no bags please", fill up the panniers right at checkout after paying. Thank goodness my regular grocer is cool with that. OH! And bikers get $3 off on purchases over $30! Those folks rock.

LIRR sux, so whomsoever that owns a trifold finds it easy to put in the overhead storage area above the seats. The G Line? I think not...

Amtrak says a 20" folder can be brought in the passenger cars to put in the luggage shelves at end of cars, but that's not the LIRR. Usually, I would think not a lot of luggage with passengers on that, unless the majority of folks going to and from an airport. Which means a lot of space fore/aft on the overhead luggage shelf. Now, if sticking over the side laterally, yeah I'm sure that would get called out. I'm also sure a G-Line could not be brought on board aircraft, I think a 22" roller can fit overhead, and the G is over that. But 16" Broms have been brought on board. I was nervous on a return train trip, in the tall scenic cars, seats on top level, because the luggage shelves were on the lower level near the door. At every stop I went down to keep an eye on my bike, lest someone grab and go in 2 seconds. In the future, I'll prefer the regular cars with the luggage shelves in sight.

I take my Brompton on the LIRR frequently, not during rush hour though, never a problem.

Yes, that's what tds101 said. The question is whether a 20" G-line could do the same? But yeah, if I commuted by train, I'd have already gotten a 16" Brompton.

I'm a happy Dahon Helios owner. Just a simple bifold man. I do not possess a 'Frequent Folder' card.

Yet the more I read of the dangers of trifold obsession... I just might become Brompton enthralled.

Like anything addictive, it doesn't end well.

Like I tell young folks: Someone trying to get you to start sharing their addiction, is trying to rationalize their addiction, it says to them, 'Well if my friend is using as well, it must be OK.'

Not a Brompton style trifold but more datapoints on commuting.based on recent experience.

NJ Transit - only folders during rush hour



This Bike Friday All Packa is taking up 2 seats on the train to Newark



Train to New York is more crowded. Had to stand near the doors.

Seems like a Brompton style 16" folder is perfect for this application

Don't see why a goode ole bi-fold wouldn't do. Good luck with all luggage on a tri-fold.

That's what the 16" Brompton was designed for, the London Underground aka The Tube.

Looks like you could shrink the BF footprint by removing the front wheel and putting alongside the frame on the driveside. One folder I saw many months ago in the forums, had a small bracket on the right chainstay to attach the front wheel axle. Your fork doesn't extend beyond the rear tire swung underneath, I think.

Yeah, this is just a quick fold to get on the train to Rochester NY for a tour. I could have made it smaller (and more cumbersome) if the conductor asked me to. Thankfully they didn't

The Zizzo and Brompton style trifolds would be much better for regular multi-modal travel.

I DID specifically say LIRR (Long Island Rail Road), did I not? There's luggage storage at the ends of some cars, not all, of their trains, and a 16" Brompton fits in the overhead rack on all the trains. People bring on bifold and trifold bikes, as they're quite common, along with electric bikes and scooters.

"Folding Bicycle Policy

Folding bicycles may be brought on board train cars as carry-on baggage at all times. Only true folding bicycles (bicycles specifically designed to fold up into a compact assembly, not exceeding 32 inches in width) are acceptable. Generally, these bicycles have frame latches that allow the frame to be collapsed, and small wheels. Regular bicycles of any size, with or without wheels, are not considered folding bicycles, and may not be stored as folding bicycles on board trains. The bicycle must be folded in the most compact position before boarding the train. Bicycles must be clean and free of excessive dirt and grease at all times. Folding bicycles may not be placed on seats and must not block aisles or vestibules."

Folding bikes are allowed on any LIRR train, at any time. The same for folding electric scooters and ebikes.

A G Line Brompton would be 100% allowed at all times. There's no "question". I work for the MTA in the city and talk to the employees all the time on the LIRR. As I stated above: a folding bike is allowed on a LIRR train at any time.

I didn't know they had luggage shelves at the end of the cars. I thought it might be all overheads, didn't know the size of those. I actually don't know the seating arrangement on the LIRR, I had assumed forward facing, but that could be wrong.

Stop "ASSUMING", since you keep doing it incessantly. The electrics are single height, and have overhead storage, seats facing fore and aft, and areas at the ends of the car with folding bench seats for bikes/luggage/electric scooters (nowadays). The diesel trains are double decker and have the addition of the luggage/storage areas at car ends. All have front/rear facing seats, all seats are padded, and ALL TRAINS ALLOW FOLDING BIKES AT ALL TIMES.

Never heard much complaints about them in the community here (which is large on folding bikes ) (in Singapore)

If you do a youtube search, you should be able to find enough online video content about them.

That last video checks all the boxes for me! 20" trifold, titanium, discs, high bars, and 2X gearing; I would just go with 50/34 instead if 53/39, with that cassette, that gives me great range without large steps, and the low I need. Love the 3 pulley RD for chain takeup when folding, while still providing good ground clearance.