Compact but fast folder?
 

I'm new to folding bikes and wondered if I could get some advice. I'd like to get a folder for when I travel (frequently) that is compact but still a reasonable fast ride. I ride a road bike (Raleigh R700) and commute everyday (Giant FCR) and enjoy bikes with a longer reach (27-29") and high pressure tires. Because I'd take the bike on buses, trains, and in suitcase for flying, I'd like a pretty small fold (lighter is also a bonus) and a bike I could put in the suitcase without too much hassle. I've tried a Brompton (great fold but a little heavy and slow) but nothing else. The Downtube mini looks compact (although the dimensions are unclear: Gaerlan vs. Downtubes claims) but I'm not sure about how fast it would be. The Swift looks quick but a large fold. The Dahon MU 8 and MU SL also look attractive but I'm not sure how small the folds really are or how fast they are. The Bike Fridays are too rich for my budget. I'm 5'10" and 170 lbs. Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. Thanks.

Are we not all looking for this folder? ;)

Cheap, light, compact, and fast.

You might want to be explicit with your budget. That would help the discussion a lot. It sounds like $1000 from your initial post.

See my posts in the Downtube and other posts by Sesamecrunch and Maunakea. We're basically after the same things you are and have/want a Downtube modified to our particular needs. I'm finding that my Downtube Full Suspension can fold to large suitcase size, especially if you remove the "handle" underneath the bottom bracket. This allows one bolt holding the rear shock to be easily removed to allow the rear triangle to pivot and make the fold pretty compact. Worth considering as the downtube is a damn nice bike right out of the box. Needs re-geared for more speed though. Just my .02. Good Luck

Yeah well. Cheap, Fast, Small: pick any two.

For what it's worth, the Swift will at least fit into a suitcase, and anything other than a Brompton is probably going to take as long to pack / unpack as a Swift.

If you travel frequently, making your bike travel-ready will grow old soon, very soon. No matter how fast you want to go, you only will be as fast as the bike you have to ride, so I strongly suggest you to start with a Brompton 6 speed.

That's what I did...

Where in California are you? There are several shops with a wide selection of folders.

NYC, DC, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Philly also have shops with a wide selection of folders as well.

Or just get a Downtube Mini and be done with it. And forget about your 'longer reach,' that's not an available option. Sorry!

How about a Birdy?

I thought about that ... you can get a yellow birdy for $900.

Budget is a primary driver, $350 increments. IMO, at 1x, DT; at 2x, Swift; .... at 5x, Bike Friday. IMO, at 3x and 4x there's no clear winner.

+1

You would want to have them put a Sport (forward reaching) stem on it and swap out the tires for Stelvios. The $900 is with shipping included, so you'll probably end up at about $950 or so when all is said and done. My guess is that the guy at Black Dog bikes would let you send it back if you didn't like it. (http://blackdogbicycles.com/birdyfoldingtravelbike.html.) Or ask him if he has a used one (the frames last forever).

As others have said, how much do you want to spend? If the question is simply: is it do-able? Then the answer is certainly yes.

My version of this "portable roadie" is a heavily modified Downtube Front Suspension with SRAM X.7 shifters & cassette, FSA carbon chainring, a 140mm stem, Velocity Thracian wheels, and Schwalbe tires. I used to ride it occasionally with my weekend riding group. Only noticeable difference was in climbing, the folder was about 25 pounds, versus my 16.4 pound carbon/DA/Easton racehorse. i eventually even swapped out the front fork to save a couple of pounds. Fold was great, including suitcases. Total cost including mods: about $1,000.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...h/IMG_1289.jpg

close up of the drivetrain:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...h/IMG_1286.jpg

Thanks for all the great advice!
Now I've got some choices to think over. I hadn't considered a Birdy because I thought they were too expensive, but it does look like the Yellow sneaks in just under the $1000 ceiling.
It sounds like modifying a Downtube, because of all the standard parts, might be another good option.
Can anyone tell me what the approximate fold size is if the rear shock bolt is removed on the FS and the wheel pivoted under in the fold?

Any comments on the Dahon MU SL or Speed Pro. Both look to have longer reaches and fast tires but I've seen several comments about the proprietary parts making them difficult to repair/modify.
Thanks.

You probably already know this, but the rear suspension on the FS would decrease pedalling efficiency quite a bit. If going fast is important to you, then this might be a concern.

How many times are you intending to boad the bus? If you intend to board the bus very little, go with a 20' inch folder. Buy a hard case for travel and that's all.

You crossed off Brompton, Bike Friday and the Birdy because of cost. That leaves you with Dahon or Downtube for folding bikes. You really need to look at Dahon because they probably have a bike within your price range plus you get dealer support.

I have the DT VIII FS (I think that's what it is) and I don't notice the rear suspension in terms of pedaling efficiency loss unlike my FS mountain bike (and I also have the comparison to my road bikes). The suspension fork however is not very good. It bounces a lot when standing up.

I wouldn't want to try to get on a crowded bus with a Downtube! With a lot of tweaking, I did manage to get my NS to fit in a Dahon slip cover bag, but that required installing removable pedals.

The Birdy is all standard parts save the rims and tires. The headset has to be installed upside down, which limits the number of headsets you can use slightly. (Some are meant to be installed right side up.)

The Mu SL and Speed Pro are good options. The Mu is of course lightest (what a genius of a name). The frame hinge will give you grief on either of them. Also, the stem feels a touch flimsy. But the fold is reasonably small, the price is great, the component selection stellar (so no need to change the proprietary parts), and you can the Mu in anywhere if bagged. In my humble opinion, these bikes will not last very long, however. Also, the ride is much harsher than on a comparably equipped road bike, and you may need to go with larger tires if you are riding on anything but frozen ponds.

Here is more info on the Birdy from the Aussie site:http://www.birdy.com.au/FAQ_general.htm