I am looking at purchasing a new folding bike for my business trips, and I was interested in the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket. However, I wanted to keep my budget to $1K or less, and Bike Friday has stock bikes for sale at a significant discount over the custom sizes. I don't plan for this to be my primary bike, so I guess I do not need to have a totally dialed-in fit. The large stock size roughly equates to a 60cm frame, while a medium equates to a 56 cm frame. I ride around a 58 cm Trek frame, so does anyone know how adjustable the stock bikes are, and whether I should err on the side of a smaller frame or a larger frame?

I spoke with someone at BF and he was trying to steer me toward a custom frame.

Thanks.

In general, folding bikes can fit a wider range of sizes than full size bikes. I don't know what type of stem comes with the stock bike: Is it the swan stem or a typical ahead-type stem? Assuming that there is an ahead-type stem, I would go smaller instead of larger since you can always put a longer stem on the bike.

If my memory is correct, there was a $100 difference and a longer wait for the custom sized bike.

Green Gear Cycles is a for profit enterprise, but their customer service is very good. I doubt they would do that just to get you to buy a higher priced item. They actually were the opposite with me. I wanted a custom bike, and they insisted a stock bike would fit me as well and for less money. If I had to guess they either don't have any in stock and won't for a while because they're filling custom orders, you really won't fit one of their stock bikes, or it is possible someone is trying to make better numbers, but I'm pretty quick to doubt the last one.

Thanks.

I believe that it is the ahead-type stem with the stock model (here is the spec sheet: https://bikefriday.com/node/6858?styleId=0).

The price savings on the website is actually $230 ($999 vs. $1,230, which I thought could cover a hard case and a couple accessories.

I was hoping that I would not break the bank on my first folder, with the thought of trading up at some point if I liked them and I got as much use out of them as I hoped.

I was on the phone with the rep, so I could have misconstrued what he was saying. It just seemed that when I was asking questions about the adjustability of the stock bike, he seemed to go back to the custom bike. It could have been that he was trying to be helpful in addressing my concerns about the sizing of the stock bikes.

I have read many positive reviews on the service, so I will chalk it up to misunderstanding.

I will probably fill out the sizing form and forward it to BF to see if they can get the sizing to approximate my road bikes.

Hmmm, are there other component differences? See the bottom of this link ...

https://bikefriday.com/node/6662

Stock bike that is ready to ship. Size is medium. Flag Red

Stock Bike Fridays are priced $100 lower than comparable models that are custom built-to-order. Custom orders can take up to 8-10 weeks for delivery. Stock Fridays can ship out on short notice (please call for schedule & availability, as neither is specifically guaranteed).

It looks like other than the stem, the specs are the same, and the stock bikes apparently come with basic saddle and pedals (which I am sure I would replace). The only thing I can guess is that the stock bike prices stayed the same from 2007, while the custom model prices reflect the 2008 price inflation from what I read in other forums.

Here is the page with the prices and the links to specs: https://bikefriday.com/node/1590. The similar model to the stock Pocket Rocket is the 1 Pocket Rocket 16 (non-STI).

Is this info stated on the BF website?
"The large stock size roughly equates to a 60cm frame, while a medium equates to a 56 cm frame."

I'm trying to figure out my best size.
I'm 6'0', 32" inseam, and ride 56 cm road bikes.

TIA

Bike Friday has 8 sizes from 48cm to 62cm with 2cm difference between the sizes, the explanation they give is:
See https://bikefriday.com/faqs/ question "What FRAME sizes do you make, and how do they compare to a standard or non-folding bike?".

When you order a Bike Friday, they ask you to measure and provide the values of a bike that fits your needs.

I measured my Birdy frame with the saddle and stem set for me and provided the values to BF and this ended up with a BF frame size 62, i.e. the biggest BF frame size available and indeed, this BF 62 frame size match the sizing of my Birdy while the frame size of my made to measure race road bike is about 55cm (I am 180cm, which requires usually a frame size 54 or 56 for a race road bike).

So there is a big mismatch between their size explanations (according to which I should have asked for a frame size 54 or 56) and the size they computed based on my Birdy. The 62 frame size I received provides a similar position on the bike as my Birdy and fits perfectly my needs, a frame size 54 or even 56 would have been much too small.