Greetings, all. I'm a 45 year-old professor living with my wife, two cats, and about 2000 books in a tiny apartment in Chicago, Illinois.

About four weeks ago, my MD read me the riot act about diabetes, being overweight, and exercise. A day later, a dermatologist examining me from head to toe for melanomas asked if I was a cyclist. I told him I hadn't been on a bike in 30 years and he replied that I definitely had the legs for it. Just then, the lightbulb went on above my head and I started looking into folders (the only kind of bikes that can peaceably coexist with 2000 books in a 900 sq ft apartment) - beginning by lurking on this forum.

As of this past Tuesday, I am the proud owner of a red Strida LT that earns me admiring glances and frequent requests to fold and unfold from passersby as I ride along the lakefront and through River North's busy streets. Also as of this past Tuesday, due to a test ride at Rapid Transit Cycle Shop (Chicago's folding and recumbent bike specialists), I have a huge jones for a single speed Brompton. (This jones is encouraged by my wife, who has designs on the Strida.)

I have learned a lot from the many posters on this forum and hope to give as good as I've gotten once I've gained the experience to say something worthwhile. My thanks and good wishes to the folding gang.

How about some pics? I've been wanting a Strida, but I think I'm way over the weight limit.

Welcome lexm. This is a cool, friendly and helpful bunch of fanatics.

Welcome lexm! I am a 44 year old folder lover (Dahon Helios P8 converted to 66 gear inch singlespeed for now...) who at 5'6" went from 170 lbs to 146 lbs by following a Paleo Diet. The improvement in cycling came AFTER the weight loss.

I love the Strida - the design, simplicity, single purposeful intent, yet have someone tour the world on a Strida too! :-)

Post your adventures!

Welcome to here, Prof.

Do not be overly swayed by the neoteny of single-speed-ism. Ten million fubar-ed knees in the 'Over-50' forum cannot be wrong. (It's a small sample and I made up the stats to falsely bolster my argument, but you catch my drift. )

Be happy! Gears will come, eventually. Compare and contrast.

Welcome lexm from a fellow 45 year old academic lol! Well I will be 45 next Sunday 22nd so I might as well round it up! You will enjoy this sub-forum, it's full of very helpful and eclectic characters and oft very funny too! Some great people.

I see you have a strong onset of the Foldernitis virus already which leads to craving symptons. Being a Brompton owner, I'd avoid a single speed as you might regret that as you cycle more. A 3 speed or the super lightweight 2 speed (overpriced though because of titanium parts) would be much better. In the meantime good luck with the Strida and looking forward to some pictures. Was in Chicago last year and some lovely rides out by the Great Lakes.

..

Many thanks for the well wishes, gang!
@November: Pics to come, but not this weekend as wife and I are hiding from the Air Show.
@SunnyFlorida: Be sure that I count you among the coolest and friendliest.
@puppypilgrim: What really sold me on the Strida is the design. There's not a single concession to the Lycra-clad, wannabe-like-Lance crowd that I can see. It was built for exactly the sort of urban riding I'll do here.
@snafu: Be certain that my single-speed attraction is neither fashion-focused nor religiously motivated. I just like the low maintenance and mechanical simplicity. I can get my mechanically simple head wrapped around it.
@mulleady: Happy approaching 45th! I will raise a glass of tinto de verano on the 22nd in your honor. The lakefront bike path here is beautiful, marred only by pedestrians who refuse to stay on the pedestrian path.
@Norel: Join the fold! And oh, how I envy you - living in my favorite city in North America. I was there last weekend for an academic conference and was amazed by the ubiquitous Bixis, the dedicated bike lanes on streets like de Maisonneuve, and lots of folders (mostly Dahons). Amazing also were the bagels and the poutine - official junk food of my people. (Je suis un québécois americain, mais mon francais est plutot mauvais parce que mes parents n'ont pas parler francais dans notre maison.)

Thankyou lexm I did notice the pedestrians being careless on the dedicated lakeshore cyclist paths but at their own peril!

Yes Montreal is a captivating place isn't it? I loved it there too. It was nice to see the Irish had a minor say in the founding of Quebec lol! I love the green stained windows of the Irish cathedral and the tranquil green hue it creates inside. I remember the great eateries too. The dedicated lanes are things we need to see more in US and UK cities. I get really mad when the London mayor Boris brags on about the new blue cycle lane highways they're painting in the roads. Dedicated my a**. Cars park in them, cabs stop in them and no proper physical separation despite all the cyclists in London now. That includes many Bromptons. I see the odd Strida on occasion which is nice. A quirky and effective bike.

Welcome lexm.
I have the very bike you speak of. A complete default s/s Brompton,not one extra bit ordered with it. Naked as a j bird. Love it. Its officially a S1E,only one in Canada Brompton tells me,most order with at least 2spd. I did swap out the rear cog with a 13t Surly cog which fits right on. That gives me about 66 gear inches. Originally it was a 12t cog and 54 chainring. Id suggest keeping it in the low to mid sixtys for gear inches and knees should be fine. Im 64 and knees are still good. If i have to hammer too hard because of hills or what have you i just get off and walk,I call it "cross training". Thats my story and sticking to it.

Congrats. I hope your folderitis doesn't get as bad as mine...

@ mulleady: Montreal has held my imagination ever since I was induced as a 14-year-old to go on one of those wretched transcontinental summer car trips with my grandparents with promises of Montreal. After crossing the U.S. (from California) and driving up the eastern seaboard into the Maritimes, at long last we made it into Quebec. Just then, my grandmother came down with an acute case of francophobia at a roadside cafe and insisted that my grandfather make a beeline for (English-speaking) Ontario. I saw Montreal off in the distance from the Trans-Canada Highway. 27 years later, my wife surprised me with a birthday trip there. She fully expected not to like it, but it's now our favorite weekend getaway. We go a couple times a year, mostly as culinary tourists but also so that I can commune in some small way with "my" people (my great grandfather hailed from Quebec City) - in my well-accented but otherwise broken French that Norel too-kindly compliments in the Strida LT thread. Those dedicated, curb-separated bike lanes make me want to move there that much more.

@ddez: You're made of sterner stuff than I am, riding an S1E. I see myself in an M1R, low (-18%) geared single-speed - putting it in the same range as the Strida my wife has plans to take from me. Right now, the most pressing questions are: (i) red or British racing green? and (ii) will I order it tomorrow or wait for another paycheck?

@Norel (for a comment in the other thread): Thanks for the tip on a Montreal shop. And you're really too kind about my French.

@SesameCrunch: What do you mean you hope I don't get folder-itis as bad as you have it? That's the reason I want to be you when I grow up!

Seems like an opportune time for this reminder - "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!" .... .....

Welcome to the fold!

On your next trip to Montreal, allow a few days for visiting Quebec City as well. Great city and great bike paths to explore!

And my favorite family-style restaurant: Cafe du Monde, down on the lower level.

Because of the train schedules from New York, Quebec City from Montreal doubles the travel time and expense, and requires a second hotel, but I really want to ride there some day. In the winter, when the ice festivities are going and I've got the studs on the Swift...

..

Have fun with your new ride...I just got a single speed [FG] folder and for most riding 1 gear is plenty...

If you're young, with strong legs, good knees and don't live in San Francisco!

Uh oh! The single speed nirvana is bait to some lol!

Welcome to the fold!

What are you going to do when the wife wants your Brompton?

14555_170866996401_555926401_3442509_7745376_n..jpgFunny you should ask. When I sent her the attached picture (from the gallery on the Brompton website), she wrote in reply "Can we order the squirrel as an accessory? If we can, I’m totally calling the Brompton!"

BTW, I broke down and ordered a Brompton yesterday.

Looks like 44 is the age to take up cycling. That's when I did as well. I went from 91kg to 74, and my RHR is a freakishly low 38bpm

And you have now been formally diagnosed with folderitis after confessing to the Brommie buy.

Excellent! :-)

Oh no another victim of folderitis!

Yes and we know your on the 2nd stage symptoms of the virus called:' craving your next folder despite having achieved your previous dream one!'

Dahon Speed TR as your long-range one right lol?