I have two folding bikes, a KHS F20-A and a Brompton M6L. I write more about the Brompton because 1) more people post questions about Bromptons than they do KHS folding bikes, and 2) the Brompton is by far the better of the two folders. Consequently it is a bigger part of my life (no pun intended).

My KHS F20-A has been a great little folder, but it's notably larger size when folded limits where it can go...it's basically my "beater" of a folding bike. I honestly love that little bike, but, well, it's no Brompton.

Wait a second, I've put my folding bike on a bike carrier. Does that count?

Bike carrier on a bus doesn't count. Bike carrier on a car--then this forum is doomed.

Yes, we have already had that one, think it was from a Brompton owner too boot (how can i carry another one (spare) on the carrier) !

Is Edward Donald still Brompton's marketing director and lurking here? I think Andrew Ritchie choice to grow the company and product organically with a concrete product reputation has a lot to do with Brompton's success today. With the introduction of the longer wheelbase Brompton in 2003/4 which is as long as many full sized touring bike plus the new hinge design make riding it more pleasurable with improved bike handling I suppose. Donald's marketing goal when he said that the Brompton will become a mass-appeal bike in the United States in 2004 is definitely not an illusion today. The price tag itself does not stop people buying it. Some people are willing to hang it on the wall too!

Just thought I post it to give credit to them, marketing wise, where it's due.

The posts in this site seem to make people believe that folding bikes are synonymous with Brompton, Dahon, tern, etc., and further down the line, such as Birdy, Bike Friday,....., and there are numerous others which fold and ride better than those big names. I like my cheap aluminum bike, GOAL GT1, weighs 10Kg, paid $85 brand new. This is a high quality product made in Taiwan (I have no relationship with the manufacturer). The link below is their new model, GT2. https://goods.ruten.com.tw/item/show?21205104437065

What do you mean by "further down the line?" They're all pretty big names. How do you know that others ride better? Have you tried them all?

I've never heard of GOAL GT1 folding bike, but if you love it, that's great. What do you use it for? I was looking for a touring bike that I can travel with, that's why I went for something more suitable for my needs.

Utimately the best bike is the one that gets you riding, no matter what brand.

To each their own...as I stated earlier Brompton and Bike Friday are the only two manufacturers that make bikes that will fit me. FWIW I have been riding regularly for over 40 years and have probably ridden hundreds of bikes including folders, in the long term you usually get what you pay for.

Aaron

Oh those Brommie kids...

I started out with a Downtube and bought a Brompton this year. If not for this forum, I would never have known about either one of them.

+1

Hipsters are into everything are they not? Then these youthful flakes jack up the prices and criminal interest in the process that did not exist before they "discovered & adopted" the item in question. Most of those jokers prefer trendy bikes like the bike messenger's fixies endangering others out walking or cycling about the newly gentrified-reclaimed from gangs & the poor by overpricing-areas they like to move to. Beatniks did not even need folding bikes in the first place. They drove cars-usually old or cheap or both, ride share, rode motorcycles/motor scooters, or used public transportation like everyone else that did not have much money in those days.

That part is true. Most other folding bikes could not withstand very heavy interest or use like the more carefully made hand made & built market. They would simply fall apart or sit somewhere dark gathering dust since they always need to be repaired.

Is it actually possible to manufacture a high quality bike and sell it, at a profit, for $85 ? I somehow doubt it.

It's not uncommon in the Uk to find on ebay an advert with two such cheapo bikes up for auction, bought in the heat of a husband / wife moment, ridden once, and then forever consigned to the back of the garage awaiting the next clear out. I think this says a lot about the appeal of "cheap" bikes.

I think this forum could do a major service to the folding bike world by holding back on Brompton. Dahon, BF, Birdy, etc and focusing once in a while on the lower order of bikes that are commonly available, some of them must represent good value for money, albeit with some upgrading. I think Citizen is the only more affordable range that gets reguarly discussed on here, is that because its the only one worth considering ?

Oh yes, and the take over thing, its cyclic, Brompton is on top at the moment, but before that it was BF, or Downtube, or Dahon, every dog gets it's day in the limelight on here.

If we promoted the equivalent of folding BSO's how would that be a service? Brompton is on top for a reason. I have no issue with Dahon, Tern, Downtube or Citizen other than the fact they don't make anything that will do me any good. Upgrading a cheaper bike is a slippery slope, you can easily spend the cost of a gently used premium bike upgrading a less expensive bike, and you haven't gained much if anything.

To me a bicycle is a tool I am not going to buy a hammer when I need a screw driver, just because the hammer happens to be cheaper...

Aaron

+1

What's a BSO ?

Just because you don't personally want a hammer doesn't mean that there isn't a substantial market for them. Is it beyond the realm of imagination that there are people who quite like the idea of having a bike to throw in the back of the car for a ride once in a while, or for a pootle down to the shops, but who baulk at the cost of "premium bikes" ? There was a time when Downtube was considered a low priced option with good potential for upgrading if the need was there, so where is todays Downtube, where is today's ubiquitous U-frame folder ?

Bicycle Shaped Object typically used to denote very cheap assemblies that look like a bicycle, but are all but useless. Think Walmart...

Aaron

I have no problem with purchasing a lower cost quality option IF it will do the job. But there is no point in buying on price alone, too many people want the cheapest thing they can get whether it will do the job or not. If I want a hammer to a job I will buy a hammer that will do the job, but I don't buy a hammer to do the job of something else.

Downtube is still around, the U-tube folders went away for a reason, they were bulky, heavy and not particularly durable, they are still being made, just don't see them as often. I happen to have a couple of for the occasional Sunday afternoon cruise about town. I have mine because they are an oddity, not because they are great bikes. I rode my Dahon about 12 miles this past weekend around old town Savannah. If I had been planning a longer harder ride, I would not have used that bike, it can't handle it.

Aaron

Back in the 70 and 80's when people talked about computers, it was always IBM and we paid a fortune for the machine. Where is IBM today? The name is still around but no longer making personal computers. Nowadays one could go to Walmart to buy a cheapo and has immense more power than those old IBM machine. Same goes for the folding bikes. With advancement in manufacturing and materials, better and more affordable folding bikes will be available.

I learned my lesson already in the photography world with tripods...just because it's cheap(er), doesn't mean it's good. Spend the money once on a good quality product and be done with it. Going the cheap route will make you end up paying more in the end anyway because if you're serious about photography, you will end up buying the better tripod and also have bought all the cheaper versions (that broke/vibrated too much) along the way in your lesson.

For my Brompton situation, I had never heard of it...I was just drawn to a small folded thing I saw in a website picture of a LBS store. It looked like a bike and I had to find out what it was. I researched, found out it was a Brompton, then read all the info I could on it and the other competition. In the end settled on a Brompton b/c it was a handmade piece of machinery (hard to find those these days unless you spend your life savings on an exotic hand built car) and I couldn't get over the design.

Buses in NYC do not have bike carriers....the folder went onto my hitch mounted bike rack. I guess this means we're doomed....

That is so hip.

Definitely.

Just because a bike costs say twice the price of another, it does'nt always follow that the bike is also twice as good.

Nobody is saying that... If I could buy a bike that would fit me, have the quality of build of the Brompton or Bike Friday and have the small fold I would certainly be interested. However IT DOESN'T EXIST!!!

However trying to even remotely compare an $85 folding bike with a $1600 Brompton is insane. The only similarity is that they are both bicycles. I do a lot of research before I put down my hard earned money for ANYTHING. I don't do impulse buying, if I want something I want what is going to the best job for what I have planned for it. I don't necessarily buy the most expensive just because it is the most expensive. I buy the best, quite often it will be the most expensive in initial price, but the pay off comes down the road when I don't have to replace it because it wore out too soon, or something breaks and I cannot buy replacement parts.

Aaron