Folder that rolls - how important?
 

For those of you with folders that roll, when do you roll it? I usually only carry my Bike Friday (PR) 10 steps on and off the train, which isn't a problem. My company doesn't mind if I walk the bike in the building.
I'm moving to SF where the roads are shamefully bad and want something smoother (406 tires if I stick with a BF). I'm trying to think of my needs today and possible needs in the future. I can think of only one job in the past that didn't allow me to walk a bike in the building (but might have been ok about wheeling a folded bike). SF is pretty bike friendly.
Basically deciding between a BF silk or a Pacific Reach IF (not interested in 16" wheel). I only want 1 folder and prefer a BF for easier packing in suitcase compared to the IF.
Any thoughts on how important it is to wheel the bike? thanks in advance

From my experience, it is pretty pointless to wheel a bike once the novelty has worn off. It's just simply bothersome and unreliable. If you don't see yourself lugging the bike around for more than a minute at a time, there is really little need to roll a folded bike around.

One of the reasons I bought a Brompton was for its grocery cart mode, after which I found out that there are many physical limitations for such a thing. I still love my Brommie, I just never use it as a shopping cart.

If you have to move the bike while folded -- in DC Metro, a bike needs to be folded during peak hours -- then I'd say it's importance depends on how heavy the bike is for the person. My wife, for instance, would only use a bike that rolls well while folded.

It depends on your L4-L5 situation.

Thing that the BiFri Tikit , that you don't want offers is a roll on the front wheel , while folded Mode.

Maybe the folding steering mast, Optional, perhaps, on the BF Silk will give a similar function

IDK, ask the Sales Consultants that work for them.
[ I have the Folding steering post on my Pocket Llama, front wheel still turns a bit ]

I use a brompton as a shopping cart all the time. However there are moments when I much prefer the way a Dahon rolls, e.g. I'm picked up from my flat by a friend and they park their car 10 meters away and over the road. With the Dahon I just walk out the flat and wheel it by the saddle. With the Brompton I have to partially extend the saddle or stem and the easy wheels roll awkwardly over the uneven pavement and road surface, so I'm tempted to just carry it instead but it's heavy.

Often the Dahon is more convenient around stations too. However, with a rack the Brompton shopping cart mode works brilliantly for me in shops.

IMO, It is an important feature to have when needed, even if the need is a rare event.

I went to greet my sister at the airport, suddenly the ability to wheel the folded bike through a large building became VERY convenient. You won't like your bike as much if you have to carry it.

it depends................
If the bike is light less important,
if you are female, small of frame then more of a concern possibly.
I never found the heavy Diblasi R4 which could not be rolled not a problem. It folded instantly therefore I just unfold move and refold in stations. It also had a carrying handle on the frame so carrying it was better than a light bike anyway.

My mezzos have two wheels and therfore needs rolling like a wheel barrel which can tryer the arm after a while.
My brompton has upgraded rollerblade wheels and rolls really well, novel, but I still rarely wheel it

fully Wheeled rack folding bikes like the brompton can roll away on busses,trains, and hills.......... not always an advantage.

Why not wheel it through the airport unfolded? I've never had any issue wheeling a bike through an airport. For the OP, I don't see much of an issue needing the 'roll while folded' feature unless he plans to take the bike through stores often. The SF transit systems such as BART and the ferry services usually let you wheel bikes right on and even when BART restricts you to folding bikes during commute hours the bike only needs to be folded when on the train and the platform of a few downtown stations - so there's no need to carry the folded bike for long distances.

I pass through Penn Station daily. I figured I'd roll my Brompton a lot, but actually do so quite rarely. I either wheel it around unfolded and lug it when I must.

Steve M.

My main folder is a Citizen Miami which is fitted with a seat post rack to which a trunk with integral panniers is attached. It's easier for me to arrive at my destination, fold the frame (my Miami came with a clamping mechanism in lieu of Dahon's magnet solution to keep the front and rear halves together), drop the handlebars and then wheel the bike onto the elevator and into the office. If I intended to carry the bike in, I would have remove the trunk/panniers and schlep them in as well as carry the bike. I opt for the simplicity of the former.

I find that the rolling feature on my Brompton certainly is quite nice and to me important, particularly if you intend to use the bike for grocery shopping. I roll my Brompton for two purposes:

1) Grocery shopping - while it is possible to grocery shop without the rolling feature (stick the bike in the shopping cart), nothing quite beats rolling the bike around with the basket attachment and using the bike as your cart.



2) New York Subway - some new york subway stations are fairly big, and being able to roll rather than carry the bike around is extremely nice in this situation.

That would be a great benefit to me since I usually seem to get the cart with a spastic wheel or one with a flat spot.

Ah doesn't that always seem to happen? If you do go for the Brompton make sure you get the EZ Wheels option for easier rolling. The stock wheels do not work very well at all.

To me, rolling only makes sense during peak hours when taking the train. Besides, they want the bike folded to make room for passengers, so the rolling makes sense. And rolling the bike is meant to push a heavy bike. If you're got a sub 20lbs like the Dahon Jifo for instance, then carrying is easier than rolling it.

Btw, I do roll my Speed Duo when taking the train and walk my Mu SL as that's my main travel bike by bus and train.