I e done some reading and have some questions.

My needs/info:
- 15km commute each way, nice paved roads, one nice climb and descent
- long time roadie, new to foldies
- would commute with road bike but office has poor bike facilities, so planning to put in office
- would prefer drop bars, but not a show stopper (can some/most bikes accept drop bars?)
- need rear rack for ortlieb pannier (have them from touring, want to use for commuting too)
- will use SPD pedals
- not looking for quickest fold, or most compact
- fenders would be nice but will drive on known rainy days
- will be going to a shop to test some (live in Toronto, assuming some shops carry foldies)
- couple times a year may put in car for family (lol) trips, or maybe on a plane, but mainly daily commuter
- weigh under 150#

what other considerations are there when choosing a bike?

Bike Friday.. they will build it to suit.. long list of component options. JIT, made in 8 sizes,

https://www.bikefriday.com/bicycles/road [bicycles/pre-loved ..
is the reconditioned trade in/buy-back, section.]

(all others are just one size)

Though you won't find them in shops but will be shipped to Your Door. call their 800 #
and say what you want . they will make specific suggestions.. of what they can do..

typically pedals and saddle are such personal choices they come w/o.



I have a disc Brake IGH Pocket Llama, I ride year around .

Good list of needs, but have you set a budget?

Folders usually range from $200-$3000.
Most use standard diameter handlebars but switching to drop bars will obviously change the geometry.
Xootr Swift, Downtube, Tern Verge, Dahon Vector/Dash, Airnimal, and Birdy are just some other bikes that come to mind.
You might consider a separable Moulton also.

For a fraction of the price of the folder, you could fund a bike rack at your office? For me it's hard to justify a folder if you're not going to toss it into a car, bus or train.

Dahon X27H is one of the folding bikes that most resembles a "real" road bike. I have SPD pedals on mine, as well as a rear rack. Don't know precisely which panniers will work with the typical "Arc-type" Dahon or Tern racks. Components are mostly Ultegra and it has dual drive.

Tern has a couple of models in a similar vein. None of these are cheap, expect to spend $1500 or more.

If any of these Dahon or Tern bikes work for you, they will be considerably cheaper than what you can get custom made from Bike Friday, which lacks the economies of scale that Dahon, and less so Tern, have. Or as I saw posted once in a BF thread, "two times the bike at three times the price."

Budget is around $1,000

There is a bike rack in the covered parking area. Of the bikes I already own I was initially thinking of using a steel frame Masi that has a Brooks saddle, 105 components that I use for a few 3-4 bike tours a year. I'm worried about it getting stolen. I read about using two good locks, maybe removing seat post via quick release to lessen the risk, but being new to bike commuting I'm still worried. If the bike was an older bike I may be less worried, but I love this bike. Hence I liked the idea of a foldie that I could stash in my office.

if I felt better about the rack area (not sure why I'm not comfortable) it would be a no-brainer, I'm probably over thinking it.

There are a lot of people who have a folder so they can store it in their apartment/office. I think that's a perfectly reasonable use of one.

I added the "for me" qualifier for a reason, mind I have a pretty good folder (Dahon Mu SL) and although I like the little bike and feel quite cool on it, I still replaced it with a full-size bike once I realized my commute doesn't need train-stashing per se.

I had similar doubts about leaving the bike in the train station parking lot. I resolved them by taking up a theft and vandalism insurance on my new commuter MTB. $200 deductible on theft means that after 3 months of ownership, they're doing me a favour by stealing it. $50 deductible on vandalism may be a bit annoying when someone would decide to steal my saddle, but so far they haven't. I park it in the most visible spot possible, to shift the risk from vandalism to theft.

I don't mean to bash folders, they definitely can be used for this kind of distances without problems, but I think in objective terms it's a lot of compromise to avoid the parking problem.

A fairly similar set of requirements led me to the Bike Friday tikit a few years ago and I've been happy with the choice.

Key points that defeated other options:
* Fit... the one-size-fits-all approach taken by other folding bicycle companies made their products feel too compact seat-to-stem for me
* Fit... Bike Friday's fold isn't the most compact, but it preserves stem and seat adjustments so unfolding doesn't equal refiddling
* Quick easy fold and it wheels around when folded: I don't carry a lock because it's always with me.

I initially bought both front and rear racks but now use only the front rack -- works fine with my Ortlieb Front Rollers and the handling characteristics are amazingly good even with a 50kg load (!). I have flat bars with Ergon bar ends to provide some reach but you can get drops. It's been my only bike and I've done up to 150km day rides on it (it's not the fastest, but with a bike that fits me this is doable). Also makes the 2 km grocery runs and comes into stores with me. Plus daily commute to an office job (through a revolving door and up an elevator) and some trips by train and bus. All good.

Good luck with the search and choice.

Long time roadie huh? That says experience. So you should stay away from entry level folders.

The Swift is close to a roadie, completely versatile frame. Can do derailer gears, hub gears, single speed, fixie. Drop bars or flats. Mudguards, no problem. The fold isn't compact when viewed from the side but it is tall and narrow and has a small area footprint. Best of all, it rides as good or even better than a good roadie.

I'm curious about the insurance you purchased. From whom? How much per year for how much coverage?

Tern link c7 is about 500$ and its a great little folder, i commute on it at least ten miles rt.

Check out Origami bikes.

https://www.origamibicycles.com/

The Crane is commuter oriented.

You need not feel bad or apologetic about considering a folding bike. One of the most important things about these bikes I absolutely love about them is the flexibility these bikes offer. There is usually one particular model from a given manufacturer that is the perfect match for someone. The major mistake happens when one picks a bike (or any type of bike as well, not just folders) that does not "do it" for them and a poor choice in the first place! One thing I noticed over the years that I exclusively own/used these bikes is what I think of as the "small wheel prejudice" that seems to always crop up when considering these bikes. They are supposed to be more slower, ungainly, not too sharp, or the supposed dreaded "circus animal look" these bikes appear to have. I have found the truth in the opposite as far as all that is concerned-especially when using an upper end one. I am sure you already are looking at Bike Friday and probably Brompton. Do look as well at Moulton Bicycles. While these bikes don't fold up in the traditional sense, they do offer some of the criteria you previously posted. Perhaps a second glance is warranted?

Or a look at used folding bikes before you commit to such an large amount in your proposed budget? I have had really good luck with buying on Craigslist as well as from Estate Sales. Something to look into further.

Many of us are not lucky enough to live in huge houses with equally huge storage options. Your "office" might just well be a cubicle with low walls and no door (if you are lucky in employment) and an equally cramped room (even just a couch to crash on) to sleep in and store a few possessions in. So you learn to select folding/separating bikes that match your needs and situations-including the storage ones.

I always look at insurance as a necessary forced on me, rather than supposed protection for something valuable I own. That said, I find buying insurance for bicycles (around where I live) a lesson in furtility (lock it up, leave, and you will have someone on it in seconds flat). If you think about it, by the time you pay endless premiums for the bike, you would have ended up being able to buy many bikes, not just one. And insurance companies exist to make a profit for themselves, not protect you. They have many clauses to not only protect their profits, but actively discourage you from seeking out to collect in the event of a probable loss as bikes always prove to be. I will keep insurance on the house and car because of legal requirements. But a bike? I keep a bank account which I pay into every month in the event of said loss-with no clauses attached. Plus, insurance does not cover a ride home in case you are stranded when the bike disappears-far from home.

yea, aint much, you can set up a beater, to do that distance, something to lock to the bike rack,
and not cry much if its Nicked.

Get a goood lock set-up and leave it at the rack.

I suggest something like a used dahon/ downtube nova, add bullbars and brifters if not going for friday ,animal,paffic reach,swift or 26" options.

I pay $45 for an insured value of $1360 (covers bike + upgrades). The deductible in case of theft is 20% with a maximum of $260. In case of vandalism or partial theft the deductible is $65.

Bicycle insurance is relatively new here in Belgium, three companies offered it when I took it up in January. I've seen ads from other companies since. The policies seem to be aimed at weekend riders who put their bikes outside the pub, as there is no clause requiring even a lock on the bike! Some of the policies exclude races and events (not mine though). My policy is only valid for three years, and you can only take it up on new bikes (< 1 year old). From the 13th month onwards, the insured value of the bike is reduced by 1% monthly (which is still far higher than a similarly used bike would set you back second-hand).

At $45 a year it's a no-brainer for me. I save/earn (gas/compensation) about $13 each time I commute by bike, so I knew I could pay for the deductible and three years worth of premium in about four months. From that point onwards, I'm making money with the bike (even though some capital is frozen in the bike). Bike theft is not a huge problem here in Belgium if you don't leave your bike outside at night. Beat up old bikes with cheap locks get stolen very often, but the crime syndicate only operates at night.

I have a bus pass for the ride home if that were to happen The bus schedule is horrible so I avoid it, but it's free because I work for the bus company sometimes. However, my work also pays me 20 cent per km I bike because it's proven that fit employees have less sick days and cost much less overall (Belgium has exquisite social security and medical care systems).

I think you should move further away from your work, if they pay you 20 Euro cents per km biked. This will help you to pay for your bike more quickly, so you can get a more expensive one.

He is paid for the miles he ride, not the home/work distance. There are many ways to get from point A to point B. ;-)

Actually they fought me on the distance I claimed once, but I fought my ground and told them that obviously they should let me take the safest route, which happens to be the most scenic as well. Beancounters...

I would think that they will want the longest way. By their logic you will be healthier and most productive. Subsidy is a funny thing. ;-)

Anyway, if folding size is not an issue, the Swift is one of the better choices. Good price, good ride quality and easy to upgrade. I would not feel comfortable leaving a decent bike outside the office and riding a beater is not much fun.

I like my minivelo more than my Friday when commuting in the tight traffic of the San Francisco Financial District. The tight turn radius and (very slight) weight differences are plusses, in addition to the fact that it's easier to lock when I'm zipping around outside the office (the office has a locker, but stores do not)


Minivelo Here by What Photos Look Like, on Flickr

Interesting picture. Is it Google I/O ?

If you're in the Toronto area, have you checked out Curbside Cycle, or the Urban Cyclist?