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Ron Damon: Nice photos!
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Originally Posted by Reddleman
(Post 23075476)
Lateral stability? They’re fine. Modern folders have stiff handleposts, particularly when they’re single piece and not telescopic, and the seatposts are stiff enough to take a heavy saddlebag. Folding bikes are often seen in North America and Europe as being a commuter device for the last mile, but they get used for far more than that, particularly in Asia where apartment life makes them easier to store. Folding bike touring is definitely a thing!
Fortunately, I do not necessarily have the space problem though my wife does bring up the point of getting rid of at least half of my bicycles so one more car can be parked in our garage, especially during the winter. 😉 |
Originally Posted by Alan K
(Post 23075681)
Space constraint reason makes a lot of sense for fold up bicycles to become popular in places like Japan and Manhattan. It is a very practical solution, given that some of them are nearly as reliable as their full size versions.
Fortunately, I do not necessarily have the space problem though my wife does bring up the point of getting rid of at least half of my bicycles so one more car can be parked in our garage, especially during the winter. 😉 https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ef573de395.jpg Small bike, small hotel room On my last tour, I rolled into Busan by bus after nightfall and my hotel was across a mountain. No sweat. I folded the bike and took a taxi which made quick work of the mountain via a tunnel off limits to bicycles. Never mind how much space my bike takes up at home. |
Originally Posted by axolotl
(Post 23075495)
Many other folders are indeed ok for riding around town and have a better quick-fold which is useful for taking on public transport. I've ridden a Brompton as well as 2 different Dahon models. The Brompton is a nice folder though it felt quite different from my Bike Friday or non-folding full-size Bridgestone RB-T, and that was without panniers on the Brompton. The 2 Dahon models I rode (I don't recall the models) were absolute crap.
My BikeFriday tikit is flexible, like sit on the saddle and flex the handlebars. Yes, this is with the recall handlepost that replaced the one that broke off and some riders were injured. That was the second "Dangerous to ride until repaired" recall the company sent out on the tikit; the first was for the seatmast that broke and some riders were injured. For that one, BF sent out a little sheet metal strut to bolt on to buttress the frame - but it blocks the handle you use to roll the bike when it's folded. While I waited (nine months!) for BF to send me the new handlepost, I bought an old Dahon. I liked it so well I bought a new Dahon. The BikeFriday just sits. I should sell it to someone who's enamored with all things BikeFriday. |
Well, there are many types and levels of Dahon folders so, certainly, one cannot select or dismiss a folder for touring based on the Dahon badge alone.
For example, I don't see why a Dahon Boardwalk with some improvements in the components couldn't be used for touring. Granted, it lacks the panache, station and elan of a BF, and your won't be invited to the lodge at the end of the day to sing campfire songs with the cool, in-crowd BF kids, but to me, that's actually a desirable outcome. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dc4c655d8e.jpg Dahon does the Taroko Gorge . I rode a Dahon on a tour of Taiwan. It was far, very far from absolute crap. And it didn't cost a BF arm and a leg, or have any proprietary parts that could be sourced with hindrance or delay only from Oregon. It had a SRAM DualDrive3 so the gearing range on tap was something like 19-120GI. . https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...10a1732ab0.jpg Gettin on a train back to Taipei at tour's end |
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