http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: folding bike for cobbles en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:34:02 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156429 Mon, 09 Jun 2014 20:02:18 +0000 achilles3001 156429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for all the advice everyone. I've tried the leaving a bike at Waverley option but didn't like it as the bike racks are neither near the platform my train arrives on or the cycle ramp, meaning extra time added to the commute. I'll investigate terns and bigger tires.<br /> Cheers<br /> Ric </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156220 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 19:42:55 +0000 chdot 156220@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Tern do a folding bike with 24 inch wheels"</p> <p>Saw this in Evans today. </p> <p>Not 'cheap', but big reduction on 'full' price. </p> <p><a href="http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tern/eclipse-p9-2013-folding-bike-ec032589" rel="nofollow">http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tern/eclipse-p9-2013-folding-bike-ec032589</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156218 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 18:28:26 +0000 Pocopiglet 156218@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I bought a folder from Decathlon. It's a b'fold7 and although I haven't used it on cobbles, I have rattled it up and down some rough-ish (loose chuckies,, roots, etc) paths . I'm only 5 ft tall but I can fold it easy enough. It came complete with a bag and lights ( front one has to come off to fold) and I find it easy enough to carry and heft into the back of the car. I love it, but then again, I just love being back on a bike! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156213 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 16:49:34 +0000 gkgk 156213@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you pedal to work from Waverley, is leaving a rough tough ex-mountain bike at the station maybe an option? It'd be £1000 cheaper than some of the dearer folders. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156212 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 16:47:01 +0000 wee folding bike 156212@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm happy on setts using S or M type bars. Some people like to fit Ergon grips. Bigger tyres make a difference too. Marathon/+ soak up bumps better than Stelvios but they're out of production now anyway. Kojaks feel OK to me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156194 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:12:48 +0000 Mandopicker101 156194@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For days I commute to Glasgow by train, I acquired a secondhand Revolution Compact (a Dahon made for EBC). So far it's proven stolid enough on cobbles/Glasgow's interesting take on tarmac. It rolls on 20-inch wheels, which I stuck some Dahon Rotolo tyres on. It lacks the excellent folding capabilities of a Brompton, but it rides well and I can get around swiftly enough without feeling it's about to collapse. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156180 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 13:18:02 +0000 cb 156180@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Does the borrowed brompton have straight handlebars? I'd always understood that the traditional 'M' style handlebars were partly designed to offer a bit of flex between the hands and the road. Not sure how effective that is though. Maybe better handgrips would help too?</p> <p>I find my Birdy's suspension works really well, front and rear; it does tend to glide over rough stuff and is a more comfortable ride than my aluminium framed 700 wheeled bike.</p> <p>It does have pretty small wheels though, barely bigger than a Brompton's (355 vs 349), so it's a long way short of being immune to bumps. They're also expensive to buy and sourcing spare bits (inc. tyres) can be a bit of a pain. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156148 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 10:44:00 +0000 crowriver 156148@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Plenty of 20" wheeled folders out there which are easy to take on the train: Dahon, Tern, etc. </p> <p>For badly maintained/installed setts (which is what our 'cobbles' are in fact) it's not just wheel size, but tyre size too. The wider the tyre, the lower the minimum inflation pressure, the better it will soak up bumps. Also more adaptable, lighter and cheaper than suspension forks. Larger wheels will roll easier/faster over bumpy surfaces, but if you go to 1.75" or even 2" tyres on 20" wheels that increases the overall circumferance of the wheel and thus should roll more easily.</p> <p>Mind you if you want mudguards there's a limit to how wide your tyres can be. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156144 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 10:18:15 +0000 algo 156144@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not sure about suspension, but the bigger the wheel the better and Tern do a folding bike with 24 inch wheels and big apple tyres. I don't know but I imagine this would be more comfortable over cobbles. My office mate has one and it folds well - he brings it into the office. I've ridden it and it seems good to me but I am no expert... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12940#post-156137 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:18:06 +0000 achilles3001 156137@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi folks<br /> Was wondering if anyone had any tips for a folding bike that's good on cobbles?</p> <p>Just moved out to Dunbar, but am keen to keep cycling to work so am currently taking my bike on the train then cycling the rest of the way. However the bike spaces have to be booked which means it's not great for flexibility and sometimes the spaces are all booked up.</p> <p>I've borrowed a Brompton and, once I got used to it, it was a good cycle and great for the train, however there is one flaw. My route you work involves a steep roughly cobbled section which is just awful on the Brompton - the vibrations coming through the front wheel make me feel like my teeth are going to fall out.</p> <p>So, anyone got any tips? I was wondering about a folder with front suspension. I noticed a review of a birdy which looked good, but it would be great to hear folks personal experiences.</p> <p>Cheers</p> <p>Ric </p>