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Which folding bike to buy?

(54 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Greenroofer
  • Latest reply from Uberuce

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12

  1. Greenroofer
    Member

    So, I'm coming to the end of my current Cycle to Work scheme, and can start a new one. Thanks to the sage advice of this forum, I'm not going to replace my existing bike. Instead, I will probably get a folding bike as my n+1. The question is which?

    I plan for the folding bike to be for multi-modal commuting (particularly in London) and as a back-up for when my main steed is off the road. I'm not planning any mad touring on it, so maximum single journey probably 5 or 6 miles at a time. It's got to fold small. It's got to fit under the C2W £1,000 limit.

    Is there, as the Volkswagen Golf advert* would have you believe, only one choice here ? Should I get a Brompton?

    What about Dahon?

    If you had up to £1,000 to spend on a good folding bike, what would you get?

    * (you know the one where the harrassed women at the car hire desk is being told 'eet sez Golf or seemeelar')

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    i have either just bought or am in the process of buying a dahon (2 careful owners). you can have a go if you like :)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. wee folding bike
    Member

    Comparisons I'm probably not qualified to do. If you want to know about Bromptons I might be able to help.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. cb
    Member

    Your requirements of "5 or 6 miles" and "got to fold small" must surely put a Brompton pretty high on the list, if not at the top.
    Or a Mezzo to be different?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Uberuce
    Member

    Only took it for a spin round PY/MMW, but I liked the feel of Smudge's Brom.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. fimm
    Member

    I own a Brompton and am a fan. The only other folding bike that I've seen in regular use belonged to a fellow commuter, and was cheaper and not so good. The Brompton's fold means that it folds small, and with the chain on the inside. (On the Newcastle Metro, you may not take an unfoldable bike, or a bike that folds with the chain on the outside. There may be other places that have a similar rule.) For £1000 you could include a front pannier and mount and I would recommend you to do so (it makes a more stable ride as well as taking lots of stuff).

    One caveat - are you very tall? You can get an extention to the seatpost but it is an additional bit to get.

    I would suggest you go to BikeTrax in Tollcross as they have a selection of folders, Bromptons and others, and seem to know their stuff. I got my Brompton through them on B2W.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    Owning two folders (non-Brompton, non-Dahon) and having owned a third (Raleigh, based on old Dahon design), I would line up some pluses and minuses. It all depends what you want tout of your folder.

    Brompton:

    + smallest folded size
    + solid, reliable
    + elegant design
    + brand cachet
    + made in the UK

    - relatively expensive
    - proprietary fixings and accessories (see above)
    - limited gearing on cheaper models
    - small wheels not great for cobbles/bumpy surfaces
    - limited luggage carrying ability due to design and small wheels

    Dahon/most other 20" wheeled folders

    + relatively inexpensive
    + often sport 'standard' fixings and accessories (with exceptions, esp. for Dahons)
    - wider range of gears, even on cheaper models
    + solid, reliable (unless you buy a real low end no-brand cheap folder)
    - larger wheels better on cobbles/bumpy surfaces
    - luggage carrying ability often equivalent to 'normal' bike

    +/- made in China (not always a negative for some folk)

    - not the smallest folded size (in some cases not that small)
    - most designs less elegant than Brompton
    - less brand cachet than Brompton (none at all if you go for a 'cheap' folder)

    I am not counting here the more 'exotic' high quality folding bikes such as Birdy, Bike Friday, etc. These are mostly more costly than a Brompton anyway...

    Oh and here's a 'Top 10' from AtoB magazine. Brompton at No.1, followed by Airnimal at No.2 (another 'exotic')...

    http://www.atob.org.uk/folding-bikes/folding-bike-buyers-guide-uk/

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. Smudge
    Member

    Perhaps we need to have a "folding py" and everyone who can bring a folder or seperable does so? Would be interesting for owners to be able to compare side by side and for the N+1 contingent a chance to discuss with actual users as opposed to sales people or magazine journalists.
    Maybe next Wed or Friday? (Just to throw a couple of opening suggestions in ;-))

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. Min
    Member

    I like my Dahon but if I was doing proper folder commuting (taking it on and off trains and so on) I would definitely want something lighter that folds up smaller and would therefore - yes - probably go for Brompton.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. wee folding bike
    Member

    On the tall thing Brompton now do the H handlebar which like the M but higher

    Crow, I'd quibble about the Brompton having limited luggage capacity. If you get the M, H or P bars you can get the BIG front bag and it carries a HUGE amount. It's not suitable for the S bars as it might foul the brakes.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    It this "the BIG front bag" or a modified pannier?


    big bag on Brompton

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. crowriver
    Member

    @chdot, that's an Altura pannier so I'm guessing it's a homebrew modification.

    @wfb, it's your right to quibble. I'm not a Bromptonite so I bow to your greater experience.

    However when I was researching folder options I looked at second hand Bromptons and also the luggage options. The only big bag I know that's designed for the front bag mount on a Brompton (oe Helios tandem, interestingly) is the Ortlieb 'O' bag which is 20 litres. It costs nearly 200 quid! Correction: the Brompton T bag carries 31 litres and is only 90 quid: not bad.

    On either of my 20" wheeled folders I can fit a pair of normal 17 litre panniers on the rear rack (34 litres in total); a Carradice can be hung from the saddle or a rack pack added to rear rack; plus front carrier (either a special Dahon one or a canti boss mount mini carrier) for further kuggage options if required.

    So I would say Bromptons are a bit more limited for luggage options unless someone proves otherwise. On the other hand you can't beat that fold for compactness! Most folk are not going to want to carry that much luggage regularly anyhow...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. wee folding bike
    Member

    Looks like a modified pannier to me.

    This is the one I had in mind:

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brompton-t-bag-only-w-o-frame-qtbag-prod24200/

    I've got the earlier version.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. recombodna
    Member

    Friend of mine just bought a brompton..... she liked it so much she bought another two. Then cycled round finland with the family for the summer.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. wee folding bike
    Member

    Finland, Finland, Finland
    The country where I want to be
    Pony trekking or camping
    Or just watching TV
    Finland, Finland, Finland
    It's the country for me

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. SRD
    Moderator

    I can make this week, but not next.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  17. Darkerside
    Member

    I'm currently lusting over a fixed Bike Friday Tikit, bit deliberately haven't tried to find out where to get hold of them in the UK. Brilliant fold though...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  18. fimm
    Member

    I'm afraid I can't do this Friday. I might be able to pop by briefly on Wednesday (but more notice is better).

    WRT luggage capacity I have a Brompton branded front pannier, but I think it is a version they don't do any more. My slight issue with it is that the bracket you mount the bag on is not very, very strong - I broke the first one I had by carrying lots and lots of heavy stuff in the pannier.

    The back rack is solid and I would include it in the spec because it makes standing it much more stable but the trouble with putting stuff on the back rack is you can't do the clever "tuck the back wheel under" thing which means you can stand the bike anywhere without finding something to lean it against. However some Brompton-owning friends of mine take bags of compost to their allotment on the back of a Brompton.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  19. Smudge
    Member

    Ok, looks like this week isn't enough notice for the majority, when would be a good time for a small wheeled show and tell then?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  20. cb
    Member

    I'd really need a work at home day to manage this (assuming PY in the morning), but any day next week would probably be ok for doing that.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  21. fimm
    Member

    You just need a reasonable sample of folders - I'm a bit awkward, so if there's another Brompton owner coming along you don't need to worry about me.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  22. Smudge
    Member

    @fimm, true... but more is cool ;-))

    Posted 11 years ago #

  23. Min
    Member

    I can bring my Dahon any day next week except Monday.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  24. LaidBack
    Member

    Oh and here's a 'Top 10' from AtoB magazine. Brompton at No.1, followed by Airnimal at No.2 (another 'exotic')...

    http://www.atob.org.uk/folding-bikes/folding-bike-buyers-guide-uk/

    Airnimal is available from Laid Back... had a Joey demo with 24" wheels. Demo sold a few weeks ago but will get another one in. Airnimal does bridge the gap between folding and 'compacting'. Idea is to present a bike with larger wheels (507s or 520s aka 24" sizes). Means it can be fitted with standard rack.

    They also do a 20" wheeled bike called the Rhino
    Airnimal Folders

    Airnimal and Circe (tandem) are from designer Richard Locke based in Cambridge
    Latest Birdy had design work from Nick (Paper Bicycle) Lobnitz

    Infovert ends.....

    Posted 11 years ago #

  25. Greenroofer
    Member

    @ Laidback. Rhino looks fun. Can I assume that it doesn't fit under the £1,000 Bike to Work threshold?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  26. chdot
    Admin

    Not this one -


    pretend Brompton

    Posted 11 years ago #

  27. SRD
    Moderator

    Sorry I'm not going to be around for this meetup. I'm enjoying the Dahon. Hard to find a bike more different than the Helios (but confusingly also called a Helios).

    It is superlight. I've not folded it yet cause it is so easy to just carry up the stairs unfolded. there aren't many bikes that a 5 foot tall lady can say that about.

    And the gearing. wow. I know I said I'd never get another derailleured bike, but I am getting reconciled to it.

    Uberuce, if you'd like to borrow it to ride to the meet-up, I'm sure that could be arranged.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  28. kaputnik
    Moderator

    In his weightlifting days, Uberuce used to fold bike frames for fun.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  29. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I don't have a folder, but will likely try commuting one day next week on the newly rigidified Soul, so will head along on that, and steal a shot of numerous wee bikes.

    Can make pretty much any day save Monday next week. Shouldn't. But I am not being dragged down by work. And the caffeine hit always helps. Oh yes.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  30. Uberuce
    Member

    @SRD: thankee! I promise that any folding done will be at the designed-in hinges, thankyouvurrymuchmrKaputnik.

    That reminds me, though, of my vague notion to get back into lower arm strength enthusiasm. After I've safely returned the Dahon, mind.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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