Folding bike

[NickLovell]

Can anyone recommend any particular folding bikes
for me: a very lightweight 14st, swmbo & 9 & 12 year old boys
I am just about to take delivery of my very first motor cruiser: not much room on board & think bikes would be a good idea
Seems to me a bag would be a good idea, also the biggest wheels possible & gears
any thoughts?

 

[sarabande]

Gnerally agreed that a Brompton is the best, apart from being a British one, of course. A bit expensive, but ebay usually has some good examples.

http://buy.ebay.co.uk/brompton

The nmanufacturers quote a 2 to 4 month delivery period, depending on the model !

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Try a site like this.

Funnily enough, last week another boater sold me two Raleigh/Phillips Broadwalk Lites, which cost him £329 each for £200 for both.

Only used once and with aluminium frames.

They are excellent and I can't recommend them enough.

Raleigh/Phillips do a entire range of standard and lightweight folding bikes.

 

[Nickcf]

just done the research myself and bought two Dahon Curve SL bikes (16" wheels). Brakes are much better than Brompton and you can at least get the Dahon off the shelf (Brompton seem to have massive manufacturing delays currently). The Brompton folds to a slighter neater package but it is not significant. Dahon has a better gear arrangement (5 speed hub gear) than the Brompton (3 speed hub and two speed derailer)

Both are good bikes though. IMHO the Dahon is a better looking bike. Be aware though that riding a 16" wheel folding bike is not at all like a normal size one as the handling is totally different- it's ok once you get used to it but they are not as stable. You can't take both hands off the bars on a folder (well you can but you will fall off....)

 

[GandalfLoJ]

I'm kinda biased, but....

www.mezzobikes.com

 

[mainshiptom]

I have used strida for years , no gears but a great fun bike !

Also made in the country, makes a change?

 

[ADLS]

Priced some folding bikes in Middleburge Netherlands the other week as the supermarket etc is a bit of a slap from the marina, saw bikes priced at EU300 in Halfords and one at EU147 at a co op like store just across from from halfords. Thinking of buying the cheaper one on my return as I think it should last just long enough to pay for it's self.

 

[big_si]

www.foldingbikes.co.uk

have heaps to choose from.

 

[Kawasaki]

Check out the For Sale section.
Wiggo had 2 for sale.

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
Gnerally agreed that a Brompton is the best, apart from being a British one, of course. A bit expensive, but ebay usually has some good examples.

http://buy.ebay.co.uk/brompton

The nmanufacturers quote a 2 to 4 month delivery period, depending on the model !

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree. We've had our Bromptons for 11 years now and would buy the same again tomorrow without hesitation. Wallet-busting but superb!

 

[Nick_H]

I've been riding round Antibes on the Brompton for last 3 weeks and it is superb. They say it takes 15 secs to fold / unfold but i can now do it in 10. They are so rigid and have high pressure tyres so you don't really feel like they are such a small wheel.

They are bloody expensive though, but last forever and hold their value if you want to sell.