Folding bikes

Bav34

Bav34

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Planning to buy two. Any thoughts? What to look for, what to avoid? Not thinking of going up mountains /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif so don't want to spend too much but don't want to buy something downright dangerous or uncomfortable. Thanks.
 
There is always a compromise on wheel size, bigger wheels are easier to steer and harder to stow. Do not try to do bunny hops, I did once in the rain over a granite kerb, never again! I bought cheap with the expectation that the bike would either get stolen or very rusty over a few years and need re-cycling, pun! I have a bike-in-a-bag tourer, 6 speed shimano. I can get it below on my Elizabethan 30 but it takes up a lot of the saloon floor space.
 
We have a rival 36 and 2 Dahon Jack folding 'mountain' bike and they are Brilliant. We opted for big wheels and the mountain bit will enable you to do foot paths without peril. They store easily in th saloon.
They are aluminium and are not the cheapest.
 
My crystal ball tells me that there may well be a considerable number of brand-new blue folding bikes appearing on ebay this weekend. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
We bought 2 Raleigh folders last April (20in wheels, 6 spd Shimano, luggage rack, & prop stand) They have added loads of fun & interest. Fit nicely in our Fulmar locker. Special promotion at £130 each.
 
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My crystal ball tells me that there may well be a considerable number of brand-new blue folding bikes appearing on ebay this weekend. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Why wait until the weekend - see here
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We've got two of the small-wheel 3-speed bikes from Compass, about £125 each I think. Been very pleased with them and they fold up really small.
 
The best bike i ever had was a Dahon with NO gears just the one speed which was perfect for shopping site seeing and even getting up "hills" It was stolen twice and i found it later once in town and once at the end of a fishermans graple as he was pulling it out of the harbour!I bought it new from a French chandlery for only £120!!!Almost then a normal price!!!

When it finally went i bought a 3 speed stainless Dahon (cos thats all the chandler had then) Never liked it! the extra frame support lock pops out the gears slip the gear leaver soon freezes with onset of rust and its heavyer

Simples best with a good lock! Rust or not unlocked for a moment it will once vanish an expensive one might attract a bigger effort to remove it
 
I have two ordinary steel folding bikes that live in my cockpit locker. Luggage racks I find very important, having seen others without them. For me the main reason for the bikes is to buy supplies and without a luggage rack they would be a waste of time. I also like to have gears as not every place you visit is flat. Ours have the in-hub gears which have lasted very well. Other than the fact that there is a lot of rust on the rims I'm surprised how well the ordinary steel ones have lasted. You do need good bike pumps and puncture repair kits. It is rare that I don't pull the bikes out of the cockpit locker and don't find at least one tyre flat.
 
I agree about simplicity. I use a bike on board as an adjunct to sailing, to do occasional rides for shopping and sightseeing, so small and simple is more important than weight and cycling excellence. Anyway, small makes for light as well, even if it's made of steel. I have two that store in the forpeak, one either side of the forward water tank. Take a look at bicycles4u.com.
 
I had one puncture with our new folders this year. I found some stuff called "slime" from a bike shop which you pour into your tyre (valve removed) spin the wheel & re-inflate. Its claimed that it repairs your puncture & you never get another one !
 
we took two folding Bromptons with us 04/05 on an Atlantic circuit. Great bikes. Excellent quality. Small wheels no problem. Even cycled across Grasiosa in Canaries. No road just a desert track. Quite capable. Also could do a full supermarket shop and get all the stuff on two bikes. Thats a full trolley! did 500 miles on them whilst we were away. Never even had a puncture.
 
We also have a pair of Bromptons. I believe they are the smallest folder with good road ability. Shockingly expensive though, but in our case has been worth it 'cos we can't stow anything bigger.

I often wonder how many cheap throwaways we could have bought instead, and how better or worse off we would have been!
 
We've got two from Compass as well - been very good. The ones with the outside gears seem to get caught on everything in the locker and seem more vulnerable - we had one of those too!
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My crystal ball tells me that there may well be a considerable number of brand-new blue folding bikes appearing on ebay this weekend. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Why wait until the weekend - see here

[/ QUOTE ]
This is the sort of thing I had in mind. Strangely, I happen to know of two for sale in Scotland myself! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
My parents have Bromptons and they are good but expensive and strangely non-standard when things fail, very difficult to get spares e.g. the bottom bracket is unique. We take a couple of standard mountain bikes in proper bike bags which stow cleanly and flat in a 27' boat in the 1/4 berth. Quicker to fit the two wheels and saddle with QRs than it is to "uncurl" a Brompton and you can cyle much further / harder if needs be.
 
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........... Quicker to fit the two wheels and saddle with QRs than it is to "uncurl" a Brompton and you can cyle much further / harder if needs be.

[/ QUOTE ]

What utter rubbish! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif We can 'uncurl' our Bromptons in under 20 seconds and fold 'em up in the same time. Bet you can't get anywhere near that time! We have frequently ridden up to 40 miles in a day with no problems at all.

Obviously you've never tried folding/unfolding or ridden a Brompton and I strongly recommend you don't, otherwise you are very likely to be completely dissatisfied with your bikes thereafter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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