Which folding bikes for the boat?

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Quandary

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I have been back to see the surgeon 6 weeks after my arthoscopy and he says that I am probably stuck with a fair amount of pain, he offered a full knee replacement but said it would not stand up to use on proper hills and I live in Argyll, so I have decided to persevere with anti-inflammatories and painkillers.
However, I can cycle in relative comfort so I am considering getting a couple of folding bikes for the boat. My son (a keen cyclist and big spender) says the only choice is Brompton but they seem to be priced on fashion, for instance for a price difference of £500 you can save just one kg. of the 11kg standard weight, and there is a 6 month waiting time from order. Dahons seem to be regarded as ok in a middle price range, readily available and they are heavily discounted in places just now because of a family (father v son) dispute with Tern. Dahon are also sold badged as Dawes, Ridgeback, Rudge and Marinestore. The problem is the Dahon range is too big to make easy selection straight forward. The 6 speed alloy frame Marinestore badged version seems awfully good value (too cheap?) but they do not publish a full spec. or weight, details and component quality like brakes gears tyres etc. can vary widely, and I would have to buy unseen.
I want a bike that can cope with West of Scotland, ie. poor roads and some hills , probably 20" wheels with decent fattish tyres, several gears and hopefully less than 13 kg. I will have to get a second one for the wife but the dog is well used to running alongside.
Anyone use a folder outside the city and what would they recommend, I am hoping for something that could manage about 10 mile trips, often on unmade roads.
 
In my opinion 16 '' wheels are only suitable for cycling around marinas.

I'm sure some will disagree, with stories of cycling to Nepal on a mono-cycle! but I have had 16'' and now have 20'' and the difference is very apparent.
 
I can endorse the Dahon range. As you mention, they are often rebadged and much cheaper than under their own brand. Compass24 was selling the larger 26" wheel folder (similar to this one) under their label much cheaper than the original. But as it only folds in half it isn't really compact enough for a boat, although I do use it in the marina and winter store it folded in the covered cockpit. It was, through Compass24, incredible value for money.

I find it infinitely better than a very small-wheeled Mobiky Genius, which was a disaster, both to ride and the folding application. Whilst smaller wheels enable a compact size when folded they struggle (or rather you do) with anything but perfect road surfaces - they need extra power to rise out of the smallest potholes.
 
Quandary said:
I have been back to see the surgeon 6 weeks after my arthoscopy and he says that I am probably stuck with a fair amount of pain, he offered a full knee replacement but said it would not stand up to use on proper hills and I live in Argyll, so I have decided to persevere with anti-inflammatories and painkillers.
However, I can cycle in relative comfort so I am considering getting a couple of folding bikes for the boat. My son (a keen cyclist and big spender) says the only choice is Brompton but they seem to be priced on fashion, for instance for a price difference of £500 you can save just one kg. of the 11kg standard weight, and there is a 6 month waiting time from order. Dahons seem to be regarded as ok in a middle price range, readily available and they are heavily discounted in places just now because of a family (father v son) dispute with Tern. Dahon are also sold badged as Dawes, Ridgeback, Rudge and Marinestore. The problem is the Dahon range is too big to make easy selection straight forward. The 6 speed alloy frame Marinestore badged version seems awfully good value (too cheap?) but they do not publish a full spec. or weight, details and component quality like brakes gears tyres etc. can vary widely, and I would have to buy unseen.
I want a bike that can cope with West of Scotland, ie. poor roads and some hills , probably 20" wheels with decent fattish tyres, several gears and hopefully less than 13 kg. I will have to get a second one for the wife but the dog is well used to running alongside.
Anyone use a folder outside the city and what would they recommend, I am hoping for something that could manage about 10 mile trips, often on unmade roads.
Click to expand...

Less effort for $180 :

http://www.scootercatalog.com/razor-e200s-electric-scooter.html
 
Barnac1e said:
I can endorse the Dahon range. As you mention, they are often rebadged and much cheaper than under their own brand. Compass24 was selling the larger 26" wheel folder (similar to this one) under their label much cheaper than the original. But as it only folds in half it isn't really compact enough for a boat, although I do use it in the marina and winter store it folded in the covered cockpit. It was, through Compass24, incredible value for money.

I find it infinitely better than a very small-wheeled [snip]
Click to expand...

+1

I've got a Dahon Jack (although perhaps a slightly earlier model than the one shown in Barnacle's link): full size wheels, relatively lightweight frame, 7 gears, etc. It is a great bike but, as Barnacle points out, it only folds in half.

For me, it is my bike at home (and I can carry it folded inside my car). I've not got round to having it on the boat. If you had the space on board, this would be a great one to go for.
 
We bought some folding bikes off fleabay for £85.00 new.

Well pleased with them, 2 years old now and still look like new.

So what to look out for...

Ours are 16 inch wheels. On reflection, next time we will go for 20 inch wheels. Slightly bigger when folded, but better for road use.

Make sure you get at least 6 gears, some bikes do not have gears!

Definitely go for bikes with suspension, particularly if you are going for small wheels.

We are now up grading the bikes and looking for electric powered folding bikes. They are not that much heavier without the battery.

The small electric folders are around £550 to £1000+.

Best value electric folding for us is around £650.

Cliff
 
you can't beat a Brompton. I had a Bickerton on the boat, but it was nowhere near as good as the Brompton.

They are on ebay, and if you are ready to pounce, they can be bought for £300 - which is what I paid.

Also on Gumtree.
 
we had Dahon boardwalks with 20" wheels, they were ok,we used then for 11 holidays, they did rust.
we now have DiBlasi s/s 20" wheels, heavier & the locking catch`s are a tad crude but the bikes are well made & pleased with them overall.
i had a Dahon Ali bike & that was very well made & light but they are expensive & still have zinc plated spokes :rolleyes:
 
brompton

I own a Brompton - a good bike but it all depends on how tall you are - I'm 6ft and have a longer seat post but I still find the bike is only good for 3 or 4 miles - after that its just not comfortable. My wife is a lot shorter and is more happy on it - she used the Brompton for triathlon training when aboard the boat - but she would have preferred a proper bike.

All folding bikes with small wheels are a bit 'twichy' to use - but you get the hang of it!

The good thing about the Brompton is that its one of the smallest bikes when folded - and more likely to fit your boat locker/wardrobe etc.

My advice if you intend to do much cycling is use an ordinary full size bike if you can. Use your existing bike or buy (steal !) a cheap second hand one. Leave it on the deck or the transom to rust and don't worry about it. Throw away at the end of the season if its not serviceable!

(nb. bromptons are also steel framed and will rust if left in the rain etc!)
 
I can't deny that the 'big name' specialists (Brompton & the like) are good, but they are expensive.
I have used a Halfords Apollo Transition for 3 or 4 years now to 'drive and ride' to work. I found it very good for about £200, so I bought my daughter one which she uses to cycle to work on in central London.
Aluminium frame, 20" wheels and the gear ratio is set about right.
 
Like other said, if you can afford (space wise) larger wheels then go for modestly priced models with 20" wheels or even bigger if possible.
If space (on the boat) is paramount there is no alternative to Brompton, silly expensive but an excellent ride for the space they take.
 
I ride a Dahon D7HG (now a Ridgeback attache) every day.. I went for the one with the 7 gears built into the hub, a bit like the old Sturmey Archer gears because I didn't want all the oily derailleur type gears showing and getting oily dirt everywhere.

Nice to ride, 20" wheels but doesn't fold as small as the Bromptons.

Tyres - If you change the originals to something like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres it will ride like a different bike and you will have puncture resistance as well - Very worthwhile change!
 
Thanks to all who posted, I did read the other threads but thought my location and condition was a bit different.
I think I have decided against the Brompton, I need 2 and the wife's will be more rarely used but MUST be of at least equal quality. Bromptons are just too dear new (though my poor son has ordered one), my son who commutes between Glasgow and London for work claims that since the Borization of London every one there has one and they are stolen every day, he forbids buying a second hand Brompton as encouraging this trade. The new Brompton waiting time can be 6 months.
I already have a roadster and an alloy mountain bike but just could not face cluttering the deck with either of them, fortunately our boat has 3 generous cockpit lockers with good access which should hold 2 202 folders if a few fenders are hung over the stern.
I think that what I want is 20" wheels, an alloy frame, at least six decent gears for hills with a good high top gear for the towpath. Reasonable quality brakes, hubs, tyres etc. if possible. It sounds as if I need some form of springing too? I am most tempted by some of the rebadged Dahons; Ridgeway, Dawes, Rudge or Compass Marine. Does anyone know why the alloy 6 speed Compass is so much cheaper than all its peers, it is exceptional in my experience for a version of a product rebadged for sailors not to be dearer. If you own or have seen one I would like to hear what you thought, the details in their spec. are very sparse and I presume that all the bits excet the frame are different from its Dahon parent. The Halfords bike recommended looks quite like a Dahon as well. I would love to buy second hand if I could ascertain the history as a bit of scuffiness is discouraging to the thief though our local crime rate is low, but we are too far out in the sticks to find even one let alone 2 of these easily.
My real preference would be to continue to walk but with this knee getting back down hills can involve a lot of discomfort so the search is on.
 
One not mentioned so far is the Giant Halfway, 20" wheels & all alloy. It's relatively expensive (not as much as a Brompton though) but is the sturdiest folder I've found, you can bump up & down curbs, e.g. I have the older six speed which could do with an extra gear, the newer ones have 7 gears. With my six speed I have reasonably comfortably cycled ten miles a few times. Brompton's though often go for upwards of £500 on ebay so you get a lot of your outlay back if you keep it well...
 
are all bromptons steel framed and hence rustable? I don't think so? I have alloy framed fold bikes which don't rust except at steel bits. I have seen bromptons older and in better nick than mine.

ut cheaper wd likely be normal size bikes, replace them every now and again - an alloy bromptn will run towards £1000 or even more...
 
One thing I do have on board- for around a fiver-is a 12v mini compressor that will keep tyres at max pressure-6 bar for my 16 inch wheels, makes all the difference to rolling resistance. This iis v hard work indeed to do by hand pump and most garage forecourt machines dontgo anywhere near that figure, elfin' faceache and all that.

Being able to chuck a fold up in the dinghy, row ashore and explore/ reprovision without recourse to marinas and bus timetables can be brilliant, healthy and thirst inducing....:eek:
 
tcm said:
are all bromptons steel framed and hence rustable? I don't think so? I have alloy framed fold bikes which don't rust except at steel bits. I have seen bromptons older and in better nick than mine.

ut cheaper wd likely be normal size bikes, replace them every now and again - an alloy bromptn will run towards £1000 or even more...
Click to expand...

Read this:

http://www.brompton.co.uk/page.asp?p=3067#6

So yes, all Bromptons are made of a steel frame.
 
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