Airnimal Bicycles

[Smudger]

Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike with
some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?

[Pete Biggs]

Smudger wrote:
> Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike with
> some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?

see:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=airnimal+myra&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=uk.rec.cycli ng:+airnimal

~PB

[Tony Raven]

Smudger <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike with
> some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?

I looked at both before going for the Bike Friday. Both ride very well but neither folds
conveniently. The BF is the better of the two as it stays together as one although the folded bike
has to be strapped together to stop is unfolding when you pick it up. The handlebars seem like a
left over afterthought you prop on the top when its folded. The Airnimal needs the front wheel out
to fold and then you have what to do with the wheel to contend with. Hang it on the pedal seems
the favourite. There are also reports of the elastomer falling off folded and if you lose that you
are stuck.

If you are going on and off eg trains all the time and lots of folding/unfolding the Brompton is the
only real answer - some would add the Birdy but its a bigger package. If you want to transport a
good long distance ridealbe bike to the start of a ride either BF or Airnimal will be equally
convenient - neither fits well on the train.

I went for the BF in the end because if folds easily and quickly enough that I can take it inside or
into the office as well as take it on a plane in the suitcase. Against the Airnimal for me was the
less convenient folding but I know Myra made the opposite choice.

Best bet is to read the Folding Society web pages on the plusses and minus of the different models
or pop down to Avon Valley Cycles in Bath where you can try the different models out, fold and
unfold them and have a good play around.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com (http://www.raven-family.com/)

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to
adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." -- George
Bernard Shaw

[Graham Glen]

In message <b67v1b$gna$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk>, Smudger <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> writes
>Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike with
>some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?
>

I've got an Airnimal. When I bought mine there was only one model, equivalent to the 105 model now.

Mine in normally only ever fully folded or unfolded, I think only twice in the last two years have I
half folded it to transport it by car.

Folding can be a bit fiddly, in that you soon end up with a wheel less frame with bits hanging off,
but as none of it is heavy it can comfortably be held in one hand while completing disassembly.

Initially I found it awkward to gets the bars in the right position to get the back wheel into place
in the hard case, but I've since put flat bars on mine which makes it much easier to pack.

Other things I do differently from the "recommended" folding instructions -

1. I don't take the pedals off, I remove the left crank. As I've got an Ultegra chain set this only
requires a big Allen key, which lives in the case.

2. I remove the chain. I replaced the Shimano chain with an SRAM, which is only ever lubricated with
White Lightening so it's always nice and clean and easy to deal with..

I scanned in the pictures from the instructions so that I could produce my own folding notes.
Whenever I go on a trip I put a copy of these into the case along with a CD containing a PDF of the
same (I might re-do the pictures with my own sometime).

I've never worried about the elastomer coming off when it's folded - it's a tight fit.

Riding - it's a blast. It's so nice to ride that it's very, very addictive. I love going somewhere
and having a nice bike to ride whenever I want. Although when I got mine it had a medium elastomer
and I found initially that I would "bob" when pedalling, once I changed that for a hard one and
smoothed my pedalling out I've stopped having that problem.

Let me know if I can tell you more.

Regards

Graham
--
Graham Glen

[Smudger]

"Smudger" <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:b67v1b$gna$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike with
> some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?
>
>

Thanks for all the info so far. I've already got a Brompton L6 but I do like to go on, say, thirty
mile rides when I'm away from home. I can do this on the Brompton but it's not ideal.

I'm swaying towards a Friday at the moment but I'm still thinking.

[David E. Belche]

"Smudger" <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<b6br2l$par$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> "Smudger" <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:b67v1b$gna$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they post a review of their bike
> > with some details on how they get on with folding it and transporting it?
> >
> >
>
> Thanks for all the info so far. I've already got a Brompton L6 but I do like to go on, say, thirty
> mile rides when I'm away from home. I can do this on the Brompton but it's not ideal.
>
> I'm swaying towards a Friday at the moment but I'm still thinking.

If thinking of buying one for yourself, and if travelling down there isn't a problem, worth bearing
in mind that the Mike Dyason HQ at Biggleswade offers test rides - you do need to give a bit of
prior notice, though.

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

[Smudger]

"David E. Belcher" <deb107_york@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:31586221.0304010714.4658c4fc@posting.google.com...
> "Smudger" <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:<b6br2l$par$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> > "Smudger" <smudger123cxsdfe@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:b67v1b$gna$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > > Does anybody have an Airnimal or a Bike Friday? If so, could they
post a
> > > review of their bike with some details on how they get on with folding
it
> > > and transporting it?
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Thanks for all the info so far. I've already got a Brompton L6 but I do like to go on, say,
> > thirty mile rides when I'm away from home. I can do this on the Brompton but it's not ideal.
> >
> > I'm swaying towards a Friday at the moment but I'm still thinking.
>
> If thinking of buying one for yourself, and if travelling down there isn't a problem, worth
> bearing in mind that the Mike Dyason HQ at Biggleswade offers test rides - you do need to give a
> bit of prior notice, though.
>
> David E. Belcher
>
> Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

Thanks. When I find out where that is I may just do that.

Cheers

[David E. Belche]

deb107_york@yahoo.co.uk (David E. Belcher) wrote in message
news:<31586221.0304010714.4658c4fc@posting.google.com>...
>
> If thinking of buying one for yourself, and if travelling down there isn't a problem, worth
> bearing in mind that the Mike Dyason HQ at Biggleswade offers test rides - you do need to give a
> bit of prior notice, though.

Oops! Forgot to point out; this message refers to the Airnimal, not the Bike Friday!

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

[Peter Clinch]

No practical experience of the Airnimal, but there's a review of it in VeloVision 7, and the really
good news is it's freely downloadable as a PDF. Head over to http://www.velovision.co.uk/ and then
click on "Previous Issues". Scroll down a little and there's a link to the PDF there.

HTH, Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

[Trealaw Boy]

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........ and AVC in BAth are the new UK importers of Bike Fridays and usually have some in stock, so
could possible have a test ride of a BF there.

See www.foldingbikes.co.uk

Regards

TB

"David E. Belcher" wrote:

> deb107_york@yahoo.co.uk (David E. Belcher) wrote in message
> news:<31586221.0304010714.4658c4fc@posting.google.com>...
> >
> > If thinking of buying one for yourself, and if travelling down there isn't a problem, worth
> > bearing in mind that the Mike Dyason HQ at Biggleswade offers test rides - you do need to give a
> > bit of prior notice, though.
>
> Oops! Forgot to point out; this message refers to the Airnimal, not the Bike Friday!
>
> David E. Belcher
>
> Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

--------------197859631A36816003588EC2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> ........&nbsp; and AVC in BAth
are the new UK importers of Bike Fridays and usually have some in stock, so could possible have a
test ride of a BF there.
<p>See <a href="http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk (http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/)">www.foldingbikes.co.uk</a>
<q>Regards
<r>TB
<s>"David E. Belcher" wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>deb107_york@yahoo.co.uk (David E. Belcher) wrote
in message news:&lt;31586221.0304010714.4658c4fc@posting.google.com>... <br>> <br>> If thinking
of buying one for yourself, and if travelling down there <br>> isn't a problem, worth bearing in
mind that the Mike Dyason HQ at <br>> Biggleswade offers test rides - you do need to give a bit
of prior <br>> notice, though.
<t>Oops! Forgot to point out; this message refers to the Airnimal, not the Bike Friday!
<u>David E. Belcher
<v>Dept. of Chemistry, <br>University of York</blockquote> </html>

--------------197859631A36816003588EC2--

[David Hughes]

If I remember correctly Avon Valley Cyclery have a Pocket Rocket Pro, New World Tourist, Air Llama
and Tandem Twosday available for test rides. And there are Airnimals, Birdys, Bromptons and other
assorted oddities there!

If you want something soon it would be best to go for something other than the Bike Friday as each
is imported individually from the States.

Contact them at enquiries@bikeshop.uk.com or on 01225 442442

David

[Terry J]

and no longer Biggleswade but Melton Mowbray, surely TerryJ

[David E. Belche]

"Terry J" <jonesfamily@bnreoatthemail.net> wrote in message news:<3e912694_1@news1.vip.uk.com>...
> and no longer Biggleswade but Melton Mowbray, surely

Oops - you're right. Hadn't visited the Dyason website for months, so wasn't aware of the move.

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York