Ridden a folding bike?

There’s at least 2x blokes I see commuting to/from work on them.
Seem to be going alright, bikes look well used & all.
From what I’ve heard though, there is a broad range of ‘quality’ with folding bikes. I suppose you get your ‘Huffy-types’ with them as well……..
Small wheels might make cornering intresting……

A couple of friends of mine have Birdys. One commutes from Neutral Bay to Lane Cove on one.

It takes a little getting used to the handling, they climb well, but don't descend or roll the flats quickly.

Parbs

robalert said:

Hi,

I am fasinated by folders, especially the Dahons because they are so well priced

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Anyone commute with one?

Anyone got one?

You think they would be ok for a 15km commute?

Rob

I've got a Dahon Speed D7 (20" wheels), Furthest I've done on it is 10km (one way, 10k back later). Folds really well, rides great (its actually more fun than my MTB, just not as quick).
A 15km commute would be possible, just takes some getting used to doing distance on it due to only having limited gears.

Marx SS said:

There’s at least 2x blokes I see commuting to/from work on them.
Seem to be going alright, bikes look well used & all.
From what I’ve heard though, there is a broad range of ‘quality’ with folding bikes. I suppose you get your ‘Huffy-types’ with them as well……..
Small wheels might make cornering intresting……

thanks for the replies..🙂

Thanks for the reviews... i thought a Dahon Speed 7 would be as good as a conventional hybrid. Surprisingly, i thought it would be at least better than a MTB.

MarxSS- i got an old '96 Apollo Himalaya.... but things are pretty worn on it... i got slicks on it but the running gear is pretty dead.... do it up or get a folder??

i bought a cheapy garage sale imported from China folder and it was only ok for riding around a park... truly recreation... parking your car somewhere nearby and riding into the CBD area... it is still running but was very limited with 5 speeds and generic cranks

So folders are limited by their 20inch wheels?

I was reading a review that reckon that the Dahon Speed Pro as good as any road bike out there...

extravagant claim?

robalert said:

thanks for the replies..🙂

Thanks for the reviews... i thought a Dahon Speed 7 would be as good as a conventional hybrid. Surprisingly, i thought it would be at least better than a MTB.

MarxSS- i got an old '96 Apollo Himalaya.... but things are pretty worn on it... i got slicks on it but the running gear is pretty dead.... do it up or get a folder??

i bought a cheapy garage sale imported from China folder and it was only ok for riding around a park... truly recreation... parking your car somewhere nearby and riding into the CBD area... it is still running but was very limited with 5 speeds and generic cranks

So folders are limited by their 20inch wheels?

I was reading a review that reckon that the Dahon Speed Pro as good as any road bike out there...

extravagant claim?

The speed pro has 27 doesn't it? The D7 is just a 7 speed.

If you have a Dahon dealer near you, try and arrange a couple of test rides. Of the bikes I tried out, the Dahon seems to have got rideability sorted, nice upright position and the spread of gears seems to be just right too. It does climb extremely well (must be the "upright" position).

The only reason I got a folder was because trains get packed at peak times, and fitting a bike isn't always easy.

I occasionally do long trips by train with only a short ride at either end of the journey so a folder was more suited to what I needed, if I wasn't using trains, and I could guarantee safe storage at my destination, I wouldn't have considered a folder.

Yeah, I once rode an old Vitus alu 😄

talk about folding :p

Best thing about folding bikes is that they fold up. If this isn’t a big deal then I would go for a MTB/Roadies/Hybrid is a better move just for the practicality of it – tubes/tyres, parts availability etc.
Not that I’m dissing folding bikes because I haven’t lived with one.

I dunno the number of gears they have. As long as there’s a broad enough range in gears available it should be fine. In this current climate of 10speed cassettes, I’ve dropped my cassette on the commuter MTB for a single cog on my freewheel & life is great!

I once took a mate’s Kmart purchase around a park for a try & returned it quick-smart. The brakes dragged & were sadly lacking – almost to the point of being a liability, the gears didn’t want to change well (or at all under load) & the frame kinda when wonky if you got outa the seat doing a hill in a high-ish gear.
On this experience I try to convince people new to cycling to give it half a chance & get a first bike that wont let them down so much – buy some degree of quality, because in bicycles the price difference is immediately obvious I believe.