Airnimal or what?

Robert Bruce said:

Anyone got any experience of Airnimal, or, indeed, any similar bikes?

I was looking around for what is available in this sort of thing a short while ago, and noticed the
Ritchey Break-Away - a sort of "built in to the frame" solution to making a full size road bike come
apart for storage or transport. I also considered getting a frame builder (IIRC SJSC can do this) to
make up a bike with S&S torque couplings. Both were a little expensive, but in the same sort of
price league as an Airnimal. The airnimal looks better if you want to actually put the bike in a
suitcase, though.

Links: www.ritcheylogic.com www.sjscycles.com (but you would need to talk to them about details, as
its all a bit custom)

--
Jim Price

jimprice.dsl.pipex.comjimprice.dsl.pipex.comOpen ↗

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

I must say that I'm very keen on the Airnimal badge...

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

"Robert Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've got a reasonably significant birthday coming up (40 since you didn't ask) and my relatives
have indicated that they would like to be generous

and

Quoted message said:

club together to buy me a significant gift.

I'd like a folding bike since I travel as part of my job and use a camper van as a mobile office.
Currently I carry one of my bikes inside the van (rather than on an exterior rack) for security,
aerodynamics and in case

of

Quoted message said:

bad weather, but it takes up a lot of space, so a folding bike looks like

it

Quoted message said:

would be beneficial. However, I also want it to be a 'proper' bike with reasonably-sized wheels
and comfortable ride/feel.

I've read good things about the Airnimal (airnimal.comairnimal.htmlOpen ↗) in a couple of
magazines, and actually saw one in use at Bourg d'Oisans after the Alpe d'Huez TdF stage

a

Quoted message said:

couple of weeks ago and it looked a very fine piece of machinery indeed.

Anyone got any experience of Airnimal, or, indeed, any similar bikes?

Thanks

--
Rob

Please keep conversations in the newsgroup so that all may contribute and benefit.

There was a tactical MTB for the merikan Army built by Hummer or Humbee, Humvee or whatever. The
same folks that built Arnie's gasguzzler. Apparently not only does it fold down to pocket size in 30
secs but it's also quieter than a mouse and produces no heat, so it can't be detected in the
battlefield....and all for the measley sum of $600 (usd). I'm definitely getting one as my next MTB.
You know what they say about the yanks army getting all the best toys.....servicing might be an
issue though, like the maintenance manual is probably top secret ;-)...there's a website
somewhere.....sorry, didn't make a note, but a google will probably reveal
it.Dave.

Robert Bruce said:

I'd like a folding bike since I travel as part of my job and use a camp=

er

Quoted message said:

van as a mobile office. Currently I carry one of my bikes inside the va=

n

Quoted message said:

(rather than on an exterior rack) for security, aerodynamics and in cas=

e of

Quoted message said:

bad weather, but it takes up a lot of space, so a folding bike looks li=

ke it

Quoted message said:

would be beneficial. However, I also want it to be a 'proper' bike with=

Quoted message said:

reasonably-sized wheels and comfortable ride/feel.

The Airnimal is more of a "transportable" than a folder. What it will=20 do is go small with a few
minutes work and then fit into a suitcase, and =

with a few minutes work at the other end it will turn into a high=20 performance bike. What it
doesn't really do is fold quickly, so it may=20 not be ideal here (sounds like you want frequent
use, but no storage=20 problems).

Others in the same general class would be Moultons and Bike Fridays.=20 How one defines
"reasonably-sized wheels" comes in here, but small=20 wheels really can do fast, especially if
they've got a good road=20 oriented suspension.

If you do decide smaller wheels are not necessarily a complete disaster=20 you might want to look at
a Birdy Black (18" wheels). I very much doubt =

it'd perform as well as an Airnimal, but OTOH it has been used for the=20 odd triathlon according to
the publicity propaganda so isn't exactly a=20 lame duck in the fast stakes, is quite light at 9.8
Kg, and folds to a=20 very reasonable size in a few seconds so is much easier to deploy and=20
subsequently store. The riding position is a sporty crouch like an MTB, =

the frame is quite stiff in Al and the ride is smooth thanks to a road=20 oriented full suspension.
I'd give one a try, at least: it feels much=20 more like a "normal bike" than it looks. The bad news
is it's =A31250,=20 but OTOH Airnimals aren't exactly 10 a penny... You can get a Birdy Red =

for =A3850 with the same frame but downgraded and less sportsome=20 componentry, a gear less and
800g more.

Pete. --=20 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 [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

"Robert Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone got any experience of Airnimal, or, indeed, any similar bikes?

Probably the two bikes you should look at are the Airnimal and the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket. The
latter is carried by Avon Valley Cyclery in Bath and both are essentially performance road bikes
that fold for transportation. You can find comparisons on the foldsoc website
foldsoc.co.ukfoldsoc.co.ukOpen ↗

Tony

--
"We haven't failed. We now know a thousand things that won't work, so we are much closer to finding
what will." Thomas Edison

"Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Robert Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

there's a website somewhere.....sorry, didn't make a note, but a google

will probably reveal

Quoted message said:

it.Dave.

Here y'go.... hummerstuff.comhummerstuff.comOpen ↗ and it's $699, rather than $600...but still phenominal
(apparently!) and good for extreme off-roading too ;-) Dave.

[email hidden] schreef ...

Quoted message said:

There was a tactical MTB for the merikan Army built by Hummer or Humbee, Humvee or whatever. The
same folks that built Arnie's gasguzzler. Apparently not only does it fold down to pocket size in
30 secs but it's also quieter than a mouse and produces no heat, so it can't be detected in the
battlefield....and all for the measley sum of $600 (usd). I'm definitely getting one as my next
MTB. You know what they say about the yanks army getting all the best toys.....servicing might be
an issue though, like the maintenance manual is probably top secret ;-)...there's a website
somewhere.....sorry, didn't make a note, but a google will probably reveal
it.

www.hummer.com. And Montague makes the bikes.

--
Regards, Marten

Tony Raven said:

"Robert Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone got any experience of Airnimal, or, indeed, any similar bikes?

Probably the two bikes you should look at are the Airnimal and the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket. The
latter is carried by Avon Valley Cyclery in Bath and both are essentially performance road bikes
that fold for transportation.

Both bikes are carried by Avon Valley Cyclery as well as Birdy, Dahon, Brompton etc. etc. Oh, and
not forgetting Moultons (but don't call them folding bikes!)

Try www.foldingbikes.co.uk

David

I have used an Airnimal for a couple of years. They don't fold up small unless you break them down
to fit a suitcase. Removing the seat and front wheel allows a compact enough fold to fin in the
back of a car.

It rides well on road and can take the odd towpath or similar but struggles on really rough stuff.

Rides like a full size normal bike but is much easier to transport by car.

Hope this helps James

"James" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have used an Airnimal for a couple of years. They don't fold up small unless you break them down
to fit a suitcase. Removing the seat and front wheel allows a compact enough fold to fin in the
back of a car.

It rides well on road and can take the odd towpath or similar but struggles on really rough stuff.

Rides like a full size normal bike but is much easier to transport by car.

Hope this helps James

If I can compare the Airnimal and Pocket Rocket (I chose the latter when faced by the decision):

Both fold for transport but don't expect a Brompton. Both disassemble to go in a suitcase for
going on a plane. They are both unwieldy to take around folded. Both ride like full size
performance road bikes. The Airnimal has suspension (make sure you don't lose the elastomer
folded) but you have to take the front wheel out to fold and then have to decide where to put it -
hanging off the pedal seems a favourite. Pocket Rocket has no suspension but folds much quicker
without taking wheels off first. Folded package needs a strap to keep it all together and the
handlebars/stem have no really natural place to put them although they are still attached by the
cables - kind of lodge them on top.

My decision for the Pocket Rocket was because I didn't need to take the front wheel out to fold it -
I use it to cycle to the office and take on longer trips by car or plane and taking the wheel off
every day when I fold it to take inside the office would be a pain - I leave the handlebars in place
to avoid the where to put them problem in that situation.

Your decision should be guided by why you are wanting to fold it and how each's limitiations fit
with that. I am sure you will be more than happy with the ride of either.

Tony
--
"We haven't failed. We now know a thousand things that won't work, so we are much closer to finding
what will." Thomas Edison

Many thanks for everyone's input.

Just to clarify, I really don't need something that crushes down to fit in my glovebox, just
something that folds down small enough to enable me to move around in the van (put the kettle on,
make the bed up sensibly, get the portapotti out).

It appears that my options are rather wider that I first imagined. As a roadie rather than a
mountain biker, the Airnimal and the Pocket Rocket Look the most tempting to me, but that Hummer has
a real price advantage.

Thanks Again,

--
Rob

Please keep conversations in the newsgroup so that all may contribute and benefit.

[email hidden] schreef ...

Quoted message said:

Many thanks for everyone's input.

Just to clarify, I really don't need something that crushes down to fit in my glovebox, just
something that folds down small enough to enable me to move around in the van (put the kettle on,
make the bed up sensibly, get the portapotti out).

It appears that my options are rather wider that I first imagined. As a roadie rather than a
mountain biker, the Airnimal and the Pocket Rocket Look the most tempting to me, but that Hummer
has a real price advantage.

And a weight disadvantage, if that counts.

--
Regards, Marten

"Marten Hoffmann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] schreef ...

Quoted message said:

Many thanks for everyone's input.

Just to clarify, I really don't need something that crushes down to fit

in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

my glovebox, just something that folds down small enough to enable me to move around in the van
(put the kettle on, make the bed up sensibly, get

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

portapotti out).

It appears that my options are rather wider that I first imagined. As a roadie rather than a
mountain biker, the Airnimal and the Pocket Rocket

Look

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the most tempting to me, but that Hummer has a real price advantage.

And a weight disadvantage, if that counts.

--
Regards, Marten

What, you like heavier bikes, Marten ? ;-) Dave.
p.s.- gotta be cool as [censored] too. Bet you'd be the only kid on the block with one and totally
undetectable on radar to boot!

Quoted message said:

totally undetectable on radar to boot!

Still susceptible to 'friendly fire' incidents, though, I should imagine.

--
Rob

Wildly Out Of Date Excel VBA Programming Stuff from the Heart of Wales:
www.analytical-dynamics.co.uk/

Please keep conversations in the newsgroup so that all may contribute and benefit.

"Robert Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

totally undetectable on radar to boot!

Still susceptible to 'friendly fire' incidents, though, I should imagine.

--
Rob

Heh-heh....yup!....Just don't take it to merika for your hols.....or near any merikan bases in the
UK.....or anywhere where merikans are 'keepin' the peace'.... You should be ok then ;-)

Quoted message said:

It appears that my options are rather wider that I first imagined. As a roadie rather than a
mountain biker, the Airnimal and the Pocket Rocket Look the most tempting to me, but that Hummer
has a real price advantage.

But bear in mind that by the time you have paid duty at about 20%, freight, VAT including VAT on a
notional freight charge in the UK that very attractive 600+ USD becomes a less attractive 600+GBP!
Have you considered a Dahon? Good value with excellent specs.

David