Any Bike Friday owners here?

Quoted message said:

have some questions for you OK?

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to get a Bike
Friday or a Brompton.

Can anyone offer some opinions and advice?

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have some questions for you OK?

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to get a Bike Friday or a
Brompton.

Can anyone offer some opinions and advice?

What do you want to use it for? That is the crucial question here.
Folding bikes are "horses for courses."

If you want to use it to ride 8 miles to work, fold it up and bring it
in side with you, the Brompton has the advantage. If you want to do
mixed mode commuting like riding to the bus stop or train station, and
then from the bus stop or train station the rest of the way to work, the
Brompton wins hands down.

If you want to travel by car, train, boat or air to a destination and go
riding as a tourist, then the Bike Friday wins. If you want a
high-performance ride, the Bike Friday wins.

Check out

atob.org.ukBuyers' Guide.htmlOpen ↗

Tim McNamara said:

What do you want to use it for? That is the crucial question here.
Folding bikes are "horses for courses."

If you want to use it to ride 8 miles to work, fold it up and bring it
in side with you, the Brompton has the advantage. If you want to do
mixed mode commuting like riding to the bus stop or train station, and
then from the bus stop or train station the rest of the way to work, the
Brompton wins hands down.

If you want to travel by car, train, boat or air to a destination and go
riding as a tourist, then the Bike Friday wins. If you want a
high-performance ride, the Bike Friday wins.

Actually I'm wanting to do both above

Maybe I should think abt getting BOTH a Brompton and a
BF?

Quoted message said:

Maybe I should think abt getting BOTH a Brompton and a
BF?

I agree with Tim's comments about the Brompton vs. BF.
I have a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket that's been good for traveling.
I've also used the option of packing it in the suitcase/trailer so you
can be fully self-contained for riding to the airport/train/bus station
and is nice for taking bike tour that ends in a different city. I've
found it to be a good choice for multi-day touring

But the Brompton certainly folds more quickly and compactly for taking
on city busses/subways/etc. and would be a better choice for commutes
that combine a bike ride with mass transit.

I'd suggest deciding on your primary purpose in looking for a folding
bike and then choose an appropriate model. Later you can see if it'll
also serve well enough for other applications or if you need another
model as well.

peter said:

I agree with Tim's comments about the Brompton vs. BF.
I have a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket that's been good for traveling.
I've also used the option of packing it in the suitcase/trailer so you
can be fully self-contained for riding to the airport/train/bus station
and is nice for taking bike tour that ends in a different city. I've
found it to be a good choice for multi-day touring

OK

Quoted message said:

But the Brompton certainly folds more quickly and compactly for taking
on city busses/subways/etc. and would be a better choice for commutes
that combine a bike ride with mass transit.

Understood

Right now the most usage would be commuting back and
forth to work on daily basis and having the folding
option for those times when weather doesn't permit me
to ride back home. In that case Id fold the bike up
and put in trunk of co-workers car and catch a ride
that way.

So...... I guess numerous folds a day could be expected
in that scenario. Sounds like the Brompton wins there
huh?

But... I also want to do some multi-day touring next
summer. But that would only be say once or twice a
year in that scenario of usage.

Bottom line...sounds like two bikes is really the
answer. The Brompton for daily commuting.....and maybe
a folding or NON folding touring bike for the touring?

I wish I could find a place in St Louis that has
Brompton son display sop I could look at one. Anyone
know of a place?

Quoted message said:

peter said:

I agree with Tim's comments about the Brompton vs. BF.
I have a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket that's been good for traveling.
I've also used the option of packing it in the suitcase/trailer so you
can be fully self-contained for riding to the airport/train/bus station
and is nice for taking bike tour that ends in a different city. I've
found it to be a good choice for multi-day touring

OK

Quoted message said:

But the Brompton certainly folds more quickly and compactly for taking
on city busses/subways/etc. and would be a better choice for commutes
that combine a bike ride with mass transit.

Understood

Right now the most usage would be commuting back and
forth to work on daily basis and having the folding
option for those times when weather doesn't permit me
to ride back home. In that case Id fold the bike up
and put in trunk of co-workers car and catch a ride
that way.

So...... I guess numerous folds a day could be expected
in that scenario. Sounds like the Brompton wins there
huh?

I'd opt for neither in that scenario. I can pop the wheels off my
regular-sized Cannondale quicker than I can fold either a Brompton or
BF and that way it fits easily in the trunk of my Corolla (which has a
pretty small trunk so I'd expect it to fit in most cars).

Quoted message said:

peter said:

I agree with Tim's comments about the Brompton vs. BF.
I have a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket that's been good for traveling.
I've also used the option of packing it in the suitcase/trailer so you
can be fully self-contained for riding to the airport/train/bus station
and is nice for taking bike tour that ends in a different city. I've
found it to be a good choice for multi-day touring

OK

Quoted message said:

But the Brompton certainly folds more quickly and compactly for taking
on city busses/subways/etc. and would be a better choice for commutes
that combine a bike ride with mass transit.

Understood

Right now the most usage would be commuting back and
forth to work on daily basis and having the folding
option for those times when weather doesn't permit me
to ride back home. In that case Id fold the bike up
and put in trunk of co-workers car and catch a ride
that way.

So...... I guess numerous folds a day could be expected
in that scenario. Sounds like the Brompton wins there
huh?

I'd opt for neither in that scenario. I can pop the wheels off my
regular-sized Cannondale quicker than I can fold either a Brompton or
BF and that way it fits easily in the trunk of my Corolla (which has a
pretty small trunk so I'd expect it to fit in most cars).

Quoted message said:

"peter" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Right now the most usage would be commuting back and
forth to work on daily basis and having the folding
option for those times when weather doesn't permit me
to ride back home. In that case Id fold the bike up
and put in trunk of co-workers car and catch a ride
that way.

So...... I guess numerous folds a day could be expected
in that scenario. Sounds like the Brompton wins there
huh?

If you're putting the bike in a car, the BF fold isn't a big deal (but
I would get the chain retainer -- without it, the chain falls off
easily on unfolding). I got a BF (new world tourist) a little over a
year ago since I occasionally had to take a public bus but I didn't
want to compromise my general riding -- one salesperson at a local
bike store that sold bromptons chuckled at me when I asked about
getting cliples pedals and riding 20+ miles to a century on the
brompton.

Going on the bus with the BF is a little ackward, but it is
manageable. When I throw the bike in the car, folding hardly takes any
time. For me, the Friday was the right choice since it's now my
primary ride (my wife and I like it so much that we're getting rid of
our specialized sequoia comp and just ordered her a bike friday
(pocket crusoe)).

Mike

zamansky said:

Going on the bus with the BF is a little ackward, but it is
manageable. When I throw the bike in the car, folding hardly takes any
time. For me, the Friday was the right choice since it's now my
primary ride (my wife and I like it so much that we're getting rid of
our specialized sequoia comp and just ordered her a bike friday
(pocket crusoe)).

well that's was my goal as well ..... i.e. to have only
one bike for everything

I'm a poor starving student and cant afford several
bikes....especially the high end bikes I like. Ha!

Quoting <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to get a Bike
Friday or a Brompton.

Brompton is optimised for fold time and package size; Bike Friday for
riding.
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David Damerell said:

Brompton is optimised for fold time and package size; Bike Friday for
riding.

Yep

I'm learning that.....thanks!

I'm starting to think I need Brompton for my daily
commute

And a NON folding touring bike for long distance
touring