Foldable Bikes



Gelsemium

Active Member
Feb 17, 2015
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When commuting one of the concerns is parking. So what about foldable bikes, do these solve this problem and are a good solution or not really?
 
I would imagine this would depend entirely on whether your company is going to allow you to carry a bike into their office or not and if you actually have somewhere safe to put your folder in the office.

Otherwise I can't see that storing a folding bike in any standard bike storage would actually be any easier than leaving it unfolded.
 
That's true, there aren't many jobs who will allow us to carry the bike into the office. I have a couple of colleagues that do it and it's a little strange to see a bike, even if folded, in there.
 
I have never come across foldable bike. It seems like a pretty exciting thing to use. I definitely believe that there is nothing better than that.
 
Really shilpa? Actually foldable bikes are more and more common here where I live, but they aren't particularly cheap. I guess that they serve the purpose of fitting in a small space, that is why they are more expensive.
 
Foldable bikes are pretty expensive for that extra convenience, and I don't feel as though they're as sturdy as they could be, so I wouldn't use a foldable bike, no matter my situation. Still, if you live somewhere that you need every bit of space possible, then these bikes serve an obvious need, and it's at least a good thing that they exist in the first place!
 
The last I checked these fold-able bikes are really small. Getting them in and out of the work place should be relatively easy.
 
adfnio said:
The last I checked these fold-able bikes are really small. Getting them in and out of the work place should be relatively easy.
Oh you mean one of these bad boys? And it has its own carrying case.

29810220a106e77cf9a482ad7c35140c.jpg
 
I've had a folding bike before, it was very convenient and I could take it on the commuter train any time of day which was nice. It's also great for fitting in your car without any issue. That said it does add some extra work at the start and end of any ride, and the weight and performance are worse than a regular bike generally. I'd say generally ok for short distances where you can't really lock a bike up somewhere well. Not so good if you can just lock up a cheap bike or use a nicer one with better performance.
 
Zif said:
I've had a folding bike before, it was very convenient and I could take it on the commuter train any time of day which was nice. It's also great for fitting in your car without any issue. That said it does add some extra work at the start and end of any ride, and the weight and performance are worse than a regular bike generally. I'd say generally ok for short distances where you can't really lock a bike up somewhere well. Not so good if you can just lock up a cheap bike or use a nicer one with better performance.
I can see how having one of these foldable bikes, you traded weight and performance for convenience and storage capabilities. Most of the hardcore enthusiast will stick to something more mainstream and not these mass niches that someone tried to fill.
 
joshposh said:
Oh you mean one of these bad boys? And it has its own carrying case.

29810220a106e77cf9a482ad7c35140c.jpg
That is neat little bike. It might not handle like a real top of the line bike, but for commuting and storing, it will do. I don't think I will win any brownie points with the enthusiast out there.
 
For those that really want to take it to a new level, try this on for size. It's an add on to your existing bike. It's a 50cc motor that hooks up to any bike and it is street legal. It's like riding with a weed wacker attached to your bike. It will get you to your destination and they you can fold it up and store it.

http://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-50cc-bicycle-engine-kit.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDruEHpE7dw
 
That is cool as hell!!! I know a 50cc scooter cost about $1000 usd brand new. I think this should be about $300 usd brand new. I might be able to get a cheap bike or possibly free. I'm sure Walmart has great deals on cheap bikes. Just add a $200 motor add on and a larger sproket to get it up to 40 mph and you'll be ripping it to work in no time.
 
It's half the price of a normal moped or scooter. Easier to maintain. I think they can also be retrofitted for tricycles too which I am curious about because you can load more of your things in a extra compartment.

Not to mention, you can always pick up a cheap used bike in the neighborhood somewhere. If you can get the price down to $50 usd, and add the price of the kits ($200), then you got transportation for $250 or less. The last time i checked a scooter was about $1000 brand new.
 
Foldable bikes are another good option on today's commuting. They are mostly light in weight making them easier to carry. You can park them anywhere there is limited space even indoor. They are easily unfolded for one to continue with their journey.
 
Gelsemium said:
When commuting one of the concerns is parking. So what about foldable bikes, do these solve this problem and are a good solution or not really?
I just purchased a folding bike - Raleigh Boardwalk 6 speed. It's made of aluminium and it folds easily and conveniently in to the boot of my car or in to a bike shelf on public transport.

The real beauty about this bike is the mud guards. No matter how heavy the rain there is no chance of getting spray from the wheels all over your clothes.

I'd recommend a folding bike because the sheer independence is great :)
 
I can definitely see the benefits of a folding bike, particularly if your commute involves the bus or subway as well as cycling. They seem fairly pricey though, and I would be a bit worried about sturdiness and general performance, so it's not an option I would pursue unless I was really having storage issues. That said, if it was a choice between not being able to cycle to work, or cycling to work on a folding bike, I would take the folding bike no problem :)
 
sunshiney said:
I can definitely see the benefits of a folding bike, particularly if your commute involves the bus or subway as well as cycling. They seem fairly pricey though, and I would be a bit worried about sturdiness and general performance, so it's not an option I would pursue unless I was really having storage issues. That said, if it was a choice between not being able to cycle to work, or cycling to work on a folding bike, I would take the folding bike no problem :)
I bought my bike second hand : it cost €250.00.
 
While I'm sure there's a lot of people that like folding bikes, and even I have to admit that there are probably a lot of positive to owning one, I just can't get used to the ideaand in a way I just don think they're what a bike should be like. I'm maybe a bit old fashioned but at the same time I'm really do think that people won't buy these bikes for convenience, they'll buy them as a fashion accessory more than anything.

I don't see how a folding bike can be THAT more convenient than a regular bike, so with that in mind I'll stick to what him riding now, leave the foldable bike fad to the so called trendy people.
 
Oh you mean one of these bad boys? And it has its own carrying case.

29810220a106e77cf9a482ad7c35140c.jpg
Wow, nice bike, if this is my foldable bike I'm going to bring it during my travel. Honestly, first time to see this kind of foldable bike. Most of the time the foldable bike around my apartmet are just have small wheels and just for short distance travel, and this one I think is a monster.