Folding Bikes as Real Bikes

Not Responding said:

Like a few people here, I'm toying with the idea of buying a folder.
In particular, I'm looking at the Dahon Speed TR.

My question is, how practical is this sort of bike for longish rides;
up 100miles or so? Yeah, I know, it's *possible* to do the PBP on a
Raleigh Stow-a-way but I can't imagine it's either recommended or much
fun.

I have the standard reservations about small wheels but am willing to
have my prejudices corrected. Do they have less rolling momentum (ie
do they rapidly lose speed when you stop pedalling)? How do they cope
with sustrans style surfaces?

I'm limiting myself to looking at real folders rather than "packables"
such as the Airnimal as I want to be able to use it for hopping on
trains as well.

Am I simply asking too much?

I had a Birdy Blue (written off in a crash but that's another story)
and it was fine for long rides. The rolling resistance is more than
with larger wheels, but as long as you keep the tyres pumped up hard
(and don't use knobbly tyre) it's not really a problem. The Birdy also
has some suspension, which means it can cope with pretty nasty
surfaces (I've done some fairly tricky off-road riding with the
Birdy). I've also done some pretty long rides on the road with that
bike.

I'm not sure that I'll get another - these last couple of years I
haven't had much need for something that folds up - but if you
definitely want something that folds then they're good all-purpose
bikes. If your budget can stretch to it I'd go for the grey - which is
speedhub equipped and makes a lot of sense on a folder.

Not Responding said:

My question is, how practical is this sort of bike for longish rides;
up 100miles or so? Yeah, I know, it's *possible* to do the PBP on a
Raleigh Stow-a-way but I can't imagine it's either recommended or much
fun.

There's folders and folders. The Speed TR is a Real Bike, and so are
things like the Bike Friday, Airnimal and Birdy.

Quoted message said:

I have the standard reservations about small wheels but am willing to
have my prejudices corrected. Do they have less rolling momentum (ie
do they rapidly lose speed when you stop pedalling)? How do they cope
with sustrans style surfaces?

Basically fine. Easiest way to remove your prejudice is take something
for a test drive. Or you could just note that Moultons have been raced
successfully in the RAAM and world speed records have been set on them...

Quoted message said:

I'm limiting myself to looking at real folders rather than "packables"
such as the Airnimal as I want to be able to use it for hopping on
trains as well.

Am I simply asking too much?

No. Try a Birdy. Small wheel issues, such as they are, tend to vanish
with good roadgoing suspension and the Birdy has it. If you shut your
eyes I'd defy you to notice you weren't on a "normal" bike as far as the
ride is concerned.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Not Responding said:

Like a few people here, I'm toying with the idea of buying a folder.
In particular, I'm looking at the Dahon Speed TR.

My question is, how practical is this sort of bike for longish rides;
up 100miles or so? Yeah, I know, it's *possible* to do the PBP on a
Raleigh Stow-a-way but I can't imagine it's either recommended or much
fun.

Very. Its not the sort of distance for "normal" people on a Brompton
but on a Speed TR, Birdy, Moulton, Airnimal or Bike Friday you will not
notice the difference from a normal bike (except that you don't need to
do a circular ride as you can jump on a train or bus home at your
destination with a folder!)

Quoted message said:

I have the standard reservations about small wheels but am willing to
have my prejudices corrected. Do they have less rolling momentum (ie
do they rapidly lose speed when you stop pedalling)? How do they cope
with sustrans style surfaces?

There are slight differences but not significant and not all negative -
e.g the smaller wheels accelerate faster. The only thing to consider for
longer rides on rough surfaces is you feel the surface slightly more
through the saddle and handlebars.

Quoted message said:

I'm limiting myself to looking at real folders rather than "packables"
such as the Airnimal as I want to be able to use it for hopping on
trains as well.

Look at the Birdy as well.

Quoted message said:

Am I simply asking too much?

Not at all

Tony
(Brompton and Bike Friday)

Not Responding said:

I'm limiting myself to looking at real folders rather than "packables"
such as the Airnimal as I want to be able to use it for hopping on
trains as well.

The new Airnimal Joey claims to be a folder rather than a demountable. It
clearly doesn't fold as small as many of the other bikes due to its wheel
size but it is meant to be a fast fold. It might be worth a look in
addition to the many other worthy recommendations already given here.

Colin

Paul Rudin <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I had a Birdy Blue (written off in a crash but that's another story)
and it was fine for long rides. The rolling resistance is more than
with larger wheels, but as long as you keep the tyres pumped up hard
(and don't use knobbly tyre) it's not really a problem. The Birdy also
has some suspension, which means it can cope with pretty nasty
surfaces (I've done some fairly tricky off-road riding with the
Birdy). I've also done some pretty long rides on the road with that
bike.

I'm not sure that I'll get another - these last couple of years I
haven't had much need for something that folds up - but if you
definitely want something that folds then they're good all-purpose
bikes. If your budget can stretch to it I'd go for the grey - which is
speedhub equipped and makes a lot of sense on a folder.

I'm also a 'Blue owner. I find it fine for what I've used it
for, it is slower than my Trek 1000 with skinny tyres but
it's not hugely slower than my Galaxy, tbh. Some of the
Dahon ones look quite sleek and would probably be faster,
esp if the tyres aren't as fat as the Marathons on my Birdy.

I've not yet attempted more than about 10-15 miles in a day
on it, but I'm sure it would be fine for longer distances,
I was doing upto 20mph in c. London this morning without
great difficulty. I hit rather a nasty pothole that I didn't
spot and the suspension coped fine. The only problem was
that my left hand was knocked by the impact and I dropped
into the 1st gear on the hub (the Blue's got 3-speed hub and
8-speed derailleur).

The review of the Birdy Black in the most recent AtoB was
quite critical on a number of points - particularly the
standard Birdy tyre (not the Marathons I've got). I would
try to get a test ride on a few different folders to see
what you like. Personally, I like the Birdy because it can
carry a decent amount of stuff and the 24 speeds on the Blue
allow me to take that stuff up hills that I would find
impossible on a 3-speed (or even a 6-speed, I suspect).

--
Simon

Not Responding said:

Like a few people here, I'm toying with the idea of buying a folder.
In particular, I'm looking at the Dahon Speed TR.

My question is, how practical is this sort of bike for longish rides;
up 100miles or so? Yeah, I know, it's *possible* to do the PBP on a
Raleigh Stow-a-way but I can't imagine it's either recommended or much
fun.

Well, I had my own Dahon recommendation from a lady who has a Speed Pro.
She, unlike myself, is a veteran long-distance bicycle tourer. She has
ridden all over France on the Speed Pro (very similar to a Speed TR) and
she swears by it.

EFR
Ile de France

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 06:40:16 +0100 someone who may be " [Not
Responding] " <[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I have the standard reservations about small wheels but am willing to
have my prejudices corrected.

As Alex Moulton demonstrated over four decades ago, properly
designed small wheeled bikes can be faster than cumbersome bikes.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

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" [Not Responding] " <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Like a few people here, I'm toying with the idea of buying a folder.
In particular, I'm looking at the Dahon Speed TR.

My question is, how practical is this sort of bike for longish rides;
up 100miles or so? Yeah, I know, it's *possible* to do the PBP on a
Raleigh Stow-a-way but I can't imagine it's either recommended or much
fun.

I have the standard reservations about small wheels but am willing to
have my prejudices corrected. Do they have less rolling momentum (ie
do they rapidly lose speed when you stop pedalling)? How do they cope
with sustrans style surfaces?

I'm limiting myself to looking at real folders rather than "packables"
such as the Airnimal as I want to be able to use it for hopping on
trains as well.

Am I simply asking too much?

An interesting benefit to packables like the bike friday is that while
it's a pain to fold, sometimes you don't have to. Since it's smaller
than a 'normal' bike in full operating mode, on some less populated
trains you can feel reasonably comfortable rolling it on as is.

Sam
---
http://www.freewheelingforum.com