How often its folded is not relevant-the point is it can fold.
I suppose it's irrelevant that someone uses a dual slalom bike as a commuter, because the point is that they could compete in downhill races if they wanted to.
The point I was making is that the criteria for purchasing a folder is the option of folding rather than the frequency. If your arguement is that folders are bought in general for other reasons that does nt make logical sense -as a consuming behaviour. I must admit tho consumer purchase decisions are mostly made on an illogical basis. Tam
You're probably not representative of folder owners - I'm betting that most have them because of the frame style or wheel size or the notion that foldability is useful although they never do it or they were the only hub-geared bikes available at the time ...
I doubt it. As it happens I did buy a folder just in case it happened to be useful, because it was very very cheap, but buying new in a bike shop it's generally pretty obvious you can get a bike which is better in every way except not folding for the same money, so why would anyone buy a folder if they didn't think they needed it to fold? And my folder was useful, and I now use it (including folding it) most days, so I'm not a counterexample either.
No doubt there are people who bought a folder for a commute they no longer do, or to use with a boat they found they didn't really have room for even a folding bike on, but I'd be surprised if it was a majority. The main place I notice folding bikes is at the station, where the foldability is relevent, but I accept that might not reflect typical usage though (on the other hand I don't regularly commute by train myself, so it's not just that that's where I'm mostly see bikes).
The problem is public perception, which is influenced by the UCI and others. How many people actually race a 'racer', or do serious off-road on an ATB? I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
Brompton and other folders? Cargo trike? 3-speed roadster? -- David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field! Today is Chedday, November.
You're probably not representative of folder owners - I'm betting that most have them because of the frame style or wheel size or the notion that foldability is useful although they never do it or they were the only hub-geared bikes available at the time ...
I don't think that is at all true with the hordes of Bromptons out there. You'll do the first stage fold on a B just by picking it up carelessly. -- David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field! Today is Chedday, November.
In article <[email hidden]>, David Damerell [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Quoting Rob Morley <[email hidden]>:
Quoted message said:
The problem is public perception, which is influenced by the UCI and others. How many people actually race a 'racer', or do serious off-road on an ATB? I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
Brompton and other folders?
See my other comment.
Quoted message said:
Cargo trike?
Not exactly widely used, are they? Or bikes, for that matter. ;-)
Quoted message said:
3-speed roadster?
I already admitted to omitting utility bikes from consideration, purely an oversight on my part.
In article <[email hidden]>, David Damerell [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Quoting Rob Morley <[email hidden]>:
Quoted message said:
You're probably not representative of folder owners - I'm betting that most have them because of the frame style or wheel size or the notion that foldability is useful although they never do it or they were the only hub-geared bikes available at the time ...
I don't think that is at all true with the hordes of Bromptons out there. You'll do the first stage fold on a B just by picking it up carelessly.
I'm guessing that "out there" is mainly commuterland in the southeast - there aren't many on Cannock Chase. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a Brompton in the wild, but I left London a long time ago and rarely go back.
The problem is public perception, which is influenced by the UCI and others. How many people actually race a 'racer', or do serious off-road on an ATB? I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
Cargo trike?
Not exactly widely used, are they?
If you mean "widely used" not relative to the total number in existence, then there aren't all that many audax bikes compared to BSOs, and they're not widely used at all. -- David Damerell <[email hidden]> Kill the tomato! Today is Stilday, November - a weekend.
