TH's Favorite Flexible, Folding Bikes from A to B
by TreeHugger on 02.23.05
Transportation specialists talk about ‘mobility pathways’. In realspeak that’s how we move from one mobility mode to another on our journey from A to B. So an office worker, for example, might walk to a bus stop, catch a bus then hop onto a train and walk from the station through the Central Business District to the office. Linking up is the key to a smooth and hassle free journey. Bicycles that can be folded for easy stowage in a car, bus, train or aeroplane have long been regarded as an inherently sustainable transport mode. Choice is everything say the consumer gurus, but with over twenty manufacturers worldwide selecting the right bike for you can be a daunting task. In the extended entry is the one-minute guide from TreeHugger, created with great help from ::A to B who provide an excellent summary of top brands of folding bikes.
Best overall performance and value:
Brompton
Lightest bike:
Birdy and Bike Friday.
Most compact:
Brompton’s still the best
High end models:
::Moulton New Series, the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of folding bikes with hand-built space frames
Best British:
Brompton for it’s combination of tried-and-tested relability, compact rapid folding and value-for money.
Best American:
Bike Friday’s demountable bikes
Best Rest-of-the-world:
Dahon of Taiwan who manufactures over 250,000 folding bikes per annum including badged versions for Ridgeback, Rudge, Dawes and Compass Marine.
Best range of bikes:
Bike Friday range includes for touring/commuting (Metro, New World Tourist and Crusoe), off-roading and expeditions (the Pocket Llama), road and triathalon racing (Pocket Rocket, AirFriday) and for the frequent air traveller (AirGlide). Bike Friday now also makes a performance folding recumbent and a tandem model
Best commuter:
Brompton; it’s all been said before
Best tourer:
Moulton New Series with comfort and luxury in a hi-tech space-frame
Best off-road:
Bike Friday’s Pocket Llama for that get-away-from-it-all feeling
Best looks!:
This is a tough one with some new challengers not mentioned by A to B, such as the ixi. Traditional aesthetics: Brompton, Moulton; Cutting-edge: ::Airnimal and ::iXi and ::Strida.
[by © Alastair Fuad-Luke, 2005.]
I've recently spent ages investigating and testing out folding bikes - I wanted something that I could stick in a car/train/restaurant corner, but that was as sturdy steady, and could take a bit of a pounding as a 'proper' bike. I ended up taking a ride on a Swift Folder in Brooklyn (you can also see them on xootr.com) - it's excellent, and the best in my criteria from the Brompton's Airnimals, etc. that I rode in the UK. I'm getting one shipped over here, so impressed was I - sounds like an ad for swift - I'm not anything to do with them, but they are bloody excellent bikes...
As a daily cyclocommuter(from Nj to NY), I can say from experience that DAHON products are simply NOT up to the rigors of daily use.
I purchased their flagship product, the Speed Pro, and was plagued by constant troubles, including poor design, substandard materials, and a HINGE THAT BROKE WHEN I WAS RIDING DOWN A MILE LONG DESCENT.
Best advice I can offer: stay away from Dahon, and resist their gimmicky products.