A Review of my Bike Friday Folding Bicycle
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 09.19.08
The author on board his brand new Bike Friday folding bicycle
The Allure of Folding Bikes Finally Got to Me
Okay, I'll admit it: I am a cycling fanatic. The bicycle is my sole means of transportation, and when I'm not riding from point A to B or hauling furniture by bicycle, I'm on my racing bike training for local races. Lately, as more and more people have gotten into cycling in order to avoid high gas prices, we've heard a lot of talk about the convenience of folding bikes for commuting, especially for people that need to be able to take a bike with them on a train or into their office. What's more, many avid cyclists who travel often find that folding bicycles are the only way to train while on the road. So as both a commuter and a racer, I soon found myself succumbing to the allure of a folding bicycle.
As I began researching my options, one thing was abundantly clear: there are a lot of choices, and more players are getting into the field. For instance, there is the striking and rather ingenuously designed Strida Folding Bike; the affordable and convenient Dahon Speed P8; and the space-age, lightweight (and expensive) Pashley-Moulton, to name a few.
What I Was Looking For
However, I had some criteria for the bike that made it easier to choose. It had to: be reasonably light (between 20 and 24 pounds); have a steel frame; fold down small enough to fit into a suitcase that can be checked in at the airport; have a wide enough gear ratio to be used for long training rides and hill climbs; and cost no more than around $1,300.
Many of the folding bikes on the market, such as the Strida and the Citizen, are made for little more than short commutes. What first attracted me to Bike Friday is that most of the bikes they make are designed to be used for long rides. That tells me that they are well made, and that they have the right gearing and geometry for the kind of riding I like to do.
Why I Chose the Bike Friday
I eventually settled on the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket, a $999 dollar bike that comes with a beautiful fire-engine red paint job, drop handlebars, a steel frame, and easy folding capabilities. The 20 inch wheels roll fast enough to make long rides possible, while still being small enough to fit into a suitcase. For another $250 you can purchase a special suitcase designed for the bike; the suitcase can be checked in at the airport as standard luggage (read that: no extra charges). Traveling with a bicycle couldn't be easier.
How the Bike Rides
The bike rides just like a road bike; the only difference is that, due to the smaller wheels, the bike is a little slower up hill and when coasting. Also, the small wheels aren’t as good at absorbing shock, but apart from that the bike rides fantastic. It’s a light, comfortable, fun bike to ride, and enables me to ride anywhere and everywhere. For instance, in New England one cannot take a bike on the trains unless the bike is in a bike box, but with a folding bike they let you carry it on board the train without any problems!
Read on for more photos and descriptions of the bike!
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I recently bought myself a citizen bike for a 3 mile commute to the local train station, i've been pleased with it in general and I might think about buying a replacement when I have the money - a Birdy Bike looks like it will fit the bill, although they are hard to find here in the states.
The only issue with Citizenbikes are they are cheap - the accessories/saddles/adjustments they come with will probably need replacing.
At any rate, It's actually getting me into cycling as a way of keeping fit so that can't be a Bad Thing, right? :)
Ok I have to say it... isn't this hypocritical to have the importance of bike helmet articles and then a photo of a treehugger correspondent with not wearing or mentioning a helmet?
I agree - open-toed shoes and no helmet were the first things I noticed!
Hey,
Please! When I had the picture taken I had just finished a ride and was going to change out of my cycling clothes, but my mom thought the picture would look better if I was in them...I obviously rode with my clip-in shoes (not chaco sandles!) and of course I was wearing a helmet!
I wouldn't call that hypocrisy!
The first thing I noticed was that it just looks idiotic. Why would you have a great big cassette on a little tiny bike? If you want a simple, green bicycle, then go single speed!
Google: White Industries ENO
I cycle a lot, but there are pictures of me not wearing a helmet...while not driving. Maybe because I like the additional safety of helmets, but I still think they look stupid. Does the person want a picture of me, or my gadgets?
I'll excuse the lack of helmet in this case -- my first reaction is that he is posing on the bike for a photo. Clearly he isn't going anywhere in the picture.
But, regarding Andrew's observaton that "due to the smaller wheels, the bike is a little slower up hill and when coasting" -- well, this really isn't valid. How would small wheels make the bike slower up hill -- they are lighter than big wheels. If he is using a proper gear, he should be able to pedal his BF at the same speed as a 700c wheel bike. When coasting, I guesst smaller wheels do contribute less momentum, but the difference is really a negligible fraction of the momentum of your body+bike.
I've ridden my Bike Friday on group rides and tours. My bike coasts right along with other bikes; it's clearly governed mainly by aerodynamics and the weight of riders. And going up hill -- it's just as hard/easy as on my other bikes but, mercifully, I have lower gears on my BF so that I can do it without croaking.
Really, small wheels have very few disadvantages and those are not in the area of performance. (E.g., small wheels make more revolutions in the same distance, so wear on tires is faster.) When I go out to the garage to get a bike for a ride, if the BF isn't in the suitcase, it's the bike I'll grab. It's a great bike.
Andrejs