Trend Watch: Multi-Modal Commuting with Folding Bikes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10. 8.08
In many cities, including Toronto and San Francisco, regular bikes are not allowed on the subways in rush hour. Also in many cities, the subway might be too far to walk but the bus service is sparse or erratic. Now, more and more people are using folding bikes for multi-modal transport: cycling to and from the subway station and avoiding the feeder bus.
Eve Mitchell writes about a woman who used to drive her pickup truck to work, but now uses a folding bike. "I like it because it packs up into a little package. I like it because I can ride on BART any time," said Ellen Babcock, who rides her bike to a San Francisco BART station. After getting off at the Rockridge station, Babcock pedals to her job of teaching sculpture at the Oakland campus of the California College of the Arts. "It's just so much more pleasant than being in a car," she said.
The article notes that folding bike vary widely in price, from a few hundred to a few thousand. (TreeHugger Andy Posner spent a grand on his Bike Friday Pocket Rocket, my Strida sells for $ 800) and notes that you get what you pay for.
"It's a three-legged comparison between the durability of the bike, how much it's going to cost and how much it's going to weigh. If you want something that's very light and very durable, you're going to pay for it. If it's going to be durable and reasonably priced, it's going to be heavier," said David Fiedler, bicycling guide at bicycling.about.com.
The article also notes that folding bikes generally are not terrific for longer commutes.
"The smaller wheels of a folding bike result in a different ride than a regular bike. More peddling is involved and the ride is slower and not as smooth, said Clay Wagers, owner of Oakland-based Bay Area Bikes, a dealer for folding bikes made by Dahon, the world's largest manufacturer of folding bikes. "A folding bike is what it is. It is kind of intended for short-distance travel," he said.
However, multi-modal biking can solve a lot of problems in parts of North America with rotten bus service but relatively good commuter trains and subways. I even do it with air travel, having twice checked my Strida for trips to New York. With fuel prices high and money tight, watch for this to be a growing trend. ::Inside Bay Area via ::Paul Dorn at Bike Commuter Tips
Buy Green: Small Wheel Folding Bikes
Buy Green: Large Wheel Folding Bikes
A Review of my Bike Friday Folding Bicycle
A Review of My Strida Folding Bicycle
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i have a full-sized folding mountain bike from swissbike.com and i use it every day in the downhill commute (and uphill return climb on loose gravel) through roycroft park (i'm in Toronto) which takes it to task.
folding bikes don't have to be of the small-wheel/non-proportioned kind, and the price is quite affordable. it even uses industry-standard parts, which makes maintaining it really easy & cheap.
"A folding bike is what it is. It is kind of intended for short-distance travel," is what the bike shop dude said. When I was shopping for a folder, I encountered this attitude at three dealers and they all lost my business as a result. I bought my folder on-line. Don't let it bike shop tactics undermine your enthusiasm for a folder. For many people it can be your only bike. For those who own multiple machines, it's a fabulous and flexible ride for many purposes.
I do think these folding bikes will grow fairly fast. As you said the gas prices are so high people need to find ways to cut down purchasing gas.
The price of the bikes will eat up 2 months worth of gas at the price gas is now.
this year i purchased a folder and do something similar, i live and work on long island where public transit isn't great for north-south travel. i bike to the bus, take the bus, then bike the rest of the way to my office. it adds time to my commute time but i read on the bus, something i can't do in my car, and i get a bit of exercise.
i can take mostly side streets to the bus so it's a safe and enjoyable ride, except for the time my lunch opened in my bag on the way, but i don't use that container anymore...lesson learned
One day I had my strida with me on the subway and with still 10km/6mi to go, I find out all trains will be out of service at Lawrence station. Thank you TTC, but thank you strida for getting me the rest of the way!
I got downtown 30min flat - easily faster than the shuttle buses and faster then 100s of cars I passes.
That was the day folding bikes really got me. Super flexible for multimodal travel, a lifesaver for unexpected change of plans.
"A folding bike is what it is. It is kind of intended for short-distance travel,"
As with any purchase, one should be fully informed of the pros and cons of said device
Small wheels result in a rougher ride on bad roads, and are more susceptible to potholes should you not be able to dodge them in time (cars in the way or something similar)
The stability is sometimes less than a full size bike, not a problem for experienced cyclists, but for those back on the bike for the first time in years may cause some concern
Most bike shops allow test rides before you buy, and it's a good idea to take them up on it.
I dispute the article's contention that "folding bikes generally are not terrific for longer commutes". I have a daily 12 mile commute and my folding bike, a Pacific Reach, handles it great! I've also ridden it on 50+ mile rides and have found it more than adequate. It really depends on the quality of the folding bike. A cheap folder or something like a Strida would probably not be suitable for a long commute.
I have a Dahon Vitesse and it's amazing, i do 25 mile rides all the time on the beach path from Malibu through Santa Monica/Venice/SouthBay and for me it's much more fun as it's funky, unique design and it handles swiftly and its easy to get on and off as it'sa bit lower, in fact people always smile and say what a sweet bike, i've been riding for fold up for 3 years and Dahon and Bike Friday are my favorites. They are Quality Bikes and Bike Friday i like because they are based out of Oregon , everything is made locally and all parts are from US, and they are really fun group of people who work there, Dahon i like because they have a very good selection and they are always improving and progressing with new models and improvements. Hope this Helped, hip is just following the trends, Cool is Old School and fold ups are super funky and old school, Cheers to all cyclist
really enjoy this post.. Thanks!
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It is just convenient. In Toronto, the GO Train now allows folding bikes as carry-on too. This means you can take your bike in and out of the city with ease. It saves you from that annoying connection to and from the stations. Not only that, it's perfect for condo life and even at our boat and cottage. It's definitely going to be a great seller this year. Here's a site that offers even smaller, light-weight bikes over most other suppliers I've seen online (Amigobike)