Folding bicycle

[alan_fincher]

I would suggest that the cost of even the cheapest Moulton you can buy new probably places it very much in the specialist market, and is unlikely to be a serious contender for someone just wishing to acquire a folder.

 

To be honest, all the reasonable ones are pretty expensive, but any Moulton will make even a fairly top of the range Brompton look cheap!

 

It seems you can pay over £16K for a really serious Moulton, (yes honestly!), although the less demanding buyer can find one for under a tenth of that amount.

[junior]

I'm about to leave my mooring at the end of the month to become a CC'er and will be doing the car shuffle. I suspect one of my first purchases will be a bike so I'm keeping an eye on this thread.

 

Does anyone have any experience of folding Mopeds? I was watching one on eBay a few weeks back but it eneded up going for a bit more than I had at the time.

[Robbo]

I have a second hand brompton, you can see why it's well rated. It does fold down into a neat package that the cheaper makes don't do. It however does come at a price.

 

I ride it on the towpaths around Leeds, but it's more hard gravel than mud.

[Neil2]

I would suggest that the cost of even the cheapest Moulton you can buy new probably places it very much in the specialist market, and is unlikely to be a serious contender for someone just wishing to acquire a folder.

 

To be honest, all the reasonable ones are pretty expensive, but any Moulton will make even a fairly top of the range Brompton look cheap!

 

It seems you can pay over £16K for a really serious Moulton, (yes honestly!), although the less demanding buyer can find one for under a tenth of that amount.

Moultons fall into the "seperable" category, but you wouldn't buy one for this reason alone.

 

And by the way you can't really use the term "Moulton" in a generic sense as there are so many different types, but FWIW you can't buy a "proper" space frame Moulton for anywhere near £1600 as Alan suggests. I doubt you could even buy one of the Pashley built variants. You could get one of the old "F" frame types that anyone who was around in the 60's will remember but no-one in their right mind would want one of those.

 

The Moulton concept is based on small wheels and full suspension which many cyclists, myself included, provides a very expensive solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Just buy a bike with proper size wheels and save a lot of cash.

 

Back to folders - you can make almost any bike folding by using S&S couplings - they are very expensive but popular with tandem riders and people who do a lot of travelling by train/air.

[blackrose]

Indeed. Some may not be able to afford to be so principled though.

 

 

And one could even question the principals of "keeping jobs in Britain". We have fairly high rates of employment and good rates of pay and benefits compared to some other parts of the world. I wonder why jobs for people who already live in a developed country are seen as more important than the jobs of the those in other parts of the world who may be much less fortunate than ourselves?

I'm about to leave my mooring at the end of the month to become a CC'er and will be doing the car shuffle. I suspect one of my first purchases will be a bike so I'm keeping an eye on this thread.

 

Does anyone have any experience of folding Mopeds? I was watching one on eBay a few weeks back but it eneded up going for a bit more than I had at the time.

 

You could get yourself one of these

 

Edited February 9, 2014 by blackrose

[David Schweizer]

 

And one could even question the principals of "keeping jobs in Britain". We have fairly high rates of employment and good rates of pay and benefits compared to some other parts of the world. I wonder why jobs for people who already live in a developed country are seen as more important than the jobs of the those in other parts of the world who may be much less fortunate than ourselves?

 

If they were the motives of UK "manufacturers" who outsource work to Third World countries, I could hava bit more sympathy with your point, but they do it to maximise profit, often at a social cost to the people in those countries where their products are being made.

[b0atman]

I like the idea of a mountain type bike with quick release front wheel But I definitely want mudguards wet muddy towpaths = muddy line up back and front of legs filthy. not a good look if going to pub or shop.

[Guest]

I like the idea of a mountain type bike with quick release front wheel But I definitely want mudguards wet muddy towpaths = muddy line up back and front of legs filthy. not a good look if going to pub or shop.

 

You can get quick release mudguards too. to go with quick release wheels

 

Just one example on eBay....

Edited February 9, 2014 by The Dog House

[KJT]

Does anybody use a moped or small motorcycle?

I have a Dutch Beixo Compact Electra which, although not a moped as such, is a compact folding, bike similar to a Brompton. It is powered by a 24 volt motor/lithium battery combination and is shaft driven. I have found it a superb piece of kit and has about a 20km range if you are a lazy git like me and use max power assist, or about 30 km if you pedal a bit harder!

 

Ken

[Nightwatch]

And one could even question the principals of "keeping jobs in Britain". We have fairly high rates of employment and good rates of pay and benefits compared to some other parts of the world. I wonder why jobs for people who already live in a developed country are seen as more important than the jobs of the those in other parts of the world who may be much less fortunate than ourselves?

 

 

You could get yourself one of these

 

 

Thats wheelie good!!

[Richard Fairhurst]

Bromptons are terrific but they're essentially commuter bikes. If you want something for rural riding and towpaths, look at the Bike Friday range, the Airnimal range, and the Xootr Swift. The Swift is very keenly priced at £650. The Airnimals can get crazily expensive!

[Neil2]

Bromptons are terrific but they're essentially commuter bikes. If you want something for rural riding and towpaths, look at the Bike Friday range, the Airnimal range, and the Xootr Swift. The Swift is very keenly priced at £650. The Airnimals can get crazily expensive!

The Airnimal has never really caught on even though it seems to be the ideal compromise for a folding bike with its 24" wheels. The reason is the rim sizes they use, in particular the 520, have a ridiculously small selection of tyres to choose from. When you compare them with what is available in 700c and 26" you really would have to be madly in love with the concept to buy one.

 

The Brompton has become so ubiquitous because the only people who really need a proper folding bike are rail commuters and the Brompton is the smallest/lightest package. But I have never seen a Brompton on the towpath.

 

People buy folding bikes but very quickly get tired of the faffing around you have to do. I can make a small package of a road bike or MTB in pretty much the same time it would take to fold up, say, a Dahon, but most of the time there is no need, even on a boat.

 

It has to be said - the difference between riding a bike with normal size wheels on the towpath and something with 20" wheels or smaller, is vast. It is also much safer.

[Old Son]

I have a Dahon D7 limited edition for sale for £275 and also a Mezzo D9 for sale at £250 if you are interested.

Edited February 9, 2014 by Old Son

[trackman]

Our Bromptons are brilliant. Had them over 15 years and cycle most towpaths but they are not really off road bikes.

The price new is scary, frightened me silly when I recently checked the replacement cost! Dahons seem to be well thought of and were a lot cheaper, not sure whether that still applies! They also offer bikes with larger wheels than the Brompton 16" as others have said. I haven't tried them.

[paulmellors]

+1 for the Brompton

[Nautihamstern]

I'm considering one of these:

http://www.svb24.com/en/seatec-electric-folding-bike-pedelec-blizzard-36v-8-7a.html

 

Not for keeping on the boat, it's too big for that, but for commuting to work (25 km one way). It's either that or an electric kit for my full sized bicycle. I'm too lazy to do all the pedaling myself...

[NB Alnwick]

+1 for the Brompton

 

I have worked on numerous folding bicycles, and I am in no doubt that the Brompton offers the best all round value for money. I have one of my own and it has survived being dropped in the cut, muddy towpaths (not the best cycling environment for a small wheeled machine) and many miles when cycling back to pick up the car - and it folds small enough to be carried in a bag on the bus!

 

The various competitors are often spoiled by design faults or cheap components. We had a lovely Dahon in our shop recently but one of the welds had failed making the frame a total right-off.

 

Bromptons are not cheap to buy because they are made in the UK but it says a great deal for them that they keep their price when sold in used condition. You get what you pay for!

 

Another nice thing about Bromptons is that they are easily customized - for parts, I can wholeheartedly recommend SJS Cycles - I have modified mine by fitting a taller seat tube, lower gearing and wheel rim adapters for high pressure inner tubes (Presta valves) - the higher pressure slightly narrower tyres make riding on tarmac a lot more efficient.

[Ex- Member]

Spend the money and go for a 26 inch wheel Dahon, for the canal tow paths and male rider I would go for the Dahon Jack with big apple tyres, the Espresso is more suited to the female rider IMO

 

I've ended up with an Dahon Espresso though which is still a very good bike, and It's coped really well even though I'm over a stone heavier that it's recommended rider weight. Lynn has the same model (Actually bought from TDH a couple of years ago) Again it's been superb and suffered no failures. When the tyres wear down I'll replace with the big apple tyres which are perfect for the rougher canal tow paths we happen to be on, although standard tyres are coping ok anyway. This has reminded me to look out for a Dahon Jack for myself, so If I get one I'll have a Dahon Espresso for sale soon.

 

The only slight niggle is folding size. They're ok for us on a wide beam, but might be a bit much on a n/b. I also struggled fitting one in the boot of a couple of smaller make cars, taking the front wheel off though and twisting the handlebars and it will fit in most cars boots.

 

You can literally fold the main frame in seconds, BUT to get it really compact you need to adjust in the saddle (lever bolt), twist handlebars (Alan key) fold in pedals (push & fold) remove front wheel (lever bolt)

 

If you're patient you can pick up some real Dahon bargains on ebay especially if there's a lot of Dahons listed, the second Dahon we bought was just £165 in a used once brand new condition.

 

I've seen much cheaper models of folding bike, they are not anywhere near as light or the overall quality of a Dahon.

 

 

These are just single folded which takes a few seconds.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Julynian

[Guest]

(Actually bought from TDH a couple of years ago) Again it's been superb and suffered no failures.

 

That is good to hear...

[Davo_Willow]

Did you know that you can convert just about any bike to an electric bike including a Brompton folding bike - superb for lock-wheeling or shops etc.

Kit is expensive at £800 but worth it.

 

Google 'Electric Bike Sales' for details.

Davo.

[George Kennedy]

Fantastic response, many thanks to all of you, i now have a much better idea of what to look at. This really has been a big help to me, thanks again!