Any opinions on folding bikes?

[billbeee]

I am toying with the idea of buying and taking a folding bike on my planned trip to SE Asia in our upcoming wet season.

Last time I went over there I hired local clunkers wherever I could, to get around, and the bike rides were more or less my best memories.

I have thought about using S&S couplers on my existing bike, but it is still a lot larger package than a small folder for getting on and off trains, boats etc.

Cheers
Bill

[Daddles]

I've no personal experience with them but there are a couple of members on my bicycling forum that have them and get on very well with them.

Richard

[scooter]

Gday Bill, my mum had a UK made Bickerton aluminium folding bike for about 18mths & sold it last summer, she had bought it secondhand and it was actually about 30-40 years old. Very well made unit & the folding design was very well thought out. Handbrakes & 3spd hub gears.

She found it good to carry in the motorhome she & dad travel around in, easy to setup/packup.

Disadvantages - small wheels - not great on gravel roads & unusual size wheels so tyres were hard to get. Bit of flex in the frame, she's about 5'2" and 75kg. Brakes were just OK.

Edit: a pic of one the same http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/%7Ecleary/images/bicky.jpg


Cheers....................Sean

[Blocklayer]

Hi Bill

I suppose it depends on where you're going, and how many places you visit.
If you spend the whole trip on the move, it would sure save bike hire every day, but the extra luggage would be a pain. If you're only visiting a few places, I'd reckon hire or buy and sell when you leave.
Where are you going?
.

[wheelinround]

I haven't personal experience but know someone that constantly forgot to double check sucuring pins locks etc gravel rash doesn't look good on someone in a suit.

[felixe]

This would have to be one of the best folding bikes, it isn't cheap but the ride is excellent. http://www.slingshotbikes.com/bikes/11

[davo453]

www.foldingbikes.co.uk (http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk) an amazing array of folding bikes there.

I had no idea there were so many, when we were looking for one.

(didn't get one coz we didn't get the caravan.......)

Cheers


Dave

[billbeee]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the input.
Dave, you are right, there are so many out there, and how do I judge, without even seeing one. I will have to buy without trying it.

Felixe, that slingshot thing is incredible. I have never seen it before, it has really got me thinking, because I can't see any situation where I wouldn't have a fair bit of time to pack and unpack, but it does look a bit fiddly. The frame costs more than me current bike.

Blocklayer, I am not about to ride up the peninsular from Singapore to Chaing Mai. (I have had to give that dream away:-). I want to see the temples at Pagan in Burma, (Bagan in Myanmar) and a river trip to Mandalay.
Last time I did a trip I guess I stayed at 20 different guest houses in 8 weeks, no set itinerary, no booking ahead. Cost of bike hire is no problem, but many places I went to bike hire is hard to find. One place they wanted to hold my passport as security on a clunker worth $20.

For example when I was well and truly on the backpacker trail doing the slow boat trip from Huay Xai to Louang Prabang in Laos I arrived in Huay Xai at lunchtime, (most arrived after dark and got stuck straight into the ). The landlady lent me her daughter's bike. I had a magic afternoon pottering about along the banks of the Mekong. I even had an hour in the morning, before the boat left. (The backpackers were still comatose. Whoever said "youth is wasted on the young" must have been on a similar trip).

I am guessing that a folder would help me do that more often, but still getting my main distances done on public transport.

I am a bit worried about the small wheels though, I would really like to try one on gravel to see how they handle.

Cheers
Bill

[Iain]

Looking at that UK website, Moulton, I remember them when I was a kid, if they are still around one can presume they have done something right.

[paul.cleary]

I would recommend Brompton or Dahon.
Bromptons are expensive but well worth the money (I bought one from Kinetics in Scotland and had it air-freighted out to New Zealand). However for touring it pays to buy the special Brompton touring packs.
A lower-cost but still quality alternative is Dahon which is readily available in Australia via mail order. Look at the website www.dahon.com for their international dealers to find the Australilan agent.
Paul

[Pete F]

I guess it depends on what type of riding you're planning on doing. I'm a pretty serious road cyclist and bought a Ritchey Break-away for travelling. Sadly it is still to be completed so I can't comment on the ride, but it's a standard steel frame and the case it comes in is awesome. It's slowly working its way up my "to-do" list :C

[wood duck 2]

If you want some really good advice on folding bikes contact St.Kilda Cycles in Melbourne.They would without doubt have the most extensive range of folding bikes in Oz.I started the shop in 1987 and started selling folding bikes and a few recumbents.I also started importing high quality german dynohubs and dynamos which they have continued to sell.It is the shop to contact if your after something out of the ordinary in the bicycling scene. www.stkildacycles.com.au (http://www.stkildacycles.com.au)

[billbeee]

Hi guys,
I have only just picked up on the later posts.
A couple of weeks ago I found a local bike shop that had a some Dahons in stock.

I rode one that had a back pedal brake, couldn't get used to it.

I tried another that was a proper bike, 24" wheels with an eight speed hub gear system. Now this one was great. $800 odd.

The same bike comes in 20" wheels as well, but they had none in stock so I will make a decision when I have tried one of those.

Bu.............t, they had an ultra light thing. The sort with only a few spokes, feather light. At over two grand I didn't show too much interest though and definitely didn't take it for a ride.

Cheers
Bill.

PS It's getting hot and sticky here, walkers are carrying leafy twigs to brush the flies away. I am wearing sunnies to stop em getting in my eyes but I have swallowed a couple already!

[Buzza]

There is another alterantive, which is the monocycle.

Easily packed away.

ONLY JOKING!!!! :D

[Ashwood]

Hi Billbeee,
Have you got your folding bike already?
This month's Choice magazine did a review of folding bikes.
Might be helpful in choosing one without having to road test it.
Cheers.