mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I think life's too short to ride bad bikes and it's not exactly difficult to wheel a folded bike around or cable lock to a desk or pole.
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SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
A cheap bike doesn't have to be a bad bike though. It depends largely on whether it gets any maintenance or not. The scruffiest looking old thing imaginable can still ride perfectly if the gears and brakes are properly adjusted, the moving parts get lubrication, and the tyres have plenty of air in them.
There's not always anything available to lock a folder to inside a building, and if the place is crowded, the bike might not even be welcome inside..
There's not always anything available to lock a folder to inside a building, and if the place is crowded, the bike might not even be welcome inside..
Salar
A fish out of water
- Location
- Gorllewin Cymru
Agree @SkipdiverJohn (Seems we think alike)
As well as an 80's MTB(Specialized Rockhopper Comp), I too have a Raleigh Pioneer, although not the highest of specs it's a really nice bike to ride.
As well as an 80's MTB(Specialized Rockhopper Comp), I too have a Raleigh Pioneer, although not the highest of specs it's a really nice bike to ride.
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
Mine's a 1995 (I think) Pioneer Trail 18 speed with Reynolds 501 frame. I was very lucky to pick it up, almost by chance. Bought secondhand out of a pile of mostly junk BSO's. The best quality bike I've ever owned. I like British-built bikes, not far-east imports, and my decent bikes are all Nottingham-built Raleighs. The skip bikes are imports, but you don't get to choose what other people chuck away!
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
This pretty much never happens. I've had the folding bike years and so far the only place I've been turned away from has been farking Lakeland in farking Cambridge who wouldn't even let me put it in one of their farking trollies to push round the shop.
I didn't bother trying to bag the bike just to go in to buy whatever small item I wanted. I bought the same thing from an online competitor when I got home instead. You try to support physical shops when they sell what you want and then they pull stunts like that. 
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
I wouldn't expect to take a bike of any type inside the pub with me on a Friday or Saturday evening. Everyone would be tripping over it, and I wouldn't be very popular!. 10 o'clock on a Sunday or Monday evening is a different matter, when there's a lot less customers around. You have to be considerate, and not expect to take any bike inside a crowded venue at a busy time of day.
Randy Butternubs
Über Member
I am reminded of another small issue I had with Bromptons: on the upstroke when pedaling the tiny wheels for pushing it around folded would slip down the side of my ankle, into my shoe, and pull my shoe off 
Those without size 13 feet might not have this issue.
Those without size 13 feet might not have this issue.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
15 EEE. I might have an awareness of this issue.I am reminded of another small issue I had with Bromptons: on the upstroke when pedaling the tiny wheels for pushing it around folded would slip down the side of my ankle, into my shoe, and pull my shoe off
Those without size 13 feet might not have this issue.
Randy Butternubs
Über Member
Yikes, and I thought finding shoes was hard.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
And I thought people called mine canoes...
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
I find mine online, I just got a nice pair of Reeboks today. Just in time for a fancy dress dinner at the Uni.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
Yes. Do it all the time. Bike in one hand, bag in the other - really well balanced. It's only a pain when you need to carry a cup of coffee.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
I have oft said if my garage of 10 bikes was on fire the Brompton would be the first I’d rescue.
I find it the most useful, utilitarian and do-it-all, except prolonged fast riding.
In town it does everything easily without security faff. Adding the rack has made rolling it around easier. It goes in the supermarket trolley, pushed into the post office, it has its own space in the pub and have never has a single issue in a restauraunt, shop, barbers, trains busses, coaches at all. The only place it needs to be locked is to go on the end of the pier where bikes are not permitted.
I find it the most useful, utilitarian and do-it-all, except prolonged fast riding.
In town it does everything easily without security faff. Adding the rack has made rolling it around easier. It goes in the supermarket trolley, pushed into the post office, it has its own space in the pub and have never has a single issue in a restauraunt, shop, barbers, trains busses, coaches at all. The only place it needs to be locked is to go on the end of the pier where bikes are not permitted.
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12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
I have a few bikes: a surly steamroller, a mountain bike with studded tires for ice, an 82 Holdsworth because I like old 531 bikes with 35 mm tires for comfort, a Mercier minivelo, a Xootr swift and a Brompton. If I could only have two it would be the Brompton and the Holdsworth, as it would be hard to replace them. If it were 3, I would keep the Surly. All of them are a pleasure to ride, but like the Fab Foodie, I almost always go to the Brompton unless snow or ice is involved.
