Could I do it?

[hackbike 666]

I think im in love with a fold up bike....I have seen a few people using them today and I am thinking one may be ideal for when I go on holiday to either...Thailand/Singapore or Malaysia...Not sure yet....Could get one in a cab and am sure I could get it onto a plane...

Any thought's experiences?

Are they sturdy enough?

TIA

 

[HelenD123]

What sort of riding are you wanting to do with it? How much will you be carrying?

 

[rich p]

They vary in weight, size and durability, so it depends. Are you intending to tour or just ride locally from where you're staying?

 

[onlineamiga]

I have a fold up bike, its one from Carrefour, called "Foldin Bike '08" You probably dont have them in the UK.
Its a great piece of kit, and I use mine to cycle about 4 miles a day across the border from Spain into Gibraltar and back to work. Which is fantastic as avoids all the frontier queues and being a bit further away I park for free every day.

It folds up - in half, and then another bolt for the handle bars to drop down. The pedals fold inwards as well. It was about 120euros.

Ive had it nearly two years now and now bits are starting to fall off, one of the chain guards, the rear mud guard is clanging around a bit. pedals get a bit sticky. But nothing a good service wouldnt fix. Its got a bit rusty too. Due to condensation formed by air conditioning in the car and being left outside of work in rainy days.

I wouldnt say its hugely sturdy. But I have ridden this bike through some pretty hurrendous weather and its held up.
Would I use it for touring? Hell no! The wheels are small and its not the easiest bike to ride at all. Even in the highest gears with a tail wind it doesnt really get much speed up. Im always being overtaken by people on full sized bikes. My journey in and out of work from the car is flat. I wouldnt even want to attempt this on some big hills. Up would be very difficult. Down would equal death, as the breaks are rubbish!

Having said that, there are other fold up bikes which are more suited to touring. My friend really likes the idea of fold up bikes but thinks mine looked silly with the smaller wheels. But he managed to find one that is practically like a mountain bike and it looks a lot more sturdy. That might be good for touring. not sure if it'd be possible to fit a rack to it. It doesnt fold up as small either.

So yeah, shop around you never know. Im sure ive read others touring on fold up bikes before.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

my brompton carries my fat ass around all day long. there is a bloke on crazyguyonabike who rode a brompton to turkey. there are other blokes on yahoo groups who has ridden his all over the lakes many many times. i've approx 8000 hilly miles on mine in a year.

 

[hackbike 666]

Thanks...sorry I was a bit vague...Probably more local ride but I could cover between ten and twenty miles (or possibly more)...An example being...when I hired that electric bike I cycled from Karon Beach to Patong which is hilly...Don't know how I would fare on a folder but it's got to be better than either a Tuk Tuk or nothing.

I didn't think they were that slow as I had bromptons overtake me in the past.

I wouldn't be carrying a lot but would fit it with lights...Not sure where I am going yet but I do find it hard to hire bikes when I am out there...Mainly due to finding the place which hires them out.

 

[Kirstie]

I've got an airnimal and it's perfectly fine for touring and all day rides. It's a great bike (if a little funny looking...)

 

[TheDoctor]

Go for it. My Brommie is slower than my road bike(s) but touring's not all about speed, is it?
Any decent folder ought to hold up for a reasonable tour. If you're just doing 10-20 miles you should be fine.

 

[Alan Whicker]

Simon Calder, The Independent's travel editor and LBC presenter habitually travels with a Brompton. I think he's done some fairly serious trips on it.

 

[Arch]

I didn't think they were that slow as I had bromptons overtake me in the past.

It's not about the bike, it's about the 'engine'. I know a Bromptoneer who can overtake everyone, uphill, riding one handed and snapping photos with the other...

Plenty of people tour on Bromptons - I know a lady in her 70's who just did LEJOG on one, albeit in two chunks, over two annual summer holidays. Her reasoning was that if the weather was horrible, or she got too tired each day, she could get on a bus. She never did need to. There are also various folders and demountables designed for touring.

Bike Friday for example, have a community of touring riders...

http://community.bikefriday.com/webclub

As ever, you get what you pay for. A cheapo BSO folder probably won't last long, or be nice to ride. Invest a little more, and you'll get something nice.

 

[hackbike 666]

Thanks for this...I have tried to answer twice but computer has frozen both times...so here goes...

I saw a Bike Friday at Surbiton yesterday and the bloke who rode it looked serious...I quite liked it...I see a lot of folding bikes in my job although I have never been interested in them before...It's got to be better taking one of those out there than nothing at all like my last holiday...

So which price range am I looking at...I have £500 I guess but I suspect this wont be enough...Cheers...

It's not about the bike, it's about the 'engine'.

My engine is knackered.

 

[andym]

I think im in love with a fold up bike....I have seen a few people using them today and I am thinking one may be ideal for when I go on holiday to either...Thailand/Singapore or Malaysia...Not sure yet....Could get one in a cab and am sure I could get it onto a plane...

I can see the point/value of a folder if you are getting on and off trains and buses. And maybe if you are a frequent flyer. Or if you already have one. But not sure what the value would be if you are going for a long holiday involving one flight. Depending on how you carry your bike on the plane you might save a bit of time, but beyond that I'm not clear what the advantages would be, or whether the advantages are enough to justify laying out a wedge on a new bike.

 

[CopperBrompton]

£500 will get you a nearly-new secondhand Brompton in very good condition.

 

[Arch]

I can see the point/value of a folder if you are getting on and off trains and buses. And maybe if you are a frequent flyer. Or if you already have one. But not sure what the value would be if you are going for a long holiday involving one flight. Depending on how you carry your bike on the plane you might save a bit of time, but beyond that I'm not clear what the advantages would be, or whether the advantages are enough to justify laying out a wedge on a new bike.

You need to justify it?

I got the feeling Hackbike was thinking of being able to get in in cabs and so on while on holiday.

There's also a security pay off - a folder is a bit easier to keep with you in a hotel room or whatever.

I think £500 would get you something pretty good - as Ben says.

Dahon are a good brand, and there are some affordable models in their range. Not as neat a fold as a Brom, but then nothing is.

 

[frank9755]

I went on a tour in the Pyrenees last year and one of the guys was using an Airnimal folder. He got up all the big cols with no bother. It turned out he was a serious audax rider (LEL, PBP) but didn't want to bring his good bike on a plane.