Folding bike advice

[jokey]

Hi All,

New to the forum so be gentle with me!

I am considering getting a folding bike and looking for a bit of advice really. I already have an "adventure road bike" which I love, but I have recently changed jobs which means I now work from home and no longer commute by bike a couple of times a week. Although I am home based I do a lot of travelling round the country by train to meetings, so I am considering getting a folding bike so that I can fit a bit of cycling in to and from stations.

I am probably only going to be doing this 5 to 10 times a month, so am not sure I can justify it. But I do like the idea of it!

Two things, 1) help me justify it and 2) what to choose if I do...

Now of course a Brompton does seem the best choice, but they are pricey! I have seen a Dahon Qix D8 on ebay for around £400 (ex demo, slightly scratched, no big deal) which looks pretty good. Anyone know anything about them?

Many thanks

 

[cheys03]

I'd get a Brompton

Justification of cost...it holds its value well. If you find the arrangement isn't to your liking and the bike goes mostly unused you will be able to resell easily and without much loss.

 

[welsh dragon]

Hello and welcome to the forum. .

Bromptons are pricey, but as above, if you don't like it for some reason, you can resell it for what you paid for it. If you cant afford a Brompton or really don't want to spend that kind of money, then there are many good brands out there. Dahon are good bikes, as are terns.There are pros and cons for most of them. Some may be a bit heavy. Some don't fold well.

It's a case of trying a few before you buy to find the right one for you. And there is nothing wrong with buying second hand either. You have to think about what kind of cycling you will be doing, where you will be cycling, and the weight of course, especially if you need to get it in and out of you're car. Good luck with making the right choice.

 

[cosmicbike]

Another Brompton vote here. I love mine, and it's perfect for train journeys. I got mine through the cycle to work scheme, if this wasn't available I'd have bought used.

 

[Oxo]

"I think, therefore I am" ........,,.a Brompton rider.

 

[mjr]

Justification: you'll cover the cost by saving station taxi fares in how many months?

 

[Cycleops]

I'm also thinking of a folder. The Brompton is great if you want the ultimate small folded size and you're not doing a long journey. The 16" wheels mean more effort and slow progress. Remember these are wheels from a five year olds bike. Plus they are very pricey. Don't get me wrong I think they are great bikes but for occasional use you'll have to justify it to yourself.

I have in fact been looking at the Dahon Qix, about half the Brompton price. You get 20" wheels and a compact fold. Weight is a tiny bit lighter I think. Gears are a derailleur type as opposed to the hub gears on the Brompton. Fixing a puncture with the latter is a pain although you do do a 'puncture shield' incorporated in the tyres (also on the Qix). You can push both of them easily while folded, you don't want to carry them too far.

@TrishnBonnie on here has a Dahon (badged as a Dawes) and I think she likes it, bought secondhand. I guess you makes your choice and pays your money.


View: https://youtu.be/X0k0Uy5aqVc


View: https://youtu.be/AKXsc9l-PlQ

 

[TrishE]

Yep love mine it's fun to ride and very light. The gears are good and the shifter is twistgrip on one side. The qix looks good and has a different fold, the handlebars aren't height adjustable but don't know if that makes any difference.

With a Brompton you get a community spirit and events to take part in. People who have them love them too. I personally wanted 20" wheels so really it depends what feels comfortable and whether a small fold is important. I fold mine regularly on the train and it's fine, not heavy and fits in the luggage space but it takes a lot of room up folded in my sister's car when she's given me a lift whereas a Brompton wouldn't

Edit to add I got mine from putting a wanted ad on the forum no problem with secondhand if it's in good condition

 

[Kell]

Depending on where you live, you can hire a Brompton for about £2 a day.

If you go on to buy one, you even get your hire fees back.

I have to confess about 8 years ago when I got my first folding bike, Bromptons were very low down on my want list.

I didn't like the way they looked. Certainly back then, the range of colours (that I saw anyway) were dull and the type of people I saw on them all seemed to be the same and pedalled around very slowly.

However after three 26" wheeled folders [two Dahons (both of which had frames which snapped) and a Rabbit.de (which was run over when I got knocked off)] I've changed my mind.

I got my Brompton just over a year (and 3,000 miles) ago and it's been brilliant.

You can't beat it for the fold, and while it's not as good to ride as a 26" wheeled bike, the small wheels don't really bother you after about a week.

 

[mjr]

Gears are a derailleur type as opposed to the hub gears on the Brompton. Fixing a puncture with the latter is a pain[…]

I've a Dahon with derailleur gears and I think they're a drawback on a small wheeled bike because everything is down in the shoot even more so than a large wheeled bike. Hub gears make more sense on a folding bike and puncture repair on a Sturmey Archer need only require unscrewing the shifter cable and reattaching it afterwards.

 

[jokey]

Hi All,

Thanks for the advice. It does seem that Bromptons definitely engender love! I have discovered a bike shop about 20 miles from me, C H White & Son http://foldingbike.biz that specialises in folding bikes of all descriptions, so I'll pop down there at the weekend.

I am usually very impulsive with things like this, so fighting the urge to just buy one online

 

[Cycleops]

Good idea. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Another passionate Brompton owner here.
I've toured with mine, have a flight case for it for when I go overseas (which I do every week pretty much, so I can take it with me as required), it's in the back of the car now as I'm just back from a quick work-drive to France. Of my 9 or 10 bikes I have (including some classics and a custom built 853) it would be the first one I rescue if the garage was on fire. It's such a do-it all machine with great transportability.
I don't find the 16" wheels to be a problem except over very rough surfaces and cobbles, on reasonable tarmac it's pretty effortless. The complexity of changing a rear-tube on a Brompton is also over-stated, it's not so complex, just a short learning step.
Finally, yes you do become part of a community, they engender a certain 'love' with their quirkyness. It's a bit like Apple products, everything is bespoke, but it all works really really well together - bags/accessories etc.

 

[12boy]

I am impressed with the sturdiness with which the Brompton is made. Those steel hinges are rebuildable and will last a lot longer than aluminum ones. It is a very effective cargo hauler for its size. It is not a bike I care to ride on ice nor in snow more than a couple of inches deep but I don't think any small wheeled bike would be. If you had one and your area has safe bike riding routes, you will probably find it quite able to replace other forms of transport, so you may ride it more than a couple of times a week. It is also a lot of fun to ride.

 

[T4tomo]

I'm also thinking of a folder. The Brompton is great if you want the ultimate small folded size and you're not doing a long journey. The 16" wheels mean more effort and slow progress. Remember these are wheels from a five year olds bike. Plus they are very pricey. Don't get me wrong I think they are great bikes but for occasional use you'll have to justify it to yourself.

I have in fact been looking at the Dahon Qix, about half the Brompton price. You get 20" wheels and a compact fold. Weight is a tiny bit lighter I think. Gears are a derailleur type as opposed to the hub gears on the Brompton. Fixing a puncture with the latter is a pain although you do do a 'puncture shield' incorporated in the tyres (also on the Qix). You can push both of them easily while folded, you don't want to carry them too far.

There is very little difference riding experience wise between 16 and 20 inch wheels, both suffer a bit on rougher surfaces. Yes, neither are as quick as 700c road bikes, but also they are not that slow. I'm as quick on my Brompton as on a mountain bike with road focusssed tyres.

Removal of the rear wheel on a Brompton isn't very tricky, it's just a question of being familiar with how to do it and how to reassemble, but hub gears are much better, i.e. Low maintenance, for commuting in all weathers.

The main downside of a Brompton is the price, but they do last much longer than their aluminium cousins and hold their value very well.