Folding Bicycle

[Piston Broke]

Hi Chaps, I am after some advice.

I have decided to buy a folding bicycle, as I am often caught out taking the car in for a service and having to get a taxi home and back. A folding bike will fit in the back without having to put a rack on.

I also use the train quite often, the station is about 5 miles away, and I beleive you cannot take bikes other than folding bikes on board now.

Does anyone have any experience with these. I have seen a few on ebay and had a look on the internet, however I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one. We only had Raleigh bikes when I was a lad:)


And I don't fancy one of those with the small wheels, I have my street cred to think about.;)

Any advice gratefully received.

[JMAP]

"Brompton" seems to be the make.
I have nbever used one so I'm not an expert. I have seen folding mtb's but they may not be small enough to take on a busy train - I think the train companies are funny about the max size.
You also pay quite a premium for a folding mtb and, if like me, you want your bike as light as possible, I would imagine you'd lose that with a folding one.
I'm thinking of buying one - I'll probably put up with the street cred problems and get a small one.

[red]

those bromton bikes aint cheap i was looking at them a while back on ebay some were going 350+ :o oh an these do have them ickle wheels .

[Piston Broke]

those bromton bikes aint cheap i was looking at them a while back on ebay some were going 350+ :o oh an these do have them ickle wheels .

Yeah, seen those, I think I would look a bit of a tit on one of those.

I have seen some folding mountain bike types on ebay, but have not no knowledge of the manufacturers, and don't want cheap crap that will fall to bits after a few months.

[jackthedog]

If you're after one for less than £300 I dont think you'll pick up anything decent. And unfortunately most folders have small wheels as they package smaller.

There is one out there (they come with "Hummer" branding among other things I think) that look like the old Klein Mantra full suss bikes with a big fat top tube, and they fold in half. They have full size wheels too. Wouldn't have a clue where you'd get one, never seen one in the flesh, they dont really fold that small cos you're still on full size rims and I'm not sure they'd be that cheap. Or light.

Most folders have 20" rims. Google Airnimal - I think they're pretty well respected amongst folder-fans. Pricey though - more so that Bromptons.

Don't like small wheels on folding bikes? Check out the Sinclair A Bike - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5173612.stm :D

[Piston Broke]

Hi Jack,

I found those Hummer/Paratrooper ones on a search the other day. They were something like $350.00 - $450.00 and apparently used by the US Military.

I could not find a dealer in the UK selling them, and I am still awaiting a reply from the manufacturers as to the cost of shipping.

If they are as good as the website says they are http://www.hummerbikes.com/models.html they look to be competitively priced.

[dirt diggler]

What about Sir Clives new invention ?

http://www.a-bike.co.uk/store/home.php

but on a more serious note what about these websites might give you some more options.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/ProductsList/mcs/CategoryID/154/GroupID/7/CatName/Folding%20Bikes/v/25f2fa15-151e-40d1-a5e1-b701e28befb7/v/25f2fa15-151e-40d1-a5e1-b701e28befb7

http://www.evanscycles.com/dept.jsp?dept_id=1035&subdept_id=3301


The Cadon range might be more what your looking for but theres others you could look at.

[Steve HNZ]

if you haven't seen them already check these out, I like the look of them, unfortunately we don't get them in our part of the world. http://www.montaguebikes.co.uk/
Cheers,Steve.

[Dave78]

Thought I drag this topic back up, have been talking to a chap at work (whose really into his bikes - part of local cycing club etc) and he keeps going on and on about bromptons being the way forward.

Which leads me to my question - I too am looking for a folding bike - but the price of a brompton is abit too much at the mo, so found strida http://www.strida.co.uk/ any one heard of them, used them etc.

Talking to SWMBO and we have pretty much worked out that if I get a folding bike, I can cycle from home - train station - work and back, hence don't need my car - hence can get Land Rover instead (wait for seperate post on which one to get)

[toppa]

In that cae, stuff the street cred, gt one with small wheels and think of the weekends in the landy :D


Cheers

[adrianandkate]

Aren't bikes like vehicles? Something to get you from A to B - doesn't matter what it is if it works.

Speaking as someone who gets to ride the "cheap" bike while he swans around on the KTM :( Kate

[adrianandkate]

Just realised - isn't there a bike rack at the train station? - or do you need it at the other end too?

[Dave78]

Just realised - isn't there a bike rack at the train station? - or do you need it at the other end too?

Unfortunately I'll need it the other end - well work is 2 miles from the station the other end. And it'll be quicker to walk said 2 miles then get the bus.

One of the guys at work suggested getting getting an old racer style bike (a few quid from ebay or something) and leaving that at the station the other end - no-one nicks racers they all want mountain bikes, using my better bike to go between home and the station - hence it'll be in the garage overnight. If the one at the other station gets nicked - buy another one...

[adrianandkate]

Not a bad idea - see Adrian's signature. Don't suppose people junk bikes off at skips in the UK, but a couple of miles is nothing. You don't need state of the art and it could cost you next to nothing. I like that idea, two cheap bikes better than one dear folding one. I will ask the oracle in the morning. Kate

[Dave78]

Found my cheap bike


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/power-rangers-green-bike_W0QQitemZ110094034636QQihZ001QQcategoryZ749QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Now if I have a wash, maybe I'll shrink to fit it :rolleyes:

[sterling]

I've got a Brompton M6L that I use when I go up to London and suchlike. Expensive at about £550, but a great bike, you wouldn't want to go far on it, but I guess that's not what it's designed for. The knack of folding it takes a bit of getting used to, but once mastered, it is very quick, and ideal for taking on a train.
Prior to that I had a cheapie folding bike that really was rubbish. Can't remember the make, but it was silver with very little wheels, and a frame that felt like it was made of plasticine. It really was that flexible. There is a Brompton copy out there, but I can't remember who makes it. I'll ask next time I'm in the bike shop.

sterling

[AnalogKid]

...I also use the train quite often, the station is about 5 miles away, and I beleive you cannot take bikes other than folding bikes on board now...

Is this for real?

How the hell can this be, and yet the transport planners expect us to not use cars?

Surely all commuter trains should be made to incorporate a special wagon that's basically a rolling bike rack.

[Dave78]

Is this for real?

How the hell can this be, and yet the transport planners expect us to not use cars?

Surely all commuter trains should be made to incorporate a special wagon that's basically a rolling bike rack.

No this is true - I want to go just one station up the line (Leamington to Coventry) and the train that will do this is Virgin. Having spoken to them (because I don't have a folding bike) I need to reserve a space for my bike for each and every journey, and I can't block book.. mutter mutter

And if two other people have already booked - that's me waiting for the next train :(

[ROB 110 HICAP]

No no no you need a Moulton Landrover yes really http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pashley-LandRover-APB-Folding-Bike-Moulton-Model-7611_W0QQitemZ250085794654QQihZ015QQcategoryZ33503 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Or just an ordinary one for £50 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOULTON-SUPER-4-1967-Sturmey-Archer-4-Spd-Road-Bicycle_W0QQitemZ180087044905QQihZ008QQcategoryZ33 503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[ROB 110 HICAP]

Actually I'm not sure all the Moultons were fold-up? A colleague used to have a Landy one and I'm sure it was fold up.....

[adrianandkate]

Adrian's finally staggered off the sick bed to say he thinks you should still go with the options of a dirt cheap bike at each end. Advert in local paper, or a bike forum or something. Always found it easier to advertise for what he wanted, usually brought great results, ie you put the (free) ad in the local paper saying cheap runabout/shopping bike wanted. Or wanted, one to repair, they're pretty simple really, even more so than LRs. :) How far is it from home to work - if it's totally cyclable, buy a decent bike (in summer maybe!!). How far is Leamington to Coventry - the train bit? A&K

[Dave78]

Adrian's finally staggered off the sick bed to say he thinks you should still go with the options of a dirt cheap bike at each end. Advert in local paper, or a bike forum or something. Always found it easier to advertise for what he wanted, usually brought great results, ie you put the (free) ad in the local paper saying cheap runabout/shopping bike wanted. Or wanted, one to repair, they're pretty simple really, even more so than LRs. :) How far is it from home to work - if it's totally cyclable, buy a decent bike (in summer maybe!!). How far is Leamington to Coventry - the train bit? A&K


Had a look in the garage and shed to see what I have got, and remembered and found my first every mountain bike - I brought it aged 13. So the plan, at the mo, is to tidy it up enough to use, and that will be the second bike.

Leam to Cov is about 10-12 miles, but that is using the A46 (not a road you want to cycle down). So to cycle add a couple of miles (my house to work is about 15 miles - not using A46. I would think about cycling it in summer (after getting fitter then I am now - but all the showers at work seem to be behind locked doors (and can't find the key holders - sounds all about ghostbuster-ish)

[adrianandkate]

Get the key! At least for summer. They can't victimise you for driving a Japanese car (or whatever). When I worked for BL you couldn't park a non-BL car in the car park! Adrian (I used to walk by the way and my father cycled).

[jackthedog]

When I worked for BL you couldn't park a non-BL car in the car park!

Is that true?

[adrianandkate]

Yes at the time. There were limited spaces. Adrian

[adrianandkate]

Is that true?

Or did you mean was it true I worked for BL? yes to that as well.:) Adrian

[jackthedog]

I just thought that was quite a funny fact about the parking. Wasn't sure if it was a genuine thing or just a bit of a running joke you had at the time or whatever.

Back on the subject of folding push-irons, how about one of these?

http://sidewaysbike.castpost.com/sideway1.JPG

Would that help your situation?

Funny what comes up when you're doing an image search for industrial flooring :confused:

[jackthedog]

Actually, again on the subejct of folding push irons, I have an old copy of MBUK or MBi or MBR or whichever kicking around at home that has a feature on these devices that you weld into the frame - having chopped it in half just behind the head junction - which are like a threaded collar and toothed fastening thing, and it allows any traditional steel double diamond frame to be dismanted into to halves and then reassembled at will.

If memory serves they'd done it to an old Voodoo steel hartail and it looked horrendousy dangerous.

Not really of any use to anyone but fellow bike geeks might remember it.

[adrianandkate]

I just thought that was quite a funny fact about the parking. Wasn't sure if it was a genuine thing or just a bit of a running joke you had at the time or whatever.

Back on the subject

My mate with a Lotus Mark II Ford Cortina (bling:D )didn't find it a running joke. He was told not to use the car park. As he lived a similar distance away to me, he ended up walking. Incidentally I had a Triumph at the time so I could have used it - but for 15 mins walk?

More up to date, when I mentioned this story to someone who worked at a Nissan plant, he said non-Nissan cars had to park out the back. Same principle but a bit more lenient on the interpretation.

Also back on thread - just to inspire anyone who wants to repair bikes. A couple of pix from the one out of the contenador/skip. (not the tandem, we bought that). No saddle on, it started raining so I took it off as saddle worth more than bike.:D

[Dave78]

More up to date, when I mentioned this story to someone who worked at a Nissan plant, he said non-Nissan cars had to park out the back. Same principle but a bit more lenient on the interpretation.


Ford are wanting to do this too (remembering that Jaguar/Land Rover/Volvo/Aston Martin (at the mo) are all owned by Ford), with the staff car parks. Don't think they like my skoda much :(