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Folding bikes - Brompton, Dahon, Mezzo etc - recommendations and chat

Yes, they were bloody lovely about it. I've got to call them back with serial number etc tomorrow morning and any other identifying details that might help them spot the scumbag getting off the train. Don't hold out much hope, but you never know.
 
Can anyone explain the difference between a 20"x 150/175 inner tube, and the more popular 20" x 175-2.25? I'm cleaning up an old folder and after pumping up the front tyre the tube went.
 
Well there seems to be no immediate difference other than the second is a more flexible option that can be used on BMX bikes and folders with 20" wheels. I guess time will tell.
 
I'm looking to get one of these in the next few months but there's no way I can pay £500 odd for a bike.

Can possibly stretch to 200 max.

Any tips?

Any good budget models?

What sort of thing could I pick up 2nd hand for that price?

Needs to fold small and fold easily to fit under the stairs.

Short trips only, I reckon.
 
Got a bit bitten by the folder 'bug' and after a Dahon, Airnimal, I had a steel frame built with S&S Couplers put in - they basically allow you to chop the frame in half and fit it in an oversized suitcase.

Here it is in France doing the Paris Roubaix this year...
894797_10151340285322681_950661612_o.jpg


905558_10151340287582681_1719312590_o.jpg
 
chilango said:
I'm looking to get one of these in the next few months but there's no way I can pay £500 odd for a bike.

Can possibly stretch to 200 max.

Any tips?

Any good budget models?

What sort of thing could I pick up 2nd hand for that price?

Needs to fold small and fold easily to fit under the stairs.

Short trips only, I reckon.
Click to expand...


I've been looking this week and was tempted by the Apollo Transition in Halfords for £199 as it's an alloy frame but looking around there seem to be loads of steel ones that weigh around the same for musch less. Was looking at the Reflex Easy Street for just £143

Any advice would be helpful. I won't be using for commuting, just a bit of light exercise on the flat promenade each evening
 
Ted Striker said:
Got a bit bitten by the folder 'bug' and after a Dahon, Airnimal, I had a steel frame built with S&S Couplers put in - they basically allow you to chop the frame in half and fit it in an oversized suitcase.

Here it is in France doing the Paris Roubaix this year...
894797_10151340285322681_950661612_o.jpg


905558_10151340287582681_1719312590_o.jpg
Click to expand...

That's one lovely looking bike.
 
There's so much leather on that bike I wouldn't be surprised if a bull took an interest as you cycled by a country field.
 
Ted Striker : snazzy :cool:

I'd like some advice on bicycles if you lot might be so kind.
Today I hired a bike and rode it without incident. Quite an achievement for me. I had a lovely time with my son in the park though and I would like to do this type of thing more often, particularly in the summer holidays when we could go for longer rides and stuff. So I want a bike. I live in a first floor flat but I could possibly chain a bike up on a lamp post outside (some of my neighbours do this so I could) or I could get a folding bike. I mean, I don't want to do lots of off-roading or really long distances so i should think a foldable one should be fine for how I would use it and I could store it safely in a cupboard or on my tiny balcony. I'm just wondering if they are shit or not? I don't want to ride something that's really uncomfortable or hard to steer as I'm a fair weather cyclist at best and that would put me right off.

I've seen some really cheap ones on ebay and thought maybe I should get one of those just to give it a go, I can always upgrade once I get the hang of it or if I decide to get a proper bike and lock it up outside. Or maybe I should get a Brompton knowing that it holds its value pretty well and I could sell it on in the future if I give up on cycling. Or maybe I should go mid range (have seen some Ridgeback and Tern folding bikes around £300). I don't have a set budget in mind yet as I'm not sure what I want but its my birthday coming up and I'm feeling flush so I'm happy to spend a bit of money on it (even though I do bulk at Brompton prices and would need to hear the sales pitch for that one) and I can justify the expense by saying that ShiftyJunior will also be and to use it in a year or two if he wants to...

So yeah, any tips or advice? Recommendations would be greatly appreciated and I'm also thinking that I should get a 20" wheel as I think that would give me a less bumpy ride, is that right?
Basically I know fuck all and need you lot to inform me before I go to a shop and get fleeced. Thanks.
 
Bromptons have the best folding mechanism and fold into a very compact lump with all the oily stuff in the middle. They also have (approximately) the same wheelbase as a normal bike which makes them a good riding experience. In your situation I wouldn't bother with anything else. If the fold is a pain in the arse or it's too awkward to carry then you won't use it and won't get value from it.
 
Aren't the smaller wheels on a Brompton a bit of a draw back though? I don't want a really bumpy ride or a really slow ride as I will be using it for fun and slow and bumpy aint much fun. I won't be commuting on it, taking it on holiday or anywhere that I can't take my son's full size bike so I'm not sure if it really is any better suited to my needs than the larger and clunkier folders.

This is my first bike btw, I know nothing about bikes at all and am just assuming that bigger wheels=smoother ride. I am happy to be corrected if that's not the case.
 
well I'm sure that you are probs right on the bigger wheels thing...and I wondered about that before buying, but in the real world of London potholey roads I still am glad I bought a brompton!
 
I've got a Brompton and a hybrid type road bike and I really don't notice any difference bumpiness between the two. As for speed, although it's only got 3 gears (up to 6 on different variants, although with the same range between top and bottom I believe), the Brompton is a nippy little thing. One thing you do have to do is to make sure you keep the tyres pumped up. You do notice a decrease in the comfy-ness of the ride when the tyres are starting to lose pressure.
 
Ok, well I will reconsider the Brompton. I'm not convinced it will be any better suited to riding around parks than a 20" Dahon or Tern but I will do some more googling. Thanks.
Are there any bike shops in London which might have a range of them to test out?
 
Well, I got a black Brompton. The woman I spoke to in the shop did not have anything nice to say about Terns at all, apparently the build quality is not great and parts take ages to acquire so if anything goes wrong(and her experience was that they go wrong frequently) you're fucked for a while. Also they won't sell on for much money at all.
Had a good long ride on it this evening and I found it much harder work than the bike I rode yesterday. Maybe this is because my legs were tired or the other bike was heavier and had wider tires or summat but my thighs were certainly aching more today, I couldn't go further than two miles at a time on it. I found the steering a bit tricky but I'm sure I will get used to it in time. I have no idea what to do with the gears or what difference they make to the ride or when to use them. I hope google can clear that up.
So yeah. Got a poncey bike for my birthday :cool:
 
First long jaunt on my new white Carrera folder. Finally got the seat height and handlebar height right so riding properly. Now I need a new saddle as the one I have is rubbish.
 
Ted Striker, is your case too big to be allowed on planes without a surcharge for oversize baggage? It looks bigger than 26 x 26 x 10 inch limit. How long does it take you to pack and unpack the bike?
 
It technically is though most airlines are relaxed on the 62 linear inches (h+w+d) as long as the longest dimension isn't over 90cm (25.5in) (which mine isn't).

To piss on my cases bonfire though (aside from the potential grumpy check in jobsworth that may call it instantly oversized)...It's 9kg unpacked (hence you only have 10-15kg for your bike before you're paying for weight) and when I spoke to a guy at BA, and they said I could take a full bike box in absence of my normal check in bag (i.e. swerves the whole point of a folding bike for plane travelling!)

http://www.ternbicycles.com/gear/airporter
It was perfect for the Eurostar as they don't really weigh your stuff as long as it fits in, and on, the x ray conveyor belt.
 
25.5??? Your case is 13.8 × 27.1 × 34.6 in according to the site. Edit: I think you mean 90 cm, which is 32.4 inches? How did you find out about that 'rule'? Do you know which airlines tolerate it?

I have couplers on my frame and have twice made a 26 x 26 x 10 'case' from cardboard and gaffer tape. I got no hassle from the airline but it wasn't very satisfactory because it was too crushable. I never worked out a way of bracing it. I tried to make some S&S-style mushroom things

p_sns_a1.jpg


but they really needed a sheet of plywood above and below to do much good.

How long does packing/unpacking take you, and do you use one of the methods on the S&S site?

Lovely bike btw.
 
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