Best Folder

[s1965c]

Coming back from my last tour in Brittany, I boarded the ferry at the same time as a CTC group which had four or so folders. They were all Dahons and loaded up with panniers and luggage.

Seemingly, a popular choice.

[PaulB]

I will put a vote in for the Xootr Swift, I had a test ride on one a while back and it is a really great bike. Its easlily upgraded as everything is standard bike equipment, would be ok for light weight touring but if you planed carrying camping gear etc. you could always use a trailer.


Tried to upload a picture of a Swift and trailer but but the size is to large, but there are loads of pictures in Flickr.

The Swift is an excellent choice for lightweight touring. Not the smallest fold in the world but should allow you to sneak onto trains. It has eight gears and rides like a "normal" bike. I very rarely ride either of my 700c wheeled bikes these days because the Swift is so much fun!



Since taking these photo's I've changed the 'bars for some narrower 3T Morph ones,(see photo below) which look neater and are more comfortable for leisure riding.

[keyhavenpotterer]

The new pacific Cycles iF Mode is very cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD2lFgMfh2k

[Biscuit]

I quite like the http://www.montaguebikes.com/ I have a green one http://www.montaguebikes.com/paratroope ... -bike.html

I have had no need to jump out of an airplane with one but if I had to............ It appears to be designed to take an average american airborne type............ wonder what the service life is?

It does seem to be designed well.

I have carried mine with folding pedals in its carry bag............. it isnt the lightest but I'm not convinced it is the heaviest either.

[MarySkater]

Try here for info:
http://www.atob.org.uk/Buyers'_Guide.html

I used to have a fold-in-half Dahon with 20" wheels. It rode okay for my kind of gentle outings, but it was an awkward package when folded, and nearly 14kg. I can lift that, but when I'm trying to do it one-handed to get on a train, with the rest of my luggage in the other hand, it wasn't fun.

My "travel bike" is now a Brompton with as much titanium as possible. Cost nearly £1000, but folds a lot smaller than the Dahon and weighs 10.4 kg, a worthwhile weight saving. I admit, I don't do big mileage. I take it on train/bus as far as I can, and only use the bike to get places public transport doesn't go. I once used it for a 10-day holiday with camping kit; my luggage went in a Cyclone trailer, which can be turned into a holdall for train travel. (Wheels and tow-bar detach in seconds.)

Mary

[mike]

Thought of another small wheel folding bike I like the look of. The Dahon Smooth Hound, comes with brooks saddle and leather handlebar tape. Looks to be a good buy.

[PaulB]

Don't want to hi-jack this thread and make it a Xootr Swift-fest but you can modify the bike to suit your needs. It will take normal racks and you can fit 20" mudguards to it. I prefer the q/r mudguards but permanent ones do not affect the fold.

As you can see, the fold is quick but not small - certainly no rival to the Brompton. I wanted a good bike to ride that also happened to fold and the Swift fits the bill. Xootr in the USA also provide a double chainwheel conversion kit to give you 16 gears. It is a lot cheaper than a Brompton although the current £ to $ exchange rate has increased its price of late.

[rootes]

Swift (you can get these in the UK for c2w) or Airnimal Joey

[foxy12]

I have been touring with a Raleigh Boardwalk Lite for over a year. It is light and comes complete with mudguards and a rear carrier. It also has water bottle bosses. It is made by Dahon and rides like an ordinary bike. I can cycle up to 60 miles a day on it.

[David Cox]

A to B is a very useful magazine and they have recently archived all their reviews etc on line. David Henshaw and family tested every folder they could get their hands on but now concentrate on electric bikes - not least because there hasn't been much new. These Scoots look nice. I've had Bromptons for years and they suit me very well or I've adapted to them. I've also got a Bike Friday bought on reviews in Cycle and The Folder years ago. Friday makes a super tourer and rides like any other bike as per specification - you can race on them. Mine approximates a Galaxy with bomb proof tyres. It folds well enough with mudguards quickly to go into a smallish car but its an awkward package and not really any smaller than a racing bike with wheels out. Never tried it on a train but you need the bag to hold the thing together. It will go into a suit case but that's a 20 minute + tense dismantling job. The combined hard case and bike is too heavy now for most airlines to pass as normal luggage so you have to pay the sporting goods rate like a bike case.

Brompton will go into a hard case (I only have to take the saddle off mine) but the luggage allowance problem still arises. I've carried it in a soft case by Flybe and then its under the max weight but cos its a bike they still want to charge extra. But for quick commuting folding its just great as others have said. You can slip it into colleagues' cars, trains, cloakrooms, meeting rooms and offices etc with min fuss. The front carrier will pack with 2-3 days of clothes, you can even roll up a suit bag and strap it on top for business trips. I've ridden it up to 75 miles a day and overtaken many full size bikes on charity rides. Its been up Mt Subasio in Italy and Tamalpais in Marin USA. Last time rather than take the Friday or hire a moutain bike I just decided to explore the Brompton envelope partly because I was visiting 3 towns across the US and couldn't face the dismantle/reassemble routine with the Friday. I'd really like a titanium one but mainly to ease carrying it onto train.

[niggle]

I have a Pacific Reach, which is an exceptionally good ride due to front and rear suspension, bordering on Moulton quality, the fold is not nearly as good as a Brompton but as Moultons don't fold, just split in two (some of them) it is a good compromise. I find it very quick and good handling. There are several variants made including race, trekking and 'superlight'.

http://www.pacific-cycles.com/product2. ... 1=1&cat2=6



Mine is a commuting type 'City' which came with straight bars and an 8-speed single chain ring set-up, but it was cheap and easy to upgrade to a double chain ring, there was even a boss for the front mech on the rear triangle. Having said all this I am not sure if anyone is currently importing them officially, but there are a few around on the net, mostly the same as mine but for the price upgrading to drops as well should be well within a £1000 budget. They use the larger 20" 451mm tyres, which are a bit harder to find than normal BMX size 406mm. but you can get Schwalbe Duranos to fit which are fine.

http://www.biketobe.com/type/folding/pacific-reach
http://www.foldingbikes.biz/html/pacifi ... kking.html

Do check exactly what the model spec is, there have a been various changes.

[AndrewLee]

Dahon Speed TR - purpose built folding touring bike. If you can, get last years model, - it came with dynohub. 24 speed, front & rear rack. Fully equipped and ready to go - comes with a carry bag. List price about £850 I got mine through BTW & got an older model - price to me about £240. Easily capable of high milages and serious touring. Met other riders who have undertaken tours around europe on them. Mines now got B&M lighting & a B17. Perfect solution to folding touring. Surprisingly not lauded in the media - can't understand this Dahon make cheap folders but their more expensive ones are exceptional value for money - Don't be put off by the conservative looks these are great quality serious rides.

[AndrewLee]

An excellent - affordable and under-rated touring bike. Can be fitted with drop or tri-bars but originals are very good. Older stock models come with dynohub lighting.

Web reference: http://www.dahon.com/bikes/2010/speed-tr