any advice on kick scooter vs folding bike for train commute?

[allotment_melons]

I usually cycle to work, but I have a new commute that involves a train, and I can't take my bike on the train. So my options are to get a folding scooter or folding bike. The scooter is cheaper, lighter, easier to store at home (all important) but also slower, I guess. And I *enjoy* cycling, I don't know if I will enjoy scooting. The journey is about 2-3 miles from home to station or station to work, so about 10 miles each day in 4 stretches.

Has anyone tried both and could they tell me which they prefer and why?

[Jdsk]

Welcome

Have you had a chance yet to see how much space there is on the train?

Would you consider keeping a bike at the far end?

Jonathan

[jois]

I usually cycle to work, but I have a new commute that involves a train, and I can't take my bike on the train. So my options are to get a folding scooter or folding bike. The scooter is cheaper, lighter, easier to store at home (all important) but also slower, I guess. And I *enjoy* cycling, I don't know if I will enjoy scooting. The journey is about 2-3 miles from home to station or station to work, so about 10 miles each day in 4 stretches.

Has anyone tried both and could they tell me which they prefer and why?

I find scootering particularly hard work, the thought of 10 miles on one fills me with dread, they also are prone to landing people on their face if they hit a pothole or some such. I'd have a go on one first to see if it is feasable means of transport for you

Unless you mean electric of course

[deeferdonk]

Also seems a bit far on a scooter for me. I'd go folding bike, or buy a couple of cheap second hand bikes and keep one locked up either end.

[PH]

There's probably as many scooter options as there are folding bikes, I've had a couple of goes on a friends Swifty, which is good fun though I'd prefer to cycle. He uses that for a train commute which might be comparable to yours - though his morning ride from home is all downhill and he'll often bus the return. Those are about the same size and price as a Brompton, is that the sort you were thinking of, or was it the smaller wheeled options?
Whatever you use on the train depends on how busy it's likely to be. I've had three folding bikes - Cheap Dahon, Airnimal Joey, Brompton - it's only the Brompton I'd be happy using frequently on busy trains.

[allotment_melons]

thanks all for the suggestions. despite being a lifelong cyclist, I'm rather disappointed y'all weren't super enthusiastic about scooters!

to answer the questions:
- There's enough space on the train for a folding bike or scooter, but they don't allow non-folding bikes
- I'm a bit cautious of keeping a bike at the far end, partly because my local rail station is notorious for bike theft with no police response, and partly because I dread the thought of being caught by a puncture without all my tools with me, and having to walk.
- I'm thinking of one with about 250mm wheels. so tiny compared to a bike, but bigger than the trick scooters (I'm tall, so apparently that slightly larger wheel size will help).
- agree 10 miles would be a nightmare on a scooter, but it will be in 4 stretches, and looking again at the map, I could actually get all of them under 2 miles, so a bit better?

@PH
I would definitely consider a brompton, but they are so expensive - where do you find one for the same price as a swifty scooter?

[Jdsk]

Thanks for reading and responding to the questions and suggestions. Looking forward to the final plan.

I'd keep the tools etc in a bag which stayed with me. (And do.)

Jonathan

[PH]

@PH
I would definitely consider a brompton, but they are so expensive - where do you find one for the same price as a swifty scooter?

Halfords.
Currently the difference £100, I think it was about £60 when I bought mine a couple of years ago.
£850 for the basic Brompton
£750 for a folding Swifty

[grufty]

We've used both, they each have their merits and disadvantages.

We bought kick scooters (Decathlon mid7) when Mrs grufty couldn't walk due to arthritic knee, but she could cycle and scoot, she's since had a TKR.
The scooters are great for portability and ease of folding. We have done 5 mile stretches on and off tarmac. Disadvantages for commuting may be lighting in winter, conflict with pedestrians, reduced braking capacity in wet (Swifty type excepted). They're slower but maybe outweighed by advantages of solid tyres, and easier access to buses, taxis.
Folding bikes are great. Faster, access to road riding, but downsides are weight and increased maintenance, particularly in winter, not to mention more likely to be pinched or p%^&@#£d. Mrs grufty commuted by bus and folder for a while before we had scooters.

Perhaps trying a cheap (Decathlon?) scooter for a while on the commute may be worth a go?

[allotment_melons]

@PH
I would definitely consider a brompton, but they are so expensive - where do you find one for the same price as a swifty scooter?

Halfords.
Currently the difference £100, I think it was about £60 when I bought mine a couple of years ago.
£850 for the basic Brompton
£750 for a folding Swifty

Ah, I was looking at cheaper scooters, in the £100 range! I should have properly researched what you meant by a swifty scooter. They do look lovely, but I think if I had that sort of budget, I probably would also pick a Brompton

[allotment_melons]

We've used both, they each have their merits and disadvantages.

We bought kick scooters (Decathlon mid7) when Mrs grufty couldn't walk due to arthritic knee, but she could cycle and scoot, she's since had a TKR.
The scooters are great for portability and ease of folding. We have done 5 mile stretches on and off tarmac. Disadvantages for commuting may be lighting in winter, conflict with pedestrians, reduced braking capacity in wet (Swifty type excepted). They're slower but maybe outweighed by advantages of solid tyres, and easier access to buses, taxis.
Folding bikes are great. Faster, access to road riding, but downsides are weight and increased maintenance, particularly in winter, not to mention more likely to be pinched or p%^&@#£d. Mrs grufty commuted by bus and folder for a while before we had scooters.

Perhaps trying a cheap (Decathlon?) scooter for a while on the commute may be worth a go?

Thank you, this is encouraging to hear - 5 miles sounds impressive! I think the scooter will be less resilient in bad weather, but luckily I have the backup option to cycle to my local station and take the company shuttle bus at the other end. So, I have take the plunge and ordered a razor A6 push scooter which is apparently suited to taller riders. I will test this week before starting my commute. I don't need it to be perfect, just good enough, so fingers crossed!

[hercule]

My 2p’s worth… my experience has been with kickbikes rather than kickscooters… whilst I still call it a scooter, I’m meaning machines with bigger pneumatic tyres. I got my first 3 years ago when a running injury refused to heal and cycling made it worse. It’s since been joined by 2 others and the latest, a Kickbike RaceMax 28 is a lovely fast scooter with dual 700c wheels. I’ve done over 30 miles on mine, usually rides in the 10-15 mile range, average speeds 10-11.5 mph.

I’ve had no experience of small scooters like the Razor.

The big wheel machines are for me more like running with a turbocharger… similar sort of exercise and intensity as running but without the impact stresses. Which means I get pretty sweaty pretty quickly. I’ve tried a bit of commute/utility riding with them but the sweatiness factor means I have tended to prefer cycling. It’s also easier to carry the groceries home on a bike. For less intense or long distance rides the bike still comes out on top, but the scooter is a huge amount of fun.

The Swifty, amongst the cognoscenti, is generally regarded as having too high a deck for serious scooting but it has a following. You can get some good 16-20” wheel folders in the £400-500 range from the Finnish company Kickbike and from the Czech manufacturers Mibo and Kostka. The Mibos in particular seem to have a pretty loyal following.

Funon2wheels is a good place to go to see what you can get in the UK… very friendly and knowledgeable too.

https://www.funon2wheels.co.uk/

[hercule]

PS I still love my Brompton and wouldn’t part with it!

[UpWrong]

Not a loaded questions but do you largely use kick scooters on the road or the pavement?

[hercule]

My big wheel ones I use pretty much all on the road, I am going about bike speed anyway. And most places round here don’t have pavements, especially in the forest . I don’t think I’d be comfortable riding one of the small PU wheeled scooters on road or pavement tbh