So you like riding children’s bikes?
That’s the feeling I get whenever I see these diminutive creations of the hardcore commuting crowd.
I had a foldable bike once, it was really cheap and was a prize at the company annual dinner.
It did not leave a good impression with me. The steering was twitchy, I felt like I’d pull a wheely with the slightest touch and it was just too damn small.
I don’t understand the trend here in Taiwan for people to buy these teeny tiny bikes over normal bikes. My local bike shop told me that sales of the Giant Halfway (locally produced, so cheap) are great and many people want to get them. I wouldn’t ride one for more than short-distance transport, but I have been considering one for just that purpose.
STRIDA
The STRIDA is my first love for foldable bikes, because it does that one thing really well. It folds bloody small.
That triangle is NOT a bike that folds, it is a folding thing made to work like a bike. They retail for around US$600 here in Taiwan for a new one. I’ve found second hand ranging from US$140 to US$300.
Quite expensive for a tiny bike, but it does include disk brakes, it only has one gear and is rated for speeds up to 20km/h according to their website.
The folded version is almost totally non-bikey and can be pushed around like a small pushcart.
Dahon
Very popular but also very expensive (I think that about all these bikes).
The Dahon Vitesse D7 is pictured above and is typical of all their bikes and most other foldables. It has a few gears, 20″ wheels and folds up fairly small.
The bike still needs to be packed to be taken on trains and stuff because even when folded it is quite big, unlike the STRIDA.
Layout is more like a traditional bike, which gives it handling that is more typical and less of the penny-farthing style position of the STRIDA.
My folding bike that I had for a while (I gave it away ’cause it wasn’t too useful) was similar in layout to this. I will need to be convinced that this is a good ride if I ever get one.
Bike Friday Tikit
The Tikit is another popular, but even more expensive option. Bike Friday have a range of folding bikes going from tandems to carbon road bikes to super-folding bikes like the Tikit above.
There is a pretty strong following and community around these bikes, but at over $1000 for a tikit is it really that cool to be small?
No foldy for me
Although I had my heart set on a second hand STRIDA for around $140, I’ve actually scrapped the idea.
Why?
Because I just don’t do enough commuting to warrant it. I stay 5 minutes by bike from my office and both my office and home have somewhere I can put my bike. Any other place I’d ride to also has a place to put my bike, and if it doesn’t, I won’t ride there.
Abundance of public transport when necessary, and a scooter (motorbike kind) there is really no need.
I would definitely go for a STRIDA if I was ever to get a folder, but for now the money will go into a cool seat.
Do you have one? Would you get one?