Advice on buying a folding bicycle

unixnerd

I'm working away from home a few nights a week and staying in a hotel a mile or two from work. I've been taking my road bike through and leaving it in my estate car overnight, if the weather's good I do about 20 miles after work on it but that may stop when the nights get darker.

Seems crazy to drive in to work such a short distance and I'm not someone who enjoys walking. Work has an outdoor covered bicycle stall and it's fairly safe (very remote) but I don't fancy using the road bike for some reason. Putting it back into the car if it gets wet is an issue. I could stick a pair of SPDs on it to make it more practical, just went to SPD-SLs a month ago! I may stop taking it through as the weather worsens (north of Scotland).

So under the N+1 rule I've been thinking of a folder. Got a shock when I saw what used Bromptons went for on ebay! I'd like one small enough to take into work and leave next to my desk, not the kind that just fold in half. Might take it on the train sometimes too. Ideally it should have gears so I can get a decent speed out of it for longer runs into town. Budget for a used one would be 200 max. Any ideas?

Other alternative is to just get a hack bike and leave it through here, but I fancy a folder.

walkingbootweather

Bought the wife a Boardwalk (6 speed folder) off ebay, but as new for £100. Versions made by Dahon, Raleigh and Phillips, but all pretty much the same.

Doesn't fold very small and is reasonably heavy but rides fine. I have happily taken it on jaunts of 12 miles or more at a time, if you aren't in too much of a hurry.

t4tomo

Hack bike. A £200 folder will be pants and to be honest only a Brommie folds small & neat enough for what you want.

ex-pat scot

Hack bike.

unixnerd

Yeah the hack bike may win, especially if I can talk the hotel into storing it for me.

Seems that all the five/six speed bikes use a freewheel so are limited to a 14t top gear, I'd need a more modern / dearer seven speed for an 11t. I think I'd find bike with small wheels a 14t top painfully slow.

prawny

Hack or Brompton.

I was going to buy a brompton but I've got a mountain bike I hardly use and a half decent lock was quite a lot cheaper!

Trying to convince the wife that I've earned a Planet X Nanolight. Especially as we got £1900 for my car too.

Andrew N

Brompton

We sell them on GGB. Not many listed yet, but we are working with Brompton on it

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/auction/c ... s/Brompton

shouldbeinbed

I think if you find a Brompton for £200 it'd be nicked by someone with no idea what they had got or seriously knackered.

Hacker would be my though at that budget but may be worth a cheeky punt on gumtree or ebay for someone with a dahon they just want rid of.

walkingbootweather

I can see I'm in the minority and agree with others that for pure riding ability, and minimal maintenance the hack wins everytime, but a Dahon (or copy) is fine for shorter distances and more leisurely progress and can be popped in to a car boot, be more easily stored indoors, or carried on public transport. If being able to do this is important to you then a folder shouldn't be discounted. I know an old fellow who goes on coach holidays 4 or 5 times a year. He is able to carry the folder in a bag as luggage then is able to explore the local area when he arrives - it works for him.

Woolfie

Hack bike is probably the way to go but:
I recently bought a folder and I don't get the Brompton thing - got a Raleigh 'Dahon' brand new at about a third of the price of an equivalently kitted out Brompton - it folds up nearly as small (fits on the train I go on so its fine for me) is lighter than the Brompton (I have compared) and actually with all the additional extras stripped off it it goes pretty well (I ride a full TT rig and road bike too for comparison) already surprised a few other commuters with its speed

unixnerd

Yeah I think hack bike is the way to go. Hotel will let me store a bike there so space isn't an issue now.

fnegroni

Woolfie wrote:

Hack bike is probably the way to go but:
I recently bought a folder and I don't get the Brompton thing - got a Raleigh 'Dahon' brand new at about a third of the price of an equivalently kitted out Brompton - it folds up nearly as small (fits on the train I go on so its fine for me) is lighter than the Brompton (I have compared) and actually with all the additional extras stripped off it it goes pretty well (I ride a full TT rig and road bike too for comparison) already surprised a few other commuters with its speed

+1

Was undecided too, guys at work all have bromtons. They are nice, one is titanium, ride smooth and fold compact.

But, they cost a lot.

Opted for a Dahon Mu P8 instead: very pleased so far. Plus I can fit my massive pannier bags (Altura 56 litre) and it comes with some good tyres as standard (Marathon Supreme). Plus it has all the gears I need.

unixnerd

I managed to get storage space at the hotel for a bike so will be taking my tourer through and leaving it there. Since I bought the road bike it barely gets used, if the weather's bad I go mountain biking instead.

dilemna

So no Brompton? Yet.