Folding bike buying conundrum

andyeb

Following the premature demise of my Tern Verge P9 I need to sort out a new folding bike rapidly - I'm currently walking 30 miles a week and it feels like I basically just sleep at home right now!

Previous experience with folding bikes as follows:

Dahon Speed D6 - practical but a bit slow. Did thousands of miles on it and basically wore it out. Riding position a bit too upright even with handlebars at lowest setting. A bit heavy but otherwise ok.

Tern Verge P9 - nippy and light but plagued with quality problems, incurable creaks and concerns about the safety of the frame after a number of recalls and reports of frame failures on bikes not included in recalls. Eventually frame hinge developed incurable and worry amounts of play and lower hinge bolt threaded despite being torqued correctly. Riding position way too upright and fixed height handlebars. At this point I'm basically ruling out investing in another Tern.

Previously I've test ridden Bromptons and found them heavy, slow and too much flex in the stem. Basically too much of a compromise forwards that super compact folding size.

What I'm looking for in my new folding bike:

- sportive road-bike like riding position, or as close to it as I can get
- something dependable & good quality, which I'm going to be able to get spares for in 2-5 years time.
- quick & comfortable enough to ride the 30 miles home at a pinch, when the trains are completely messed up. I've done this on both my previous bikes on occasion.
- fold size small enough to practically take on the train. Probably max wheel size of 20". Previous bikes were fine in this regard.
- reasonably convenient fold - having to take the front wheel off is a step too far.
- ideally sub 10kg or 11 at a push.
- max budget £1,500

Am I asking too much and looking for a product that doesn't actually exist? Any recommendations please for makes/models to shortlist?

Thanks,

Andrew

fenix

30 miles is basically 10 hours of walking so two hours per 5 day ? I see the problem.

How often would you have to do the 30 mile ride ? Hopefully very rarely- so I'd not worry about that too much.

Personally I'd go Brompton. You know it'll be around. Hangs onto its value if you don't get on with it.

6 miles per day is going to be 30 mins cycling ? So 4 x better than currently.

And it is in your budget too.

Only other option is to have 2 x Decathlon bikes to leave at each end. That would work out cheaper than the Brompton. You'd want to make them a bit cruddier though so that they don't look so nice sitting there.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500- ... 06187.html

Check out their reviews. Very impressive.

andyeb

Fenix wrote:

30 miles is basically 10 hours of walking so two hours per 5 day ? I see the problem.

How often would you have to do the 30 mile ride ? Hopefully very rarely- so I'd not worry about that too much.

Personally I'd go Brompton. You know it'll be around. Hangs onto its value if you don't get on with it.

6 miles per day is going to be 30 mins cycling ? So 4 x better than currently.

And it is in your budget too.

Only other option is to have 2 x Decathlon bikes to leave at each end. That would work out cheaper than the Brompton. You'd want to make them a bit cruddier though so that they don't look so nice sitting there.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500- ... 06187.html

Check out their reviews. Very impressive.

For other jobs in this area, I've done the full 30 mile commute once a week on my road bike. On average I've probably ended up doing the full commute on my folding bike 1-3 times a year. The biggest problem is the upright riding position which puts all your weight through the saddle. I can ride a road bike all day but more than a few hours on most folding bikes is more than my back side can take!

You are right, I should probably give the Bromptons another test ride. Perhaps if I can find one fitted with the faster Schwalbe Kojak tyres, I might dislike them less!

Interesting idea about buying a few clunkers to keep at either end but my exact itinerary varies day to day depending on weather, time of day an rail service disruptions. I think a folder probably fits that usage pattern better however.

Saitama

HI Andy,

I have a couple of suggestions with brands not as well known as Brompton/Tern/Dahon.

But before I list them- are you aware of the weights limits foldies have? The max weight they can usually take is 105kg (i'm not saying you're fat, mind you!) and I myself have slightly distorted a frame because of this.

- ChangeBike. Change bikes are full size folding bikes. Wheels are 26 inch or 700c. Originally from Taiwan.
Being full size, and normal framed (unlike Montague), you can adjust and tweak as much as you like.

http://twistedvalentine.com/twistedblog ... 602-review
http://www.changebike.com/

- FSIR. I know Bikeradar is more a UK forum, and I live in Asia. But the bikes in this FSIR range weigh 8.1-9.5kg.

http://www.fsirbike.com/

asprilla

Have a look at Airnimal

http://airnimal.eu/products/products-ov ... _IRPCErLIV

They are amazing bikes. They don't fold up the smallest but they are incredibly well made and they ride like a proper bike as opposed to a compromise.

Edit; just noticed you don't want to remove the front wheel. Pity.

The Rookie

Some reading here
http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/ind ... 83766.html

Worth a look?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/f ... lding-bike
or
http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/bikes/bra ... rld-sport/
(Jonathan Edwards liked this brand in a review https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... ahon-birdy)

andyeb

Thanks. I've now gone for a Brompton S6L Black Edition 2017. Got me to work nicely this morning. Definitely slower than my old Tern, but I'm hopeful that if I swap out the tyres for Kojaks next spring, I might get at least some of that speed back.

Gears are taking some getting used to, but the new 2017 shifters are a definite improvement.