Folding
Bikes
A Buyers' Guide
Compiled by 'A to B' magazine
Updated May
2008
CONTENTS:
Airframe
. Airnimal
. Bernds
. Bike
Friday
. Birdy
. Breezer.
Brompton
. CariBike
. Dahon
. Di
Blasi
. Gekko
. Giant
. Redlof
. Merc
. Mezzo
. Moulton
. Pashley
. Sinclair
A-bike
. Smart
. Strida
. Strutt
. Tactic
. Universal
. Tandems
. Recumbents
Bicycles are
judged by a star system. This can only provide a rough guide,
particularly where one rating covers a range of different bikes. The
best machines are at the top of the page, the worst
below
Full road tests
of most of the bikes featured below are available from our back
numbers list, but as new subscribers now receive free digital back
numbers to issue 55 (August 2006), it may be cheaper to subscribe
than order several recent back numbers. (A subscription costs
£13.80 in the UK or £19 overseas)
Brompton
*****
From £395
After a production run of
fifteen years, the Brompton remains the definitive folding bike.
Revamped in Mark 3 form in 2000, and upgraded in early 2004, the
model range has been completely reconstructed for 2005, with two new
families - the sporty S-type and touring P-type. With the new models
come a whole range of new accessories and options, from ball-bearing
rollers for the rear rack to lightweight titanium frame parts. The
Brompton folds in less than 15 seconds to a volume of 85 litres (3 cu
ft) and locks together, so it's easy to carry. Unique to the Brompton
is a range of pricey but effective luggage secured over the front
wheel by a quick-release system. Rear suspension deals with the bumps
and the small 16-inch wheels make the Brompton very maneuverable
through traffic, its natural habitat. It weighs from 9.7kg and is
currently available with a 3-speed hub, 3-speed hub plus Brompton's
own 2-speed derailleur, producing an effective 6-speed, or 2-speed
derailleur alone. Primarily a commuter machine, the Brompton can
actually be ridden considerable distances thanks to its rear
suspension and high-pressure tyres.
Some Brompton models have a rack and dynamo lights, but our tip is to
opt for the cheaper, lighter 'L' type, plus the front luggage and
optional battery lighting set. If you can afford it, the L-X option
is lighter still. The 'C' type is similar to the 'L', but with a
simpler, nastier spec - this one is only really suitable for leisure
use.
Although designed and produced in England, the Brompton has also been
built under licence by Neobike in Taiwan for sale in the Pacific rim
countries, but this agreement has long been terminated and production
wound up. Strangely, if you see a Brompton carrying a Union Jack
flag, it will be made in Taiwan! Other manufacturers - notably Oyama
and Merc - have tried to copy the Brompton, but the results are a bit
laughable as yet.
Recently, road tests elesewhere have questioned the Brompton's place
at the top of the pile, but we can see no viable challengers. New
scrummy titanium bits have put the bike back at the cutting edge.
Beware of
imitations - see Merc!
We have numerous
road tests of Brompton models and technical
articles - see
A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see
UK
Price Tag
Still the best
compact folder on the market
Bike
Friday ****
From £675
A high performance 20-inch
(406mm) wheel folding bike from Oregon, USA that has competed and
toured all over the world. Made to measure, the range includes the
touring/commuting Metro, New World Tourist and Crusoe, the Pocket
Llama for off-road and expedition type touring, the Pocket Rocket, a
racing and road bike, the AirFriday for elite racing and Triathlon
use, and the AirGlide, a multipurpose machine designed primarily for
easy transport by air. Bike Friday now also makes a performance
folding recumbent, a tandem model. and the 16-inch Tikit, taking the
company into Brompton-style commuter territory.
Lightweight (from 7.3kg upwards), with quality components, most
Fridays fold in 15 seconds to a package of 170 - 340 lites (6 - 8 cu
ft), and can also be dismantled and packed in a hard case in about 30
minutes. The Tikit is suitable for train/bus commuting, but the other
folded packages don't lock together so really only suitable for
ocassional air travellers.
We have a number of road-tests of Bike Friday models and one
technical article - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Probably the best
high-performance folding bike
Airnimal
****
From £695
The Airnimal is designed in
the UK, but the frame is made somewhere cheaper, so this attractive,
low-volume performance bike is less expensive than you might think.
Like the Bike Friday range, the Airnimal can be quick-folded for the
train, or dismantled for long-distance hard-case transport. The main
difference is suspension on some models, and larger (507mm or 520mm)
wheels. These are sometimes described as 20-inch, but are actually
24-inch. Tyres are a bit rare in these sizes, but the extra diameter
will give a slight performance edge.
We have not tested the Airnimal.
Superb performance
machine
Dahon
****
From £300
Designed in America, but
built in Taiwan, and more recently China and Macau, Dahon produces a
range of neat folders, from economical 16-inch (305mm, rather than
the bigger 349mm tyre) models to full-size MTBs and 700c road
bikes.
The basic 16-inch Dahons have smaller wheels than the Brompton
or Micro, and no suspension, so rolling resistance is not quite so
good, although tyres have improved in the last few years. Indeed, the
specification and performance of Dahons has improved out of all
recognition, and they currently produce some of the lightest bikes on
the market.
Dahon is best known for its 20-inch (406mm) machines, and
there are plenty (some would say too many) to choose from. At the
budget end, we'd recommend the Boardwalk, but if you can afford a
lighter and better-equipped bike, take a look at the Vitesse, Helios
or Speed, particularly the elegant 8.7kg SL variant. There are also a
number of 26-inch and 700c full-size machines available, including
mountain bikes of varying sophistication. Dahon now claims to be the
biggest folding bike manufacturer in the world - it certainly offers
the widest range.
Just to confuse matters, Dahons are also marketed under different
brand names in different countries. In the UK, badges include
Dawes,
Ridgeback and Rudge. Dahon
also licenses its technology to affiliated companies such as
Yeah
bicycles, so very similar looking machines may turn up under
different brand names, such as Compass
Marine.
A to B tip:
Unless you're looking for a
rare top-end model, our advice is to ignore the Dahon brand
altogether and go for a cheaper 'badge-engineered' model. Our top buy
at the moment is a German-market 20-inch Dahon with a Compass Marine
badge for just £70. Why pay more? Dahons bikes have also been
copied by Neobike.
We have numerous road tests of Dahon models - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Brand name now
looking over-priced in the UK
.
Birdy
***
From £830
The German designed/Taiwanese
built Birdy epitomises a new breed of high tech, forward-looking
folding bikes. The frame is made of sturdy aluminium and has both
front and rear suspension, offering a smooth ride, anti-dive braking
and excellent handling. Unfortunately, the UK price is now a little
high, thanks to exchange rate thingies. The Birdy was starting to
look a bit dated, but has been revitalised with a new monocoque frame
on most models: The range includes five models; the basic Red with
8-speed derailleur (and old frame); Touring with SRAM 3x8
hub/derailleur system; Speed with 9-speed derailleur; City with Nexus
8-speed hub transmission and Rohloff, with 3-speed Sturmey, no only
joking, 14-speed Rohloff hub transmission. You'll need a mortgage for
that one. The Birdy weighs from 10kg, so it's reasonably light, but
rather overtaken by recent Dahon and Brompton models. Folding takes
from about 15 seconds and produces a 190 litre (6.6cu ft) package,
but not everyone finds the technique easy. Tyres are
18x13/8-inch
(actually barely larger than 16x13/8")
and are mostly of quite poor quality, although the range of tyres has
increased. There is no specific off-road version of the Birdy, but
optional knobbly tyres produce a machine that performs well on tracks
and trails.
We have numerous road tests of Birdy models and two technical
articles - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Unique all-purpose
machine, but less attractive than it was
Giant
Halfway ***
From £275
The original
Multispeed Halfway is based on a Mike Burrows design, but built in
Taiwan by Giant. Despite - or, perhaps, because of - the monoblade
forks, the handling is very safe and secure. 20-inch wheels and a
rigid alloy frame inspire confidence, particularly for those
unfamiliar with small wheels. On the downside, it's a bit heavy and
the gearing is too low for serious use, but the ratios have recently
been improved. The bike has been joined by a cheaper, more
conventional single speed of dubious origins, kept hidden firmly
under the counter by wise Giant dealers.
We have one road test of the Giant Halfway Multispeed - see
A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see
UK
Price Tag
Undergeared, but
stylish and practical
Mezzo
***
From £625
When the Mezzo was first
shown at the 2004 Cycle show, its sporty good looks and neat
engineering promised great things. But Brompton did not need to worry
unduly: the reality with the Nexus hub-geared i4 was a little
different, thanks to poor tyres, poor hub and unambitious gearing.
The d9, with a similarly under-geared version of Shimano's normally
delightful 9-speed Capreo derailleur, also proved a bit
disappointing, but the bikes have been extensively revised, and we
have a new test coming soon...
We have road-tests of the Mezzo i4 and d9 - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Good idea, early
detail problems, but improving
fast
Moulton New
Series ***
Mentioning the price
would be vulgar
The Rolls-Royce or Morgan of
cycling, depending on who you believe. Still hand-built in Wiltshire,
England, Dr Alex Moulton's radical space-frame design has stood the
test of time in its latest incarnation - the New Series. Front and
rear suspension, high-grade components; a bike for the connoisseur.
Superbly engineered, the Moulton doesn't fold, but splits in two like
the APB. Moulton produced the first small wheelers, and his latest
machines are rightly considered amongst the best in the world. On the
other hand, they cost an arm and a leg, and they don't fold.
We have two road tests of the older Moulton AM - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
At 16mph all you can
hear is the ticking of your knee
joints
Strida
Mark 3 ***
From £250
After six years, the unique
Strida returned to the market in 1998 as the Mark 2, but production
has recently been moved from Suffolk to Taiwan and the bike has been
revamped to produce the Mark 3. Although currently only available by
mail order, dealers are being established in the UK, the USA and
elsewhere. Constructed from aluminium and plastic, and weighing less
than 10kg, the Strida has drum brakes and an oil-free toothed rubber
drive belt for easy maintenance. Folding in ten seconds or even less,
this is the ultimate 'stick' folder. A much prized fashion accessory
for the cyclist with everything, and now re-engineered to perform
much better. No, honestly, we rode 10 miles without the slightest
problem - it's a practical bike in Mark 3 form. Folded size has
improved too. The maximum dimension is still 113cm, but folding
handlebars have cut the folded volume in half, to 130 litres (4.6 cu
ft)
We have two road-test of the Strida - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Lots of
style, and now a surprisingly good performer
too
Airframe
**
From £690
The Airframe is an unusual
folding bike - produced for a while in the 1980s, it has recently
made a come-back, taking advantage of new production techniques and
modern high-pressure tyres. The aluminium frame folds by a neat
scissor action, producing a long package that's quite large in terms
of volume, but thin enough to fit in plenty of odd corners.
This has to be one of the sexiest-looking folding bikes, although
opinions differ about the quality of the ride, as the many joints
give the frame a somewhat 'fluid' feel, and creaks and rattles are
quite common. Despite a lack of suspension, the Airframe feels soft
yet sporting - something you either love or hate. Gearing is by the
reliable and rather cumbersome Nexus 4-speed hub, but keep an eye
open for the new 8-speed Sturmey variant. The Airframe responds best
to a gentle touch, so not recommended for 20 stone bruisers.
We have a number of articles on the Airframe - see A
to B Back Numbers
Expensive and
idiosyncratic, but oozes the 'IT' factor
.
Bernds
**
No UK price at
present
An adaptable 20-inch wheel
folding bike from Germany, the Bernds Faltrad started life as an
indifferent folder, but a revamp produced a much better machine a few
years ago, although doubts have been expressed about the strength of
the frame. Produced in two versions - toothed belt with 4-speed hub
gear, or chain and SRAM 3x7 hub/derailleur, the Bernds makes an
excellent compromise for those more familiar with big wheels. It will
carry a prodigious volume of luggage, thanks to front and rear
pannier racks, yet it folds reasonably quickly into a train-friendly
package. The bicycle has now been joined by a tandem which, rather
disappointingly, folds to about the length of an ordinary bike.
We have one road-test of the Bernds Faltrad - see A
to B Back Numbers
Has acquired a poor
reputation - hence, no UK distributor at
present
Moulton
APB **
From £895
A
mass-produced version of the Moulton bicycle, with front and rear
suspension, 20-inch wheels and a steel space-frame, made by Pashley
Cycles in England. The APB (All Purpose Bicycle) is comfortable and
rides well - it's better off-road than most folding bikes too. No
lightweight, at 13-14+kg, but there's a wide range, from a 3-speed
hub gear version to a 21-speed hub/derailleur hybrid with drop
handlebars. The APB doesn't fold, although most split in two, which
takes a few minutes. Not suitable for regular folding, but otherwise
solid and (relatively) reliable.
We have two road tests of the Moulton APB and one of the Land Rover -
see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see
UK
Price Tag
Looking heavy, old
and tired
Breezer
*
From $450
When big companies put their
badge on a folding bike, it's vital that they choose well from the
available machines. Breezer has made one good decision (the i7) and
two rather dubious ones (the itzy and i3). The bikes are actually
made by Oyama: The little Itzy has a super-short wheelbase and is not
really suitable for carrying a typical North American. The larger i3
is a rather half-hearted Brompton clone, sold in the UK as the Space
Genie. OK, but against the Brompton it's completely outclassed. The
i7 is a much better machine, with a decent alloy frame, 7-speed Nexus
hub and some proper components. However, at $699, it's up against the
cracklingly good Dahon Speed Pro and the base level Bike Friday
Metro. All the same, the i7 would probably get three or even four
stars on its own, but it's dragged down by it's smaller cousins.
We have tested
the Breezer i3 (Oyamao Space Genie)
- see
A
to B Back Numbers
Itzy and i3 are poor,
but the i7 is worth considering
Pashley
Fold-It *
R.I.P. Was
£349, now out of production
Like the Micro, the Fold-it
looked and felt like a product of the 1970s. Originally designed and
built by Richard Cresswell, the machine was built by Pashley until
early 2005. With a distinctive Y-shape frame and quality SRAM hub
gears and brakes, the Fold-It was a sturdy and practical bike, but
only folded in half, without the compact origami offered on more
sophisticated folders. Folding took 30 seconds, reducing the Fold-It
to a rather cumbersome 280 litres (10 cu ft).
We have a number of articles on the Fold-It - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Tired, and now popped
its clogs
Di
Blasi *
From £439
A small
Italian folding bike, the Di Blasi is starting to look very old. It's
a heavy machine, but it folds very quickly (about 12 seconds) with a
unique scissor action, to 4.3 cu ft. Well-equipped (lights, rack,
folding pedals, derailleur gears) but not a serious contender these
days, although the company keeps fiddling with the concept. There is
said to be a 20-inch version around, which could be much better, but
probably wouldn't compare with a 20-inch Dahon. The folding trike is
particularly compact if you like that sort of thing, but horribly
heavy. For some reason, the Di Blasi remains popular with the
yachting fraternity.
We have one road test of a Di Blasi model - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see
UK
Price Tag
Heavy, undergeared
and overpriced
Universal
*
From
£130
The Skoda of folding bikes - the Universal is still the cheapest
folder available, but the Chinese are challenging. Made in Poland,
the bike looks like a 1960s-vintage 'shopper', which is exactly what
it is. It's heavy, it doesn't fold very well or clip together, and
the ride and handling are poor. Well equipped, with luggage rack,
propstand and bell, the Universal is available in single speed or
Sturmey Archer 3-speed variants.
We have one road-test of a Universal - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Yawn, yawn.
Long, long overdue for a
replacement
Merc
*
£400
The Merc is
an attractive Chinese pirated clone of the Brompton, correct in most
respects, and apparently upgraded from the classic British bike,
thanks to a light alloy frame. The reality is a bike that weighs
13.2kg (heavier than the steel Brompton), on which almost nothing
works properly - the saddle slips down, the brakes barely function,
the front carrier block is a bit dodgy, and the cables get in a
tangle when you fold it up. If offered one at the ludicrous price of
£499, just say no. We should add that the Merc seems to be
attracting a vociferous following: ' just as good as a Brompton...',
'a Brompton rider stopped and offered me money for it...', etc, etc.
We can only say that these dynamic qualities were not immediately
obvious in the bike we tested. If it really has improved, we may well
return. Watch this space!
Dysfunctional pirate
copy
Giatex
*
Appears to have gone
to that great scrapyard in the sky
A horrible
short wheelbase small-wheeled machine that folds by, er, telescoping
the mainframe. An interesting idea, but it's less stable than a more
'conventional' folder, heavier than most, and it folds into a
ginormous package. Hence the name, one assumes. Next please!
Guaranteed to break
the ice at parties
Gekko
*
From £150
We're too kind - one star is
extremely generous. A good idea, but poorly executed in China,
resulting in a cumbersome, heavy, over-priced folder with tiny
wheels, and the rolling resistance of damp putty. We wouldn't ride
this machine if it was the last bicycle on earth. Seriously, we would
walk instead.
We have one road-test of the Gekko - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Absolutely no
redeeming features
Sinclair
A-bike
*
£150
The single star is for the
fold, which is very neat, the light weight and the reasonable price.
The bad news is that the bike is almost unrideable - something of a
flaw on a bicycle. We rode ten miles largely on the flat, and taking
great care to avoid pot-holes. Others have ridden up the road and
back. Some blogger somewhere claims that his wife has ridden a
noncholant 30 miles, which is almost beyond belief, but people do odd
things. Still, Sir Clive is a smashing bloke, and we look forward to
his next invention with fascination.
We have one road-test of the Sinclair A-bike - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
Fabulous
folder, but almost unrideable
Tandems
From £1,595 or
$1,195
Want a tandem, but don't have
room to store it? There is now a range of folding tandems available.
The Green Gear (Bike Friday) Family Tandem provides excellent value
and can be set up to fit children as well as adults in the stoker
position. Unfortunately, the bike is not currently available in the
UK.
The Family has small wheels and splits in two, but conventional
tandems, such as the Co-motion Co-pilot and the Swallow, can be
fitted with S&S stainless steel couplings, allowing the frame to
be split into 6 or 8 pieces. Folding is a time-consuming process, but
the most compact machines can be carried by train or air in
relatively small hard or soft cases. Bike Friday also produce the
Two'sDay - a clever, but rather complex small wheeler, and Montague
and Redlof produce economical full-size folding machines.
We have two road-tests of folding tandems - see A
to B Back Numbers
For prices and stockists, see UK
Price Tag
One day, all tandems
will be built this way
Recumbents
Tandems are pretty
cumbersome, but recumbents are even worse. Partial folding or
separable recumbents have been around for some time, and there are
now a few innovative folding machines, such as the Beamer, Mako, M5,
and the Sat-R-Day from Bike Friday. But this is just the beginning.
We have recently tested a Greenspeed recumbent trike that folds to a
train-friendly package, and a recumbent conversion kit for the
Brompton producing an even smaller package. And Bike Friday is
expecting to release a folding tandem recumbent soon. Clever
stuff.
See A
to B Back Numbers
for details
For more information on the
Brompton recumbent, visit the Neuß/Brompton
web pages.
All road tests can be
ordered by credit card - call 01963
351649
(+44 1963 351649 outside UK)
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