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We want to get mrs. Mtbfix a folder to reduce her commute time every day. As she travels by train into that London at peak time she needs something collapsible that is reasonably light for a feeble girl to lug about. The brompton she tried was too heavy for her to carry easily. Budget would likely be iro 600 notes.
Eazy Wheel adaptation of the brompton?
Mezzo? Used Birdy? Both lighter, but not by much. To be honest, most folding bikes are too heavy for people to carry comfortably any distance. Wheeling is much easier. The Bike Friday Tikit is a master of this. Out of budget, however.
Not trendy and a bit different, but I rather like the Pacific Cycles Carryme. 8 kilos is not light, however, and I would worry about longer rides.
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[b]Folding [/b] bike = Brompton
Folding [b]bike[/b] = Airnimal
Is she using the bike for home<->local station, london station <-> work or both ?
Eazy wheels on a single speed Brompton so you can tow it around. Extra-light kit if you're feeling flush.
It is hard to beat the brompton for fast folding and its small size.
It will fit in between the seats in trains for example or in front of you at a push.
Also its good to cycle on. The front luggage system is good too, so you don't need to carry a bag/rucsac as well.
I used to have one and agree that it is heavy to carry.
But most people don't carry them. It only takes seconds to fold and unfold.
In tube stations/tunnels and rail platforms most people push it along as a bike. Only to fold it when they literally get on/off the train/tube etc.
The brompton she tried was too heavy for her to carry easily.
secret with a brompton is to wheel it unfold it as mush as possible and only fold when you have to...
also find it easy, lighter feeling (i know it is not) to carry up stairs when it is unfolded..
remember if yo use SWT into london you can get a discounted Brompton from them
ps rumour is the Ti versions will be canned as Ti parts are getting hard to reliably source..
Bottom line, in london, busy trains, get a Brompton.
These look interesting..
http://www.bikesrgreen.co.uk/epages/es135139.sf/?Locale=en_GB&ObjectPath=/Shops/es135139/Products/Strida_lt/SubProducts/strida_lt_wht&ViewAction=ViewProductViaPortal
Strida...
without wish to start an argument....they are are horrible..neat design though...
brompton is the best all round solution... rides well (not as well as an airnimal but lightyears ahead of a strida) it packs small, has good spares backup, good warranty service, good luggage system can be used for longer rides (did lejog on mine) lots of options, lots of colors, generally durable (unless you do loads of miles) - non folding pedal is crap as are the std grips
they have reduce the spec of some bits of late - 2 speed rear wheel bearings are no unbranded when thy used to be japanese..
Never ridden a Strida just saw one once and thought it was a good solution...
Never ridden a Strida just saw one once and thought it was a good solution...
have a go... comedy
the thing is the guy that design it has done some really neat designs for Pacific:
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had a go on the older non IF reach and was a nice bike (like an airnimal which is not that surprising as pacific make airnimal frames)
Pacific also make Birdy frames 🙂
I have a Dahon.
The dahons tend to ride better than the Bromptons. At least mine rides considerably better than my mates Brompton. I've riden 32 miles on it from London to Berkshire a couple of times and not been uncomfortable.
They probably dont ride as well as Airminal. However they fold much easier and quicker than an Airminal.
Mine is heavier than my mates Brompton, they also dont fold as small as Brompton and are cumbersomeness to carry.
From your description I think a Brompton might be better for your wife as smaller + lighter generally.
(im working on the basis a negative response is as useful as a positive response)
I have a Birdy bought second hand and use it for 7m commute on country (hilly) roads, train then 5m in London. Good points are it uses pretty conventional parts which are easily available except for the wheels which are 18" and difficult to source. Folding is not bad but would not carry it far as it is not as compact as the brompton. One piece frame which does not break in the fold so quite stiff. I have only test ridden the brompton and it rode pretty well but I was a bit worried about parts reliability. Having said that any bike ridden regularly as a commuter will need repair from time to time...
also for brompton the style of handlebar / stem combo can dramatically alter how their ride feels.. M bars - upright and feel bendy
She is using it at both ends of the journey, or that would be the plan. W did consider just having a beater to leave in Paddington but that leaves a 15min walk at the home end. I'm not surprised by the consensus of Brompton being the favoured option. I think she was folding it at the station entrances and so had a long carry on the platforms. I think we shall have to have a jaunt to the lbs to see what they have as alternatives. I think the answer to that is probably Mezzo. Their mechanics do not like Bromptons for some reason.
Birdy uses MTB bits, lighter than Brompton, rides much nicer.
By far the best folder I've ridden in a while was a new Tern with a coaster-brake SRAM 2-speed auto hub. An impressively stiff frame and stem, makes my older Dahon feel a bit flimsy. It rode really well, felt quick. I really liked the Tern for being light, stiff and cable-free.
My Dahon has a 7-speed Nexus hub but a SS or 2-speed would be better for city riding and keeping the weight / cost down. Doesn't fold as small as the Brompton tho, not that I've ever needed it to fold smaller on the train.
Like this one but 2-speed - http://www.ternbicycles.com/bikes/link-uno
(Disclaimer, I work for the Tern distributor, but I don't make a habit of plugging anything I'm not above-averagely impressed by)
I have a Dahon Vitesse, now for your wifey it might just be a bit heavy to carry, Bromptons are too but the Dahon being a better more robust build is a little heavier has to be said.
Having said that I commute to that London regularly and I fold mine a stick it in either the cycle area or doorways (oposite the opening one so doesn't annoy getteronners/offers) and at the mo' commute to Hove and doing the same thing.
It's most excellent, has gear'idge and I can rely on it.
I did see some Terns at the weekend (at the Nocturne) and they were very good indeed, didn't ride one nor poke around it so can't comment, sorry, but worth another look.
Get a titanium Brompton - over budget but surely you are not saying that she is not worth it???
Bromptons hold their value pretty well so reducing the risk of buying one.
SWT rent them out so it might be worth doing that for a while.
Put kevlar tyres on and as much as you can do to avoid punctures.
Airnimal don't count as folding as you have to take the front wheel off, leaving the Birdy as the best riding folding bike - at least with the sport stem, with the comfort stem it is more like the clown bike that is a Brompton.
Actually the best riding folder is probably one of the 26inch Dahons, my Zero-G was pretty good and was a Joe Murray design.
Plus there is a wheel size limit on many train companies and I think Airnimals are over it - so if they ever decide to enforce it...
Or why not a beater at both ends of the ride?
secret with a brompton is to wheel it unfold it as mush as possible and only fold when you have to...also find it easy, lighter feeling (i know it is not) to carry up stairs when it is unfolded..Bottom line, in london, busy trains, get a Brompton.
+1 on all of that.
I've always liked the look of the more standard parts on the Mezzo and it seemed to ride OK but haven't owned one. I'd really like a Birdy but the folds nowhere near as good (or clean - a brompton folds without you touching the dirty bits).
That Tern Uno looks nice. Available with pink stickers too! How she would be impressed.
so similar to the Dahon Mu Uno:
MTBfix, I use paddington all the time with a Brompton and never carry it along the platform just wheel along the length of the train.
having had a series of Bromptons and a Dahon (tried most of the others the brompton is the most practical option + their lugage system is faff free...)
+ Dahons aftersales / backup is pants........
Where's she travelling in from - end of the line, or somewhere along a suburban line?
I do the same as your wife is thinking of doing - ride to station (Dorking), then ride from Wimbledon into Chiswick at the other end. Dorking's the end of the line, so I get onto an empty train in the mornings, which makes a hell of a difference.
Bromptons fold down very small, and mine is fine for the six miles each way commute from Wimbledon into town.
As said above, best bet is to wheel it as far as possible, then fold.
The size of the fold is really important, in my opinion. When you're getting onto a crowded carriage at the end of the day, having a small parcel that is neatly clipped together gets you far more cooperation and goodwill than some of the less elegant alternatives.
Oh, and it's worth noting that you will have fellow cyclist company - there are usually about three Bromptons on the carriage I get onto in the evening, and at least half a dozen on the same train out of Dorking in the morning.
There are other options out there - the Terns look good - but none fold as small as the Brompton, and going into London that's a real deal-breaker in my book.
[Edit] Oh, and to add to the above, luggage system on a Brompton is simply awesome, and after sales service from local shop and Brompton itself has been very good - they sorted a problem with my Sturmey Archer hub with no questions asked.
Tern and Dahon...
also but the same outfits - Dahon = Mr Hon,
Tern equals Mr Hon's former wife and Mr Hon junior...
lawsuit and patent infringement tastic!
She gets onto an already busy FGW train to Pad. then across to Camden. By all accounts the trains are endlessly busy so a small fold will count for a lot.
By all accounts the trains are endlessly busy so a small fold will count for a lot.
Yep on occasion I have had to stand with mine B between my legs and on one occasion hug it all the way home whilst wedged in the train...
one note re brompton... the flat S bar are best though this does limit you to (officially at any rate) the S bag.. due to the larger bags interfering with he S stem and cables
though you can adapt the basket/other bags to use the S frame etc
In that case, I would definitely go for the Brompton - nothing ridable actually folds as small. Best thing to do is borrow or hire one to try it out. I struggled with the fold at first, but it quickly becomes a motor skill.
[edit] I have an S bar, and use the S bag - it's pretty big at 20 litres, certainly enough for my laptop, a notebook, random junk and clothes. I tend to take a week's worth of shirts in one day, then socks, shreddies and fresh trousers on other days. The 'ears' at the back are spot on for a water bottle in one, tools and waterproof cover in the other. Get the recycled firehose flap and you can ditch the rain cover altogether.
A beater at both ends might be a better option if the trains are very busy.
I tend to go for a 10 minute buffer on the train I intend to return on to make sure I get on with no hassle, and leaving your bike by the door whilst looking for a seat never feels good - hence I sit on one of these next to the bike in the vestibule or door area:
http://www.presentsformen.co.uk/pocket-stool-prod12070/
Plus the beaters can have full size wheels and will be less twitchy than a small wheeled folder, and hence safer.
So if you're coming round to a Brompton these are the things I'd get/reject -
Gears - I've got the 2x3. The deraileur bit is crap - probably better just with 3 speed (i want to fit a 6 speed hub at some point).
Luggage - we've got a couple of bags. The S or C bag we've got isn't great - it's really not big enough. Carradice City Folder is good and suits the looks of the bike. Ortlieb bags are probably awesome (but expensive).
Rear rack - very rarely use it, and adds weight. Suspect it makes it more stable (can anyone confirm)
Lights - Having lights always fitted and powered is really convenient. The Son hubs are pricey but the B&M light they're now fitting is great (just fitted one as an upgrade). Shimano looks a cost effective alternative but maybe think about upgrading the front light yourself as the bulbs blow frequently (suspect the vibration above the small front wheel).
Bars - I'm not convinced by the flat bar advocates - tried both and took the M bars. They flex but not problematically and the ride position was better for me.
Hmm - I wonder if the M bar / S bar thing is down to rider height. I'm 5'7" and the S bar is about right. I seem to remember you being a fairly tall chap, Mr Nicolai.
The rear rack seems to make things more stable when folded - mine doesn't have a rack, and certainly seems more tipsy when wobbling around on the train - although it's yet to fall over by itself.
Lights are tricky - I use a helmet light and LEDs on the bar and seatpost - no way I could afford a dynamo setup when I bought mine, so I use my MTB bits, which seem to do the trick. But the convenience of dynamo is a big plus, I think. Can't really comment on that bit, mind.
That said, bearing in mind other comments on here, might two full-sized beater bikes not be cheaper and easier? No carrying on and off trains, for starters. If Mrs MTBFix is handy with a tyre lever, shouldn't be too much of a faff to keep the beater at the London end ticking over.
The beater option appeals from a cost perspective as we can make one up from the bits of bike in the loft. However being Londonphobic I always wonder what the risk is of finding no bike or a kicked in set of wheels when she gets to Paddington on a Monday morning might be.
Well, I have a Brompton and do the trip in to Paddington.
I have to say that if i didn't have a reasonable ride at the home end (5 miles) i would really consider a beater bike or the Boris bikes.
I have been really pleased with the borisbike scheme on the occasions i use it - is that an option?
The bike storage area in Paddington seems okay to me - full view on the platform, well used and a real mix of bikes in it. Whilst i wouldnt leave a 'pride and joy' bike in it, a ladies beater bike could be fine? Anyone got any personal experience of how secure it is?
she gets to Paddington on a Monday morning might be.
left bikes... tramps wee on them.... plus left bikes get bashed by others bikes...
one of the best things about a brompton is you can take it with you.. into work, into shops, into pubs etc
as for bars, i'm 6'5" i have an S stem as it is further forward as well as being taller than the M plus a 3" riser bar..
think for normal height people S bars are fine, easier to fit decent grips as well than with M bars.
S bag could be bigger but big enbough for an A4 folder a pair of size 12 safety boots, high viz and a hard hat on the front when going to site..
for the OP, best bet would be for your misses to do an extended ride on a Brompton, plenty of shops do this, some will loan for a day. A longer test ride is a good idea as they do feel a little different to a 'normal bike' so a longer test rides lets you get used to the difference.
Rear rack - very rarely use it, and adds weight.
Actually the rear rack does serve a purpose. When folding, the rear rack takes the force that is otherwise transmitted through the rear mudguard. This force causes the mudgaurd to crack and allow water ingress. I wish Brompton made black guards, because the rear turns cack pretty fast on the L version. Replaced mine several times.
Mrs Mtbfix here, thanks to everyone for responding.
I did borrow a neighbours Brompton and found the ride quite comfortable (when I got the seat height right) so I do favour a Brompton, but that's primarily because I've not tried anything else.
My commute in is relatively painless, generally I can get a seat, so could manage a Brompton there, my commute home however is where it gets tricky... I have to catch a high speed commuter which is packed even 10 minutes before departure, and then as the trains never run on time I have 2 minutes to get along a platform, up stairs, along a walk way and down another set of stairs ( and being a feeble girlie I can just about manage this without a bike) if I miss this connection, I have a 35 minute delay, and then won't see the little one, until the following night, so in a very long winded manner I really do need something I can either sprint along a platform with (or use to beat fellow commuters to get them out my way)
You don't say how far you ride, but for folding and dragging convenience, I'd seriously consider a Strida. Brompton's are lovely (had one for years), but no bike is nice to carry and run with (unless you like Cyclocross).
The thing is, theres no other options really. Its still got to be a bike and even a lightweight bike is 8kg, which is always going to feel heavy when its folded into a big cube shape.
Maybe two cheap bikes left at each end would be better?
Ahh good luck with the stroppy fellow passengers on FGW......
I assume your travelling on a season ticket? And don't get a reservation for a seat?
If this is the case you can phone FGW customer service and get them to get you a reservation for your in coming and return train..... This facility is poorly publicised.....you can have a seat of your own choice as well.... Rather than the random system that applies to day tickets....
Then you can smugly walk past the rest of the travellers and get a seat....
Don't get a mezzo! When I worked as a bike mechanics we two in and they both seemed shit, all the mechanics agreed. Dahon are cheaper but lower quality poorer pivots / joints, every single one I dealt with was wobbly from new. If you can afford it brompton is the only option.
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Ooh I didn't know I could reserve a seat, I think I'll need to do that, then I can get one ear the luggage rack and be out of everyone's way.
I've only got about 5 miles from Paddington, so by no means a long journey, but basically I can feel myself getting fat and lazy using the tube, and I know the Olympics is going to be hell.
Can't you just use boris bikes when in London?