So now I'm commuting to London, I need to do something to decrease the misery.

I still need to get the train in to Eston, but I've got 3-4 miles across town. I can't tak a full-size bike on the train, so what's a decent folder that has some zip to it and doesn't ride like a £50 Halfords special?

http://www.brompton.co.uk/

Expensive but very good

http://www.airnimal.eu/News/Home.php

Take your pick!!

This looks brill

Folding Bicycle Eliminates Need for (a Big) Lock

I have a 2-speed, flat barred Brompton. It looks smart, doesn't weigh too much and goes along nicely if you don't try to go too fast (it's a bit skittish at speed).

It is a very, very useful thing. It sits happily in pubs under the table, goes into the cloakroom at restaurants or theatres and generally eliminates the hassle of bike/train interactions. During the working day it lives in my office and is useful for running errands at luncheon. My preferred riding vibe for it involves trouser clips, no helmet and never riding hard enough to work up a sweat. A very helpful piece of kit. 🙂

Brompton for faff free folding & minimal space required on the train

i have one of these…

tikit

with x9/xt.

i think it is easier and faster to fold than the brompton and it's not made in china (custom built to my size in USA) however the brompton folds smaller than anything. bromptons also have non-interchangeable parts and i think they are a bit low quality…

I've been pondering a Brompton but a couple of days a week I would need to do 15+ miles each way through Surrey from the station.

Not sure the Brompton would be much for this distance but want to keep a small fold etc for London days. Have been looking at the Tikit and very tempted.

turnipforgeindustries, how do you find the handling of the Tikit and (if it's not rude to ask!) was it lots more pricey than a Brompton?

I have a 2-speed, flat barred Brompton. It looks smart, doesn't weigh too much and goes along nicely if you don't try to go too fast (it's a bit skittish at speed).

I have one – great bike, they are fine at speed, what they do not like in london is big potholes around the size of a B wheel etc – not that there are any in london of course

as for 15 miles – brompton would be fine for occasional 15miles use – i have done much longer rides on my 2 speed.. the 6 speed is more flexible but heavier.

bromptons also have a good range of luggage system and dealer/factory support is great.

Not saying they are perfect – i have had mine for 5 years, and if that time all parts have been replaced at least once with the exception of the stem, forks and rear triangle.

yes some of the parts are a bit gash, but people keep saying 'lost of custom parts, hard to get' they are very few 'custom' parts, support in london and the southeast is very good – you can normally get any part off the shelf and often it is the std parts that go wrong plus you can always fold and get a cab, bus, underground if you really need to

if you have to use a busy commuter train then Brompton is the best solution..

my experiance of the tikit wasnt a good one – custom build from the factory had too many details missed like – 18 speed with 2 chain rings – using 2 singlespeed rings and a front mech – it didnt shift well – the chain also went down between the rings. american woman touring uk with it was driven mental by it = new chainset for her. cable routing – due to boss placement didnt allow it to fold properly.

overall it felt cheap

if you search there is another thread on folders i started earlier in the week

for me its a toss up between an airnimal joey alfine and a dahon d7 hg.

im curious how many miles these brompton owners do because after speaking within audax circles with guys who have ridden for donkeys they seem pretty shonky – likewise looking at brompton owners sites , seem fine for a couple miles but seem to fail on longer commutes.

dahon dont fair much better in the same circles of folk but are cheaper and do what i want them to do

airnimal on paper seems to be the best for what i want but doesnt fold as easy or as small .. but i dont have to get on the tube !

I know some people are very comfortable on bromptons but I've tried both Bromptons and Dahons.

Im pleased I got a Dahon much more like a proper bike especially if your going to be riding 15 miles each day.

If I'd have known about the airminal I'd have looked at them too.

Theres a guy on my train who uses one seems to take considerably longer to fold and more difficult to carry but if your cycling 15 miles the 24" wheels might be useful.

I think a 24" dahon would be really useful too and I think they do a couple but none of them seem to be set up for speed/commuting more poddling to the shops.

im curious how many miles these brompton owners do

did the c2c on my 2speed B with my mate in his 2 speed..

also use mine to get around for work –

in 2008 used to go to Walthamstow 3 times a week from holborn for 4 months on my B. that was on top of commuting into london (train + B)

also used it to get to glastonbury festival site (for work) from castle cary station – 9miles each way with a bugger of hill 1/2way.

i think a lot of B owners don;t use their bikes much though – in five years I have spent a lot on new parts etc + had a new frame and cranks under warranty after they broke

however i think the S bar B is by far the best – lower bars and further forward that the M style std ones – they imho ride awful

if airnimal could sort the fold on the Joey they would have a winner – much nicer to ride than a B

Anyone know anyhing about the Slingshot?
http://www.slingshotbikes.com/technology/foldtech

SJS Cycles have a huge stock of Brompton bits.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cid/QSP4CA9C65EGWNN7XG5J41U52FKSA49F/category-Brompton-766.htm

Mine's been fine. I have changed the standard grips (they are really a bit poo) for Brookes Grips and the brake levers for some Avids as the originals felt a bit spongy.

Pics of replaced grips and levers here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheesyfeet/sets/72157623148769745/

The other ace thing about Bromptons is the Brompton World Championships 😀

i think a lot of B owners don;t use their bikes much though – in five years I have spent a lot on new parts etc + had a new frame and cranks under warranty after they broke

this is what i suspected. most of the folk who i talk to about them seemed to try to use them like i would be and it seems you have and have experianced as you have failure of almost everything ….

Actually personally I think dahon are pretty close to everything I want from a folding commuter here.

Dahon XL

Unfortunately its still too heavy and pricy, but its got some really important features.

24" Potholes no longer a problem
Proper Stem so wont feel skitish
Internal Gears no need to swap chain or fettle to keep them work
(will probably be 11 speed from next year and lighter)
Disc Brakes so no longer have to fettle with brakes to keep them working

As you can tell I would like a commuting bike which pretty much takes care of its self so I can spend more time with my MTB's.

Im not too sure about the Dyanmo etc.

Although the total weight might not be so bad. The weight for all the other bikes is without accessories ie lights,rack etc this weight already includes them.

Mine's been fine. I have changed the standard grips (they are really a bit poo) for Brookes Grips and the brake levers for some Avids as the originals felt a bit spongy.

I went for shimano and specialised grips on a small riser bar:

The other ace thing about Bromptons is the Brompton World Championships

Yep! booked in this year for the best of 3 show down with my best mate – 1 all at the mo

Folding bikes you say?!

The Bendable Bike…

My Brompton is used quite frequently, but not for any very great mileage.

and it seems you have and have experianced as you have failure of almost everything ….

most has been stuff just wearing out like brake pads, cables suffer due to lost of folding, rims wear out, been through 10 chains and sprockets in 5 years.

List so far over 5 years of constant use:
2x Rims Replaced
Rear spokes replaced
Both wheels – complete rims knackered again + hubs + freehub – cpmplete wheels easier/cheaper
4 sets of tyres
6 sets of cables
Frame and seatpost – under warranty as it snapped (i'm tall and it stresses the frame)
Crank snapped – under warranty
Saddle – fizik one twisted
2x hinge clamps
Brake Levers
Headset ( have a shimano one now)
Grips
Handlebars – replaced due to a guy i know had his snap of the same vintage putting him under a bus and it worried me, plus to alter riding position a bit
1 set of jockey wheels
4x rear mudguards, coz i keep bashing it whilst dragging along

still the most versatile bike I own and def recommend them – wish they would do a HD version though

I saw one of these in the LBS the other day, 3 speed Sram hub with 9 speed Shimano casette. I quite liked it.

I use my Brompton for a round trip of about 8 miles, with a train commute.

If you want to get on the train, get a Brompton. The Dahon owners seem rather reluctant to fold them.

As for the handling, I think that some of the comments are a bit "oh you can't ride without 6 inches of suspension"-ish.

Here's mine with a full 30l bag on the front, and a 22l bag on the back. I rode it from Sheffield to Hathersage, and the only iffy handling was downhill on a gravel farm track.

Took my stuff for a stag weekend, then I hopped on the train to Manchester, sat nicely in the hotel, and fitted under a desk at the conference I was going to 🙂

@rnagain

i haven't tried a brompton so i can't compare. the tikit seems handle well (it has 3 sizes unlike the brommie) but standing up whilst pedalling doesn't feel right. i see people standing up on brommies and wonder if this is confirtable or not.
My only comment would be that the 'virtual top tube', I mean the horizontal distance between the seat and bars is a bit short for me.

overall i am happy with it but not in proportion to how much i paid for it (including postage and tax and duty nearly 2000€)
moans
-you can choose any parts you want but they charge high retail for them (bit of a cheek)
-they had issues with frame cracks, but from what i hear (unlike pace(!)), they admitted the design fault and paid for replacements including postage…
-the gear inches is a bit low and with 53/11 tooth top gear ratio, i need a higher gear (even on a flat surface)

to be honest, if i had the money again i would have bought a Ti brommie and upgraded the parts as best i could.

If you want to get on the train, get a Brompton. The Dahon owners seem rather reluctant to fold them.

Well I fold my dahon on the train every day and also put it under the table at work. The only thing I have to say is when folded the bike may not be that stable if you put the saddle too low/too high. I cant say I've ever seen any one not fold a dahon to put it on the train ?

Here's mine with a full 30l bag on the front, and a 22l bag on the back. I rode it from Sheffield to Hathersage, and the only iffy handling was downhill on a gravel farm track.

Thats a pretty impressively laden Brompton ! and going down a farm track on that is even more impressive.

Each to their own but I just would nt want to do that. I've tried a brompton serveral times and the steering just feels too quick for me.

Personally I'd rather swap the fact the bike folds slightly larger. (but it does fold just a quickly and easily) so much greater stability.

hmmm – as mentioned in a previous thread here I'd be a little wary of Dahons. I shelled out a fair wodge (admittedly via cycle2work) on the MU XL – the model under the above Speed (or whatever it's called). I was doing a round commute of about 12 miles a day and after a couple of months things were starting to fall apart rather – it required daily fettling and what I'd consider heavy maintenance. That said, the folding part was very good – nice and quick and small.

If you're going to be spending a reasonable amount for what you're doing, out of what's been mentioned before I'd recommend a Brompton over the Dahons.

Mind you, I've also had a Strida which are great if you've got a flat(ish) and relatively short route – they fold 'vertically' and very, very quickly, are much cheaper than a Brompton and their company support is fantastic. If I wasn't doing lots of very hilly miles and only had a few miles to ride then I'd still be using it daily…

EDIT: …but if you're doing more miles then as mentioned in the other recent thread, I'd recommend Airnimal.

-the gear inches is a bit low and with 53/11 tooth top gear ratio, i need a higher gear (even on a flat surface)

should of got a Shimano Capreo rear hub and cassette goes down to a 9t and is designed for small wheelers..

hey woffle you dont get on the paddington train at maidenhead do you ?

So the consensus seems to be that they're all pretty expensive, and with regular use they all fall apart.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Brompton and Tikit, is it?

So the consensus seems to be that they're all pretty expensive, and with regular use they all fall apart.

Depends on the bike. I've done coming on 7000+ miles of daily commuting on my Airnimal Joey. Minimal maintenance (a new bottom bracket and a headset were the only necessities)..

hey woffle you dont get on the paddington train at maidenhead do you ?

Nope. Sussex up to London Bridge.

Woffle, how easy/quick to fold is the Airnimal?

Woffle, how easy/quick to fold is the Airnimal?

Not as quick or easy as Brompton but not hard – on the rare occasion I get asked by the train staff at the station: whip the front wheel out, undo two quick-releases, swing rear wheel and frame forward. Another quick release and the handlebars are turned to sit in parallel with the frame. Maybe 45 seconds? For the full fold it's a case of taking the seatpost out (another quick release job).

It's not the smallest when folded, or the easiest to fold but it complies with the train company regs which is the main thing. I've got the first fold bag which I 'should' carry with me to put the bike into but I rarely bother. Given my mileage (a minimum of 30 miles a day) it's more about getting as close as possible to a 'proper' bike than ease / size of fold. If I was doing less than 5 miles across London and in full rush hour then I think I'd go with a Strida – I used to cart mine on the tube, because it folds up into effectively a stick with a wheel at the end it makes a nice rest to stand up against on a packed train and is really easy to wheel about when folded. The Airnimal you have to carry…

I have a Birdy City Premium – with the newer monocoque frame – and it rides very well and is pretty quick – I am constantly out accelerating and passing road cyclists as we climb up the incline on southwark bridge from the traffic lights.

The ride is miles better than a Brompton, which is more suited to carrying clowns around the inside of a circus tent 🙂

Quite stiff as no central hinge, and 'full suspension' – although I would recommend the stiffer elastomer on the back.

The only problem is Birdys are that they quite expensive and the UK agent is crap.

I wouldn't recommend a hub gearing system now having had one, they are a little lossy – someone on the train with a Rohlhoff on a Birdy reckoned this as well. Stick with a derailleur and a little more hassle on the fold (change to correct gear first).

The Dahon Speed pro (or whatever that yellow one is called) is suppossed to be pretty good – although those thin racing tyres might not do so well on London roads.

However nothing will beat the convenience of the Brompton fold, quite feasible to put it under the table in a pub or restaurant whereas I couldn't do that with the Birdy.

If you want one, or any folder, in London try http://www.bikefix.co.uk/, I wish I had and avoided On Your Bike…

Some of the train companies (SWT for example) have started mentioning 20 inch wheeles in their bike policy documents, which will be a problem if you have an airnimal and meet some jobsworth guard…

Very obvious contender is the MEZZO – supported by ATB (marin)

Folds down to much the same dimensions as a brompton but more gears, less flexy over longer distances.

Having sold folding bikes for many years I would say this:

1) Know what you want – if you want a folding bike – buy the bike that folds the best – DON'T expect it to do everything else well… But delight in the convenience

2) ALSO : Buy a known brand .. Bromptons and MEZZOs are awesome because they have the support of customer-focused BIG brands behind them. Folding bikes- as a rule use many many non-standard parts that wear/break – walk into a shop and they won't be able to help with BRAND "XYZ" – best case scenario is they can do a special order that could take weeks to come through cough*DAHON*cough.

3) It cannot be stressed enough how good Bromptons really are .. they fold so easily, so quickly that nothing else comes close. You will find that you start taking it everywhere – and ultimately wonder how you did without it!

Some of the train companies (SWT for example) have started mentioning 20 inch wheeles in their bike policy documents, which will be a problem if you have an airnimal and meet some jobsworth guard…

that's when the bag will come in handy : "bike, what bike? this is just my luggage" 🙂

I wouldn't recommend a hub gearing system now having had one, they are a little lossy – someone on the train with a Rohlhoff on a Birdy reckoned this as well

Depends – for ease-of-use and maintenance my Rohloff has been a godsend – don't always feel like cleaning the bike as much as I should and its put up with the crappy winter we've just had without a glitch and no interference or fettling necessary (it gets a bi-annual oil change though). The gearing range it offers is also fantastic when you're hacking it up and down hills in the Weald.

I've only got an nexus on mine. But totally agree with this statement.

Depends – for ease-of-use and maintenance my Rohloff has been a godsend – don't always feel like cleaning the bike as much as I should and its put up with the crappy winter we've just had without a glitch and no interference or fettling necessary (it gets a bi-annual oil change though)

I know someone will say it will break in a couple of years and you wont be able to fix it. But it looks like shimano are starting to take hub gears more seriously so it a couple of years I'll just buy a whole new rear wheel.

I had a Dahon Jetstream for a while, and before that a Dahon Speed. I really liked them both and they both rode like "real" bikes. I did several all day rides on the Jetstream without any problems.

There is no doubt that the fold on the Brompton is infinitely better but I don't reckon they ride so well – I've always found the M bars a bit flexy and the handling a bit skittish… I haven't tried the flat bar version, but I imagine they ride much better.

For shorter rides where folded size is a consideration then I reckon Brompton… if you're going longer distances and want something that rides like a full size bike then go for a decent 20" wheel Dahon, or something like a Mezzo or Birdy.

I reckon the OP should try a few and see which he/she (could be a girl nickf?) gets on with.

Some people reckon the Brompton's a bit skittish. My one up linked to up there ^ was fine in the Peak District loaded up with more stuff than I'd ever put on a touring bike, and day to day I don't really notice it, it just rides like a bike. Oh, apart from crossing a cattle grid on my commute, which I have to go a bit slower on.

The reports of crap build quality and recalls for Dahons, combined with their folded bulk put me well off them. But reading the posts above, Dahon riders think they're ace and would never buy a Brompton.

I dunno, I think there's a bit too much agonising about what bike you should buy, just get one and ride it. Not very helpful to the OP though, soz.

I reckon the OP should try a few and see which he/she (could be a girl nickf?) gets on with.

I'd agree with that… I think someone else mentioned about buying from someone who specialises in folders too… another good idea. I did have problems with getting spares for the Dahons through my LBS.

yer and with bromptons try out with the different stem / bar combo's – i think that make the bikes ride/feel very different.

Bikefix is quite close to Euston, they will have some to have a go on plus airnimals

velorution on great portland street will hire you one for £25 which is knocked off if you buy one – though the guy that runs it is a bit weird..

best brompton dealers ime are:

Pheonix Cycles, Battersea
Simpson Cycles, Chalk Farm
Brixton Cycles, erm in Brixton

I'm quite liking one of these

I wonder if Cavendish would still have won todays stage on a drop-barred Brompton? What a great "Made in GB" advert that would be.