I got my first folding bike back in 1997, a treat to myself on my 40th birthday. A friend did the research and decided I needed a Bike Friday Air Glide, their highest performance 20" wheel folding, traveling road bike.
Since then I've owned several others, most of the best makes, including a Brompton and a Birdy and have been fascinated and obsessed by folding bikes every since. It's less the bike than the idea that whenever possible, I like to have a bike with me and folding bikes allow that to happen.
I've covered a lot of ground. The Birdys were perfect for Chicago - to doodle around the Loop, downtown, to throw on the train to Oak Park to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright houses.
My Bike Friday has taken me up (and over) the Alps, around Mallorca, and to various other destinations.
If you are a cyclist and you travel, you should seriously consider a Bike Friday. They look ridiculous but keep your eyes straight ahead and you would swear you were on a high performance road bike. They travel for free. And, with a little practice they suitcase pack and set up in about 5minutes.
Since then I've owned several others, most of the best makes, including a Brompton and a Birdy and have been fascinated and obsessed by folding bikes every since. It's less the bike than the idea that whenever possible, I like to have a bike with me and folding bikes allow that to happen.
I've covered a lot of ground. The Birdys were perfect for Chicago - to doodle around the Loop, downtown, to throw on the train to Oak Park to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright houses.
My Bike Friday has taken me up (and over) the Alps, around Mallorca, and to various other destinations.
If you are a cyclist and you travel, you should seriously consider a Bike Friday. They look ridiculous but keep your eyes straight ahead and you would swear you were on a high performance road bike. They travel for free. And, with a little practice they suitcase pack and set up in about 5minutes.
Folding Bikes 101
There are basically three (3) good folding bike makers, one each best suited for three different types of riding.
For Short urban cycling, less than... 20km, the Brompton is pretty ideal. It folds fast (as quickly as a few seconds) and is the most compact when folded (so is easy to take on public transportation (and are allowed when full sized bikes are banned). Bromptons are a bit heavy though and are not easily sized. Its basically One Size Fits All (though you can get different handlebar styles and extended seat posts if you are very tall). They ride... ehh, OK. But are really best for running around town and public transit.
Downside is they are heavy, 25lbs/11.5kgs. and a clumsy ride.
Urban ride alternatives are Dahons (though they are somewhat the Kia or Hyundai of folding bikes. A to B utilitiarian, but not special or fun to ride.
Sexier (and lighter) urban and "trunk" options are the Pakit and Tikit (now discontinuted) 16" models from Bike Friday.
the Pakit comes in three sizes (S,M,L) and is a spritely ride. It comes in a wide vaarity ov configurations including single speeds, belt drives, internal rear hubs....
For Short urban cycling, less than... 20km, the Brompton is pretty ideal. It folds fast (as quickly as a few seconds) and is the most compact when folded (so is easy to take on public transportation (and are allowed when full sized bikes are banned). Bromptons are a bit heavy though and are not easily sized. Its basically One Size Fits All (though you can get different handlebar styles and extended seat posts if you are very tall). They ride... ehh, OK. But are really best for running around town and public transit.
Downside is they are heavy, 25lbs/11.5kgs. and a clumsy ride.
Urban ride alternatives are Dahons (though they are somewhat the Kia or Hyundai of folding bikes. A to B utilitiarian, but not special or fun to ride.
Sexier (and lighter) urban and "trunk" options are the Pakit and Tikit (now discontinuted) 16" models from Bike Friday.
the Pakit comes in three sizes (S,M,L) and is a spritely ride. It comes in a wide vaarity ov configurations including single speeds, belt drives, internal rear hubs....
Medium length rides (20-40kms) is where a Birdy excels. BIrdys are agile and fun to ride, most have 7Speeds. They just feel zippier than Bromptons. Though they fold less compactly and not as quickly (15 seconds versus 5s for a Brompton.
Long distance (50kms+) this is when you want a Bike Friday. It is one of the only folding bikes that can replace a traditional full sized road bike. The Pocket Rocket model rides .... 98% like a real road bike. A Bike Friday will take you anywhere. Over the highest mountains, over long long distances...
They take... 5-10minutes to completely disassemble and pack in a suitcase (and 10-15min to set back up on the other side.) And unlike Brompton and Birdy (where you remove none of the parts) with Bike Fridays you have to remove several: pedals, seatpost, stem, wheels..... so you need tools. and you have to keep track of the parts. (though all that can still be done in 5 minutes)
They can be half-folded without removing anything, but they are quite big and clumsy like that.
Long distance (50kms+) this is when you want a Bike Friday. It is one of the only folding bikes that can replace a traditional full sized road bike. The Pocket Rocket model rides .... 98% like a real road bike. A Bike Friday will take you anywhere. Over the highest mountains, over long long distances...
They take... 5-10minutes to completely disassemble and pack in a suitcase (and 10-15min to set back up on the other side.) And unlike Brompton and Birdy (where you remove none of the parts) with Bike Fridays you have to remove several: pedals, seatpost, stem, wheels..... so you need tools. and you have to keep track of the parts. (though all that can still be done in 5 minutes)
They can be half-folded without removing anything, but they are quite big and clumsy like that.
Here is a great video praising the virtues of Bike Fridays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfRCHpm8SNA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfRCHpm8SNA
Folded size. Birdy versus Brompton
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Bike Friday. Packed for travel.
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(the Birdy is a little bit longer and wider than the Brompton.)
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Where will a Bike Friday take you? (where won't it?)
Around Chamonix, France
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Arkansas
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Up the Grand St. Bernard (2470m) in the French Alps
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All over Mallorca, Spain
Now, what's for sale......?
Urban (short distance) Riding
Sold Out. NONE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME
Urban (short) and Middle Distance Riding
Damn! Sold Out. NONE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME
Long distance Riding
XL Bike Friday Pocket Sport (60cm ETT) $1200 CAD
I have a funny affection for Bike Friday's Pocket Sport model. It is basically a somewhat stripped down drop bar version of the New World Tourist (which usually comes with flat or H bars.) Maybe I love Pocket Sports because I personally prefer drop bars for all my bikes AND because I find bar end shifters so simple and effective.
almost brand new.
this is one of the most fun Bike Fridays (indeed any bike) I have ever ridden. The tires are fat enough to go offroad on packed gravel but fast enough for zippy pavement riding.
the bar end shifters are virtually maintenance free. and provide very effective shifting.
To ride this you are probably.... 6'0" to 6'5"
RD 9Spd Altus: xxt-YYt
FD: generic triple 53/39/xxt
Calipers: Tektro
Indexed barend shifters.
While some might consider this drivetrain the lower end of the Shimano range, these newer ones work terrifically well.
I've ridden it a few times and the shifting is clean and crisp.
And if you wanted you could upgrade for not a lot of money.
almost brand new.
this is one of the most fun Bike Fridays (indeed any bike) I have ever ridden. The tires are fat enough to go offroad on packed gravel but fast enough for zippy pavement riding.
the bar end shifters are virtually maintenance free. and provide very effective shifting.
To ride this you are probably.... 6'0" to 6'5"
RD 9Spd Altus: xxt-YYt
FD: generic triple 53/39/xxt
Calipers: Tektro
Indexed barend shifters.
While some might consider this drivetrain the lower end of the Shimano range, these newer ones work terrifically well.
I've ridden it a few times and the shifting is clean and crisp.
And if you wanted you could upgrade for not a lot of money.
52cm ETT Bike Friday New Word Tourist 3x7speeds ($1200CAD)
While older, this New World Tourist has seen very little use (many Bike Fridays only get out for a few days a year in fact and so often are in great shape). 3 speed internal gear hub (low maintenance, trouble free) x 7 speed cassette gives you a full range of gearing.
Comes with rear folding rack, fenders and travel suitcase.
Durable Schwalbe Marathon rear tire (406-47; Panaracer Minits front 406x1.25 (~32mm).
OLD Front is 100.
OLD Rear is 130
currently the rear tire is 47mm and that is probably pretty close to the max. it might take 50mm or 55mm
the front tire (they are mismatched) is 406x1.25" so 31-32mm
It might be older , but on reinspection today it is in remarkably good condition. It seems almost new. (I hadn't examined it very closely before)
the hinge is in excellent condition.
the rear section swings forward to the Right, instead of the Left. Right Swing was the older design. That frankly is about the only design change to BFs over the decades.
Note that the stem riser is unusually straight. it has almost no extension. This though can be remedied easily but either simply chopping off the clamp section and using a threadless stem of your choice (which I can include) OR by ordering a replacement stem from Bike Friday (for about $1500
Comes with rear folding rack, fenders and travel suitcase.
Durable Schwalbe Marathon rear tire (406-47; Panaracer Minits front 406x1.25 (~32mm).
OLD Front is 100.
OLD Rear is 130
currently the rear tire is 47mm and that is probably pretty close to the max. it might take 50mm or 55mm
the front tire (they are mismatched) is 406x1.25" so 31-32mm
It might be older , but on reinspection today it is in remarkably good condition. It seems almost new. (I hadn't examined it very closely before)
the hinge is in excellent condition.
the rear section swings forward to the Right, instead of the Left. Right Swing was the older design. That frankly is about the only design change to BFs over the decades.
Note that the stem riser is unusually straight. it has almost no extension. This though can be remedied easily but either simply chopping off the clamp section and using a threadless stem of your choice (which I can include) OR by ordering a replacement stem from Bike Friday (for about $1500
62cm ETT XXL blue Pocket Rocket Tiagra 10S with heavy rider reinforcement $1900 CAD / $1450 USD
With 62cm Effective Top Tube this is the biggest frame Bike Friday makes. It is suitable for a VERY tall rider, 6'5' range. It is also beefed up with the Heavy Rider Reinforcement (for riders heavier than the usual 220 lb maximum).
this bike is in excellent, bear new condition.
451 wheels, with 105 hubs and Alex rims.
ST-4700 10S Tiagra
FD-4700
RD-5800 105 10S
11-32t 53/39 SRAM Apex 180mm
62cm ETT
Bar Height (from ground) 111.5
Max SHFG
SH 80-92 normal 89.5 which is a drop of 4cm
reach 72.5 with a 125mm stem
Brooks Flyer Special saddle ($190 USD value)
SN 36482
this bike currently has a one-piece stem riser which allows only limited height adjustment. Bike Friday can replace this stem riser for about $140 USD (or can probably modify this stem riser to be adjustable.)
this bike is in excellent, bear new condition.
451 wheels, with 105 hubs and Alex rims.
ST-4700 10S Tiagra
FD-4700
RD-5800 105 10S
11-32t 53/39 SRAM Apex 180mm
62cm ETT
Bar Height (from ground) 111.5
Max SHFG
SH 80-92 normal 89.5 which is a drop of 4cm
reach 72.5 with a 125mm stem
Brooks Flyer Special saddle ($190 USD value)
SN 36482
this bike currently has a one-piece stem riser which allows only limited height adjustment. Bike Friday can replace this stem riser for about $140 USD (or can probably modify this stem riser to be adjustable.)
