Folding Bikes
What do you get when you cross a bicycle and a Swiss Army Knife? Well, do it wrong and you could end up with a corkscrew somewhere obscene. But do it right and you could end up with an ingenious take on the most efficient human-powered machine ever devised.
Right, so bicycles are good. But why buy one that folds up? How about:
- Cars are expensive and pollute, and it's only going to get worse in the future. But public transport can be iffy. Take a folding bike onto the train or bus and reduce your commute's carbon footprint.
- Tiny flat on the 4th floor? Enough said.
- Put your folding bike in the boot and take it with you on weekend breaks.
- Check your folding bike in as luggage when flying and avoid hefty bike carriage fees.
- Tired of having your bike “borrowed” from where you left it? Don't leave it outside, fold it up and bring it in with you.
position for either type of bike
Folding bikes have been around for a while, but the technology that goes into them is leaping forward at the moment. Materials from the aerospace industry such as kevlar and aluminium are finding their way into the latest bikes. They're stronger, lighter and more cunningly designed than ever before. Read on to see some of the new breed, and the old warhorses they're trying to usurp.
Mouse over any of the pictures to see the bikes fold
The Brompton M-Type
The Brompton is the granddaddy of folding bikes. In production and largely unchanged for the last four decades it's what most people imagine when you say “folding bike”
There's two ways you could take that, either it's a dinosaur made obsolete by all the recent advances in folding bikes, or it's a classic design that hasn't changed because it's extremely fit for purpose.
Certainly, the large user base means there's plenty of support. There's a cottage industry built up around maintaining and modifying Bromptons so there's no reason why the sturdily built machine shouldn't last you many years.
Which is probably a good thing, because it certainly isn't one of the cheaper bikes:
Basic M3L starts at GB£500/US$880
The Strida
The Strida is a very techy new design. It has a weight-saving aluminium frame, and the chain is replaced by a drive belt, meaning no messy oil when folding. They've opted for low-maintenance single-speed, so this bike isn't going to win any road races. It's an urban machine designed to slot easily into your busy life.
The a-frame design means a 10 second fold down to a very small package. It's a no-nonsense hand-built quality machine for a very small dent in your paycheck. And it has a 60-day free trial. We like.
GB£240 (approx. US$470, available in the US mid-late 2007)
The Puma Urban Mobility Bike
The Puma bike is a rare thing, a folding bike that has proper cool.
The mutant love child of a BMX and a mountain bike it's been designed to satisfy the needs of Puma's traditional urban samurai market. There are no gears to fiddle about with and it has full-size slick tires for handling in traffic. The upright BMX style handlebars are supposed to help you see and be seen while strafing your way through busy intersections, and it has fat disk brakes both ends for some serious stopping power. And for pulling tricks, of course.
Unfortunately it doesn't fold as small as most other bikes, but it does have a very crafty trick in its toolbox. Part of the frame is a steel rope, which works as an integrated bike lock when folded. Not only do you not have to carry a separate lock, but if some scrote chops it, the bike is unrideable. Genius!
US$775 (approx GB£400) Strictly from Puma strores
The Montague Paratrooper Bike
That name is no idle boast. This bike was born from a requirement issued by DARPA and the US Marine Corps for a bike to equip its airborne reconnaissance troops.
Marketed under then tag line "as light as a rucksack, as tough as a tank" it's a full-size machine like the Puma. Unlike the Puma it has 24 speeds and front suspension. It also folds a lot smaller and is friendlier on the wallet.
True to its the bike's military origins the company also make a version designed to fit in the back of your H2 Hummer, although that may hole any attempt at greeny credentials below the water line.
US$645 (approx GB£330)
The Bike in a Bag
Compared to some of the other weird folding bikes on the market, this machine is pretty vanilla. Standard Brompton style design, single speed, no suspension and a heavy steel frame. No surprises anywhere. But the free bag and the ludicrously low price tag mean this bike does what many of the others can't. Want a bike to keep in the boot of your car? A cheap one to take with you on the train for weekend breaks? Don't fancy bankrupting yourself on a bike that's designed to spend most of it's time hiding in the hall cupboard?
Folding bikes may be great for commuting, but the cheapness of the Bike in a Bag makes it practical for occasional users. What it lacks in space-age engineering it makes up for in sensible economics.
Only GB£180 (approx. US$350) There's no US dealer yet, but they are looking...
The Sinclair A Bike
Whatever you can say about Clive Sinclair's past transport efforts (cough C5, cough) nobody can deny that he's both a pioneer and a genuinely clever engineer.
When it comes to doing what folding bikes do best (i.e.: fold) this ride knocks all the others out of the park. The design brief was to create a bike that would fit in an ordinary rucksack. No exposed chain means no oil all over your stuff, and the small wheels mean it just about disappears when folded. Pocket bike, anyone?
Unfortunately those same tiny wheels mean you're going to get absolutely hammered if you try riding it over cobbles, kerbs or gravel. Think mini scooter with pedals. Still, if you're not facing any of those obstacles, this could be the smallest and handiest bike around. Cheap as chips, too.
A snip at GB£230 (approx. US$450)
The Birdy
At first glance the Birdy appears to be a pretty standard Brompton clone. That's until you notice the full suspension and the classy components. Basically, this is what happens when the Germans get their engineering mitts onto folding bike technology.
In fact, the higher grade of components has meant that they often find their way onto Bromptons as modifications.
Birdy makes some extremely high-spec machines, but even the basic model benefits from a lightweight aluminium frame, strengthened by the lack of a hinge. Throw in the relatively large wheels and you have a bike that can handle a lot of rough treatment. For a price though…
Standard "Red" model: GB£830/US$1,050
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