Folding Bike - Which one?

[Team 17]

Right, it's time to get a foldable bike, currently have a Specialized Globe Sport 2007 which has served me well but it takes far too much space up in my flat.

Any recommendations? I will be looking at 2nd hand with a budget of about £200-ish.

Release the hounds!

[anonymous-user]

Here's an idea. Use your MTB as a donor & make a folding MTB? !
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FRSLFTMTB/slin...

Or if you prefer proper folder, this is hard to beat:-
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/31007/Raleigh-Bikes-...

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 16th November 13:12

[Gnarlybluesurf]

Anything you get for £200 will only annoy you in time, the ride position, the ride, the weight it'll put you off cycling altogether.... If I were you i'd bite the bullet and pay and extra £200 secondhand and get a Brompton... In time you'll only love it more and more, there are other good brands too e.g. Mezzo but none that fold quite as neatly... book a test ride and you'll see..

[Team 17]

Gnarlybluesurf said:

Anything you get for £200 will only annoy you in time, the ride position, the ride, the weight it'll put you off cycling altogether.... If I were you i'd bite the bullet and pay and extra £200 secondhand and get a Brompton... In time you'll only love it more and more, there are other good brands too e.g. Mezzo but none that fold quite as neatly... book a test ride and you'll see..

Ok, I see your point, but my income is a bit tight at the moment. How about Dahon? Are they a good brand to go for?

[anonymous-user]

http://www.atob.org.uk/folding-bikes.html

This link gives a good overview of the most common brands.

Brompton is the best (I'm biased as own one!) but they do attract top price & even decent second hand ones go for £500+.
The link I sent earlier to the Raleigh Folder is I believe a rebadged Dahon & does still look top value new when compared to the rest. There are some hardly used second hand ones out there so may be a good option to go used as you say. You do get a bit of stick riding a small wheeled bike (apart from in cities at commonplace) which does make some sensitive souls sell them rather quickly. Personally I dont give a damn!

[Gooby]

My LBS has these on at well under half price;
http://foldingcyclist.com/Jango-Flik-folding-bikes...

£450

They look brilliant, really well made and for a folding bike they are not fugly. Such a good deal I am actually tempted, not sure what I would do with it cos I am visiting london less and less.

I have not had the pleasure of a ride, mainly cos I dont want to ride something I may really like and then have to buy.

http://www.ridebike.co.uk/products/special-offers/

Towards the bottom of the page...

[snotrag]

Brompton. Accept no subsitute!

Save up and get a Brompton later, rather than a cheaper one now. Get yourself to a Brompton dealer and find a member of staff with experience, to show you round one and all the options.

Dahon's are the only other brand that can hope to hold a candle to Brompton, but there still not as well designed or made.

[mybrainhurts]

You do know you're going to look like a right tit, don't you...?

[anonymous-user]

mybrainhurts said:

You do know you're going to look like a right tit, don't you...?

From the provinces?

[mybrainhurts]

Jimboka said:

mybrainhurts said:

You do know you're going to look like a right tit, don't you...?

From the provinces?

The real world, yes...

[aea730]

I have bought a couple of Dahons for Mrs A and I. We did 20 miles on them last week and I was very impressed. Once you "adapted" to the slightly different riding position ie quite upright, the bike felt great, certainly doesnt feel like a multi hinged affair. Obviously never a replacement for a "proper" bike but great for slinging in the car and getting out and about

[Gnarlybluesurf]

Team 17 said:

Ok, I see your point, but my income is a bit tight at the moment. How about Dahon? Are they a good brand to go for?

Dahon's are a nice ride from experience and good fun, sadly the fold is nowhere near as neat as the bromptons and hence they tend to take up more room when folded than the Bromptons as the bike folds side by side rather than inside themselves..

[Team 17]

Thanks for all your input guys, I'm leaning towards getting a Dahon Vitesse D7HG:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/dahon/vitesse-...

I can get it for £399.99, my budget is blown, but I think for the money that will serve me well.

[curlie467]

I have a folding bike in the garage doing nowt.
A `bike in a bag` thing but with no bag, in excellent condition and hardly used. yours for £50

[XitUp]

Are the b'Twin ones at Decathlon any good?