Need guidance and suggestions for first ever folding bike
 

My wife and I looking for a folding bike for exercise. Don't want a full size bike since that would require putting a hitch on our car etc etc.
want easy to fold and carry, place in back of Subaru.

I'm 67 6' 225 lbs walk daily inseam 32inch
wife 51 5'9" inseam 30 about the same weight (i don't want to ask her--you do understand)

she likes the comfort of the specialized brand comfort bike and comfort seat but we don't want the full size.

looking for
light weight less than 30 lbs
easy fold
easy carry
easily adjustable
comfort seat (remember im an old fart)
7-9 speeds we don't have any big hills or roads
airless tires (hate flat tires hate them) comfortable ones if there is such a thing
folding pedals if possible

any suggestions???

budget less than 1K

Any on Amazon you’d suggest ??
what features to look for
thank you

Several years ago I got us a pair of Schwinn Loop 7 speed folders, mainly because they were on sale for $199 each. They are very sturdy, surprisingly easy to ride. I would recommend them as first folders, with a few caveats. For you, I'd try to find one to see if your wife can handle folding and setting up, as they are fairly heavy, so maybe at her max weight range. You can get 20" puncture proof "tubes" for them, but that will make them even heavier. I'm 6' 2", about 210, with a 34" inseam, and they accommodate me fine. They are cheap, which means cheap brakes and derailleurs. I can work on bikes, so it's no big deal for me to set them up and upgrade/replace parts as needed--- so far, I've only had to replace brake pads. Other bikes are undoubtedly better riders, and probably lighter. These are "trucks" more than compacts.

What about citizen out of florida
the sales rep suggested the soul
are airless tires harsh??
if not airless how to set up tire to “prevent” flats
thanks

what do you ride now ??

The Origami Hawk and Citizen Miami are less than $300. Since you want/need flat resistant tires, you can have the bike fitted with flat resistant tire and tube and filled with a tire sealant. Check out the web site for Origami and any questions Paul Pingis can answer them for you.

I like both citizen and origami
citizen offers free shipping and 30 ride guarantee
origami pay shipping has 2 wk ride guarantee
BUT
origami has disk brakes

Shipping doesn’t bother me if bike quality / ride/ ease of use is better

do you have a preference of the two

what about euromini zizzo via ???

thank you

With the Origami, check with the seller if they have another model without disc brakes that will suit you and your wife's need. Euromini zizzo via is another bike to choose from. Remember that you and your wife should demo ride which ever bike you choose to ensure fit and whether the bike will suit your need.

I’m looking hard at the origami
eagle

like the upgraded gear set

I just purchased a folder and love it. I also own 2 drop bar road bikes.
Based upon your parameters though it really seems to me that a standard comfort/hybrid would best suit your needs.
Unless I missed something it appears that your only objection to a standard bike is ease of transportation in an automobile and I don’t see how folding and unfolding two bikes is easier or more convenient than using a hitch rack on a Subaru which is a vehicle that works well with a hitch.
You referenced budget of course but under $1k still leaves a lot of room.
I don’t want to talk you out of a folder but it seems like you may have a solution looking for a problem.

You may be right
hitch install about $800
biggest issue bike shops 2 hours away that have any to test drive
ill try one that’s why looking for low cost or free returns
my friend had one In chicago a dahon
they are NOT like full size
but for him he road all over the city
if I was to get full size really like the specialized comfort bikes or similar with low cross bar like my cousins
but worth the trial for 30 days
living in the country has its advantages and disadvantages

i thought folded because of my friends experience
hope all this works

Thats a crazy quote.
I work for an automobile dealership and a standard bike hitch is under $300 installed. It sounds like they are quoting you the wrong class hitch maybe?

To install the hitch I’m told required to remove entire bumper

I can look at non Subaru
w 1 inch receiver I think
thats all that’s necessary
I’ll check
this is why I came to this forum

also my limited post restrict my posting of links
my wife’s cousin
has the specialized roll elite comfort bike which we like try their website
she got it from a “ local” shop 45 min away
for about $600

i will check on the Subaru forum about the hitch / receiver size options
Thank you for insights


UPDATE
so glad I came to this forum
i can get a hatchback bike carrier for either my ascent or my jeep wrangler
But worry about damage to body etc
most on Subaru use hitch mount
it’s a relatively simple solution if we decide full size.

will further investigate

Most car hitch install require entire bumper removal. 800 seems way out of line. I would check at like a place that sells trailers. most of them are dealers and installers of at least one major brand hitch.. Car dealers are not the best place for a hitch install.

Personally I just install the hitch in my drive way. But I spent a few years doing that kind of work so I cant justify paying someone else 100s of dollars for a hours work.

thanks will look into it as well

I’m looking at a bike with 20x1.5 tires what options for tubes can I use
only 1.5 or can I go to 1.75??
any recommendations for extra thick
puncture resistant tube manufacturers??

Both will work. Roger

thank you so much
very helpful forum
any experience with airless tires??
worth it ?
how harsh is the ride?
any recommendations

the bike I’m looking at has anti puncture liner
thinking of using slime to prevent flats

then I saw inserts and solid tires..... oh
my

My only suggestion is neither of those will stop all flats and in my last 20 years of riding I have had maybe 3 flats and I ride about 270 days a year. Save your money and carry a tube, pump and a patch kit with you. Also please do not quote me as it generates an email I have to deal with. Roger

I have toyed with using non-pneumatic tires, but they have drawbacks. For one, they are hard to fit, but once on that that is not an issue. Second, they ride differently than pneumatic tires becuse they can only flex at the point of impact with the ground while the entire volume of the pneumatic tire is available to absorb the pressure increase due to an impact; this is why you get far more broken spokes with non-pneumatic tires. Oh, also, they are heavier than pneumatic tires.

Given the very few flats that I have encountered in (way too many) years, a spare innertube and a patch kit are better alternatives.

Agree that non-pneumatic tyres may be too harsh. They are useful on street rental bikes but not ideal for personal bikes.

Some of the touring tyres like Schwalbe Marathon and Marathon plus have a good reputation for avoiding p******s, and I have ridden in some parts of the world where the side of the road is strewn with nasty sharp stuff (eg disintegrated truck tyres with sharp metal cord sticking out) without any issues on Marathon Plus tyres. I have feeling that a lighter tyre would have been destroyed, let alone the inner tube. I do usually carry a small p kit just in case.