Elbeinlaw

I'm wondering if anyone else does not fold their f.ing bike and has no plans to (not)? I bought my Bike Friday strictly as a low-bar compact bike. Just wondering if I'm unique.

rhenning

I collect folders but in all honesty almost never fold them. Roger

Vanrex

I bought mine to use as mini velos, but I do fold them on the odd occasion that I need to.

tdonline

When I had my Dahon, I only folded the handlebar down when parking it in my apartment building. Leaning it against the wall, it made a big difference in the bike's footprint. But otherwise, never folded it and locked it when out. It was too heavy for me to carry around. This is why I bought a minivelo and sold the folder this year. I wasn't taking advantage of the folding but had the cons of a folding bike (flex, squeaks). I love riding the minivelo 100X more than the folding bike.

I recently rented a car and couldn't get my minivelo into it without taking out the front wheel. It was a Madza 3 sedan. Slightly regretted selling the Dahon...so I may want to come back into the fold...

3speedslow

Which mini velo do you have?

My Dahon Mariner and Boardwalk stay folded while in my loft and sometimes get folded, brought in with me when “in sight” is not possible.

My R20 almost never gets folded.

Since getting my Nano, the others don’t get ridden much.

linberl

Unless you bought a pakiT, the BF isn't really intended as a traditional folding bike; it's packable for travel. Yeah, you can fold it but it's not the simplest or cleanest process as it wasn't designed for multi-modal folding. The pakiT is different. I never folded my NWT except if I had to put it in a car or traveled with it. I fold my pakiT constantly. I've got a Dahon Mu Uno (my trailer bike and my beater bike when I have to lock up somewhere) and I never fold that. It's just basically a 20" wheeled mini velo, lol. I fold it once a year to make sure the hinge works.

tdonline

3speed, I have a Orbea Katu 50.

Geepig

I last folded Tigger on saturday, to take it for a ride in the forest.

Blue, my other Romet Jubilat, has been folded once to check the mechanism still works, but it has a carrier fore and aft, which would make folding a bit pointless as the large plastic fruit and vegetable container bolted to the rear rack is pretty wide. Well, wide anyway.

I do need to look out for a lever for the front end, instead of the nut I currently have to loosen to rotate the handlbars sideways.

FolderBeholder

I rarely fold, unless of course I take it travelling which, of course lately I don't....

But even pre-pandemic, only fold for transport but ride daily and stays home un-folded.

keithdavis2

I fold my Montague's when traveling and when I am in a sketchy area to put them in the trunk to keep them from being stolen. Another good reason to fold is to lower wind drag when driving long distances.

Nachoman

I've got a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket that I only fold if I take on vacation, using air travel.
And even the last few vacations I've just avoided the hassle and rented a bike. So I haven't folded the thing in years now.

Elbeinlaw

So, to all of you non-folders out there (of which I am one): have any of you looked at mini-velos as a possible alternative? If I could find one with a low bar I'd consider it.

tds101 

It all depends on the situation,...

bikebikebike

Brommie lives in the trunk these days, curled up like a puppy.
Mobiky stays folded because I can't remember how to unfold it.
BikeFridaySatrday lives folded
montegue , Matrix dahons get folded for travel but stay unbent unless they need to go into a trunk
As with Downtubes and trikes
I have found midframe hinged bikes less compact
Best invention I have found, has been folding handlebars

I class bikes as : foldable, packable, collapsible, stashable

downhillmaster

On impulse I bought a Dahon Mariner i7 yesterday and I doubt I will ever fold it.
Had been checking them out online every now and then and saw one on the floor at my LBS so figured what the hell.
If the quick ride around the parking lot is any indication I think it will be a fun bike to own as an around town beater.

Doc_Wui

Not much folding going on here. Two haven't been folded since we drove them to Florida in January 2019. The newest one, purchased last year, got folded for a car ride after getting a flat tire.

jogya03

same situation, I rarely fold mine too, but whenener I got problems (rain/flat tire or I'm just too tired) then I will fold the bike with a smile, and go home with car/taxi/bus etc......that's why I bought folder, no ?