BezO

Based on just a couple of requirements, I've come up with a short list. I'm still learning what makes for a good folder, so hopefully this can be informative (the stickied post has been helpful) as well as helping with a selection.

I'm looking for his & hers, both of us falling within the height & weight limits for any bikes I've come across. These will be for 5 & 6 mile daily commutes and leisure rides around the city. We're in Washington, DC, so relatively flat, but some occasional challenging hills here & there.

So far, I'm looking for at least a 7 speed IGH (considering 3 speeds) and at least 20" wheels (opinions on 20" vs 24" welcomed). A bit over $1,000 is ok. I've come up with:

Brompton B75 (only 3 speed)
Citizen Barcelona (only 3 speed)
Downtube 8H
Tern Link D7i
Tern Node D7i (24' wheels)
Dahon Ciao D7
Oyama Skyline In7B

Thanks!

linberl

Brompton is 16" wheels. Unless fold is paramount, you'll get more for your money with a 20" wheel bike. I'm not at all impressed with Citizen's quality. Downtube is a good bike; lots of reviews here. Some folks won't consider Tern because of the frame issues they've had (just search this forum). My suggestion: contact Thor at thorusa.com. He will steer you into the right bikes. Before you call him, consider whether you will be carrying the bikes up stairs, or onto trains. That bit of info will help him along with knowing the distance/terrain you mentioned.

12boy

I have to disagree with linberl. I have a Mercier Nano, a Xootr Swift and a Brompton.the Nano and the Swift have 20 inch wheels, the Brompton 16.The Brompton B75comes with a close ratio Sturmey Archer 3 speed, reputedly one of the most trouble free internal gear hubs ever. It is adequate for small hills, headwinds and can tool along at 15 mph if you are in decent shape. On Monday I rode mine for about 20 miles, including some hills and headwinds, but it is a little modified. Besides the fold it excels as a mini cargo bike, carrying big loads on the frame in front, which actualky improves handling. My favorite among 6 I ride regularly. My Swift cost 800 new and has also been modified a bit. It's quick and agile, uses standard parts and has 8 speeds with a derailleur. I like it a lot but the Brompton is more useful and takes a 2x2 x1 ft space in my little cars. The Nano has the same high gear as the Swift but has 2 chainrings and goes much lower so climbs besl, and only cost 300 new. Takes a lot less room than a regular bike but doesn't fold, so not as great for buses, subways and little cars. I have commuted over 30 years by bike and have had fixies, mountain bikes, and road bikes and the small wheel bikes are the most fun. Except for snow and ice the Brompton has been the best commuter, hands down. I can store it in the office, it can easily, with the right bag, carry a weeks worth of clothes and food, and let's me beghin and the work day with a smile. My last advice is ride the bikes before buying. I had always lusted after Bike Fridays and had never heard of Bromptons, but after riding both one day the Brompton felt great from the beginning. Someone else might feel the opposite.

BezO

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I forgot some info.

Folding is important as far as fitting 2 bikes in a mid-size car trunk on road trips and having to store them in our offices. My wife may initially be carrying hers on the train until she's comfortable completing the commute both ways, but it wouldn't be long. Both commutes are on city streets with a trail option for part of the ride. My commute is 5-6 miles depending on the route, my wife's is 6-7 depending on the route. Our commutes are a slight & steady uphill most of the way on the return trip. 3-speed is a slight concern here, though I've pulled it off on a single speed for a while. We likely wouldn't be doing distance rides on these, but there's a chance they could see some gravel on trails once in a while.

I thought the tires on the Brompton looked smaller but missed they were 16". And I've been reading conflicting opinions on tire size. I was happy to see the Tern had a 24" tire bike, but I'll read up on the frame issues. Thanks for the heads up! And I will contact thorusa once I know a bit more what I'm talking about.

Neither of us have experience with folders, but they do seem like fun. And being able to take them on the road without the need for racks will allow us to still ride when we go see our parents and such. Folders were the furthest thing from my mind until my wife saw her cousin on one and wanted one for her new commute, though it may be months away. Next thing I know, I wanted one and had reasons we "needed" them.

Thanks again folks! Off to do more research.

linberl

There's nothing wrong with Bromptons but the simple fact is that a 16" wheel is less comfortable than a 20" in terms of ride quality. I own both - a 16" Bike Friday and a 20" Dahon. While I absolutely love my BF pakiT (because it is super light weight and rides great), hitting a pothole or a bump on 16" wheels is definitely more jarring than on 20" wheels. So consider the terrain you will be riding. There are things you can do to a 16" bike to make it ride "softer" (like thud busters, fatter tires) but if you do the same things to a 20" it will ride more comfortably than the 16". It just simple physics.
Most 20" folders will fit 2 in a decent sized trunk. Websites usually have the folded specs so you can measure your trunk. I've also fit a folder behind a front seat on the floor as well. If you have designated space at work for your folding, measure that. For some people, the folded size becomes the more important factor and they need to find a bike they like within that spec. Nothing folds better than a Brompton. There are many folders which you may decide ride better than a Brompton, or not, depending on what you like. You'll have to decide what matters most to you.
For me, since I knew I was going to be carrying my bike up stairs a lot, the total weight was a major factor. So I got a Bike Friday pakiT which only weighs 19lbs, folds very quickly, but doesn't fold as compactly as the Brompton - it is longer but narrower. For me, 19lbs compared to 26lbs was a major factor and more important than the folded size. There were other reasons as well - Brompton uses many proprietary parts and it's up to you whether you want to be locked into their system. I prefer the ability to upgrade and install any part I want, but many Brompton uses are fine with the aftermarket offerings and prices on Brompton parts - and there are plenty.
Dahon's are sort of the middle ground. Limited proprietary stuff, reasonably good fold, and moderately priced.
If you can wait until shops open up, it would make sense to get some test rides.

BezO

Tires are a big deal to me. I'm also looking to replace my "regular" bike because of the restricted tire width. I'll be mostly on city streets, but potholes and debris are norms. So I'll very likely stick with 20", and I'm disappointed in Tern's frame issues. The Node is/was a strong contender because of the 24" tires.

I've been taking note of the folded specs and need to measure my trunk. My guess until then is that fitting these in a trunk won't be an issue. Office storage won't be an issue for me, but my wife hasn't seen her future office space yet.

Unfortunately, my favorites are all heavy; 30+lbs. Not the most important factor as we won't be carrying these much. But like I said, my wife will be splitting her commute between bike & train initially. There will be stairs as not every station has elevators. I've seen rollers & backpacks for folders and will investigate this more.

I actually didn't think about proprietary parts. I'll need to look into this. At minimum, I'll likely want to swap comfort parts like bars & saddle.

And yeah, getting test rides will be ideal.

Thanks again!

linberl

Keep in mind whatever weight the bike is, you will probably add accessories and a little more weight. Brompton has limited options for handlebars because of the way they fold, but if you're going 20" it's a non-issue. The fewer proprietary parts a bike has the easier it will be for you to reduce weight as parts wear out - you'll have more options for lighter better quality replacement components. Fatter tires will also add some additional weight to factor in. Whatever you get, make sure you can still pedal it home/back to the car if you run out of juice. You don't want to be stuck with a heavy anchor on a hot day, lol.

drzdave58

I’ve had bikes with 16 and 20 inch tires. I prefer the ride on the 20 inch. The dahon bikes fold ok but not as easy as a brompton. I love the 8 speed internal gear hubs as well that many dahons have. If I was going to be folding the bike up 3 or 4 times a day I would choose the brompton tho. Good luck

linberl

It's out of your budget but just for kicks check out the Pacific Reach Birdy. Folds very nearly as small as a brompton, has slightly bigger tires, and has suspension. Nice bikes. https://www.pacific-cycles.com/birdy The other bike that meets your criteria is the Helix (search threads here). But at $3500 it's definitely over your budget - although it has the bigger 24" wheels you want. https://www.helix.ca Don't hate me - lol.

kayakindude

Another thing to consider, make sure the headset has threads that you can add a Brompton adapter, then you can add the brompton block and carry everything on the front of your bike. No more backpack.


The other newbie thing to look for is an adjustable stem, so you can adjust the handlebar height. There is always a lot of focus on the fold and weight. You can get a bike well under your price range that satisfies all of the above. Want either the lightest or smallest folding? Then the price gets crazy. Want one the works for the majority of riders...in your budget.

linberl

If you find a bike you like that doesn't have an adjustable handlebar height, there's always the Aber Hallo adapter. The cool thing about folders is that pretty much any issue you might encounter has already been discovered and dealt with in some fashion. Personally I think folder riders are a more creative bunch than roadies (sorry, could not resist). My point is there are a lot of clever solutions for pretty much any issue since the majority of folders are one-size-fits-all and we know that's not true - so folder folks have come up with many brilliant solutions. Just ask. For example, if you can't put a front block for luggage on your bike (or don't like that solution, as I do not), there are lots of adapters from Klick Fix that will let you mount your stuff wherever on the bike you like.

1nterceptor

You can do a lot of research online; reading reviews, asking questions, etc. - but
the bottom line is that's a limited way of finding out if the bike fits your needs. You
really have to own the bike for a while to see if it's a match.

Lots of riders have pre conceived notions when it comes to wheel size; "20 inch
wheels will ride better than 16" wheels". Without regards to wheelbase, frame material
and design, head tube angle, etc. Bromptons for example have a longer wheel base
than a lot of folders. But a smaller fold.

My advice whatever you end up choosing; just buy one. try it out for a while to see
if you like it. Then if you feel it fits the bill; buy another one.

P.L.Jensen

Consider a Zizzo... I love mine...