first trip

so yeah i want to buy used , unless it is cheap new.

i want a LIGHT foldable bike on wich i can install megarange to climp hill.

any suggestion for tested and true models? tx

Nyah

Dahon Speed, Fnhon Storm, Crius Master (CrMo version, NOT the aluminum one) and KHS F20-JJ are all sure bets.
All are chromoly frames (KHS even has CrMo fork) so very smooth riding and zero possibility of unforeseen catastrophic failures.

Geepig

Go and try some bikes. There are many different styles, and only you can know which type fits you. We can then work from there.

How big are these hills?

joey buzzard

They're rare, but if you can find any kind of Swift folder on the second hand market (most of them were badged by Xootr) snap it up. They're light, and they take whatever standard bike stem\handlebar combo your heart desires. As such they're very adaptable and potentially very fast. I use mine for climbing all the time. I'm living in Granada Spain at the moment and regularly go on rides with more than 1000 meters elevation gain. My typical afternoon ride will ha at least three or four hundred meters of steep up, so I know what I'm talking about.

Jipe

I think thhat the first thing you must do is define your needs.

Why a folding bike ?

Do you need to fold it very small to for instance take it on a plane, a train a bus ?

Do you need to carry it ?

Folding bikes are very different in size, performances, weight, folded size... and prices !

There are few common points between a Brompton, a Birdy, a Bike Friday, an Arnimal, several Dahon, a Montague, a Strida, a Carryme, a Tyrell...

first trip

hi yes so i have pain walking so when i have to go somewhere instead of using cruches, i bring a bike with me . so preferably id like a light and small bike .
my important thing is that it has to have a ratio good for hills not that i have to climb long hills but in a forest trail there is almost always steep couples 20 meter hill that i want to me able to manage with at least a megarange.

beach handle bal would be a nice confort addition but i know most are straight and the easily climbing is so much more important and the distances are not so big
it is usually packed in a car full .

Fentuz

what do you call light? 10kg? it is difficult to find a light cheap folding bike. They rarely go below 10kg because of the folding mech. Most are about 12 to 14kg but, it can be lightened if you swap some bits but if go light, the bike rating goes down. My helios in standard trim (~12.75kg) is rated for 105/110kg load [rider+carried luggage]. In light weight trim (10.25kg), the load rate is down to 80kg.
Since you need comfort, you need wider rim and tyres (not a 14/17mm rim with 28 to 35mm tyres). you also want to go easily up hills so you need a "mullet" set up (mountain bike XC type gearing)

Nothing all that, you should look into Dahon Speed, helios, boardwalk in at least 8 speeds. The rim in deluxe or comp (not comp pro) should take 406-50 tyres (2") which will add comfort and stability. The gearing will unlikely to be mullet type but they are easy to customize/swap. With a couple of specific tools, and depending of the donner bike, you could swap the chainring and the cassette (if you go for 8 speed, you can upgrade to 9 or 10speed).

you could end up with 1x9 (40T x 11-34T) or 1x10 (42T x 11-36T) with big apple 406-50 and that should take you easily up a hill

BikeLite

so so so

sslonkosky

The Downtube Nova is a bike you might consider. I bought one a year ago. I weighed mine and it is 25 lb. It has an 11-34 cassette and the lowest gear is 24 gear inches. If you want a lower gear, you can change it to 11-36. For a wider range, you could add a front derailleur. He still sells that model for $359 plus shipping. The 2021 model costs $60 more and has upgraded cranks and derailleur and 1.5” wide tires (instead of 1.3”)

https://www.downtube.com/downtube-no...-folding-bike/

BikeLite

The downtube site for the nova says 7 speed and 8 speed in different places..which is it?

rhenning

The 7 or 8 is probably from different years made. Roger

sslonkosky

My Downtube Nova is 8-speed as is the 2021 version. Yan needs to update the description. Also the drive train is Microshift. (Microsoft doesn’t make bicycle components.) That web page links to a video with a current model.

Prior to 2020, the Nova was 7-speeds, had a grip shifter and sold for $329. The 8-speed version has a trigger shifter. I much prefer a trigger shifter. I had a 2013 Dahon Speed D7 which came with a grip shifter which failed after I had it a year or so. I replaced it with a trigger shifter.

There is a video of the current Nova linked at the page I referenced above. You can view a 2016 video of the 7-speed model at

tuleggi

I do not think you can find anything lighter than this at this price point (new) with 18 speeds, disk brakes, 20 inch wheels only 10,5kg: https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/10050...5a9d2e0eIk5883
If I wasn't already happy with my FSIR spin5 which I now have managed to bring down at 8.5kg (with fenders, bell, wider tires, etc.) I would probably buy the one above https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-b...pin-5-0-a.html

first trip

[QUOTE=Fwith big apple 406-50 and that should take you easily up a hill[/QUOTE]
hi
what is big apple ?
tx

first trip

the aliexpres
is 800 euro ... wow 23lbs . how to calculate the ration at easiest for this bike? 28teet x ??? tx

tds101 

Big Apple's are fatter tires,...
Zizzo has less expensive bikes, as well as Origami.

ZiZZO folding Bikes

Origami Bicycle – Folding Bicycles (origamibicycles.com)

I own an Origami bike, and they're great with customer service. The owner of the company is a member of the forums,... Pinigis

first trip

looks good bang for buck. how easy would it be to add a cog in the middle and a megarange at back?

first trip

hi
yes origami zizzo and downtube looks reasonable choices so any of them already has megarange and small middle pedal cogs?
or on wich bike are we sure that i could replace parts for megarange and small middle pedal cogs and would fit?

tx

mirfi

The inventor/designer/producer/vendor/seller Yan sometimes mispels/transcribe numbers. If it's a cassette it's usually 9 speeds, for internal hub gear it's 8 speeds.

I've got a 9FS that I have just abused for 9 years (I greatly exceed the posted weight limit) and just bought a used 8H. You want bang for the buck, DownTube. Other folders are arguably better, but more expensive.

For more info on DownTubes go to the Downtube thread or email Yan at his contact.

mirfi

The inventor/designer/producer/vendor/seller Yan sometimes mispels/transcribe numbers. I'd contact him to confirm.

I've got a 9FS that I have just abused for 9 years (I greatly exceed the posted weight limit) and just bought a used 8H. You want bang for the buck, DownTube. Other folders are arguably better, but more expensive.

For more info on DownTubes go to the Downtube thread or email Yan at his contact.

Pinigis 

what range of gear-inches are you looking for?

first trip

how to calcul that ? never heared about it gear-inches are you looking for

BikeLite

https://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

first trip

Tx bike lite . That is a sector of knowledge i want to explore, So far i dont understand how the skid word is used , skid for me is sliding .. ill have to search more tx