Hisamatsu

Looking for a convenient folding bike to take on vacation that fits inside luggage case and be under 62 liner inch to avoid oversize airline fees.

Wanted a Tikit, but found out it was discontinued recently for a Pakit, it doesn't fold as fast but compacts better? What are alternatives out there? Brompton looks nice, folds fast and compact, but it doesn't fit well in regular suitcase due to it being more squarish? How about a BF Llama? What about those cheap Chinese/Japanese folding bikes on Aliexpress?

1nterceptor

Have flown many times with different folding bikes over the years.
Always stayed within the size and weight limits.
Citizen Tokyo, similar fold to Dahons/Terns in a standard Samsonite suitcase:
2013 Citizen Tokyo in a suitcase by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

Tobukaeru. similar fold to Dahons/Terns in a standard Samsonite suitcase:

My current travel companion, 2013 Brompton S6L-X in legal size factory box:
Nagoya Station by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

Hisamatsu

I'm leaning towards a brompton since it folds so fast and compact. Love the ability to pull it around like a wheeled suitcase.

Anyone here know how well a brompton would fit a very petite people? (146cm or about 4' 9"). I know they have only two size, regular and for tall people.

1nterceptor

The wife is about your height; she's uncomfortable on my S type.
She just sat down on a used M type that I got; she likes it better.

There a 4 different handlebar heights; 5 if you count the P type's
top & bottom positions as 2. I would suggest to compare the S and
M type.

linberl

Watch Craigslist....there was a near new Tikit a week ago for $700 in the Bay Area. I was the third caller so missed out. Sometimes folks don't know they are discontinued and premium prices apply =).

Check out the Bike Friday Pakit as well.....someone posted a video of a person rolling it - supposed to not be rollable, but it looked like it worked just fine.

fietsbob

Pakit replaced the Tikit.. from the same company
still there is advantages Brompton cannot match no Alfine hub , belt drive , sized to fit order. Lighter too.

need a folding multimode commuter,? then the Brompton shines..

maxxevv

If price is no object, you can check out the Burke line of titanium folders.

They fold well and look really good too. Just $$$$ .....

Hisamatsu

Around 6k. Ouch. 2x more than what I thought it would be.

The tikit & brompton rolls on two wheels. From the video the Pakit rolls on just one wheel, bit harder IMO.

badmother

Is`nt there a 16" folder with a 9 speed hub that has been mentioned a lot? Is it a Downtube mini?

https://no.images.search.yahoo.com/s...Mini&fr=mcafee

Also take a look at the Dahon Curve:

https://no.images.search.yahoo.com/s...ee&fr2=piv-web

Since you are looking for a bike for a short person you may want to read some threads about folding bikes suggested for children:

Bike Forums - Search Results

tcs

When folded, various models of the Brompton roll on 2, 3 or 4 small diameter wheels.

When folded, the tikit rolls on its 16" front wheel.

Hisamatsu

how about the dahon curl?

https://www.bikerumor.com/2017/03/29...l-kickstarter/

tcs

Certainly an interesting possibility as the machine folds even smaller than the Brompton - but despite Dahon showing/promising the Curl since 2007, to date not a single consumer/end user has laid a hand on one. At best this bike is still in 'early adopter' mode.

Winfried

It might be shown at the Eurobike at the end of this month.

ThorUSA

Kickstarter Curls are on the rail to Illinois and should arrive within a week. All US kickstarter bikes will be shipped the same day as they arrive here.


Thor
p.s. and yes we will have a curl at Interbike and Eurobike, and one is already on Dealer Tour since a month.

tcs

Excellent effort as always, Thor.

Probably more germane to this thread, though, is: when will these be shipping to customers?

ThorUSA

the curl I 3 for regular peeps ..lol Yup that's a good question indeed. I am trying to make 8 speeds out of these instead and hoping for a block up front. One can hoping .... In the meantine you can actually get an 8 speed in Oct if you choose the 35th ANi model .... I am pretty sure they will come in earlier than others due to my changes


thor

fietsbob

2 weeks later .. I bought a 2nd hand Season Tikit.. with a Sram I-9_9 speed hub..

replaced seatpost and crankset .. original parts picks were shiny but, low end .. had better in my parts bin.




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