zoom26

Is your folder your only bike, or you have a "main" or some would call a "real" bike. If it's not, which do you ride more and which you enjoy more? Overall, not just talking about the compactness and the convenience of being bimodal with a folder. I have a 2014 Dahon Vybe c7a and a 2015 Trek 7.2fx and I think i enjoy riding the Vybe more, and for some weird reason i think i am faster on it though the computer says otherwise. I'm not sure why some people would say get a "real" bike when you have a folder. I'm pretty sure there are some commuters that have a folder as their main or only bike. I only got to biking and only average about 10mph as the computer says. I'm in NY,so there a lot of hills that affect my average too.

Amt0571

I'm mainly a mountain biker, so in addition to my Dahon Mu P27 I also have a (heavily modified) Rockrider 8.2. I also have a cheap Triban 300 road bike, for days when I don't want to wrestle with mud. The Triban 300 is definitely faster than the Dahon on pavement.

Most of my km are done on my mountain bike and some on the road bike with the Dahon used for commuting or while I'm travelling and don't want to carry a full size bike with me.

Nontheless, I'm completely in love with my Dahon. It's a really capable bike and I've done long rides on it several times (82km is my current record on it).

fietsbob

No.. But I can park My Folded Brompton inside, at the Pub.

Its the 1st one nearest the door at Home .

Pinigis 

I still have a non-folding mountain bike, but I have not ridden it in years.

edelay

I have Norco Fiori 8 folding bike with 20" wheels. This is my only bike and is used for 20km of commuting to work. I don't have any desire to have a "real" bike. Swapped the derailleur for an Nexus 8 this year, which has reduced the fiddly maintenance for winter riding. The responsive/twitchy feel of the bike makes me feel like I'm riding faster that I am. Strava says I average the low 20 kms/hr but without traffic lights it would probably be in the high 20 kms/hr. This is plenty fast enough to get comments from other commuters about "how fast that little thing goes". The only other bikes that I desire are 1) a Brompton that I can pack in my luggage for travel and 2) a velomobile. Should have a Brompton in a month or two, the velomobile will have to wait until I win the lottery.

linberl

I had a 1997 Trek 720 I restored and I enjoyed riding it but it was not completely practical for me, as I could not take it on Bart because I couldn't schlep it up stairs. I decided I wanted a folding bike and considered both a brompton and bike friday. After riding one of each, I decided I didn't like the smaller wheels on the brompton on our lousy city streets. I was lucky enough to snag a perfect fit BF Pocket Metro from 2003 off a guy in Southern Cal who shipped it to me. After a few weeks, I sold my Trek. The BF rides every bit as sweet as my Trek did but it is easier to use in city life. Grocery stores let me roll it right in and load up my basket, no locking. In fact, the only time I take a lock with me now is when I go to the gym (they don't have space indoors for bikes). If I don't look down, I feel like I'm still riding my Trek, same geometry and feel with the narrower Marathon racer tires. I'm pretty sure this will be my last bike - when my knees finally give out I'll put a small motor on it and keep on riding =)

shrooms

I have three titanium Serotta bikes and one folder. For long recreational rides, up to 30 miles, I ride my road bikes.

bhkyte

No my folding bike is not my only folding bike. I have other folders!!
I exclusively ride folders. I have a fast road race type upgraded mezzo and I am currently using a touring birdie as my go to bike. I have a stripped down birdy with big apples and a thudbuster for off road.
Then I have a BMW which is practically a "normal" mountain bike. But it does feature a quick release joint at the rear suspension to do a rear wheel fold in place of the removed front wheel fold. Like a airaminal.
I do own a regular MBT thats not recieved any TLC, which other family members ride. Maybe I should get rid...

.own other folders but I need to sell a few..........

tudorowen1

I have a Brompton S6L as my keep fit bike for small rides around town..I have an old Phillips (Dahon) 8 speed folder which I use when the sun shines ,a Bike Friday New World Tourist that I have taken around the world on many occasions..I do not ride it much now but would never sell it..It is like an old friend..I have a Thorn XTC touring bike for summer Sunday rides and a Trek 920 mountain bike but now a with drop bars as a winter bike ...and the Trek is another bike I will never part with...Oh..forgot..I have a Ridgeback folding bike in Thailand also..The Brompton has been to Thailand once..The Bike Friday has been on 4 continents...and 22 countries I think..and the Trek is also well travelled...USA and Europe..

ilynne

No, but if I could only keep one bike, it would be my Brompton. It's my most reached for bike.

sdwphoto

No,I have three road bikes,all originaly bought by me some 50 years ago.Two Raliegh pro's, and a Rickert, i also have a panasonic touring bike and a citizen folder.But my Brompton is the only bike I ever use now

zoom26

heh nice to get replies from all of you! thanks for all your feedback guys. and I thought I was bad with 3 bikes on me

jur

I commute full time by bike, used to be 60km+ round trip per day, but I moved to cut the time in half as I was spending too much time each day just commuting. Now it's 35km round trip.

Anyway, I reached the conclusion that for having to rely on the bikes, I need 3 bikes. It has happened quite often that one bike would be undergoing major work, and a 2nd bike got something small like a puncture at an inconvenient moment, requiring the 3rd bike to be ready for service. So, 3 minimum.

I also found that more bikes meant more time spent working on them, as I want my bikes to be in 100% working condition plus very clean. So, I want as few bikes as possible, that means 3.

Of course, when one acquires 2 Ti Swifts, plus a Helix on order, then n+1 gets in the way of merely 3 bikes... 6 currently, 4 in active use, all small wheels. They are like chocolates, one is not enough and every one is different. At least they aren't fattening...

tds101 

I own a few. I recently sold my Xootr Swift, and I gave my son my Schwin 26" igh bike. I own 2 folders now, and of all the bikes I own I wouldn't sell/trade/give away either. The Xootr just wasn't a small enough fold for my usage.

LA2JAX

Two Bromptons almost exclusively for travel (occasionally I ride one to Walmart and put it in the cart), a Surly Ogre with fenders and racks for everyday commuting (and with studded tires in winter months), a Fatback snow bike (unstudded) for the heart of winter, and a single speed Surly Karate Monkey with no racks or fenders for a fun ride on dry pavement.

burnfatburn

I have a folding bike, and a rigid mountain bike (touring setup) and currently building a cargo bike.

I use the folding bike and the mtb ocassionally, for some morning ride or commuting

Tony Marley

I ride my TiRush recumbent and Catrike more than my Bike Friday Llama. My daughter and I do ride our Bike Friday tandem rather frequently, but still less often than I ride the recumbents.

1nterceptor

"Is your folding bike your only bike?"

No. In addition to my Brompton; I also own a BMC roadbike.
2014 BMC GF02 by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

42nd st., New York City by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

zoom26

Nice looking bikes you got there sir, i like biking around nyc whenever i have a chance. Takes me about 1hr 30mins / 14mi to get to midtown coming from the bronx hehehe

zoom26

I forgot to mention that i do have another bike, a Target-purchased Schwin Ranger 26" bike. It's a front suspension steel frame mountain bike that weighs a lot! Though it is still fun and it's been with me for about 5+ years now and still in prime condition except for the cassette that i saw with a/some missing/broken tooth/s. Had a super-low cassette installed into it, and reserving the bike for the winter.

zoom26

How are the citizen's? Was looking into them before, but liked the idea of the dahon that i can go to a LBS and get it with their lifetime warranties/tune-ups.

Shahmatt

Foldies are real bikes.

My average speed is around 6mph, but that's because I walk around so much while pushing it around.

1nterceptor

My brother's family in California has 3 of them(Citizen Tokyo) and seems happy with them.
I bought a used one when I booked a trip and felt the position was a bit weird. The handle
bar height was adjustable. As well as the seat's for and aft position(but never bothered).
Even with the metal fenders removed(as well as the alloy kickstand); it felt heavy. Steel
frame. I'm over 200 pounds and they handled the little bit of off road riding I did okay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUUC...3&spfreload=10

sdwphoto

I have the Citizen Miami that I like a lot for the price .,it weights about 30 lbs costs only 199 or so plus $30 shipping anywhere in the US.I rode it alot before I got my Brompton ,so I have folders at both ends of the price range, and I thought (and still do)it is a great bike for getting around town.It's faster than my Brompton because of the gearing and well made .Once folded it is one of the easiest folders I have found to push around when shopping, you leave the handle bars up and the seat. stand behind it and tilt it back with right hand under seat and left on handle bars and just push.Also the wheels don't come apart because of the ball and socket catch Citizen uses instead of a magnet like Dahon.It's not the ride of a Brompton but It's not bad either and I still use it quite abit.If you are thinking about buying one and find you don't like it you can always sell it or donate it to charity and get the write off.
However if you are serious about Dahon they make good bikes that will give a better ride than a citizen but for a much higher price and if you want to go all the way and try a Brompton than the cost goes way up.My advice would be to fing some one who owns each of these bikes and test ride them or find a dahon dealer and Brompton dealer for a test ride.Citizen is also sold thru different stores and you could atleast ride it around the aisles to get and idea.

Nachoman

The first minute of your video is a few blocks from my house!