Folding road bike or foldie with drop bar?
 

Hi group, thanks you for allowed me to joined. Just sign up today.
Been a roadie for a long time, but new at folding bike.

Looking for a folding road bike or foldie with road drop bar. What's my options? I'm looking for something like Tern X18 (can't get them anymore) or something similar configuration.

Anyone here from San Jose/south bay area?

If 20 inch wheels are interesting; Dahon Dash d20

Maybe this: https://eu.dahon.com/wp-content/uplo...ed-large-1.png
Not available in North-America, sorry


Other option is to upgrade the folding bike (FB):https://handsonbike.blogspot.com/p/dahon-musp.html

I'm sure others will offer more ideas.

I think the best option is a Tyrell FSX (if you aren't too tall or/and too heavy).


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b9e2bd290.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2e90732a2d.jpg
Manufacturing quality is really top notch.

A used FSX on eBay that seems like new (its not mine !).

There was also the gorgeous limited edition Tyrell XF: titanium frame, carbon fork, Dura Aces Di2 transmission, Gosiko hubs...
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c2f3f4a150.jpg

Bike Friday Pocket Rockets have been the standard for quality 20" folders for many years. Warm Planet in SF is a BF resource. Lots of BF owners here in the Bay as well. https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-b...cket-road-bike

Various drop bar Dahon and Tern models have been tried on the NA market over the years. They never sold many because not many were ever sold.

The drop bar makes the fold either bigger or a lot fussier. Sporty folders tend to bullhorn bars or bar ends on straight bars.

↑ This. Like this. ↓


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...598e8e7b12.png

I bought my Dahon Speed with an intent of converting it to drop-bars.
Drop-bars are the only kind of handlebars that I like.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...58f97007c7.jpg
If I'd wanted brifters, I could've changed to cantilever brakes.

Often examples with narrow tires are shown in the context
of folding road bicycles. Other than on a pristine racing track,
such as a velodrome, I wouldn't want such narrow tires.
The 20" wheels have a disadvantage to larger wheels when
you have to roll across bad surfaces. Having 50mm tires,
inflated to moderate pressure, feels a lot more reassuring
when you're riding small-diameter wheels at road-bike speeds.

Montague Fit. While it doesn't fold up as compactly as a smaller wheeled bike, it goes in the trunk of my little Hyundai just fine. They usually come (if you get 'em already built) with flat bars, but I got this as a bare frame. The drop bar doesn't allow as flat a package as my Paratrooper, but it still works for my needs. It's a couple lbs heavier than my Kona JtS, but I have it dialed in and it worked great on my last metric century.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fea1a8ff49.jpg
...at the BBC 100
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9359aa4151.jpg

Thanks you for everyone for sharing the options. Looks like upgrade/mod a flat bat foldie to road drop bar is the most economical way to go. I may also consider swap out to the bulhorn bar + aero clip on option.

I gone thru this route for a while and I settled on a Change Bike 650B which better meets my needs.
Long term review here :
Change Bike 650B - Bike Forums


If you want something smaller, then you have to go smaller wheels (ie. 20" 406 or 451 )
Options will be :
1. Bike Friday (Pocket Rocket or NWT ) - they break down for travel but not that convenient as a constant folding bike; Great utility (Spend $$$$x1 or $x5? - A Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Super Pro review - Bike Forums )
2. Tyrell FX / FSX - folding as shown above
3. Dahon Dash - Rather convenient fold (just 2 lockjaw screws released with a tool ); Not going to be very compact


If you don't need to constantly fold (eg. pack for travel > Ride > pack for return trip), then consider a Ritchey Breakaway type bike (or one with S&S couplers )
I did a custom on is Titanium (not costing any more than a regular bike )
Quest for N=1 Waltly Custom Titanium breakaway all road bike - Bike Forums

It depends what you are looking for.

Mounting a drop bar on a Dahon will give you a foldie with drop bar but not a folding road bike able ton provide performances similar to a road bike.

If you really want a folding road bike, you need something like the Tyrell FSX or an Airnimal Chameleonor a BF Pocket Rocket.

If a dismountable bike is OK for you (something to more easily carry the bike for holidays for instance but not do it everyday), the you can also look at the Moulton Jubilee or Moulton Speed.

Note that all these bikes are at least expensive if not very expensive because they use an high end construction with high end components.

I am not sure if there are any Airnimal dealers in USA at this time or not. I bought my Joey frame and built it up myself over a decade ago. Has 24 inch wheels so not as portable as some of the other folders that have 20.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0e41e0cdcf.jpg

Their Chameleon is a more racy sort of folder than my Joey.

If you are looking for portability for air travel, also consider a Ritchey Break Away frame bike. The frame does not fold, it splits to pack into a smaller case. Or an S&S coupled bike.

I had also this bike in mind as it should fulfill the requirements.

But as far as I know, its not distributed in Europe, I never seen one in real and have no idea of its performances.

There were major changes between the previous generation and the current one.

Since its a Pacific Cycle own design, I guess it should be possible to have it shipped to EU or US without IP rights problems like with the Birdy ?

There are a couple of "coupled" bikes.

S&S makes couplers that can be added to many different frame designs for a rigid coupling. The bikes can then be disassembled and fit into a 26"x26" travel case.

Ritchey also makes a breakaway bike.

Perhaps not as quick to pack as a folding bike, but very much packable.

I'm very fond of my Swift. Unfortunately these are out of production, but they do come up on the second hand marketplace from time to time. It's an elegantly simple 20" folder design that mostly uses off the peg.standard bike components. The ride is very stiff like a high quality road bike, which is rare among folders.

A titanium version of the Swift design is still available from a company in China. Here's a link to the Bike Forum thread that spawned it. I think they charge around US$1200 for a frameset, so not cheap, but probably still much less than a Moulton and competitive with a Pocket Rocket.

https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-b...nterested.html

It's a pity that the standard aluminium version (pictured below) is not in production. Xootr were selling a fully built bike using the frame for about $700 that was a very capable machine
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8d1a0b7912.jpg
Enlightened bicycle design.https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5a42055e20.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f6ae8aff1f.jpg
. Lots of fun to ride too!

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...45d36907cd.jpg

I think Pacific Reach also is tied into the development of the Chameleon, but it's been a few years since it was discussed. You can order one direct from Airnimal but also keep an eye out for a used one in the States.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a3a78d2d6.jpg


In terms of capabilities my road bike is setup on an indoor trainer because the Chameleon is simply the most enjoyable bike I've ever ridden. I've used it as a daily train commuter and all over the country on flights pre-pandemic.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9c6c7f66d.jpeg

this was one iteration of my 26” Dahon Espresso. With 32mm Continental tyres it was pretty bloody fast. Ergo grips and bullhorns make for a variety of hand positions.
I considered drops; found these cheap bullhorn bars absolutely fine.

FWIW, I bought my first folder last spring and put bull-horns on it. They just fit inside the fold without intruding on the spokes (if I'm careful).
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5b488cef1b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aadc2f2316.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f9db506e72.jpg
I've since upgraded the tires. Also I just notice the seat is not at the right height...I ride it with the seat even with to about an inch above the handle bars. Oh, and I got rid of the wheel under the seat post, putting the original plastic ring protector there. I thought it would be advantageous to be able to roll the bike while folded...but it wasn't in this case.

For the bulhorn bar riders, where do you mount your brake lever? Could you show me pictures on where you attached the brake lever? Why aren't mounting the brake lever at the bar end instead? is it because it interfere with folding?
in your opinions what is the optimized location to attach the brake lever if you want to fold it perfectly?

Thanks for sharing the bullhorn setup, that's one of the option I'm considering.

This is not a folding bike, but this is how a friend of mine has his bullhorn bars and shifters on his touring bike.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...48c9db7ef5.jpg

I am not sure why he picked these particular brake levers, they are interrupter type brake levers.

He donates time as a bike mechanic at a bike charity, so he could have any levers he wants, but has used those levers since he built up that bike seven years ago.

He used to use drop bars, but since he never used the drops, decided to change bars for this build.

I like these type of brake levers (have them on my TT bike).
They are simple mechanically and just plain works with plenty of hand to brake power.
Brifters can be much weaker on the hoods when it comes to hand to braking power (esp for small hands like mine)

Brompton with Drop Bars
 

For an extremely small fold: I was able to integrate drop bars into a Brompton without increasing the folded package, see
http://mybikesite.org/

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...822ea08642.png
http://mybikesite.org/BullhornKineti...s/image002.jpg

Unable to load your site.

Before I put the large rack and basket on, I was able to get

a fairly compact fold even with my drop-bars. It requires

fewer than ten extra seconds to do it. Simply remove the seatpost before

folding the handlepost and put it back once everything is folded.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3708e2a051.jpg

This may be your firewall. Type the URL mybikesite.org and it should work.