A bit painful to hear this about Bike Friday, I like their products enough to own one. Things that draw me to the brand is the really nice fabrication of the frames and parts thereof, the quality of the tig welds, brazing of small bits, and the powder coat finish is perfect. The folding mechanisms work flawlessly and the small details are well attended to.
The various Bike Friday designs are unique and original. The ability to custom order any configuration of components for any purpose across the entire line of frame styles is unheard of outside of dedicated custom shops and this is a small production bicycle manufacturer serving a niche market. I would consider this endeavor a extension of the owner/designer's love of the bicycle and it shows.
In all that I have said none of it would be true, if the bicycle didn't function, and function it does very well indeed, as a bicycle first and a packable second. This is a bicycle solid enough to wear out multiple sets of rims, hubs and components and the frame will still be as solid as the day it was built. I know this because I purchased a very used Pocket Rocket a short while ago and the chassis is perfect even though the components are near life's end and those wear items are being replaced with upgraded kit if I can ever stop riding it long enough to do the work.
Thank you Alan Scholz and your team for a wonderful bicycle.
: Mike