bicycle.journey

Hello everyone,
A few questions and I would appreciate you cycling enthusiasts advice as I am a newbie.
I do not know how to ride a bicycle yet LOL but I am thinking of buying one and was wondering if a foldable bicycle is good to learn to ride a bicycle on?
Can you give me any pros and cons and the difference between learning to ride a bicycle on a full size bicycle compared to a foldable bicycle?
[I have had some practice sessions on, i think it was, a full sized bicycle and it definitely was quite tough but i was getting the hang of it but are there any major difference?]
And if I got a foldable bicycle and in the future moved some place or decided to go touring or something and decided to get a full sized bicycle what are the differences, i.e. what would i have to relearn or unlearn?
What is the difference about riding on all the different types of bicycles?

I have a whole story why I cannot buy a full sized bicycle YET. But I won't bore you. It is why I am have to opt for a foldable bicycle. But I really need to learn as I do not even have the basics YET lol. and feel stuck but then I am worried what if I buy the wrong one and then if in the future i cannot afford one lol I had to save up for this £2000 lol, etc etc.....

I am not sure what to buy. People have mentioned the Bromton, Dahon etc as foldable bicycles.
on another part of the forum I wrote the following and have reposted it:
Further information: My budget is max around £2000 for a bicycle and maybe some important accessories that go along with it so lets just say around £1500 for the bicycle and £500 for the accessories.

• I will most likely utilise my bicycle, in the beginning, for learning to ride the bicycle and then hopefully progress onto long distances/leisure riding/ touring maybe (so I need to be able to attach storage) and not sure if it will be on road or off road or rough terrain etc, but I preferably want to buy a bike that is suitable for all terrains if that is possible?
• I may even use the bicycle for commuting to places, buying groceries etc (I do not drive a car and most likely don't want to learn to either, don't want to add pollution haha)
• A bike that will last me at least 10 years
• A bike that has low maintenance costs and easy to maintain and not many specialised parts (so that IF i am in a different place it will not be difficult to find such parts)

Also, no misogynistic comments lol, I am adding this info as maybe someone who knows about bikes could possibly steer me in the right direction of what is suitable for my size in bikes.
I am female height is 160cm so almost about 5'3".
My inseam is about 27 inches. I am not overweight and in decent shape but my fitness levels could be better. Hence why I want to buy a bicycle.
So what type of bicycle do you think I should be looking at?
Also I am from the UK and preferably want to buy a bicycle that is not online but as a last resort do not mind online but what do i need to look out for if i do buy from an online retailer? and/or if the bicycle is not in stock in-store.

I am female, and also worried about theft if I decided to get e.g. a Bromton. This area I live in is sketchy. Are there ways to remove the company logo/name off the bicycle if I did decide to buy one? And can thieves just tell by looking at a bicycle if it is expensive/a good bicycle etc?
I think that fear stems more from not storing the bike (as that would be indoors if it is foldable) but if some big guy pushed me off as the Bromton seems to be what thieves look for.

LOL are there pink Bromtons so that it would deter thieves haha
I think they should probably build all pink Bromtons someone send them a message, joking

speedyg0nz

Is the folded size a concern for you? Bromptons (and its clones) are trifold and would fold smaller than the bifold ones. If folded size is not a concern, and you only wish to have the flexibility of folding up the bike when necessary (e.g. to throw into a taxi boot), there are full-sized folding bikes as well. Came across a blog post shared on this forum previously on how a female casual cyclist picked the full-sized Changebike over the alternatives and it might be a good read for you. Full-sized bikes typically use standard parts so it'll be easy to replace them, although plenty of folding bikes use standard parts as well.

For someone who's just started out on cycling and living in a sketchy area, I wouldn't suggest spending £2000 unless you have sufficiently deep pockets and wouldn't feel the pain if the bike gets stolen. If there's a Decathlon near you, why not just drop by and test out their folding bike options? You could get a fairly decent one for £349.99. Decathlon sells plenty of accessories to go with their bikes as well, and you could easily get them to install a rear pannier rack for additional storage.

Fentuz

Hi and welcome.
1st, where are you in the UK? if you are after a folder, CH White in Malmesbury (North Wilt) can help and can build a custom if "off-the shelf" is not suitable.

As speedy said folders are twitchy due to their geometry, basically, the headset angle (handle bar) is more vertical making the handlebar rotation very quick and the chainstray (from the bottom bracket/pedal crank to rear wheel axile) is short. These elements make classic folder less stable. Things like dahon dash have classic headset angle and longer chainring (same ar race bike) which make the bike stabler; frog bike applied these idea on their kids bike.

Brompton are know and in the UK at least are a bit of a fashion item so, thieves will know able them even if it is debadged. yes there are some pink brompton. please note that bromptons are built with many specialized parts. Dahon and tern have generic consumable parts so easy to fix. Dahon speed or Mu and Tern Verge may be a easier choice.

Based on what the criteria are, as I have teach my kids to ride and have been riding mtbs and folders for many years. I would say a minivelo like dahon dash but they mostly sell in Asia and Portugal. I built a couple of them and they don't take much room, they are very stable.

Although I understand that OP is interested in a folder, I recommend to also look into "simple" city bike like mango bike 8 speeds and if at some point you want to go on unpaved roads, fit some gravel or cyclocross tyres.

Jipe

Not all folding bikes are twitchy !

Its a little bit the case of the Brompton and some other the have a short wheelbase but there are many others that are as stable as any big wheels bikes.

joey buzzard

I'll try to address some of your questions.

1. Folding bikes as well as more standard non-folding designs are all basically the same thing. That is they require momentum pushed through the cranks and pedals to move forward and stay upright. Once you learn to ride any bike you'll be capable of riding most other bikes with a minimal amount of adaptation. What works for one works for others. Once you "get the hang of it" it'll be easy, almost effortless.

2. Generally I find when it comes to folding bikes 20" wheeled machines tend to be the most common. This wheel size offers reasonable compactness when folded, a good selection of tubes and tyres available, and a decent enough ride on the road. You'd be able to cover kilometers on a rough, less than ideal surface with these better than say with a Brompton which uses a smaller wheel size (16"). You say that you eventually want to go on long rides. 20" with good gearing offers that. I have travelled over 200km in a single day on my 20" bike with no problems. 16" wheels might work for you though if all your riding is in town on well maintained roads and you want something that folds small enough to put under a desk or take easily up a steep narrow flight of stairs or much of your day involves getting on and off packed trains. They're not so great for off road however, the ride quality isn't as good as 20" and there's less selection when it comes to tyres and tubes.

3. Most (but not all) bike theives are opportunists. As such, most will take anything (pink or not) which isn't locked down, all too often to trade for crack or a bag of heroin. Folding bikes are better of course because they're easier to bring inside with you. Also, they tend to be less desirable than say high end racing or mountain bikes are to theives. Nevertheless, anything can get stolen, so buy a good lock and avoid leaving it outside for too long, particularly over night.


Your budget is quite large. You'll get a very decent folder for that money. You could get a good bike for less than half that price.

Good luck!

bicycle.journey

I want the folding as it is easier to store away and does not take much room also i realise now it being lightweight is also important because either way I'll have to carry it up 1 or 2 flights or stairs every time i take it out.
I definitely do not have sufficiently deep pockets lol I am literally using most of the money I have left to buy this but I have nothing to lose and I think it will be money well spent. I want a good bike, I know I will look after it and rather than get a cheap one that will break down and I am going to assume be unreliable or unstable I rather pay more for one that will be more durable as I plan on making cycling a daily part of my life. But it is stressful trying to figure it all out and which one will be the best fit for me and the most durable etc. I do not want to make the wrong decision.

the folding bikes being twitchy....ugh...I really rather avoid the unstable kind. Anyone have any idea of the types to look for that are not twitchy I know the dahon dash was mentioned above, i need to research into it. Any others?

also thank you for the responses

Schwinnsta

I would recommend a Zizzo Liberte. It sells for under $500, and it is a good bike. It weighs 23 pounds. You can get lighter bikes, but as you go to twenty pounds, you will pay triple. It folds easy, fairly compact.

mlau

Just checking in so that I understand your question:
You are female, about 5'3. You want a bike to learn on, and use in the future for at least 10 years. You want something that can support you for a car-free lifestyle with non-proprietary parts. Something reasonably light, and local (not online).
And you want recommendations for a folding bicycle?

FWIW, I think you're making a pretty smart decision. Folding bikes are less likely to be stolen, since you can bring them inside. You can take them on trains or cars for farther rides, multimodal rides.
The low stand over height makes it much less intimidating to get on, and less likely to fall over.

I'm gonna be a contrarian though.....do you have good bicycle friends?
Maybe a local mechanic or store owner? They might be able to fit you with a store model, or used rental bike....preferably with lights, fenders, rack.
Get a good used bike. Spend well under your budget. Learn to ride, and keep the savings in reserve for the inflation that is happening.

FWIW, I don't recommend a Brompton. Aside from being a thief magnet, the parts are proprietary and expensive.
They are very cleverly engineered and have a great luggage system, but don't ride all that great.

Maybe a good used Dahon?

I don't know your city, but I'd be tempted to troll Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
Pretty much any bike (probably 20" wheels) would suit you well.

Fentuz

as OP mentioned purchasing from the UK and avoid online retailer:
here is what the Malmesbury shop built as custom
https://foldingbike.biz/epages/7665e...165&PageSize=5

i only bought 5 dahons from them over the last 15yrs 😅

If you choose a dahon, go for at least d8/p8.
also, if you call them, they could build a 20” folder to your specifications.

alternatively, ebay UK has a large choice of good stuff like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dahon-Vig...-127635-2958-0

but, with 2nd, you may need to do some maintenance or fix a few things. Not difficult but as you are learning to ride, I d assume you will need to learn how to work on a bike???

couldwheels

I strongly recommend you get the smallest size 29'er Mountain Bike. XS (extra small) or maybe even XXS (where you can lower the seat enough to plant both feet on the ground when stopped) and learn to ride on that bike.

Folding bikes can feel very twitchy and unstable even for us experienced riders, riding a folding bike for the first time. 29'ers e quite stable on the other-hand and can set the seat quite low.

If you get Brompton eventually, don't leave it outside, you can always fold it and carry or drag it like luggage when you're shopping, it's totally fine.

AmandaKY

The differences between folding and large bikes are not so major. Since you can ride a folding bike, you will certainly be able to ride a large one, and vice versa. A folding bike is a very good choice for a beginner. I made the same choice, and I am very satisfied. I learned quite quickly. What I recommend you do is to buy cycling insurance. You are a beginner, so you can easily damage the bike or get into accidents, and the insurance will cover these costs that you will have. And I think these are the most important details. I wish you luck.

tds101 

Best bet is an inexpensive, quality single speed folding bike. The Origami Cobra is an excellent option. $299, easy to fold, easy to ride, comes in 3 different colors. Its a great bike to learn with. And the owner is a member of the forums, so he'd assist you with your questions: Pinigis


https://www.origamibicycles.com/shop/p/cobra

gleearch

Good folding bikes are not twitchy. My son learned on small bikes and then transitioned to a Dahon curve when he was about 7 years old then at 9 transitioned to a Birdy and blew me away by riding so fast, I could not catch up with him on my Tern. He's now 14 and still rides the Birdy. A good folding bike can last you awhile and can be a good stable platform to learn on. He once rode right into a crowd of cyclist and walkers on a narrow trail along a tight curve and at the speed he was going, panicked and lost control. The great thing about a folding bike with smaller wheels and a easy to step through frame? His crash was minimal. He slid out at the curve and ended up still standing with some minor abrasion. Might not have been as lucky on a full size bike.
Folding bikes can be thrown into the back of your car and no fancy bike rack is needed.
Need to take a break on a long ride? Ride up to a bike friendly cafe, fold your bike and stick it under the table or next to you. Need to go multimodal? tuck the folded bike into a carry case and step into the train or bus. Ok, it's going to be a bit bulky and heavy and some passengers might cuss you out but they won't know you have a bike. They'll just think your are carrying an odd shape heavy bag.
One of my friends recently traveled through France by barge on the canals and brought two folding bikes along for rides and chores when they arrived at their destinations.
Folding bikes are great and a good long term investment. They are also a personal choice, so do as much research as you can, and test ride where possible, then buy the right one for you. They can be addictive too, and you might always be keeping an eye out for the next best folder.
Good luck in finding the right bike and learning how to ride. Consider learning first and then buying. Just in case you have difficulties learning how to ride.