Are they really worth their price and how practical is it too carry it around in a bag or rucksack on your back for exteneded periods.
Linky?
Yeah, you are kinda asking us to do your research for you. Worth what they cost? Bikes are a place where you usually get what you pay for. More up front is probably the better bargain. However, folding bikes will command a premium.
Practical to carry around for extended periods? Tell us how much they weigh and what you are used to carrying. Is there a reason you can’t lock up a more standard type bicycle?
Brompton is on the higher end both on price and quality. I believe they also fold into 3 sections instead of 2 which is common on other folding bikes.
Mostly about a trailer - but interesting:
Brian
Practical to carry around for extended periods? Tell us how much they weigh and what you are used to carrying. Is there a reason you can’t lock up a more standard type bicycle?
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They weigh around 12-15kg. Well considering the fact that they don’t run the risk of being stolen as easily as a standard bike and can be taken onto most types of public transport.
They’re quality - so in the sense of spending money on something good then yes they are worth it. Not seen anyone carry one in a rucksack - I mean obviously you could do so with a big enough bag but this is not commonly done.
People normally consider a folding bike if they have a commute on a train that gets really busy, making a normal bike a bit of a nightmare to manouevre on (or simply not allowed to be brought on in some areas), or if they can’t lock their bike up anywhere secure a folder can be good to just bring up to your workplace and set down somewhere out of the way. Is this why you’re thinking of getting one?
Bromptons are nice to ride, but tbh I’d prefer a conventional bike. In the train journey case I’d just buy two stealth road bikes s/h for less than the price of a brompton and lock up either end of the train journey - by stealth I mean a cheap bike that looks shite to the undiscerning eye but is actually half-decent.
I wouldn’t have thought they’d be very comfortable to carry in a backpack - their main portability selling point is that they fold down small enough to be classed as hand luggage on trains where there is no provision for carrying bikes.
So generally, people only carry them a short distance - from the road entrance of the train station to the platform, then the opposite at the other end of their commute.
My partner has one (broken) and also a similar version (Phillips?) which he took overseas when he worked in Europe. It was easy enough to fold and carry on public transport and came with a large carrycase that, although adequate to store the bike in, was extremely uncomfortable to actually carry.
It doesn’t work as a backpack, it has a shoulder strap which means you’re carrying a very heavy bit of kit in a manner that’s going to hurt after a while.
At one point, he also did the two bikes alternative and used a decent mountain bike to cycle from home to the station (locked up at the station in full view of cctv and British Transport Police offices) and a very cheap s/h bike for the commute at the other end. Second crap bike was not of any value so he wasn’t bothered if it got stolen. Naturally, several attempts were made on the fancy mountain bike (thwarted by cctv and BTP) but nobody touched the other one.
Depends, I’d say. Having just done a ton of research and purchasing a new bike I’d say 90% of them are way overpriced. Or to put another way, your money isn’t buying you the quality or technology you get in other consumer goods.
Then which type of bike would you recommend as value for money.
I love my Brompton! It’s a brilliant design. It’s not exactly lightweight, but you can get a shoulder bag for it. I’ve carried it through some large train stations where it’s a 5-minute walk when changing trains. I wouldn’t want to carry it much further.
There are other bikes that can be broken up into an equally small package, and other bikes that fold just as fast. But not both. I can pack my Brompton in an airline-legal suitcase in 30 seconds; maybe a minute if I remove the left pedal (which I usually do, just to be safe). With my Bike Friday, it’s a 30-minute ordeal. And most other “folding bikes” can’t fit in an airline-legal suitcase at all. This is why I usually end up taking the Brompton on long business trips - I’ve had a great time riding in various cities around the world.
Which speed is your brompton and what type of handles does yours have?
My Brompton has the standard M type handlebar and 6 speeds. It’s the titanium model (about 2 lb lighter than the standard model), and equipped with a SON hub dynamo system. Even with all these upgrades it was cheaper than my Bike Friday, and I use it more often, so I consider it a good value.
A good friend had one. If you live an active, urban, public transport focused lifestyle, they are as awesome as it gets. And they are a ton of fun to travel with. But if you are more of a suburban car commuter, they probably won’t be worth it.
They are too heavy to carry in a backpack, but they can roll in a half-folded position.