The rear tire keeps getting leaks.
5, in the last 4 years.
Winter, ruining the tires (I keep it on a bike rack, outdoors, for reasons I ain’t going into)?
Vandalism?
Tacks?
I dunno.
I’m sick of paying for fixes.
But I’ve had a bike stolen off the rack, & vandalism is part of some of the issue.
So.
I’m considering selling the old one, & getting a folding bike, sometimes called a commuter bicycle. I’d keep it in my tiny storage unit, in the building’s basement.
Handling at relatively higher speed can take some getting used to. I really only used it for a short time though for a specific need and then back to my regular one. I think it’s still buried somewhere in the back of the garage.
I read reviews of some very nice newer ones though.
First, 5 in 4 years is hardly a lot. However, there are things you can do to decrease that number, in terms of tires, liners, & even puncture-resistant tubes.
Folders have smaller wheels than road/hybrid/mountain bikes. That means each time the wheel goes around, you’re going less distance that with a ‘regular’ bike. Therefore, it’s more effort to go the same distance (even with larger gearing). Not necessarily an issue for a short commute but I wouldn’t want to do a long ride on one.
I don’t know what your work attire is, but there’s the possibility of getting grease on yourself when folding or carrying it. They do make bags for folders.
I have a big Bike Friday
My previous bike was a Dahon Espresso. It has full-size wheels, and when it’s put together, a lot of people don’t even notice that it folds at all, until I point it out. It rides just like any other bike. And it fits in an out-of-the-way corner of my apartment, so I didn’t need to keep it out in the weather.
But you’ll note that I described it as “my previous bike”. It’s currently out of commission, and the bike I got to replace it is not a folder. The problem is twofold: First, a folding bicycle has just that many more things that can go wrong on it, and second, when they do go wrong, you’re going to have a heck of a time finding replacement parts. When the folding handlebar stem and the folding pedal broke, I replaced them with non-folding equivalents, and just accepted that I couldn’t fold it quite as compactly any more. When the plastic clasp that keeps the hinge-lock from coming undone broke, I was able to 3D-print a replacement for it. When the hinge pin came loose and fell out in an unknown spot on the road, I had a heck of a time coming up with a replacement for it. When the hinge pin got lost again, I said to heck with it. I wouldn’t recommend a folding bike unless there’s either a bike shop near you that does a regular trade in repairing them, or you have access to a good machine shop and know your way around it.
I have a Dahon Vitesse D7HG – it rides very much like my full sized hybrid bike but a bit quicker in steering, which made it feel a bit twitchy at first but I got used to it very quickly – it’s not a flaw, it’s designed to be very maneuverable in city traffic.
I originally bought it with the idea that it would be handy for days when I wanted to go for a ride but also had other stuff to do, like stopping at the grocery store or running errands – I can fold it in a few seconds and stick it in the back of my tiny Scion hatchback so I don’t have to worry about my bike being stolen off the rack and/or don’t have to go home first to drop off the bike. Turned out I just sometimes choose to ride the folder instead of the hybrid anyway, just because.
The idea that the 20 inch wheels take extra effort isn’t right – it takes less effort to get those small wheels up to speed (the bike accelerates very quickly) and the gearing keeps it going at speed with the same effort as with bigger wheels. Some people do long cross-country touring on folding bikes.
My Vitesse has internal gears and a full chain cover, so no oily mess to dirty clothes; also comes with fenders and a luggage rack complete with bungee cords. I changed the handlebars for ones with some sweep back to allow a more upright riding position. In four years the only thing I’ve had to replace was one small plastic part in a brake lever; replaced with a metal part by local bike shop for $10.
Folding bikes aren’t any less prone to flats than regular bikes. 5 flats in 4 years may be normal depending on road conditions (e.g. if there are a lot of thorny plants in your area). Or it may indicate something wrong with your wheels (e.g. worn out rim tape).
I’ve owned several folding bikes, mainly for travel. The Brompton is by far the best folding bike if the emphasis is on “folding” - great for subway commuting and airline travel. I’ve also owned a couple of Bike Fridays and they are very good quality, but they don’t fold very small.
You see a lot of these here in Holland (used to have a cheap one myself as well). Most/all people use them to get to the trainstation, fold it, take a train, unfold and bike to work. I would say the ammount of people that consider this their primary/normal bike would approach 1%. Pretty much everyone will have a normal bike for getting around town and maybe a sporty version for weekends (then again, there are considerably more bikes in Holland, than people).
Altough some folding bikes (Dahon with a bunch of gears) can be pretty good, in my experience (and everone I know) it doesn’t compare to real bikes.
Also, don’t look at the number of flats per year, but look at how many miles you ride. It could also be about too little or too much air in your tires.
Lots of cheap ones / lots of good ones, but I assume you want AND rather than OR.
I got my Dahon from craigslist, like new condition for half the regular retail. Get familiar with the models so you don’t end up paying $200 for a used bike you could buy new for $130 on Amazon. Cheap new bikes probably won’t last long but a well-used Raleigh Twenty from the 1970s might still be going strong. (It was a Raleigh Twenty I was looking for when I found the Dahon.)
Here’s the forum I used to learn about folding bikes when I decided to get one – lots of discussion of all brands and models: http://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/
I bought it because it unfolded to about an inch or two taller than the Dahon, which I need. And because the price was right – I got it used from a guy in my apartment building who was moving or something – he didn’t want it any more.
The design is pretty neat. It should make fixing flats much, much easier, but its terrible brake design, without a quick release, makes getting the tire and tube off nearly as difficult as it would be on a bike with a conventional fork and rear triangle. I plan to fix that flaw myself one of these days.
I have a Montague, because I wanted a folding bike that was also sturdy, and I wanted something I could carry on and off buses and trains in Southern California. (Amtrak was a particular problem with a regular bicycle-qua-bicycle, but no problems with bicycle-qua-luggage.)
In general, it was a good choice. The bike basically folds in half and you take off the front wheel, so it doesn’t fold small, but you can easily store it indoors or in a smallish apartment. Also a bit easier to transport in a hatchback. Quite heavy, though; fine for me (I’m also heavy) but probably not for everyone.
Now that I’m not taking it on Amtrak I think I’d rather a regular bicycle, though.