Folding Bikes

[Phoenix]

Does anyone own a folding bike?

We are looking for a pair of bicycles to take with us on the road and have been looking at folding bikes.

The cost of the first one isn't too bad, but the second bike seems like a lot of money. Does anyone own either of these; and can you offer any advice on whether cheap is OK, or whether a better bike is worth the extra expense?

My gut feeling is that we won't use these a lot, so the amount spent on two of the more expensive bikes might not be justified. But, I don't want to buy the cheaper ones, which may end up not being used because they are so bad.

Also, does anyone own a Dahon folding bike, which seems to be a better-known brand with good reviews?

Thanks in advance for any advice...

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Camping World, Adventurer folding bike:

Adventurer Six-Speed Folding Bike - Four Corners 70089 - Folding Bikes - Camping World

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Amazon.com, Pulse by Kettler

Amazon.com : Pulse by Kettler I-ON Folding Bicycle : Folding Bike : Sports & Outdoors

[Protagonist]

I used to own an Adventurer folding bike. For about a year, until I broke something on it, and found out that I had no way to get parts for it. Camping World sells the bikes, but not parts for them, and trying to order parts out of China where they're made is a lost cause.

Don't know about the other brand.

[Antique Pedaler]

The folding bikes CW sells are real cheapos that get ridden a few times and relagated to the closet. Bucks spent on a decent bike are well worth it in enjoyment and reliability. Dahon make a full price range of bikes. Even their low end one is a lot better than CW's. Same with several other companies.

An important element is to get a size that fits you. Too many people get the one size fits all cheapie that is usually too small...i.e. saddle-to-pedal length.

Go to a real bike shop and get sized before buying anything I like to say.

[KJRitchie]

I thought about folding bikes but I didn't like the small wheels. If you just plan to bike around the campground maybe they are OK. There are full size folding bikes but you have to take the front wheel off. Here is one manufacturer

Folding Bikes - Montague Bikes

When I look at the cost of our two Trek bikes and the Arvika bike rack setup on my AS I could've bought two of the Montaque bikes.

Kelvin

[bovk]

Phoenix, disregard this post if you want to, for me biking is a great sport but you may look at it differently.
I road bike and MTB bike while camping in my FC20.

The bikes you showed weigh 40 lbs each!! that is 80 lbs total!
Regular bike is much lighter and not much bigger once you take the wheels off.

I would go to REI and talk to bike repair guys, they probably ride bikes and can advise.
A good beginner bike is a low priced mountain bike, aluminum, just front or no suspension, < 26 lbs, < $900.

As always it comes to the main question - will you use it? If yes, get the something like described above and enjoy good equipment. If uncertain, borrow some bike for a month from a friend to make up your mind.

[teagues]

We have a couple of folding bikes -- including a Dahon -- and they are fantastic.

While they can be a lot less expensive, I would avoid the CW bikes, along with any other brand that nobody's heard of. Already discussed: they're cheapo bikes to begin with, and replacement parts probably do not exist. To expand on the second point, SOME of the parts on folding bikes are going to be unique to that manufacturer, maybe even model and year (the hinges and seatposts come to mind), and if they break, only an exact replacement will do. Of course, plenty of the bike's parts are not folding-bike specific at all (pedals, saddle, tires, brakes, etc, and you can buy replacement parts at any bike shop), but the ones that are, really are.

While I am normally a huge believer in buying bikes that fit, our folders are highly adjustable.

[crispyboy]

I am not very knowledgeable about bicycles and only ride when camping but we own two Downtube bicycles.
All the components are from Asia of course but that said I bought them used on Craigslist for about $150 each.
We are very pleased with the bikes, they ride nice, 8 speed internal hub, front fork has shocks, etc... Have had many compliments on the looks of them. I have easily kept up with those on road bikes - 15 mile rides.
The cheap folding bikes have more regular steel and are HEAVY. These are alloy frames and are lighter.
I have ridden a friends Montague folding bike and it was outstanding but was heavier than my smaller folding bike.

[Lily&Me]

We bought Citizen Miami folding bicycles last spring, and loved them.

Sturdy, fold easily and ride nicely. We liked not having the bike rack on back, and that the folding bikes are not subject to the elements outside.

I have carried mine alone this summer/fall in its' ready to ride state, as it slips in and out easier for me than folded up in the carry bag.



Maggie

[Johnco]

We have 2 Dahon Speed P8's and they are great bikes. They have the wider tires that allow use on dirt paths and they are very sturdy. We've used them quiet a bit over the last 4 years without any issues, and they always seem to generate a lot of interest. We found the best price at Safety Cycle and when we purchased the shipping was free. As always, it's a very personal choice, but for our needs these have been perfect.

[Flying Gypsies]

I have had a Montague mountain bike for several years and it does the trick for me....currently, it rides on our bike rack of our truck when towing the AS and requires some creative rope work to keep it there, but when I want to break it down to put it inside the back of my Rav4, it is quick to do- being a full size bike is a big plus...I think some of the newer models are easier to put on a rack if you need to....

[SteveH]

We have a couple of these Dahons in the appropriate sizes, have had them for seven years, and still like them: DAHON Bikes USA:Â*Espresso D21

There are more expensive bike, and there are cheaper bikes. A friend of ours bought the CW folding bikes, and wishes he hadn't. The Dahon Espresso is a middle of the road folding bike, full sized, you don't have to take the front wheel off to fold, and a good ride for a non-professional.

We carry them in canvas bags my wife made in the back of the truck.

[BAB]

I just ordered two of the Dahon's. I have a new trailer on order and don't want to deal with another Fiamma Bike Rack. Just too hard to get into the trunk of my trailer -- with or without the bikes on it...

[KJRitchie]

I like the Expresso D21. You don't have to take the front wheel off. I wish I had a camper shell on my Tundra. With my BakFlip tonneau cover I'd have to lay them down still which means they'd have to compete with my folding lounge chairs. My Arvika works well enough for my Trek and my wife's Specialized.

Kelvin

[wahoonc]

Dahon is a decent bet. My only caveat with them is when something breaks after a few years parts are hard to get.

There are several decent brands out there. Just make sure to get one that you can order parts for.

I own around 30 bikes, mostly vintage. The two we travel the most with are the Raleigh Twentys. They are 1970's vintage which ties right in with the vintage of our Airstream.

I know several people that carry full sized bikes inside the trailer, typically padded to prevent damage. YMMV.

Aaron

[AWCHIEF]

Anyone have electric bikes that they take with them?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Anyone have electric bikes that they take with them?

Yeah. Well, I have an electric bike, and used to take it with me, but that was before I bought a toad. The bike is an XB-310Li folding mountain bike made by X-Treme Electric Scooters.

I like the bike, even though it's just almost too tall for me. The way the battery pack is mounted, it prevents the seat from going all the way down, so with my 31½" inseam, my feet barely reach the pedals when they're at bottom dead center. I'm still trying to figure out how to modify the battery pack mounting to give me some extra travel on the seat post.

[TheCabin]

We have the folding Montague Paratrooper that is under 30# and has real wheels. We fold and store in cheap bags from Camping World and then stuff in the back of the TV.

[LiLNomad]

Im going to buy a Citizen Barcelona folding bike..will report back with my review.
LilNomad

[Pickles]

We found you get what you pay for. Had the camping world adventure bikes. Very heavy and the gears never worked well. Return them without a hassle and bought Dahon folding bikes. Ciao d7 and a Vitesse d7. We also bought the shoulder bags and store both bikes under the front dinette when traveling. Fit perfectly. They are light weight and low maintenance. Very happy with our new bikes. Later this past summer we purchased the REI Alcove Shelter with the side walls to keep the bikes and other assorted camping stuff out of the rain. I called it our bike garage.

[Phoenix]

Wow, I didn't realize so many people had bicycles...

Our 19' Bambi and pickup bed don't have much leftover space for anything extra, let alone two bicycles. So, considering these bikes are going to cost quite a bit more than I originally thought, it looks like I need to do a little more planning and a lot more saving. Also, it's obvious that we need to visit a bike store to take a closer look at our options.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Not having taken bicycles on past roadtrips, I am unsure how much these bikes will actually be used. My wife and I aren't mountain bikers, and we're unlikely to take up the sport; so I'm curious what most non-enthusiasts use their bikes for, and how often they get ridden.

I guess I'm rethinking whether biking is realistic for us, considering the storage logistics and considerable expense.

Question: If you were almost finished packing for a roadtrip, and you could only fit in the barbecue grill or two bikes; which would you take?

Note: You can substitute something else that is kind-of optional, if the barbecue grill example doesn't work for you.

(Good grief, maybe we need to take up skateboarding or rollerblading.)