Something cool for today.
Folding or collapsable bikes have been around for 30 years. But now, they’re better, lighter, and there’s more room for them in a world of high oil prices and shrinking living spaces.
Another thing that’s really making them come in to their own is the array of lightweight materials available today. After all, if you’re going to fold up your bike and carry it from the street to your desk in the office, it has to be light.
These bikes just fit the urban lifestyle. They’re a quick way to get around and they’re easy to stow away at work, at home or under your seat on the train. Check them out …
Some Folding Bike Makers:
- Silkmead – A tube company. They make the Airframe; a nice and easy leisure bike.
- Airnimal – High performance road and offroad bikes.
- Bike Friday – They make a bike for every use; road, touring, mountain, commuting.
- Birdy – Full suspension. Need I say more.
- Brompton – One of the most well known names in folding bikes.
- Dahon – Pictured above; they make a wide assortment of bikes including road, offroad and suspension.
- Mezzo – Fun-loving commuter bikes.
- Moulton – Alex Moulton has been designing one thing or another since the ’50s.
- Sinclair Research – They make cool stuff. The A-bike is a real pocket bike. Sort of like a scooter with a seat.
One more thought. These bikes offer a great opportunity for starting a bike rental business. Especially a small urban shop or the mobile kind that goes out to popular locations and sets up shop every day.
Just think about how many of these collapsable commuters you could fit in the back of a van.
you are a true entrepreneur 🙂
my work is 25 miles away…that’s the sucky part of living in LA
From what I know of LA traffic … a bike might be faster 🙂
I have always been after one of these to throw in my backpack for when I go off travelling. Maybe now is the time to actually buy one!
– Martin Reed
Hey Martin,
The technology that goes into these bikes has come a long way as far as I can see. I’ve already talked to a couple people who, as soon as they hear about them, want one!
I haven’t tried a fold up yet – they don’t appear to be as robust as a ‘whole’ bike, Im probably wrong though. I like to go off road and hit fields and hills and crazy stuff like that, so I’d probably wreck one of these!
II like that bike rental idea though, someone somewhere could definitely make that work. Just needs the right location and the right kinds of numbers..
What do you know, I was out walking the other day and someone went zooming by on an a-bike – and they were the cheapest and smallest from your selection.
I am even more tempted now!
– Martin Reed
Hey Rob,
What I’ve noticed from surfing around the various manufacturers is that the smaller they fold, the less robust they are. The serious offroad bikes are a little heavier and more robust.
If you’re seriously hardcore, I’d stick with a solid frame. You’re right; you’d probably break one of these.
I thought of the bike rental business because there’s a guy who rents kayaks at the beach out here and he has to tow them out on a trailer every day. I’ve also seen the same kind of thing for bike rentals … saving space makes it infinitely easier.
Martin,
I think these things are really going to catch on as fuel prices keep rising. If you live in the downtown core, they’re pretty much perfect.
Shane…anyone who mentions they live near a beach, provokes serious bouts of envy!
Beach?! Who said beach? Haha
I’m still about 30 minutes away from the beach. Hope that takes away a little bit of the envy 🙂
i’m pretty sure i could’ve beat yesterday’s traffic into downtown if i was on that bike
Danielle,
My first thought … that’s a great slogan!
Thanks for the list of folding bike manufacturers. My wife and I are planning a 3 month trip to Europe next year and we’re thinking about getting a couple of folding bikes to cycle the Rhine and Moselle as well as general getting around in other areas.