At Bikers Brew we like to share

Friday, March 13, 2015

Foldie love

Lady riding her Brompton, so cool!
But kids don't text and ride, totally not safe.


I was not a fan of foldies before. They seemed to be little bikes for little kids. They looked odd and you looked funny riding them as well. I am glad to say I got over myself and decided to get one around a year or two ago. Boy, I am glad I did. My Dahon Speed D7 is now my favorite bike to go cycling around my neighborhood. They are just so maneuverable, easy to ride and really quite a revelation.

My other bikes are in storage now, seldom seeing the light of day. It's just so easy to grab your foldie and go. Another plus is for space challenged homes and apartments (like mine), these fit the bill perfectly. Even in their unfolded position they take up a much smaller place, more so when they are folded. They are perfect for mixed mode transport (train/bus and last mile rides) and even for long distance cycling and touring. They are just so versatile.

Foldies come in all price ranges as well, from the uber expensive bromptons, bike friday's and birdy's to the more affordable Dahon, Giant etc. Try to steer away from the very cheap supermarket foldies though. Those can be really awkward to ride (wrong dimensions, improper gearing, terrible ergonomics). Those can really give you a bad impression of foldies.

So if you are still on the fence on whether to get one for yourself, please do yourself a favor and try one. Leave your preconceived biases and ideas behind. You might be in for a pleasant surprise.


13 comments:

  1. Did you look into Strida and Nyfti? What do you think of them?

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  2. Hi, the Nyfti looks really well engineered, not that cheap but it looks well crafted by a bunch of engineers from Manila. The Strida looks quirky, limited to 2 or 3 gears at most and I hear can be a real ball buster for guys who may hit a pothole :)

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  3. Hi, the Nyfti looks really well engineered, not that cheap but it looks well crafted by a bunch of engineers from Manila. The Strida looks quirky, limited to 2 or 3 gears at most and I hear can be a real ball buster for guys who may hit a pothole :)

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  4. The bike looks cool :-). Hmm now i realize, I cant remember the last time i ride a bike ha ha ha.

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    1. Brompton's are very cool, but also very expensive. That's why my foldie is a Dahon, excellent bang for buck :) and it's time to start riding again :)

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  5. I would love to have one! If only Manila was as bike friendly as Japan! Haha

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  6. Foldable bikes are becoming a thing here in Manila, which I think is a good thing because not only do they save on transpo costs, they also get to work out :)

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    1. There's a local foldie brand now, Nyfti, hand made foldies by engineers from DLSU I believe, maybe for your next bike :)

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  7. Hi! This article is very informative. I'll keep an eye out on Foldies now. :D

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    1. You won't regret it Emma :) and thanks for the kind words!

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  8. I've been dying to have one (foldie) though; as much as this damn region's concern, it appears like Marikina City and the stretch of Marcos Highway (from Masinag, Antipolo City to Santolan, Pasig City) are the only legit venues where bicycles are available to transport the way it should be. (I mean, they have bike lanes); but still, some idiotic motorists are hell-of-ignorants when it comes to such. When they saw somebody biking on the bike lane, they would arrogantly shoo them off. (I wish I could really say, "Hoy, parang kayo lang ang napagawa ng kalsadang 'to ha!" in their ass-looking faces though.)

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    1. Yes, heard Marikina has some bike lanes. Am wondering what happened to the bike share program of MMDA along EDSA, is that still ongoing? It will take a lot of motorist and cyclist education so that safer cycling can happen. Thanks SlickMaster

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