The Best Folding Bikes Of 2008: A Review

Folding bikes are useful for anyone interested in taking their bike on a bus, train or ferry. They can also be packed in a car, stowed on a plane, or stored indoors securely. Many owners bring their folding bikes into an apartment or store them under an office desk. Most folding bikes have 16″ or 20″ wheels, but you can also find full-sized bikes that fold. Bikes by Brompton and Dahon fold into very compact packages — they are ideal if you are traveling by train or bus and want to bring the bike on-board. If you are looking for a high-performance road bike check out the Airnimal or the Bike Friday. These bikes are used worldwide for long-distance travel. Many cyclists who have tried these bikes found them to be an ideal mixture of performance and convenience. You can find folding bikes by Citizen and Zport for under $200 — these are  probably best considered as entry-level bikes.

Here’s our round-up of the best folding bikes available:

Brompton Folding Bikes

Brompton folding bikes from Britain are are classics in the world of folders. They’ve been in production for 15 years now, and they are still the world’s most compact folding bike –  they fold up into an amazingly small 22-in. x 23-in. x 11-in. bundle.

Bromptons come with fenders and a rack, making them ideal for urban commuter. In Europe, many commuters from the on trains, and then ride to work from the station. Prices from Bromptons in the U.S. are $1000 and up.

Available from: NYCE Wheels

Dahon Folding Bikes

Dahon, based in California, dominates the folding bike market with more than two-thirds share. Dahon produces a wide range good quality 20″ folding bikes, ranging from inexpensive models (starting at $350), all the way up to deluxe models priced around $3000. They also make some of the lightest folding bikes on the market (for example the Dahon MU SL). Dahon bikes are built in Taiwan and more recently China and Macau.

A to B Magazine rates Dahon bikes 4 start out of 5, there recommended bikes are:

At the budget end, we’d recommend the Boardwalk, but if you can afford a lighter and better-equipped bike, take a look at the Vitesse, Helios or Speed, particularly the elegant 8.7kg SL variant. There are also a number of 26-inch and 700c full-size machines available, including mountain bikes of varying sophistication.

Dahon bikes are available from Amazon.

Strida Folding Bikes

The Strida is unique bike that is best suited to short trips on level ground. Owners say these bikes are great for riding a few miles to the train or bus (see a detailed review on Bike Design). They have an extremely quick folding action: it takes about seven seconds to fold one up.

There are two models of Strida. The original 3.2 Strida weighs 22 pounds and features many maintenance-free components: drum brakes, grease-free belt drive, plastic wheels, plastic hubs and plastic bottom bracket. This means you can carry these bikes without worrying about getting grease on your clothes.

The next version of the Strida, the 5.0, improved the quality and reduced weight to 19.4 lbs with disc brakes, anodized alloy wheels, somewhat better cranks and chainring, and alloy hubs and bottom bracket. Both models are single speed.

Here is Japanese video demonstrating the folding action:

A Strida owner, Bruce Hartleben says:

Unlike the Brompton, the Strida is a single gear with (dry) belt drive, which means no shifter or greasy chain, no tension adjustments and no caught pant legs. Even though there is only one speed, I can still climb reasonable hills. The tires are mini fat tubes, so you can jump curbs and hit potholes without any problems. The bike has a very, very tight turning radius, and while riding, your posture is quite upright - like a boulevard bike, not humped over like a road bike - so you can see traffic while riding in a suit and tie.

Small wheeled bikes like the Strida can take some getting used to — some riders find it easy to topple over on them.

The Strida 5.0 bike is available from Amazon for around $800.

Bike Friday Folding Bikes

Bike Friday is an Oregon-based company that builds quality, road-tested folding bikes. They focus on serious traveling bikes for serious riders. Each 20″ wheel bike is custom-fitted to its owner, the range includes the Metro for the commuter, the Pocket Rocket, a racing and road bike, and the 16″ wheel Tikit, which is comparable to the Brompton commuter bikes. Bike Friday now also makes recumbent folding bikes and a tandem model.

Prices range from $1,379 to $3,585 (depending on components).

Available from NYCEWheels.

Birdy Folding Bikes

Birdy Bikes are German-engineered folding bikes built in Taiwan. These innovative bikes are very smooth on the road due to their front and rear suspension. They are also known for their excellent handling and stable feeling on the road. Birdy Bikes are reasonably light at 25 pounds, and fold up into a small package.

They sell for about $1,250.

Available from: Calhoun Cycles

Airnimal Folding Bikes

The Airnimal is another quality folding bike from England. Airnimals are built to be high-performance road bikes that can compete with non-folders. Like the Bike Friday range, Airnimals can be quick-folded for the train, or dismantled for long-distance hard-case transport. Airnimal Chameleons (pictured above) are priced at around $2500.

The Airnimal Joey was introduced as a commuter bike. It’s a fast, light bike, that can also be used for longer distance riding. It has a low step-over height and a telescopic seatpost making it suitable for a wide range of heights and ages. Price at about $1300.

You can read a full review of the Joey here.

You can read some personal reviews of Airnimal bikes here and here.

Available from: Calhoun Cycles

Montague Folding Bikes

The Montague Paratrooper is a full-size mountain bike that folds. This rugged 24-speed bike is a good choice if want to ride off-road, but also want the convenience of a folding bike. The retail price for this bike is $765.

Available from Amazon for $735.

Giant Folding Bikes

Giant Bicycles makes an folding bike called the Halfway. This stylish 7-speed bike has an aluminum frame and a number of design features like monoblade forks, a custom rack, fenders and a light carrying bag. The 20″ wheels and good handling inspires confidence, especially for those new to folding bikes.

At 27 pounds, it’s a bit on the heavy side, but the Halfway’s folding action is quick and simple.

Given all its features, the Halfway is inexpensively priced at around $500-600.

You can read a personal review of this bike here.

Available from: Bike Warehouse and Folding Bikes West.

Xootr Folding Bikes

With an aluminum frame, high-pressure tires, and a geometry similar to a full-size bike, the Xootr Swift is a performance bike. It is also quick to fold and easy to carry. The downside? When folded, it’s more than twice the size of the Brompton.

See a personal review of the Xootr Swift at Commute By Bike.

The Swift is priced at $679. Available at NYCE Wheels.

Moulton Folding Bikes

Moulton Bicycles is a small company in Britian that makes superbly crafted and very expensive bikes. Moulton bikes are know for their sophisticated suspension and extremely smooth riding. Their bikes don’t actually fold, instead they can be disassembled for traveling.

Prices range from $8,000 - $11,000 (depending on exchange rate and components).