Help me buy a Foldable Bike?

MrJester

Hello all!

So I soon come next payday want to get a foldable bike, so that I can stop wasting money on the tubes to commute to work, I love cycling and I want to tackle these scary London roads as better now than later!

I currently approximately spend £120 a month on tube pass, and it frustrates me having to be so cramped in the morning and hot on them. I think a morning bike ride would be actually much more enjoyable, and I can commute within the same amount of time!

SO. I hope some one out there is knowledgeable about FOLDABLE bikes, I want a foldable one as I rent a room so space is limited, and will mean its easy to take to new rooms I might rent etc. Plus I don't think you're supposed to have a bike in the room so will defo need a bike bag for it and keep it tucked away in the cupboard.

I'm just looking for a decent ride, suitable for London roads, preferably as quick as possible to fold and unfold to use, don't want to have to spend 5 or 10 minutes getting it setup before I can use it. Suitable gears for possibly hillier roads etc.

I've been having a look around but there seems to be a lot out there with bad reviews etc. I'm thinking I'd like to spend £150, pushing it would be £200 if it meant it was worth the extra. Where should I buy from, online? Or certain store like Halfords or..?
Anyone with any experience of these and for this purpose, please help me by spending my money for me what bike would you get!?

Thank you in advance :T

MrJester

Any thoughts anyone?

wealdroam

Well worth reading this very recent thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5048749

MrJester

wealdroam wrote: »

Well worth reading this very recent thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5048749

The conclusion seems to be that if you're going to put your money into one pay more and get a Brompton. But I was really looking for a lower cost bike.. but then again I do want one that lasts and has resale value etc.. maybe I can try for a second hand Brompton

Norman_Castle

If you can do some maintenance and as you only need a folding bike for storage, not folding during a commute, would a cheap, older bike stored outside be an option?.

PDC

JoeJester wrote: »

The conclusion seems to be that if you're going to put your money into one pay more and get a Brompton. But I was really looking for a lower cost bike.. but then again I do want one that lasts and has resale value etc.. maybe I can try for a second hand Brompton

If you can afford the outlay and are not in a rush to buy that would be my choice. If you don't get on with the bike or the idea then you should be able to sell it for what you paid for it.

Theres a write up here from someone testing one in London http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/brompton-review/

SailorSam

I gave a folding bike away on Freecycle, it wasn't an expensive one but it had probably been in the loft of my last house for 25yrs then when i moved here went into the loft again. Eventually got rid of it to a young girl. A couple of years later i got an email from the girl to say she was moving back to London but 'Henry' (she'd given the bike a name) had been very useful to her, saving bus fares and keeping her healthy, and that she was passing him onto one of her friends.
I thought when you read all the negative things about Freecycle isn't it nice that someone takes that much trouble to say thanks.

imho

There was a foldable bike on my local Facebook selling page £45.So you can buy rhem cheap 2nd hand or as Sailorsam mentioned Freecycle as well

MrJester

Norman_Castle wrote: »

If you can do some maintenance and as you only need a folding bike for storage, not folding during a commute, would a cheap, older bike stored outside be an option?.

We have a small garden that I could use for storage, and at work we have a hallway where the bikes can be kept no problem. But I will be moving in November to a new place and I don't know if I'll have any outside space at all when I do, so although perhaps temporarily I could get a simple bike, it would be better for longer term for a foldable one.

PDC wrote: »

If you can afford the outlay and are not in a rush to buy that would be my choice. If you don't get on with the bike or the idea then you should be able to sell it for what you paid for it.

Theres a write up here from someone testing one in London http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/brompton-review/

Yeah it seems people either love it or hate it, with varying experiences/reasons. I don't think I could quite manage the outlay of a Brompton thinking about it, there's a cycle to work scheme at my work place but I need to pass probation first which isnt for a while so I'd rather just be able to buy my own.

I've found some cycle shops nearby, it might be best to pop in them at the weekend and get some advice, see if maybe they sell second hand bikes, do they ever do that?
Would be good if I could test ride some different bikes, do bike shops tend to allow that at all? No idea

SailorSam wrote: »

I gave a folding bike away on Freecycle, it wasn't an expensive one but it had probably been in the loft of my last house for 25yrs then when i moved here went into the loft again. Eventually got rid of it to a young girl. A couple of years later i got an email from the girl to say she was moving back to London but 'Henry' (she'd given the bike a name) had been very useful to her, saving bus fares and keeping her healthy, and that she was passing him onto one of her friends.
I thought when you read all the negative things about Freecycle isn't it nice that someone takes that much trouble to say thanks.

Wish it was to me

Hedgehog99

My vote is for Brompton too. They fold well and stand well when folded. Good ride, lots of luggage options. Go to an official Brompton dealer for advice & a test ride & for any servicing unless you can DIY (don't let a non-Brompton shop work on your bike!). If buying second hand, do check the frame number to see if it's stolen - there's quite a market in stolen Bromptons. Good luck!

MrJester

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

My vote is for Brompton too. They fold well and stand well when folded. Good ride, lots of luggage options. Go to an official Brompton dealer for advice & a test ride & for any servicing unless you can DIY (don't let a non-Brompton shop work on your bike!). If buying second hand, do check the frame number to see if it's stolen - there's quite a market in stolen Bromptons. Good luck!

I've found a very local Brompton dealer, its an Evans Cycles which I hear are good, the liklihood is that a Brompton is just out of my budget, I'm not wanting to spend that much on a bike, for multiple reasons like its a lot to get stolen, I cant spare that kind of cash right now (they're like £700 at cheapest). Unless they've got a good second hand selection in the store, I will look at a few and definitely consider second hand bikes, luckily there's about 3 brompton dealers within a mile of each other near me. So that's what I'll likely be doing this saturday, finding a good deal locally!

The brand I was considering is the Tern, they are around £300 and look decent and easy folding etc.