| General Description... Folding bikes are designed
to be easier to store and transport than normal bikes. You can fold
them up to put them in the back of a car, store them in a closet,
and take them by train or bus. Pictured above is a folder with a simple
folding mechanism, but there are many different designs. A sub-class
of folding bikes is the separables. These don’t actually fold,
they disassemble into several pieces. The idea is still the same,
though.Folding bikes generally fall somewhere along this scale:
At one end are bikes designed for short journeys - they fold very
well but don’t feel quite like full-size bikes. They are perfect
for commuting, as you can cycle to your nearest train station or
bus stop, quickly fold them up, and put them behind your seat or
in a luggage rack.
At the other end are bikes designed for longer distance riding.
They are usually equipped with lots of luggage-carrying space, and
ride very like a full-size bike. These are bikes you can happily
ride all day, and are perfect for commuting longer distances or
touring. They don’t fold quite so quickly or as small, but
are still a lot more compact and easy to store than a full-size
bike.
Pros...
You can put them almost anywhere. If you need to take a car, train
or bus, they are a lot easier to transport. They are small enough
that you can often take them into work with you, instead of leaving
them outside to be stolen.
Cons... The
small wheels can sometimes feel twitchy (although you do get used
to this) and small wheels don’t absorb so much vibration from
the road (though many folders have suspension to counter this).
It can take practice to be able to fold your bike easily.
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