On Thursday, March 20, 2014 1:53:05 AM UTC-4, John B. wrote:
A good friend is contemplating the buying of a folding bike to keep on
the boat on which he lives.
He currently has a conventional mountain bike but reckons that it
takes up too much space and the folding bike will take up less storage
space as well as being easier to transport if one is anchored and
commuting with the shore by dinghy.
Apparently he has found a dealer in Singapore for the "Bike Friday"
models and seems to be leaning toward buying that make.
I had a look at their web site and apparently they make several models
with three different propulsion systems - conventional derailer,
Shimano geared hub and the NuVinci continuously variable hub.
Questions:
Does anyone know anything pro or con about the Bike Friday make.
Which transmission system is better, taking into consideration that he
may be in widely varying locations (he just completed a
circumnavigation) with mountains in one spot and flat desert in the
next. Initially I have suggested a triple chain ring with a 9 speed
cassette as the widest possible and thus most flexible arrangement.
I have, initially, argued against the NuVinci rear hub as I don't
believe that it has a very extensive range of ratios and the article
I read says it weighs 8 pounds. anyone have a positive experience with
this device?
We bought two matching Bike Friday New World Tourists about six years ago.
We've used them pretty extensively for two trips in Europe, used them more
casually on another trip, and used them dozens of times while traveling in the
U.S. They're now the only bikes we take when traveling, either overseas or by
car.
I shopped quite a while before choosing these. IMO, they ride far better than
any of the other 8 or so folding bikes I tested. But note, one typically does
not get to test ride the bike one buys, since the normal scheme is to have the
bike built to your specifications. I test rode a Pocket Rocket at a shop in
(IIRC) North Carolina, but bought New World Tourists.
The bikes have done very well, with only the tiniest maintenance problems -
specifically, related to getting the long cable housings pinched during folding
and unfolding, and getting chainrings slightly bent when the bikes travel
airlines in their suitcases. No other problems that I recall.
When buying a Friday, you first take measurements of a bike you own and like.
They duplicate the fit. But when we bought ours, there was also a long,
friendly, helpful and thorough phone consultation process with a sales advisor
- in my case, Walter. He really did walk me through all of the many equipment
choices, discussing pros & cons and advising based on my description of our
riding. Your friend would probably go through a similar process, assuming time
zones permitted that. I disagreed with Walter on only one item: he recommended
upgrading to a Chris King headset, and I resisted. My headset's been fine,
except needing re-tightened once or twice. But his advice on brakes &
transmission were very good.
Regarding the transmission: Based on the distance we rode and on the touring
loads we intended, he recommended a 3x9 derailleur. This included Shimano's
Capreo 9 speed cassette, which goes down to 9 teeth, to make up for the small
wheel diameter. I suppose that's my main worry, that the Capreo cogs will
become unavailable some day. But the gears have worked well. Of course, the
lowest gear is fantastically low - fine by me & my wife.
There's no danger we'll forget we're on folding bikes; the ride is a bit
different. I especially notice the fore-aft flex in the super-tall steel
stem. But we're well satisfied, and it seems most owners are satisfied as
well. There are quite a few well-known cyclists who own and like Fridays,
people who are much stronger riders than I.
There's an email list for Friday-interested folks, at
http://www.bikefriday.com/community/the_yak
Your friend can sign up and get all sorts of advice on equipment, etc.
- Frank Krygowski