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  #11  
Old January 10th 11, 10:03 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Theo Bekkers[_2_]
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Posts: 46
Default folding bicycles


"F Murtz" wrote
Theo Bekkers wrote:


You asked for proper, usable, and small. $1800 ain't that bad. I paid
more
than that for my commuter bike in 1987.


But it would buy a lot of bus fares between central and the key in sydney
(for a pensioner at $2.50 per day)


What? They make pensioners pay for bus fares in Sydney? *******s!
In Perth, where I am a pensioner, all bus and rail journeys initiated
between 9am and 3pm on work days are free, as is all public transport on
weekends and public holidays. And you don't even need to be a pensioner.
Just over 600 and working less than 20 hours a week.

I'm going to Mandurah for lunch with some old workmates in two weeks time.
OK, I have to drive 40 kms to the nearest rail station, but the 110 kms from
Guildford to Mandurah is free.

Theo


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  #12  
Old January 10th 11, 10:11 AM posted to aus.bicycle
F Murtz[_2_]
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Posts: 193
Default folding bicycles

Theo Bekkers wrote:
"F wrote
Theo Bekkers wrote:


You asked for proper, usable, and small. $1800 ain't that bad. I paid
more
than that for my commuter bike in 1987.


But it would buy a lot of bus fares between central and the key in sydney
(for a pensioner at $2.50 per day)


What? They make pensioners pay for bus fares in Sydney? *******s!
In Perth, where I am a pensioner, all bus and rail journeys initiated
between 9am and 3pm on work days are free, as is all public transport on
weekends and public holidays. And you don't even need to be a pensioner.
Just over 600 and working less than 20 hours a week.

I'm going to Mandurah for lunch with some old workmates in two weeks time.
OK, I have to drive 40 kms to the nearest rail station, but the 110 kms from
Guildford to Mandurah is free.

Theo


We get two free trips a year any where in NSW but it costs $2.50 per day
for a ticket good on govt buses, trains and ferry in metropolitan area.
  #13  
Old January 10th 11, 10:16 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Theo Bekkers[_2_]
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Posts: 46
Default folding bicycles


"F Murtz" wrote
Theo Bekkers wrote:
"F wrote


But it would buy a lot of bus fares between central and the key in
sydney
(for a pensioner at $2.50 per day)


What? They make pensioners pay for bus fares in Sydney? *******s!
In Perth, where I am a pensioner, all bus and rail journeys initiated
between 9am and 3pm on work days are free, as is all public transport on
weekends and public holidays. And you don't even need to be a pensioner.
Just over 600 and working less than 20 hours a week.

I'm going to Mandurah for lunch with some old workmates in two weeks
time.
OK, I have to drive 40 kms to the nearest rail station, but the 110 kms
from
Guildford to Mandurah is free.


We get two free trips a year any where in NSW but it costs $2.50 per day
for a ticket good on govt buses, trains and ferry in metropolitan area.


Hehe. I get the two free trips as well, but they're one way trips so really
only one trip.
Because I live outside the Metro area the State Govt also sends me $500 a
year fuel card, to make up for me not having a bus service to my door.

Theo


  #14  
Old January 10th 11, 02:57 PM posted to aus.bicycle
Geoff Lock[_2_]
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Posts: 475
Default folding bicycles

On 10/01/2011 8:03 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:
"F wrote
Theo Bekkers wrote:



weekends and public holidays. And you don't even need to be a pensioner.
Just over 600 and working less than 20 hours a week.


Over 600??!!! F^&king hell!! They make yer wait for the freebie in WA,
don't they?
  #15  
Old January 11th 11, 04:44 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Phil H[_2_]
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Posts: 21
Default folding bicycles

Having ridden a folder around in the past, I can say that they're more
expensive than a standard bike, and when folded, they're heavier than
you'd like and have sharp bits poking out. Their main advantage is
that you can often taken them on public transport and you can store
them in small spaces - under a table or in the boot of a car, for
example. Their main disadvantage is that they aren't as effective as a
full-size bike when actually riding.

If that doesn't bother you, here's what you should look for in a
folding bike, in no particular order:

0. Ease of folding. It should take 15 seconds or less to fold the
bike, with practice, and when unfolding the bike should be easy to
reset to your riding setup. If it takes much longer than this,
there'll be little point to having a folder in the first place. Also,
cables, levers and so on should not snag on anything during a fold or
unfold.

1. Size when folded. None are as small as you want. Basically, when
folded it's going to be somewhat bigger than the wheel size, no matter
what. The Brompton is the smallest, but it isn't all that small if
you're carrying it.

2. Weight. This seems to bottom out at around 15kg for most of what's
on offer. Below 15kg there's much less choice, and every kg saved
costs a surprisingly large amount of money.

3. Wheel size. Smaller wheels are, well, smaller... but less stable on
the road. I wouldn't go below 20 inch wheels, myself, but I suppose
that's down to individual preference.

4. Strength of the hinges. You want strong hinges and catches that
close tight, don't creak, and can be easily tightened as they loosen
up over time. The weakest link is usually the steering stem hinge. The
stems tend to be quite long on folders, and so they cop a lot of
bending force. (Which is why you're not supposed to stand on the
pedals to push up hills.)

5. Ridability. Most folders are, at the very least, short. They also
tend to have very little trail in their steering. Trail makes a bike
self-steering to a large extent; small or negative trail has the
opposite effect and makes steering very twitchy. Consequently most
folders require more attention when riding.

If I had to recommend anything in the middling price range, it'd be a
Dahon or a Yeah. They're made in the same factory and use the same
components, but Yeah tend to be a bit cheaper. They're both fairly
common, reasonably priced for folders, and well-made. They also hold
their resale value fairly well if they're looked after, which is
useful if you decide that a folder isn't for you.


-- Phil
  #16  
Old January 11th 11, 07:50 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Theo Bekkers[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 46
Default folding bicycles


"Geoff Lock" glock@home wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2011 8:03 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:
"F wrote
Theo Bekkers wrote:



weekends and public holidays. And you don't even need to be a pensioner.
Just over 600 and working less than 20 hours a week.


Over 600??!!! F^&king hell!! They make yer wait for the freebie in WA,
don't they?


We live a long time here in the West.
OK 60 then.

Theo


  #17  
Old January 11th 11, 08:27 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Dave Hughes
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Posts: 228
Default folding bicycles

On Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:25:20 +0000, Zebee Johnstone wrote:

http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Progear-...or-city-riders
reckons $350, says light but doesn't give a weight which sounds sus to
me... BUt they have a storefront in Stanmore and have at least one
Dahon as well.


Googling around shows "gross weight 15kg". Assuming the box weighs around
1kg, that's a 14kg bike. Not light, but quite rideable (Most MTBs around
that price are probably a similar weight, if not more).

--
Dave Hughes -
This calls for a very special blend of psychology
and extreme violence. - Vyvyan

  #18  
Old January 16th 11, 11:05 AM posted to aus.bicycle
BT Humble[_3_]
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Posts: 67
Default folding bicycles

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:20:31 +1100
F Murtz wrote:
Theo Bekkers wrote:
"F wrote
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
On 9/01/2011 8:28 PM, F Murtz wrote:

What is the smallest and lightest folding cycle?
I mean proper usable ones.
The smallest folder is definitely the Brompton.
http://www.brompton.co.uk

Looks like just the thing,I bought a lotto ticket this week.

You asked for proper, usable, and small. $1800 ain't that bad. I paid more
than that for my commuter bike in 1987.

Theo


But it would buy a lot of bus fares between central and the key in
sydney (for a pensioner at $2.50 per day)


If you aren't going to ride far and you aren't in peak hour, then take
a normal bike not a folder. Or a cheap folder. They don't fold
small, they don't ride well, and they die relatively quickly but you
can get them for $300 on ebay.

If you want small and light you pay for it. So get used to buses...


You can get them for $150 at Aldi...

(We bought 2 because that way we can fit 2 bikes internally in the car
when we travel, and cycling 5km on a not-terribly-good bike is still more
fun than walking 5km.


BTH

--
Posted at www.usenet.com.au
  #19  
Old January 16th 11, 09:16 PM posted to aus.bicycle
TimC[_2_]
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Posts: 46
Default folding bicycles

On 2011-01-16, BT Humble (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
If you aren't going to ride far and you aren't in peak hour, then take
a normal bike not a folder. Or a cheap folder. They don't fold
small, they don't ride well, and they die relatively quickly but you
can get them for $300 on ebay.

If you want small and light you pay for it. So get used to buses...


You can get them for $150 at Aldi...

(We bought 2 because that way we can fit 2 bikes internally in the car
when we travel, and cycling 5km on a not-terribly-good bike is still more
fun than walking 5km.


I was looking at their unicycle when I was in there buying my 1/12
scale model of a 650GS[1] a couple of weeks ago (thanks for the
headsup BTH!).

Looks even more portable and fun than cycling, but since I have no
idea about unicycle sizing (other than knowing it wouldn't fit in my
panniers and thus I could not get it back home), I didn't buy it.

[1] Pity they didn't have any boxer engine'd beemers.

--
TimC
pivot_root manpage: BUGS:
Some of the more obscure uses of pivot_root may quickly lead to insanity.
  #20  
Old January 17th 11, 04:49 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Jack Russell
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Posts: 157
Default folding bicycles

On 17/01/2011 07:16, TimC wrote:
On 2011-01-16, BT Humble (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
If you aren't going to ride far and you aren't in peak hour, then take
a normal bike not a folder. Or a cheap folder. They don't fold
small, they don't ride well, and they die relatively quickly but you
can get them for $300 on ebay.

If you want small and light you pay for it. So get used to buses...


You can get them for $150 at Aldi...

(We bought 2 because that way we can fit 2 bikes internally in the car
when we travel, and cycling 5km on a not-terribly-good bike is still more
fun than walking 5km.


I was looking at their unicycle when I was in there buying my 1/12
scale model of a 650GS[1] a couple of weeks ago (thanks for the
headsup BTH!).

Looks even more portable and fun than cycling, but since I have no
idea about unicycle sizing (other than knowing it wouldn't fit in my
panniers and thus I could not get it back home), I didn't buy it.

[1] Pity they didn't have any boxer engine'd beemers.

I bought one of their folders a a couple of months ago. Apart from the
Huge weight I could not raise the saddle high enough to fit my meagre 5
foot 10 inches. Eventually I took advantage of their money back offer.



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