Commuting folder recommendations?

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
The bike will be used for short commutes (less than 5 miles) with
moderate gradients. Due to the lack of secure storage and a ban on
bringing bicycles into the buildings, a folder that will fit into a
duffel bag is required.

The other requirements are low maintenance (internal hub gears
preferred), durability (the folding mechanism should hold up to a good
15 years of daily use), and decent handling on poor surfaces.

Some possible candidates are the Brompton L3A or T3A, Breezer i3, and
the Dahon Piccolo. The Bromptons are considerably more expensive than
the others, but would be worth it if they are significantly more
durable.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
The bike will be used for short commutes (less than 5 miles) with
moderate gradients. Due to the lack of secure storage and a ban on
bringing bicycles into the buildings, a folder that will fit into a
duffel bag is required.

I actually would not recommend the Brompton for this application,
a bit too fragile to last 15 years.

Look at the KHS folders over at

"http://www.khsbicycles.com/bicycles.html"

specifically the cappuccino model.

"Bromptonesque" at $530, but not internally geared.

Available over at "http://momovelo.com/khs.html"

Also check out the Breezers, "http://store.yahoo.com/momovelo/breezer1.html"

A Brompton T5 is for sale over at:
"http://www.craigslist.org/sby/bik/13306805.html"

I heard that Momovelo is planning a folding bicycle to round out its B.U.B.
line
("http://www.momovelo.com/bub.html").

The Top Dog, an 17" wheeled 14 speed speed titanium folding bicycle
built in the tradition of Silicon Valley Berkeleyphiles. ($2900 complete)

Lugged frame with C4Ti triple butted, titanium swaged tubing

Kielbasa-coloured enamel paint, with mustard coloured lugs

Kevlar coated, snap-on, aluminum fenders

7 speed internal rear Nexus hub with Florian Schlumpf Mountain
Drive internal 2 speed transmission in the bottom bracket

Sussex shaft drive, no oily, messy chain

Accepts Brompton luggage mounting block and all Brompton luggage

Bi-sexual, velour covered, padded saddle

Folding Gekko style stainless steel handlebars with sauerkraut
coloured foam grips

Full hydraulic disk brakes from the leftover stock of Sears Free
Spirit, and JC Penney 1970's era ten speeds

Integrated beryillium rear luggage rack

Profile Design bottle cage and Jung-Won JSB-500 stainless steel
coffee bottle with $50 Peet's Gift Card

Stainless steel BART ticket clamp/roach clip

Schwinn-Approved, handlebar mounted, cup holder

Uses 17" high pressue Primo Moulton style tires, available
at many bike stores in England and at Fry's.

Taiwanese style imitation VP folding pedals from Shanghai's
Phoenix Bicycle Factory

Nashbar ATB Toe Clips

Starlight 78 high power lighting system

Dahon carrying bag included; disguises the fact that you have an
expensive folder

Optional S&S style torque couplings allow the bike to be broken
down even smaller so it will fit into a large day pack or an Ikea
shopping bag.

Manufactured in a Taiwanese prison factory by the former Neobike
executives that stole Dahon's trade secrets

BART legal at all times

Also will available at all Costco stores under the Motiv brand name
for $139.

you might want to check out the wall street journal "week-end" section from
yesterday/july 11---an article all on foldies, prices, how it was to get one,
etc.

=v= For less than 5 miles, you might as well just go for the
cheapie, the Dahon. I would recommend a 20-inch wheel model
over the smaller ones, though.

=v= But if you get a *good* 20-inch wheel bike, such as a
Bike Friday or a Swift Folder, you might find that ride so
seductively awesome that you'd make it an everyday bike and
touring bike for other uses. That certainly happened to me!
_Jym_