# Folding bikes?



## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

Anyone else using a foldy to get around on?

I backed this campaign - Helix - on Kickstarter back in 2015 and we are due to start getting delivery this year!

https://www.helix.ca/index.asp






A long gestation but hopefully worth it to get a titanium machine with 24" wheels (Bromptons are 16") and an extremely compact fold.

Any other foldy riders (or Helix subscribers) out there?

QL


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## Bonzodog (Aug 29, 2018)

I had a Dahon a while back,the small wheels made it a pig to ride,sold it after a couple of months.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Any﻿﻿ othe﻿r f﻿ol﻿d﻿y﻿﻿ rider﻿s ﻿(


 Yep. Got a Brompton at the moment. Got rid of just about everything at the beginning of last year when I moved house. Best folder I've had by a long way was an old Dawes Kingpin modified like this Raleigh Twenty.










I regret getting rid of it, because it was bombproof. I'm on the lookout for another one. The only thing original was the frame, which doesn't flex and creak like Dahons, and most of the others I've owned, plus the 20" wheels have a decent ride. The Bromptons good, but I do notice the greater rolling resistance from the small wheels. Dropped 4 teeth off the front cog as well, which makes for better town riding.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Bonzodog said:


> ,the small wheels made it a pig to ride,


 I always found this surprising. I gave a similar Moulton to a guy who made a replica of John Woodburns bike.

"

_1962 __- only a month after the Moulton was launched, John Woodburn spectacularly broke the Cardiff to London record on a Moulton 'Speed', covering 162 miles at an average speed of 24 miles per hour. _

_"This feat immediately established the Moulton as a serious bicycle amongst the public, the press and the cycling community_."


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Looks like a well engineered bit of kit.



I'll stick with the Adidas though probably safer and more comfortable.

:biggrin:










@WRENCH

The handlebar top post on the one you posted looks like it could do you some serious injury if you got shunted from behind

:huh:


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

Bonzodog said:


> ...the small wheels made it a pig to ride,...﻿


 Yep - that's one of the selling points of the Helix - the 24" wheels. Only drawback for me is that the front monofork won't allow me to have a hub generator on the front for lights / 'phone charging etc.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

BondandBigM said:


> The﻿ handlebar top post on the one you posted looks ﻿like it could do you some serious injury if you got shunted﻿ from ﻿behind﻿


 Ooh err. :huh:


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## Steve D UK (Sep 28, 2016)

We've got a couple of fold ups - a Dahon and a Carrera. They are six speed models. Maybe seven, I'm not sure now. Don't use them much but both have 20" wheels, are easy to pedal, very comfortable to ride, fold up reasonably quick and have front and rear mudguards and rear panniers. I prefer them to my full size Trek bike.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Only﻿ drawback for me is that the front monofork won't allow me to have a hub generator o﻿﻿﻿n the front for lights / 'phone charging etc.﻿


 Don't know anything about this,

http://www.spineticsinc.com


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

WRENCH said:


> Don't know anything about this,
> 
> http://www.spineticsinc.com


 Thanks - will take a look!

Currently eyeing up this miniature marvel:

http://www.velogical-engineering.com/


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Thanks - will take a look!
> 
> Currently eyeing up this miniature marvel:
> 
> http://www.velogical-engineering.com/


 Looks impressive. I wonder how it would stand up after winter's road salt.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Not a folding bike, but a radical new drive system. Looks to be in the prototype stage at the moment, but looking good.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Not a folding bike, but a radical new drive system. Looks to be in the prototype stage at the moment, but looking good.


 Various companies have come along with shaft drive type things. None have been as mechanically efficient as chain drive, or as cheap to manufacture. It will be interesting to see what this does.


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

WRENCH said:


> Various companies have come along with shaft drive type things. None have been as mechanically efficient as chain drive, or as cheap to manufacture. It will be interesting to see what this does.


 how does that work? Its not got any pedals.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Nigelp said:


> how does that work? Its not got any pedals.


 Those hole things on the end of the cranks, that's where they go.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

This bloke's a bit of a nutter...built his own ebike...the first 9 minutes is a bit boring...just about how he made it, but the last 3 minutes are ridiculous where he's on the road...suprised he's still alive actually.... :laughing2dw:


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

There's a bloke I see most week's, somewhere between Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus on one of these:






Looks like a bit of a workout!

Cheerio

QL

This is another one that pops up from time - the bicycle powered by string!


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

I bought an Indian Roadster bicycle based on an early 20th century Raleigh. Cost $27, and about double that on post. It said "requires assembly" which usually means fitting the front wheel and pedals , plus straightening up the bars. This is how it came,










Anyway, once it was built, I used it for years and must have covered thousands of miles on it, in trouble free comfort. I gave it to a friends son, and they use it all the time as well. Which goes to prove, a bicycle is like the plough, you can't 're-invent it. Well that's my opinion anyway.

Once built, it looked like this but with a full chain case.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Anyone else using a foldy to get around on?
> 
> I backed this campaign - Helix - on Kickstarter back in 2015 and we are due to start getting delivery this year!
> 
> ...


 Have you got this yet?


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

Groan - not yet.

They are up to around No.40 and I'm up around 350 so I reckon it'll be more like Q4 before I've got a hope of seeing it.

Salutory lesson in backing things on Kickstarter!

Cheerio

QL


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Groan - not yet.
> 
> They are up to around No.40 and I'm up around 350 so I reckon it'll be more like Q4 before I've got a hope of seeing it.
> 
> ...


 Still pondering on one of these with an 8 speed Alfine.






but don't know if flogging my Brompton is a good idea.


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

Amazing folding boat - it doesn't look home made!


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

My eldest son recently invested in this elecric bike...it's most unusual to ride, the harder you pedal, the faster it goes. I know that's what happens on a normal bike, but what I mean is that the harder you push on the pedals, the more the motor assists in moving the bike. It's quite a surreal experience, actually. In sports mode (one of 3 different modes) it can reach nearly 30mph, but it's restricted not to go any faster than that. They can be de-restricted but apparently, if caught, you can be in trouble. It's amazing going up hills on it. He mainly uses it for off road trailing.

[IMG alt="Electric bike." data-ratio="75.00"]https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/forumgallery/monthly_2019_05/large.20190428_183506.jpg.8e5eb9021f6f78f958b107e9d587e3c7.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Electric bike." data-ratio="75.00"]https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/forumgallery/monthly_2019_05/large.20190428_183541.jpg.9299efee5b167d6e507d4d28446999d9.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG alt="Electric bike." data-ratio="75.00"]https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/forumgallery/monthly_2019_05/large.20190428_183521.jpg.4152fd05da24bb17e2e801ae3932c088.jpg[/IMG]


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