Adding Another Bicycle to the Family
A tweak to a commute turned into homework which merited adding another bicycle — here’s that story
Moving back to the DC metro has been an interesting trip back through many kinds of memories. When living here previously, there wasn’t the love and ability to bicycle as much as now. Then, I had one (heavy) bicycle. I now have two bicycles, one road and one hybrid. Each one complimenting some aspect of personality, and allowing for expressions of “go clear your head.” On the verge of purchasing a third, am venturing into a moment once never considered — never thought I’d be the kind of person who’d have more than two bikes. But, that’s about to be me. And I might be better for it.
Additive Pedals
I’m purchasing a folding bike to replace some of the cycling I’ve done with my oldest steed — an ‘09 Trek Valencia. A recent attempt to travel by train into DC was met with a “we only allow folding bikes,” and turned into homework about folding bikes. A little more than a month later, pulling the trigger on purchasing one just seems to make sense for addressing a hole in my transportation game.
This is additive. The Valencia has had much put into it, from great rides to hardware enhancements. Taking the Valencia to places like the C & O Trail provoked thoughts of attaining a gravel bike. I’ve taken it to the trails a few times, but the Valencia isn’t made for those as it’s constructed. Doing some homework on gravel bikes was a bit inconclusive. I had the right frame (not exactly the right handlebars), but not the right tires and handlebars. I’ve ridden with slightly wider tires before, and its possible i could upgrade those and have something that’s mostly-gravel ready. Such thoughts. more or less cinched the decision — I would adapt the old (Valencia), reinvent with the new.
Now, I do have a road-going bicycle (Cannondale C3). Its influence towards a folding bicycle purchase would be in aspects such as riding posture, durability, and value. It wouldn’t replace the longer rides taken with the C3, but a new bicycle would add to some of the lessons. And as with the Valencia, the C3 has some accessories which magnify my abilities to just concentrate on the ride. I’d be aiming the folding bicycle to be accessorized in the same manner — though probably not with the same components.
Homework’s Clarity
Folding bike homework has led me down several paths. I’ve looked at 16in and 20in (referring to tire size) models. Brompton, Tern, and Dahon sit at the top of the market, and the many makes you’d find at Amazon and other online shops for the heavier, but more price-accessible options. I looked at reliability and other metrics. In the end, there was a checklist put together through which I’d figure out the best model(s) for me:
- Needed to be able to fit into the trunk of my MX-5 (Miata) when folded
- Needed to be comfortable enough for a 12–15mi ride
- Needed to be light enough to carry, and compact enough for most travel
- Minimal maintenance to keep it operational
The last of these I thought would figure into the hardest to fulfill. In looking at the evolution of cycling since acquiring the Valencia, items like belt drives, electric lights, etc. have made a positive impression as to what works and doesn’t work about non-professional cycling. Looking at the belt drive models, it was quickly apparent they’d be well outside of my price range. And yet, there was some consideration to at least see what was available around internal geared models. I’m not certain that the normal course of bike maintenance is unavoidable; but for what I’m deeming as suitable for a commuting-oriented, travel-friendly bicycle, the less maintenance the better.
The weight of these smaller bicycles is interesting. They really aren’t all that lighter than conventional bicycles even though they are smaller. Their versatility is in how they fold; the balance of the weight is different. Neither of my existing bicycles are all that heavy for carrying, but they are a bit of a drag (weight and aerodynamics) when mounted on the rack of my Miata. To have a folding bike, which can be located closer to the center of the car during transport, would make a difference. Some of these, like the Brompton and Citizen models, even make transport easier by being able to push them along when in their folded position. This could be neat.
Comfort for reasonable rides is important to me. Not comfort in the “smooth ride” aspect, but that I like to explore. A 10mi ride could easily turn into 25mi (the headspace cleared by a good ride is a balance I’ve learned to just roll with). The 16in models of folding bikes are made more for those short (1–2mi) commuting moments. Nothing wrong with that — these are the models which most fit into my trunk also. But, unless its a Brompton, there doesn’t seem to be much comfort in writing them a dozen miles or so. 20in became the isolated option, though I’m losing that “fit in the trunk” battle for the majority of these. What I’ve found in this homework is that the electric models with 16in tires seem to be better for how I think about riding. Economically, the 20in models fit better; around that configuring something which might not be as compact, but is better suited for some of those exploring-rides seems to be a better choice.
Lastly, why the point of fitting in the trunk of my MX-5 (Miata)? Traveling for personal and work commitmmnents means to make best use of the limited space of the Miata. A folding bike in the trunk might not leave much room for clothing in the trunk, but it also would mean not needing to account for the drag and storage of a rack. There’s a bit of a joy in having the top down, and looking back because you are enjoying the scenery and not worrying if one of your rack’s tethers might have come loose at the last bump or swerve. I’ve had to give up on this point with choosing the 20in. The bike would become the passenger seat’s friend (seat-covers here I come); unless resorting to tie-downs for the trunk, or spending towards the Brompton models (16in tires, and much more compact folding than all others).
Investing Forward
After coming to a conclusion towards primary items on the checklist, it was time to look for whom/where to purchase. There are a number of shops in the DC/Baltimore area to choose from, but not many who were solid for folding bicycles. I was happy to find that two of the shops I’ve had a preference for my existing rides were solid (Race Pace Bicycles Columbia and Contee Bicycles Navy Yard). In both cases, service staff were knowledgeable and didn’t push towards the sale. Contee actually had a Tern model in the shop — unfortunately, that was a day I passed the shop on my bicycle, so there was no means to check out it’s ability to fit in the trunk.
Online was a bit harder. Once you get out of the Amazon marketplace, there are a boatload of companies to choose from. Shoot, just staying in the Amazon marketplace, there were so many folding bicycle makers to choose from. In either case, there was some common sentiments around cost and acquisition:
- You get what you pay for (there are very cheap, and not-so-cheap models)
- You will likely find the same hardware with different names from wider marketplaces (EBay, Amazon, etc.)
- Pay attention to who includes what accessories with the purchase (some include fenders and a rack, some added travel bags, some had no-accessories and would go for the upsell of those during checkout)
You don’t get the benefit of a test ride when using these online shops. So, its best to find a Brompton, Tern, or Dahon dealer with which to get a spatial understanding of what the folding bike looks and feels like. The difference between the 16in and 20in, when they are from the same maker is striking.
My decision ended up landing on an online shop; not because of price and features. It was a mention to check out the local boating community which led me there. For folding bicycles, the boating and RV communities have a good bit of commentary on which models work, and (moreso than the commuter-focused cycling sites) tend to do a better job of balancing price, features, and value — that is, they don’t only review the most expensive models and extrapolate the rest of the line from there.
I should add: there are several places to find decent reviews of folding bikes. Here are a few sites (most also with YouTube channels so that you’d see the bicycle next to persons of realistic size) where I was satisfied with the commentary:
Putting A Crease in It
The folding bike accents existing cycling moments, then expands into spaces which might not been as flexible. There’s probably a lesson here about “having more stuff,” and “how many bicycles are too many.” Yet, I have felt throughout this process that coming out with a new bicycle wasn’t the best gain. I would have a better sense of what I’d like cycling to do for livability across the people and places I traverse. The outcome being more intentional about how I travel, not just that I travel.
For me, this would represent a slightly augmented ability to travel and cycle — though bike share services could potentially handle similar without the space/travel requirements. I’m intrigued at getting back into the kind of cycling where specific “cycling gear” is unnecessary. Then there’s an ability to potentially share cycling with others (could a folding bicycle be suitable for a child, for example). There’s much to consider, and that much I’m putting a crease in the homework at this point…
All of this writing and I’ve still not stated which folding bicycle purchased. Well, that would be the Citizen Gotham 7.
Given the amount of words in this piece, I think a review has to wait until another time. But, to get to this point, well, feels like this is another chapter in what I know and do in regards to cycling and living. Now, its time to explore what life looks like when you can bend differently.
