What do you think of "big" foldable tour bike?

[serbring]

Hi all,

I have just seen this foldable bike.
http://www.montaguefoldingbike.co.uk/uk ... /navigator

What do you think about it?

[reohn2]

I saw one of those for the first time last week in Formby cycles.TBH as a bike I wasn't impressed,a lack of tyre clearance,or decent m/guards,and the frame design looks a bit noodly to me.
From my understanding and reading(no personal experience)folding bikes tend to suffer from the hinge part becoming worn with use and as a result the bike becomes bendy/loose(?),some are mush better than others, that one looks a bit more prone than most.
I stress I've experience of one only observation.
The only one I've seen that looked good to my eye was the Dahon Cadenza(sp?)

[Brucey]

I have an older montague design, the 'BiFrame' (sold as a Rudge BiFrame in the UK). I think it is (structurally speaking) a better frame design than the current montagues, or Dahons, but it is probably a little heavier.

One of the best full size folders I have seen is the Ritchey breakaway (of which there was a Dahon version for a while too). It still isn't perfect though; I think that the slightest problem with the joint near the BB (or even just some grease on it... ) can turn the bike into something with a hinge.

BTW it isn't that difficult to fold down a big-wheeled bike with no mudguards and racks etc but as soon as you add those things, life gets complicated.

cheers

[Richard Fairhurst]

What do you think about it?

Depends what you want to do with it, I guess. Take it on trains without booking a bike space? Nope. Take it on planes in normal suitcases? Nope. Take it in the boot of a car? Yes, if you have a large estate car - though I'm not convinced it'd be that much less hassle than putting a bike on a decent rear-mounted bike rack.

I can imagine it being an appealing solution if you have a tiny flat and want a bike that doesn't take up too much storage space. But for most people wanting a "proper ride" from a folding bike, an Airnimal is probably a better bet.

[Brucey]

What do you think about it?

Depends what you want to do with it, I guess. Take it on trains without booking a bike space? Nope. Take it on planes in normal suitcases? Nope.....

IIRC the bike folds in half for putting in the back of a car etc . In addition to this you can take the front wheel out and if necessary take the rear wheel out too, each of which reduces the folded size still further.

The rules for trains and folding bikes vary with train company. In theory on the basis of size many companies would not classify a folding bike in the first stage fold (or a Montague at all) as a 'folding bike' but in practice most do.

cheers

[recordacefromnew]

You might be interested in the following full size folding tourer reviews:

http://www.highpath.net/highpath/touring/mybike/
http://www.velovision.co.uk/Images/tour/vv30cadenza.pdf

I also bought a Cadenza. But after spending a year with the LockJaw system I decided that it was never going to last, got rid of it, and bought a Jack, which I think has a better and more serviceable joint. I did look into the old Montagu but they were ridiculously heavy beasts. I also considered the Airnimals, but the severely limited choice of 24"/520 wheels and more specifically tyres was (and still is I believe) a deal breaker for me. It has not been difficult to make the Jack sub 10kg with pedals by replacing components (despite keeping the original CroMo steel forks, no carbon, 35mm Kojaks).

If I were looking today I might also investigate the 26" wheel Terns.

[Gearoidmuar]

I got a Tern p24h last year. There was a recall on these but my one was okay. It has 20 inch wheels (406) and is not a bad bike. Good gear ratios and a stable bike for 20 inch. I haven't gone touring on it, but I've cycled up Temple Hill on it and that's the hardest hill in Cork by a mile.
I've considered all kinds of bikes.

To my mind, the best design is the Moulton APB/TSR. I've two old APBs in my holiday house. I've toured on one of them several times. You can split the frame into two in about a minute (takes two or three to rejoin), the design is incredibly strong and stiff and will not wear, the bikes have front and rear suspension and are great to ride all day. With hard slick tyres you're in business.. And another thing, with 36 spoke wheels on 20 inch rims, you're NEVER going to have wheel problems until the rims wear out.

[serbring]

What do you think about it?

Depends what you want to do with it, I guess. Take it on trains without booking a bike space? Nope. Take it on planes in normal suitcases? Nope. Take it in the boot of a car? Yes, if you have a large estate car - though I'm not convinced it'd be that much less hassle than putting a bike on a decent rear-mounted bike rack.

I can imagine it being an appealing solution if you have a tiny flat and want a bike that doesn't take up too much storage space. But for most people wanting a "proper ride" from a folding bike, an Airnimal is probably a better bet.

This is why I'm a bit interested in this kind of bike. It' doesn't seem really worth to get a similar bike.

[JCroxton]

Bit of a thread dig, but I've also seen this bike just now, and wondered how people compared it to the Dahon Cadenza.
Thanks

[mrjemm]

...One of the best full size folders I have seen is the Ritchey breakaway (of which there was a Dahon version for a while too). It still isn't perfect though; I think that the slightest problem with the joint near the BB (or even just some grease on it... ) can turn the bike into something with a hinge...

Isn't that just a similar system to the S&S, rather than a hinging set-up? Looking at the pics, it seems to simply seperate also, in pretty much the same place. I have an S&S bike, and can't really see myself ever using the feature TBH- once you've pulled it apart enough to fit in a small enough package it's a load of hassle I think, and not greatly smaller than a frame.

Likewise, I can't really imagine large wheel folders will get smaller to a particularly small degree, but never tried folding anything but a small wheeler.

[foldingBiker]

Hello serbring,

montague bikes are compared with other folding bikes very expensive. I would suggest that you think about, what you would like to do with your bike. Daily communiting? Roundtrips?

For roundtrips a bike from montague would be definitely my first choice. However, if you would like to have a bike for commuting checkout these:

http://topfoldingbike.com/dahon/dahon-vybe-c7a-review#
or
http://topfoldingbike.com/schwinn/schwinn-20-inch-loop

I hope it helps, if you have any further questions let me know!

[freiston]

Since this thread was begun, there is another large-wheel folder on the market - the Helix. To me, the folded package looks more manageable on public transport than most 20" folders - I think at a push you could hold it on your knees on a bus - it is only 9.5" x 23" x 26", compared with an approximate 14" x 27" x 33" of my 20" wheeled Tern. No mudguards or rack though

[mrjemm]

Since this thread was begun, there is another large-wheel folder on the market - the Helix. To me, the folded package looks more manageable on public transport than most 20" folders - I think at a push you could hold it on your knees on a bus - it is only 9.5" x 23" x 26", compared with an approximate 14" x 27" x 33" of my 20" wheeled Tern. No mudguards or rack though

Am guessing it gets the name from the fork folding mechanism with it's helical slot (?). I wonder if that'll be the source of any strength concerns, or perhaps wear and sloppiness over time. Only other aspect I don't care for is the agricultural looking chainstays, but interesting nonetheless.

[georgew]

To my mind, the best design is the Moulton APB/TSR. I've two old APBs in my holiday house. I've toured on one of them several times. You can split the frame into two in about a minute (takes two or three to rejoin), the design is incredibly strong and stiff and will not wear, the bikes have front and rear suspension and are great to ride all day. With hard slick tyres you're in business.. And another thing, with 36 spoke wheels on 20 inch rims, you're NEVER going to have wheel problems until the rims wear out.

I've owned a couple of folders and I agree.
Why the Moulton TSR and especially the TSR27 is not more widely lauded as a tourer is something I fail to understand. As far as I'm concerned it is everything a touring bike should be.

[pete75]

The Moulton has it's adherents and some of their claims may even be true but this thread is about a "big" bike - presumably meaning one with big wheel. The Dahon Tournado seems ro fit the bill admirably. To all intents and purposes it is a proper touring bike. No messing about with weird frame designs, suspension systems etc.

http://dahon.com/mainnav/folding-bikes/ ... rnado.html

Edit,
Though looking at this it seems teh Richey Bab system is more packable but than foldable. Easy process though - if this video is anything to go by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obrc22abQEk