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There are a number of distinctly different reasons why a folding bicycle may be useful, including:
- Storage in a restricted space in a house, flat or office.
- Transport in the boot of a car (safer, less risk of damage to the car or bike, and less risk of theft, than using a rack).
- Commuting with train assistance for the middle part of the journey.
- Touring, using the ability to fold to allow easier travel by public transport – train, plane or boat.
- Riding to a destination and returning by car or public transport (or vv).
- General cycling, including shopping and day rides, without folding.
There may of course be other factors which make you interested in a folder, and it may be that several of the reasons listed are relevant. Do remember, though, that folders are generally more expensive than non-folding bicycles, and, depending on the model, when compared with the nearest equivalent non-folder they may be heavier and may not give such a good ride. Cheap folders, typically ‘Klapprads’ with a simple hinge in the middle, made of steel (though sometimes aluminium), might prove so unsatisfactory in terms of ride quality and folding that they don’t get used and put the owner off cycling for life. However cheap these may be, they cannot be considered good value, and they don’t come within the scope of the comparisons made here, in that they are neither suited for uses such as train-assisted commuting nor longer rides for pleasure.
If the intended use of the folder is for train-assisted commuting only, it is worth checking on what regulations apply on the trains you will be using. In some enlightened areas there are in fact no restrictions at all on carrying cycles (folders or non-folders) at any time of day, and no charges (eg local trains in the Centro area). Also bear in mind that if you want to go on an extended cycle tour, with a lot of luggage, it may be much less trouble to book and pay for the bicycle to travel in the luggage van than to have to remove all the luggage and carry it and the folded bike on a train just at the start and end of a tour lasting perhaps several days. Off-road the smaller wheels used by most folders put them at some disadvantage compared with conventional mountain bikes, but in all but the most extreme conditions these small wheelers, if fitted with appropriate tyres, can cope without serious problems, although some models are better in this respect than others.
But there are lots of situations in which folders are far more useful than a conventional bicycle, and where they will give improved mobility, easier carriage of luggage or shopping, they can reduce journey times, and improve the health of the rider and the environment. And many people find real pleasure in cycling as an activity in its own right, combining exercise and travel in the countryside or elsewhere.
There are many different folders available, but although some are direct competitors, in many cases the different priorities which influence the designers mean that some are more suited to some types of use than others. So in choosing a folder, first identify how you would use a folder, and then decide the priorities of the features to match this use.
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