Folding bikes

[Finalee]

Looking for feedback on folding bikes. West Marine has theirs priced near 400, while Citizen has them starting at 169. What's the big difference?

[seasalt]

Buy cheap. You will be throwing them away after one trip. Riding one is like balancing on the head of a pin....and they will throw you off if you hit a patch of sand.

I paid over $325 each for West Marine Dahons. Used them on one trip to Maine and when we got back to Florida I sold them for $50.00 each.

Then I went Wal Mart and got two full size throwaway bikes. Could not be happier.

If you really want fold ups watch Craig's list and Google for cheap Chinese bikes or get the $169.00 ones you found.

My 2 cents

RC

[PeterK]

We bought 2 of the 169 jobs on Amazon (City Bike is the name). I know why Dahon cost so much more as numerous parts of ours began rusting in a few weeks. They work fine but look like hell.

[rsmith]

I've got 3 Dahons we've had since the early 90's. when the kids were growing up they were great fun in the Bahamas. Their not bad to ride unless your a plus size. We kept them folded up and in trash bags under the back deck. A spray down with wd40 keeps hem nice. I bought all of them used for less than $100 ea. one is the 3 speed version that is a lot better if your going any distance.

[Robby]

Looking for feedback on folding bikes. West Marine has theirs priced near 400, while Citizen has them starting at 169. What's the big difference?

Goggle Sportys pilot shop.I know that thy have them there.

[LIBERTY]

I had trouble with the brakes and shifter locking up on the two WM bikes I bought until I had the cables replaced with stainless steel ones at a bike shop. Cost about twenty bucks a bike.

[magnawake]

Fred, I thought about folding bikes for the three of us on our trip. We are now in Manteo and really using them. But I dont really have any good place to store any size bikes. Maybe on the sundeck roof (folding bike only). They would get wet in the canvas bags then need to dry out. I went the cheap bike route and store them on the bow up next to the dock box. Kinda an eye sore there. We look like the Clampets going to Hollywood. I coat them down in WD-40. They are still rusting which I figured they would. Another thing is, we have been biking up to 9 miles/day. I cant imagine going that far on a folding bike. Let me know how things work out.

[Tim Powell]

I purchased three all alumn and stainless bikes from the local bike shop beach rovers. I made some special mounts and bolted them to the bow railing. On the first trip they rusted! The seat springs and suppose to be alumn rims and stainless chain must have been China stainless all rusted.
Next i purchased two fold up scooters with a small gas engine, The police do not like them. Third try i now have two battery operated two wheel scooters that fold up. Purchased at Sams. Store them inside in a garbage bag so far so good. The wife eaven likes it and of course the daughter and husband wont stay off them. The one with a seat my wife likes and will go approximately 12 miles on a charge grate for short trips. They are easy to move around and lite. In SC you do not have to ware a helment. DO NOT BOOSE AND RIDE YOU WILL GET ROAD RASH..
If you like the idear of peddling and sutch they are not for you.

[34Hatt]

I just bought a Extreme folding bike on ebay $159 I figured if it rust I won't care and if its stolen I am not out big money. So far so good rides nice but only time will tell and it only 2 weeks old.