The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:34 pm
The little Oyama convinced me that small wheelers can be good. I expect more on the comfort and handling front from the NWT and it's about 3 x the price!
The Oyama will continue to be on commuting duty, and trips to the corner store, pub etc. I will be also using it when dropping my car off at the mechanics, and will take it bush camping. So far it has done 324ks. Which isn't bad considering my paltry total ks at the moment!
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:24 am
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:16 pm
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:31 pm
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:43 am
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:51 am
The lights that came with the Bloomsbury are a bit wussy so might have to think about converting it to a dyno hub.
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:00 pm
I've got a tiny light on my bars of my oyama so that it doesn't get in the way when I fold the bars.... but something fork mounted would be ideal so as to not interfere with folding, and my tiny light doesn't help me see where I'm going when I'm in dark areas...
My Bike Friday is going to have a shimano dynamo hub, I still have to get lights for it though. Will wait for the bike to arrive first!
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:28 pm
As for the bike, I'll give it a spin for a couple of more days before I post a more thorough review. So far, it's a different beast. Thought I could commute on it but not feasible. The wheels are tiny!!! This is my first folder so I am still adjusting from the speed of the roadie to spinning a lot and the turning circle. So far, I can't complain about the build as I think it is pretty robust. I had my son stand up on the rear rack as I cycled (yes he was wearing his helmet) as we rode down a small hill so it can definitely handle the weight (20kg) but don't think my existing panniers are small enough for it. I do like the nexus hub (7 speed) and I don't need to accessorise it too much which helps the $ aspect. The kickstand is actually well designed because it folds itself up when I start riding. So that's quite nice. The weight is a plus too (under 13 kg).
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:32 pm
I like the turning circle, makes it totally effortless to flick the bike through gaps in traffic when cars are sprawled across lanes etc... the twitchy steering requires skill to ride one handed though.
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:33 pm
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:50 pm
I think I will just use old leather belts to strap a bag in. I have been looking at the bags they have available for Bromptons and Dahons and they are not too attractive.
Read somewhere someone used a BBQ cover from Bunnings to turn it into a bike bag for his Dahon. That could be the cheaper alternative as the lowest price I can find for an El Bolso is around $60.
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15583
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby AUbicycles » Tue Apr 12, 2011 9:04 am
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:27 am
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:59 pm
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Tue May 03, 2011 7:42 pm
My Bike Friday can't be far away now. Then I'll do a comparison.
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby Aushiker » Mon May 16, 2011 10:54 pm
Thought this might be of interest here and I guess a heads-up for Dahon Boardwalk owners ...
via Treadly and Me
Andrew
Aushiker.com
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Mon May 16, 2011 11:37 pm
In other news - took delivery of my Bike Friday New World Tourist. As expected it compared very favorably to my cheap Oyama! I haven't ridden many ks on the Friday yet but just off the top of my head:
'Normal bars' - they are a normal width and thickness, the NWT came with some nice comfy grips and SRAM twist grip shifters which seem much nicer than the shimano one on the Oyama, they are more streamlined and comfortable to actually rest your hands on.
Better handling - the Bike Friday handles more like a normal bike, with more rake on the fork and a proper stem
More comfortable ride - it has longer and thinner chainstays which smooth the bumps out a bit
At 3 x the price I would expect better performance though!
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Mon May 16, 2011 11:42 pm
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
- jet-ski
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:51 pm
- Location: Perth WA
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby jet-ski » Thu May 19, 2011 11:38 am
- CommuRider
- Posts: 5053
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby CommuRider » Thu May 19, 2011 12:24 pm
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby Aushiker » Thu May 19, 2011 2:33 pm
Why don't you ask Vik? He is very responsive to comments posted on the blog.CommuRider wrote:What's with those mudguards?
Andrew
Aushiker.com
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
Re: The Cheap Folding Bike Thread
Postby Aushiker » Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 am
2011 Brompton World Championships ...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxR53mHg ... r_embedded[/youtube]
via Aushiker (AT) Posterous. More details at Brooks England.
Andrew
Aushiker.com
- Aushiker
- Posts: 22395
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Walyalup land
- Contact:
Return to “Buying a bike / parts”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Cycling Brands
- Cannondale
- Garmin
- Giant
- Shimano
- Trek
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.