What folding bike???

Puch Picnic folder.....been riding this to work recently after buying it on a whim and I really like it. Single speed (I bought it with the dubious mag wheels on it) but I replaced the original cotter-pin crank & bb with a cartridge bb and Shimano 105 road chainset (52t) and the gearing is spot on. Lowering the seat and handlebars would see this fold quite compact I reckon. I could do that and measure up if that helps?

The Puch is a good basis to modify as, unlike the Raleigh Stowaway, as threads/sizing for bb are euro standard, meaning you can fit std shimano bottom brackets (and I guess headset sizes are std too).

Fair point. That's what's my mate is thinking, but I do like the idea of quick spins on #inappropriate_bikes

And Shirlylocks, that's more like it.....brill

Jonny69":wqwz90dh said:

Second hand Brompton will always hold its value though. It will have cost you nothing when you come to sell it on.

I don't like the way they ride, but the way they fold (and how quickly) is unbeatable for London use with the train. As much as I couldn't get on with how the one I borrowed rode, the folding method was the bit that made it really hard to give back!

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Yes, a very good point. The price of a new Brompton has more than doubled since I bought mine secondhand. I suspect I could easily sell it on for double what I paid for it in the early 2000s. As a buyer though, I would now look for newer secondhand Bromptons rather than retro ones!

I have a Brompton (it was my sixth bike and bought when my commute changed) and love it- 6 speed with the unfashionable P bars. What I don’t love is that most of the fixtures & fittings are peculiar to Brompton and you can’t just mix standard bike bits in. Just don’t expect it to be like your road bikes.

I always rather liked the look of the Strida https://www.strida.com but have never ridden one.

Having got various measurements of folded old weird stuff, none of them fit in my boot, except a Brompton, my neighbour has one, so I might see if it fits and then possibly try riding it. Today for example we finished working in the hotel I'm in at 4:00 so now killing time until dinner.....when I could have been out for a spin

See: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... -lt-review (Helen Pidd is a decent cyclist not a typical Journo) and:
https://www.foldingbike20.com/strida-sx ... le-review/

Everything I've heard is that they are twitchy, even by the standards of small-wheeled folders...

Even I don’t think I’d ride one of those..

flash":1vr02cv6 said:

Having got various measurements of folded old weird stuff, none of them fit in my boot, except a Brompton, my neighbour has one, so I might see if it fits and then possibly try riding it. Today for example we finished working in the hotel I'm in at 4:00 so now killing time until dinner.....when I could have been out for a spin

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what about a walk? An urban walk is most enjoyable, in winter I spend more hours urban walking than riding. It's amazing how much there is to see. Maybe a quick pub stop half way in a pub you don't know. Sometimes walk with earphones and immerse yerself in the music. Give it a go, far better than the soaps

Slightly random but what about an adult version of kid's scooter or even a unicycle?

Not sure about the first and I prescribe to the belief that it's encouraged to throw bread at unicyclists.....