Folders! Foldable bicycles, minivelos and demontables

[grantoury]

Picked up this machine today. A Bridgestone Transit T200CS Carbon:

View attachment 909344

I will be added to my collection (or rather mrs non-fixie's, as she's more Japanese-sized) of quirky prize-winning Bridgestone designs.

A place which it shares with a GR-27 Grantech:

And a (non-folding) Blouson:

View attachment 909345

I think I saw the Transit on marktplaats? The GR-27 is one of the most beautiful designs seen on this thread if you ask me.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

The Transit is fantastic in a wacky way. Is it single speed?

 

[non-fixie]

I think I saw the Transit on marktplaats? The GR-27 is one of the most beautiful designs seen on this thread if you ask me.

You may have come across this particular example on the Oude Fiets forum, where it surfaced a couple of years ago.

And yes, the GR-27 is a remarkably good design. Unlike most folders I've tried it rides just like a normal bike. Geometry and weight are very close to other lightweight bikes of the era. I should have been way more successful. My only explanation is that it was just too expensive.

If only it were my size ...

The Transit is fantastic in a wacky way. Is it single speed?

It is. Both wacky and single speed. It is also pretty hefty, much more than the "carbon" in its name would suggest.

I'll clean it up a bit, put some air in the tires, take it for a spin and report back on how it rides.

 

[kingoffootball]

Handybike:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186841469784

 

[grantoury]

Missing only one very minor detail.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Missing only one very minor detail.

Two ackshully

 

[grantoury]

This one was new to me. It was one of the earliest production mountain bikes, so after 154 pages this thread has finally come home to the real reason for "Retrobike", early mountain bikes. More info in the link, I will just leave these pics of a fascinating bike, that not only was an early mtb developed independently, but looks like an independently developed mini velo as well.

https://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1979_Topanga.html

 

[grantoury]

 

[grantoury]

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

This has got me quite excited. Some very clever design. Definitely worth reading imo.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/ultra-compact-folding-bike-fold-light-1-second-aluminium/_/R-p-306555?mc=8554730&c=comet grey


Edit watch the fold videos, they say it unfolds in one second and it actually looks like it does.