Full size folding bicycles for camping -- Good or Bad?

I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Has anyone actually used one of the fold-up and are there any
drawbacks? Weight? Durability? Stability? Comfort? Size?

Many thanks.
digger

On May 26, 6:48*pm, "
wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Has anyone actually used one of the fold-up and are there any
drawbacks? *Weight? *Durability? *Stability? *Comfort? *Size?

Many thanks.
digger

If you are talking 26 inch wheels, would you be able to fit the bike
in the car. I think you would use almost as much space as a regular
bike, except that it would be more square in shape than long. I would
go with the small folding bikes. It also depends upon how much you
plan to ride. Have you posted this question on any bike newsgroups.

Tom

wrote:
On May 26, 6:48 pm, "
wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Has anyone actually used one of the fold-up and are there any
drawbacks? Weight? Durability? Stability? Comfort? Size?

Many thanks.
digger

If you are talking 26 inch wheels, would you be able to fit the bike
in the car. I think you would use almost as much space as a regular
bike, except that it would be more square in shape than long. I would
go with the small folding bikes. It also depends upon how much you
plan to ride. Have you posted this question on any bike newsgroups.

I have 12.5" 16", 20", and 26" wheeled folding bikes. The 16" wheeled
bike (Brompton) folds the smallest, while the 20" (Dahon Speed TR) and
26" (Montague Urban) ride the best. It's all a tradeoff. The folded
Montague is rather large, but it does fit in a car trunk.

REI has a very good folder, the Buzz, but it's not cheap.

The full size "Adventurer Folding Cruiser Bike" at Camping World looks
like a really junky bike.

A decent full size folder is the Dahon Matrix,
"http://bicyclesource.us/itemdetails.cfm?ID=21521"

The Adventure Cycling Association has had a number of articles on the
folding bicycles. I remember Bike Friday being among the premier brand.
You might check http://www.adventurecycling.org.

Steve
www.wolfswords.com under the motorhome link

wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Has anyone actually used one of the fold-up and are there any
drawbacks? Weight? Durability? Stability? Comfort? Size?

Many thanks.
digger

On Tue, 26 May 2009 15:48:11 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Using a wal-mart folding bicycle on dirt trails is insane. Folding
bikes are already flimsy and unstable for anything but a perfect paved
roads. Combine that with it being some cheap crap from walmart and you
have a recipe for disaster. You'll be lucky if you don't end up covered
with cuts and scrapes.

Get a bike rack and take along a real bike. There are rack types other
than hitch bike racks. (just don't buy the rack from walmart if you
don't want the straps popping loose)

A folding bike does not imply a flimsy bike. There are many that have
traversed the world and were never found lacking. The only issue is
quality.

For example, see http://www.bikefriday.com/ and more specifically,
http://www.bikefriday.com/events for an idea of what can be done.

Steve
www.wolfswords.com under the motorhome link

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 15:48:11 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Using a wal-mart folding bicycle on dirt trails is insane. Folding
bikes are already flimsy and unstable for anything but a perfect paved
roads. Combine that with it being some cheap crap from walmart and you
have a recipe for disaster. You'll be lucky if you don't end up covered
with cuts and scrapes.

Get a bike rack and take along a real bike. There are rack types other
than hitch bike racks. (just don't buy the rack from walmart if you
don't want the straps popping loose)

On 27 May, 09:19, AZ Nomad wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 15:48:11 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Using a wal-mart folding bicycle on dirt trails is insane. *Folding
bikes are already flimsy and unstable for anything but a perfect paved
roads. *Combine that with it being some cheap crap from walmart and you
have a recipe for disaster. *You'll be lucky if you don't end up covered
with cuts and scrapes.

Get a bike rack and take along a real bike. *There are rack types other
than hitch bike racks. *(just don't buy the rack from walmart if you
don't want the straps popping loose)
Bicyles need to be as stiff as possible to avoid energy wasted in
twisting frame metal. It is a given that a folding bicycle will be
absolutely less stiffer than any normal example.
TS

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 15:48:11 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
I see where Camping World now handles full size folding bicycles,
which do cost a tad more than the regular stuff at Wal-Mart but would
avoid the added cost of a hitch.

Using a wal-mart folding bicycle on dirt trails is insane. Folding
bikes are already flimsy and unstable for anything but a perfect paved
roads. Combine that with it being some cheap crap from walmart and you
have a recipe for disaster. You'll be lucky if you don't end up covered
with cuts and scrapes.

Get a bike rack and take along a real bike. There are rack types other
than hitch bike racks. (just don't buy the rack from walmart if you
don't want the straps popping loose)



I have a Saris Bones trunk mounted rack that carries two bicycles. It
was simple to set up for my car and can be installed in a minute or two.
I have never seen a folding bike that I would even consider for any type
of cycling. It is so much easier to just mount the rack on the car and
then mount the bikes on the rack.

FWIW, my full size mountain/street Giant bicycle can bit in the back of
my Honda Civic. I disconnect the front brakes, slip off the front wheel.
I fold down the front seat and the frame and back wheel fit right in
without a problem. However, now that I have that Bones rack I use that
instead.

On Wed, 27 May 2009 10:29:12 -0400, Steve Wolf wrote:
A folding bike does not imply a flimsy bike. There are many that have
traversed the world and were never found lacking. The only issue is
quality.

Actually it does. They invariable have very small wheels and the lack of
stability that goes with them. They are little better than pedaled skateboards.

TS wrote:

Bicyles need to be as stiff as possible to avoid energy wasted in
twisting frame metal. It is a given that a folding bicycle will be
absolutely less stiffer than any normal example.

It's not a given at all. It's trivial to design a folding mechanism that
is as stiff as the rest of the frame.

The trade-offs are in cost and weight. A typical aluminum bicycle frame
costs a bicycle manufacturer $8. Start adding hinges and latches and the
cost goes way up, and you add a lot of ounces.

You're not limited to folding mechanisms either. There are two different
designs of disassembeable frames, the ones using the S&S Torque
couplers, and the system used by Ritchey and Dahon on their touring bicycle.

Can you see the mechanism in the Dahon Tournado?

"http://www.dahon.com/us/tournado.htm"

The original Montague folding bicycles also had no visible hinge, the
bicycle folded with concentric seat tubes. Their current models also do
not have any hinged frame tubing.