| Many people thinking of folding bikes as a bit of a joke. | | | | the time and only folded away once in a while. |
| This is because in the past many folding bikes were | | | | So why choosing a folding bike? |
| unwieldy and awkward to ride, and some models | | | | - Folding bikes can be packed away. That makes |
| were prone to collapse. However, in recent years, new | | | | them easy to store, suitable for carrying on the bus or |
| designs have come to the fore, and folding bikes have | | | | train, and is a big advantage of you worried about |
| greatly improved - so much so that any negative | | | | bicycle theft. |
| reputation is no longer deserved. | | | | - If you're worried about the possibility of punctures or |
| Of course, just like any other type of bike, folding | | | | mechanical problems when commuting, again folding |
| bicycles do require that the designers have to make | | | | bikes come into their own - as in the event of a |
| some choices and compromises in the design | | | | problem you can simply fold the bike away and hop on |
| between various different priorities. In the case of | | | | the bus or train. |
| folding bicycles, designers have to strike a balance | | | | One thing to be aware of though is that folding bikes |
| between the folding capability, the quality of the ride, | | | | generally have smaller wheels than other types of |
| and the price - and you will find that different models | | | | bikes. There are many types of tyre choices around, |
| of folding bikes have struck this balance at different | | | | some with puncture-resistant bands and reflective |
| points. For example, some folding bicycles (mainly | | | | strips, but because of their small size, tyre pressure is |
| those designed for short hops) are designed to be | | | | especially important - if you let your tyres go soft - |
| simple to fold and unfurl every time they are ridden, | | | | riding becomes like running through treacle! Therefore |
| whereas are designed to be kept unfolded most of | | | | be sure to invest in a decent bicycle pump! |