Folding Bikes West

From Bike to Package in Seconds

Riding a bike, say some of us, ranks among life's most deeply satisfying experiences. Others may be content with finding biking a terrific way of getting around, having fun, staying healthy and saving money. There are, of course, trade-offs. The major among these may be that as soon as you climb off your regular bike it no longer operates as perhaps humanity’s most ingenious transportation and recreational tool.

Rather it instantaneously becomes an awkward item to:

• Find parking for where it is safe from vandalism and theft.
• Lift and carry.
• Bring on trips.
• Stow in confined spaces.

The folding bike, on the other hand, near-instantanteously (as it, after all, may take 30 seconds to fold) transforms itself into a mere handy about 25 lb package (in the case of the Brompton occupying less than 1 x 2 x 2' of space). Add a few moments by zipping a cover over your folder and it becomes indistinguishable from any package containing just about anything without wheels.

The list of practical applications of foldability is a long one, including:

• Stow under your desk at work or in the closet at home.
• Stow in your car, boat our plane.
• Place in the shopping cart at the market.
• Carry it onboard a train or bus.
• Check on flights as any piece of luggage (subject of course to actual airline regulations).

Copyright © 2008 Folding Bikes West

Eric Sundin

January 2005