New commuter bike advice

[PaulSB]

Due to a recent health issue - I had a grand mal seizure two weeks ago and probably will not be able to drive for 6/12 months - I have to become a commuter. My work is 38 miles from home so I shall be combining public transport and cycling. I'm also looking to try and find a car share scheme from my general home area to the Knutsford area. I'd appreciate advice on bikes.

The planned journey is a 4 mile ride to station, train Chorley to Manchester airport, then cycle to Knutsford area about 13 miles. The trains are VERY crowded at around 7.00 to 8.00 am and it doesn't look feasible to take my road bike on the train at this time of day.

I'm hoping to get a folder of some sort through the C2W scheme. I have two main questions - any recommendations on which folding bikes to look at, the only make I'm aware of is Brompton.

Second thing is speed? On my road bike I'd expect to do the 13 mile section in about 45 minutes - I shall test this next week at a quiet time - can I expect to get the same speed, about 15-16 from a Bromptoon or similar? Logic says it will be a lot slower, small wheels, but I just don't know. If small wheeled folders are slow by comparison to a road bike is it possible to get a folder which is closer in size to a road bike.

I currently ride a Dolan Duel and a Monoc TC2 Concept

I have considered leaving a bike at each station but given the replacement costs are £2000 for the Dolan and £1500 for the Monoc it seems a touch risky!!

 

[rowan 46]

The biggest manufacturer of folding bikes is Dahon they also do folders geared for roads and with drops as to speed I have on occasion been passed by a guy on a Brompton with drops on. they can certainly shift if you get the gearing right.

 

[jefmcg]

Small wheeled bikes are perfectly capable of the same speeds as large wheeled bikes, with faster acceleration and better in pelatons - not relevant here, I guess. They are also nimbler in traffic. Larger wheels have momentum on their side.



The thing to focus on is gear ratios. My unmodified mezzo has a top gear of 78” which is about 21mph at a cadence of 90. If you are not planning on breaking 20mph, then you won’t notice a difference, faster and you will.



Look at Bromptons, they come in a confusing number of configurations around the same basic frame. 3 different handle bars and many gear combinations. Mezzos have one basic body shape, and fold nearly as small as a Brompton. Dahon are a good brand and in a variety of body shapes, include 26” wheels, as well as 16 and 20 (and maybe 24). If there is a Decathlon near you, they have a range of 3 Dahon rebrands (I think) including a 20” single speed for £150. Between these, you’ll find something to suit, I think. But there are other brands including Birdy, Airnimal, Bike Friday (look on youtube for a 10 second clip of riding/folding/wheeling/unfolding/riding their Tikit model, it’s amazing).



If you want to geek out, visit http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/221-Folding-Bikes for lots of folding bike nerds.