Folding Fixie

Jenny Brien said:

I still like riding fast, and I love touring, but these days if I
really want to make some distance, I take the bus. Yes, I can get a
full size bike into the bellybox of a bus, but I'm looking for
something that I can fold up and take inside, or chuck into the boot of
a friend's car. Preferably, light enough and folding fast enough that I
can bring it inside with me most places I go, and don't have to carry a
heavy lock around.

Looking at folding bikes, I see the cheap and slow, the fiddly and far
too expensive (Moulton, Bike Friday) or the neat, but still slow
(Brompton).

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness and
stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

I don't have experience personally with one, but you might look at the
Swift folder frame. It's oriented towards being simple and quick to
fold and ride pretty much like a full-size. It doesn't get that small,
but probably small enough for what you want. It's one of the few
folders you can get as frame-only and it's designed with internally
geared hubs in mind, but a lot of people use them fixed.

Jenny Brien said:

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness and
stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

Alex Wetmore recommends the Swift Folder:

http://www.swiftfolders.com/

They list a price of $920 with a 7-speed gearhub. I'm guessing roughly
$200 less than that if built up as a fixie with otherwise similar
components.

Here's Alex's review: http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/bf-vs-swift.html

Chalo Colina

P.S. - a coaster braked bike or a single-speed is just as simple as a
fixie, at least as reliable, substantially safer, and a whole lot
easier to live with.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Chalo said:

Jenny Brien said:

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness
and stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

Alex Wetmore recommends the Swift Folder:

http://www.swiftfolders.com/

And here are a few examples of fixed gear Swifts:

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/Jeff.htm

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/b/black.htm

There's also other options, like finding an old Raleigh 20:

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/c/kassen.htm

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/milam.htm

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/mendis20.htm

"Jenny Brien" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I still like riding fast, and I love touring, but these days if I
really want to make some distance, I take the bus. Yes, I can get a
full size bike into the bellybox of a bus, but I'm looking for
something that I can fold up and take inside, or chuck into the boot of
a friend's car. Preferably, light enough and folding fast enough that I
can bring it inside with me most places I go, and don't have to carry a
heavy lock around.

Looking at folding bikes, I see the cheap and slow, the fiddly and far
too expensive (Moulton, Bike Friday) or the neat, but still slow
(Brompton).

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness and
stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

You can get a frame builder to install a set of those quick disconnect
socket units on a frame.
Then the bike comes apart in the middle. Since it is a fixie you don't have
to deal with cables and stuff running along the frame.
That would work pretty good and the bike would be a regular size one too.

Jenny Brien said:

Looking at folding bikes, I see the cheap and slow, the fiddly and far
too expensive (Moulton, Bike Friday) or the neat, but still slow
(Brompton).

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness and
stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

I don't known if you'd consider it slow (it's certainly not cheap), but
how about the Dahon Hon Solo?

http://www.dahon.com/us/honsolo.htm

Looks like it might be based on one of their cheaper frames though.

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Jenny Brien said:

I still like riding fast, and I love touring, but these days if I
really want to make some distance, I take the bus. Yes, I can get a
full size bike into the bellybox of a bus, but I'm looking for
something that I can fold up and take inside, or chuck into the boot of
a friend's car. Preferably, light enough and folding fast enough that I
can bring it inside with me most places I go, and don't have to carry a
heavy lock around.

Looking at folding bikes, I see the cheap and slow, the fiddly and far
too expensive (Moulton, Bike Friday) or the neat, but still slow
(Brompton).

Simplicity, simplicity. That for me means a fixed gear. It's got to
ride like a full-size fixie, so for compromise between compactness and
stablity I think I'd need 20" wheels.

I can't think of anything that really fits the bill. Any ideas?

Ritchey breakaway with a White Uno rear hub for chainline....fixie with
folding.