We are considering purchasing a folding bike, such as the ones advertised by Camping World.
Does anyone have experience with folding bikes? How do they hold up? Recommendations?
Don
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
We have done a fair amount of riding, but not on folding bikes. I rode one of my father-in-law's, and it was a fairly well built bike. The change in position and dynamics bothered me. That may be because I'm accustomed to road bikes, and the wheel size of the folding bike is much smaller. That being said, a friend rode one on a 250 mile ride that I went on, and he had no mechanical problems with it at all. His comment was that it wasn't made for that kind of riding!
As far as holding up, my in-laws used for several years (light use). I don't remember what brand they were. I would guess there are some good ones, and some not so good ones, just like any other style of bike. I hope someone else will chime in with better knowledge of this kind of bike than I have.
I have the folder from CW and it is a good bike for short trips around the campground. Sturdy built and easily stored.
Dale, Joe,
Thanks for the insights. That's what we're looking for - something for getting around campgrounds once we've parked.
Don
You will do fine with one of these bikes, mine is pretty comfy for short trips and it is multi speed in case I need a lower gear.
I'd like to get one too, just for riding the paved roads around a campground. Multi-speed would be important. Let's get researching!
Here's a link to folding bikes on AZ, I have the 6 speed Dahon, good all around sturdy bike.
I have a Dahon that uses full size tires. Very nice and you can't tell it is a folding bike unless it is in the folded position.
Check out Downtube folding mini Mt bikes. We have two (owned for 2 years) and love them. They are true suspension type bikes with shocks and sturdy frame, 6 speed. We added the Cloud 9 gel seats. Like the upright riding position and 20" wheels and cross tread design. Come with own carrying case and fold up perfectly.
sorry to chime in late; but here's my 2 cents: i think the camping world folders would be fine for cruising the campground. i have a dahon vigor P9; it's expensive at $800, but rides great. the 20" wheels take a bout 1 minute to get used to, then they're really fun to ride. the small wheels feels squirrely at first, but once you're used to it, squirrely turns into agile! i love riding mine now. i'm flying up to seattle with it in 2 weeks to ride it around the san jaun islands for a few days. i'll report back with my feelings about the bike when i get back if anyone is interested.
if you're fairly mechanical, i'd go with hand brakes and an external derailleur (for shifting), as they are fairly easy to adjust. these type of components are lighter weight and less expensive than an internal hub shifting and coaster (foot) brakes. however, if you want less maintenance, internal hub shifting (3, 7, 8, 9+ gears) and a coaster brake may be better. just remember, if something does go wrong with those type of components, they are more difficult to work on yourself.
if i were getting a "campground cruiser", i'd still buy something name-brand (ie: dahon) with name-brand components (ie: shimano). but i'm pretty anal about my stuff. however, from what i've seen here, most LOAers are are pretty picky about their stuff too and would be frustrated by a cheap bike.
NYCewheels and youtube have some great reviews and videos for folding bikes,
john
So far we can't complain about our folding campground cruisers from CW nor can our friends who have had them for 2 years. The price is right for the camp ground scene.
Thanks all for the input on this thread. It's an idea that I've had in the back of my mind as well. Thanks DandV for starting this thread! Now I can actually have a starting point on researching!
WoodGlue
Here are some links to get started! I never knew so many places (LLBean, Home Depot, etc) carried folding bikes!
WoodGlue
The bikes at CW are still on sale, I have the six speed, nice , well built bike.
Yep - Victoria spotted the CW sale. They're still on our wish list. So many things we want...and so limited money... 
Don
While we were at the Summer in Oregon Rally we drove over to Florence to visit Bike Friday, where their folding bicycles are made. Expensive compared to others mentioned on this forum, but if you want a folding bicycle that can travel beyond the campground, you will find it at Bike Friday. They are built to fit your specifications. Check out their website if you want additional info.
Originally Posted by Zoe:
While we were at the Summer in Oregon Rally we drove over to Florence to visit Bike Friday, where their folding bicycles are made. Expensive compared to others mentioned on this forum, but if you want a folding bicycle that can travel beyond the campground, you will find it at Bike Friday. They are built to fit your specifications. Check out their website if you want additional info.
Zoe,
Thanks for the advice. We'll give you a shout if we get our TT out to Monterey County. Victoria was born in Salinas. I'm not from CA, but I am a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
Don
I have an electric folding bike made my PREDECO. It is a 26" bike, has 7 speeds if you want to pedal and it is 36 volts with a lithium battery. The range is 30 miles on a charge. Mine is called a Phantom X. I bought it on Amazon with free shipping for $1200 3 years ago now it is $1300. This bike has disk brakes, no resistance pedaling and will pull steep hills. I leave my truck hooked up to my boat. Therefore I ride to shower or store and of course to BS.
I bought a Dahon Vigor P9 a year ago and thought it was about time for a review. It's light weight (for a folding bike) at 25 lbs and has 9 gears with a good range. At $800 it is priced halfway between a cheap Camping World bike and a high end Bike Friday. Bike Friday does offer an $850 model, but it is considered a travel bike as opposed to a commuter bike; the difference being a travel bike folds to smaller dimensions but takes longer to fold and may require tools, whereas a commuter takes seconds to fold. Even though my primary use is for travel, the commuter was a better option for me because i can fold it quickly, slip it in bag and store it in my hotel room (or TT).
I bought a cheap Samsonite roller suitcase at Ross which holds the bike securely and doesn't incur any additional airline charges.
Riding the bike is a blast. The small wheels feel a little squirrely at first, but are very agile once you get used to them. The frame is rigid enough to climb steep hills yet quite comfortable. It has an adjustable handle post, so you can switch from a bent over aero position to an upright cruiser position with just one quick release (an additional bonus i hadn't thought of before buying this bike).
For anyone in the market for a high quality folding bike but doesn't want to spend thousands, this is an excellent choice. 2 other bikes i really liked were the Tern Verge P9 and the Novaro flyby (@ REI). If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask...2 things I love talking about are bikes and campers!
John
Another camping cyclist here
Currently all of my folders are vintage... 1970's Raleigh Twentys and 1980's Dahon Classic III's. There are a lot of options out there, choose the one that works best for you! The Raleighs were ~$100 a piece not including upgrades. I bought the pair of Dahon's from a local thrift store for $100. Only the red one has been upgraded so far, probably have $70 in new parts on that one. My Raleigh (the one with the head light) has over $300 in upgrades and stuff on it. I have quite a few bikes, but hey, they are cheaper than RV's and Airplanes.
Aaron
We gave them a serious look and rode several belonging to friends, but decided they weren't for us. They're ideal for the contemplated uses on paved roads around the campgrounds. A big part of our biking is taking advantage of the many improved bike trails around the country, however.
We found that even with gears, they are problematic off the pavement- even on improved gravel trails. The issue is the small wheels, which are severely affected by ruts, rocks and soft spots. We're not crazy, rough-terrain mountain bikers, but experienced riders nonetheless. And we came close to wrecks any time those small tires encountered even small obstacles.
Folders with 26" wheels would be eminently suitable for us, but we settled on full-size "hybrid" bikes for the more upright riding position, compared to other full-size bikes. And frankly, the 21 gears have proven really nice for geezerly bodies and hills. 
Aaron,
Cool bikes!
Brownbear,
excellent point about the ride with the small wheels. As well as being a little more "squirrely", I'd like to mention they also give a more "harsh" ride. Bicycle wheels provide a good amount of shock absorption, the smaller the wheel, the less shock absorption. While bicycle touring on Vancouver Island, I ran across several "rails to trails" (railroad lines turned into bicycle paths) which still had RR ties in place...those can give a good beating on a small wheeled folder.
However, on pavement or smooth dirt/gravel, I love my folder!
John
Attachments
Images (1)
Originally Posted by firemanthreeo:
Bicycle wheels provide a good amount of shock absorption, the smaller the wheel, the less shock absorption.
That's a huge factor. Thanks for adding it to the pot. On one of our test rides of a small-wheel folder, my wife failed to stand up going over one innocuous looking bump and limped around for several days afterward.
I should have said "on our final test." After that experience, she wouldn't get on another.
I've ridden a few, and somehow they just don't feel right to me. We prefer our full-sized bikes, and we have the ability to haul them. However, a friend of mine went on a 250 mile tour with me, and he rode his folder, just to see if he could do it. He said "never again." He still enjoys it and uses it for what it was made for, but not for long rides.
Bicycles are like canoes and kayaks. There are many makes and models with different price ranges and quality, serving different purposes. There is not a one size fits all. First decide on the type of riding you intend to do. We started with hybrid bicycles. Not especially great for road riding or mountain biking but they got us out and where we wanted to go...mainly short distances riding comfortably upright on both pavement and dirt and a workout on longer distances. And, the gearing was sufficient to climb hills on recreational trails.
As our riding skills improved we wanted to ride longer distances with more speed so purchased road bicycles. Later we decided we wanted to also do some mountain bicycling so added those to our lot. Later we added touring bicycles that we took with us to France and short overnight/camping weekend destinations. Recently we purchased folding bicycles to take with us when we RV and for air travel destinations. They each have their own pluses and minuses. We have a garage full of many different size tires and tubes to go along with our bicycles. And, love them all. We were at the Sea Otter Classic yesterday and the big rage is fat tire bicycles. Something out there for all riding styles!
Get a bicycle that meets your intended purpose so you will use it. Otherwise, it will just sit and collect dust. Your special bicycle is out there just waiting to take you on new adventures or for a spin around the campgrounds! It's all good!
That is why I have over 30
Aaron
wahoonc...Some might say you have gone overboard, but it won't be us! Hey, who wears flip-flops on a 10 mile hike?! Same thing with bicycles. And, we Lancers do love our gear!
Originally Posted by wahoonc:
Another camping cyclist here
Currently all of my folders are vintage... 1970's Raleigh Twentys and 1980's Dahon Classic III's. There are a lot of options out there, choose the one that works best for you! The Raleighs were ~$100 a piece not including upgrades. I bought the pair of Dahon's from a local thrift store for $100. Only the red one has been upgraded so far, probably have $70 in new parts on that one. My Raleigh (the one with the head light) has over $300 in upgrades and stuff on it. I have quite a few bikes, but hey, they are cheaper than RV's and Airplanes.
Aaron
Way cool. We haven't bought yet, but may seriously buy at least one folding bike for basic biking around campgrounds. At this time, that's all we're looking for.
Don
I was thinking about something more compact:
Judging by the size I think I would be better off carrying the bike than the bike carrying me. That would kill my back!
Last week we bought one of the 6-speed folding bikes from Camping World (caught a very good sale). So far, so good. Seems to be sturdy enough. Definitely folds down so it's compact enough. We'll have to start using it now so we can report back on it.
Don
I purchased the 6 speed folder years ago from CW and it has been a good durable cycle.
Originally Posted by Joe Myers:
I purchased the 6 speed folder years ago from CW and it has been a good durable cycle.
Thanks Joe. That's good to know.
Don
My husband and I have the Expressway folding bike made by Giant. We both find them to be really fun and comfortable to ride. I love how much more stable and maneuverable they are than a full size bike. They have 20" wheels so they're not as small as some of the other folding bikes. We don't usually fold them in half to transport them, just fold down the handle bars and pedals. Like that, they fit in the back of my Honda Element when we're at home. On the road, we put them in the back of our truck when we use our trailer and in a front hitch bike rack when we're using our camper. Buying them was one of the best RV decisions we've made.
I think it's great when a 2-3 year old thread is revised. I've often thought about looking into some kind of bike for campgrounds . Thanks for reviving this thread.
I, too, have a Dahon Boardwalk 7-speed foldable bicycle that I've had for several years. It has been bullet-proof, easy to ride and fold up, and takes very little space in the bed of the truck. It has the 20" wheels and we've had it all over the country. I'm not into long-distance riding, but around campgrounds and small towns it works well for me!
The Dahons are great folders.
We have 2 rather unique VeloMini electric folding bikes. They have 3 speeds and can be peddled like a normal bike, or you can push a button to turn on the small motor and engage something called peddle assist which adds power to your peddling (especially nice when going up a steep hill), or you can simply then stop peddling and twist the right hand grip to engage the motor and just doodle along. The bikes will go ~12 miles in that manner at a top speed of 12 mph. They are a kick to ride, and we often turn heads because the bikes are somewhat unusual looking. The wheels are a 12" radius so it takes a few moments to get comfortable with your balance and turning, but once you have the feel you are good to go. The bikes weight ~32 pounds and fold downward as opposed to in half. This was hugely important for us when we researched and bought them since they needed to fit into the cockpit of our 23' boat while we were cruising the east coast and Erie Canal. We also bought a "bike trailer" built by Burley and named "Travoy." With this clipped to the seat post of the bike we could bike to the grocery store, to the laundromat, etc. This folding lightweight trailer holds ~60 pounds of goods and looks similar to a hand truck with bags. Very handy when the facilities you want to access are a few miles away and your don't have (or want to use) a vehicle.
Rob
I looked at them but decided that they didn't help storage space any better than a regular bike. I would still need to carry them outside although we might be able to open the back door all the way when hanging them on the ladder rack. Maybe if we ever get a larger TT instead of the TC.
I bought a folding ebike that isn't "officially" released in the US. It's a Xiaomi QiCycle, and is $800 on Amazon. I've only test ridden it, but so far so good. I'll be using it a lot over the next five days. No throttle-only, but good pedal assist, and three speed internal hub gearing. Battery is in the tube, and has built in front and rear lights.
Attachments
Images (1)
