Best folding bikes for boats

folding bikes for boats We tested nine bikes some normal with a couple of hinges, while others are fantastic pieces of engineering that effortlessly spring out from a small mass of tubes into a fully functioning vehicle. For that added level of luxury, there are even some with electric motors to urge you around the marina or assist you on that extra long ride, and for a bit of fun weve also included a couple of slightly odd cycle concepts. Read the full test in the August 2013 issue of MBM folding bikes for boats A-Bike City Price £290 With none less than Lord Sinclair backing it, the A-Bike was always going to be something different. Weighing just 5.6kg it is around half the weight of the other bikes and folds down small enough to put in a backpack. It achieves this light weight by using plenty of plastic parts, which also means that it shouldnt rust while on board. On the downside, its 85kg max rider weight looks worryingly low, although none of the testers exceeded that (phew). folding bikes for boats MBM says : Two words light and small, you could also add flimsy. When riding it the frame twists with every pedal, so you feel more like a fish than a cyclist. Fully folded its tiny in size, but its a little fiddly to handle and its 20cm wheels look like they belong to a pram and easily get stuck in ruts. Weight 5.6kg Folded dimensions H67cm x L30cm x W16cm Contact www.a-bike.co.uk folding bikes for boats Brompton Price £745 King of the folding bike world, the Brompton is the commuter's favourite. Almost single-handedly the company made folding bikes acceptable and its name commands a price premium. It was the second most expensive pedal-powered bike on test, but combined with its intelligent functionality and Made in England stamp, there is still a feeling of value. folding bikes for boats MBM says : The Brompton is incredibly easy to use. Its a weirdly satisfying experience to pop the saddle up and watch the rest of the bike appear. However, the clips holding it together are a little basic they have already chipped the paint on our new bike. The wheels are a good size, being small enough to be compact but large enough to absorb most bumps. One of the lightest on test but also twice the price of some of them. Weight 11.1kg Folded dimensions H59cm x L55cm x W27cm Contact www.brompton.co.uk folding bikes for boats Dahon Mu N360 Price £1000 Dahon has a vast range of folding bikes, with prices starting at around £400. The N360 is one of its most expensive models, though, and the most costly of the standard folding bikes on test. It looks well made but its comparitively heavy. folding bikes for boats MBM says : The Dahon has a neat gearshift indicator on the handle bar, showing a bike on a steep slope, which flattens out as you change up through the gears. On test it didnt feel quite as substantial as the Brompton, but it did offer a solid ride. It was easy to collapse and it folded down fairly small but a lack of clips to keep it folded up was irritating, making it difficult to move it around. Weight 14.2kg Folded H78cm x L60cm x W35cm Contact www.dahon.com folding bikes for boats Rayleigh Stowaway 3 Price £300 Rayleigh is a big name in bikes. Every member of the MBM test team has owned and loved a Rayleigh bike at some point in our lives, so its folding model came with a certain level of expectation. Which it duly failed to meet. Big wheels are good, but these 16in tyres are pretty much full-size, making the Stowaway a big lump to hide and therefore throwing scorn on its name. folding bikes for boats MBM says It arrived in the office unfolded, which seemed odd until we realised how large it still was when folded. The hinges werent really up to scratch, needing lots of force to get it to fold. Its large frame and wheels helped deliver a good ride, but it didnt feel brilliantly put together, with the frame rattling at the joints. Weight 14.8kg Folded dimensions H85cm x L74cm x W43cm Contact www.raleigh.co.uk folding bikes for boats Tern Link D8 Price £475 The Tern has some good figures, including eight gears, a stand, a luggage rack, large wheels and compact folding dimensions, with super neat magnets to hold it in its folded position and big chunky handles to help unfold it. At just over 12kg it's not the lightest but it does offer everything that a folding bike should. At under £500, it still comes in at the budget end of the folding bike market. folding bikes for boats MBM says The Tern offered a good riding experience, its larger wheels and well-shaped saddle produced an assured feel, while eight gears will see you across the toughest terrains (although our bikes gears needed adjusting, as did the rear brakes). Once we worked it out, folding the Tern was neat and quick. Weight 12.1kg Folded dimensions H79cm x L72cm x W38cm Contact www.ternbicycles.com folding bikes for boats Electric bikes Electric bikes are brilliant inventions but its worth noting that of the four we tested, two were still useable in standard pedal mode, while the other two would leave you stranded with a lump of metal to carry back to the boat if the battery ran flat. folding bikes for boats Solex Velosolex Price £1300 The Solex shouts that it owes its good looks to Pininfarina, the design house behind many a Ferrari. Were not sure that this is its best work, as it looks like every other folding bike, with the addition of a battery pack and motor. It was also the heaviest on test at an eye-watering 22kg. A five-hour charge will take it around 30 miles with power assist, enough to take you to the shops several times, and with a flat battery it can still be pedalled as normal. folding bikes for boats MBM says If you want electric power then this will do it, but there is no getting away from its 22kg weight, which is a lot when leaning over a boat or lowering it into a locker. The riding experience was fairly easy, allowing you to effortlessly pick up speed with the electric assist. It is still quite large when folded, but it should be able to fit in most lockers. Weight 22kg Folded dimensions H83cm x L50cm x W79cm Contact www.solexworld.co.uk folding bikes for boats GoCycle GZ Price £2799 The GoCycle is an electric power assist bike meaning you still pedal but you get some help and the lithium-ion battery is good for 40 miles. To fold, the magnesium wheels unclip and the frame collapses down. There are few buttons, and a mobile app allows the user to decide how the bikes should perform and how much assistance it should give. folding bikes for boats MBM says There are several options on the mobile app, such as electric assist or speed mode with a throttle, which is a really interesting feature, providing you have a smart phone. When riding, the gear change is excellent, and as you slow your speed it automatically changes down at the right time. It rides beautifully and when in speed mode you have 15mph on tap. Weight 15.6kg Folded dimensions H76cm x L60cm x W30cm Contact www.gocycle.com folding bikes for boats SoloWheel Price £1599 And now for something completely irrelevant. With just a single wheel, this was never going to be easy to ride. Simply charge it up for 90 minutes and it will go for 10 miles. However when the battery does run out, be prepared to carry it. It may be small, but it still weighs 11kg. The SoloWheel claims to be better than a bike, as apparently when you make it to the shops, you can ride straight in and pick up your provisions, without the need to get off. folding bikes for boats MBM says The SoloWheel is described as a Segway without the scaffolding. We saw it as a challenge. We all had a go but no one got close to mastering it. The chap who brought it made it look simple. He could even ride it backwards, so it is possible. A lot of practice and it could be fun, but we reckon we would break something before we were any good. Weight 11kg Folded dimensions H48cm x L43cm x W20cm Contact www.solowheeluk.com folding bikes for boats YikeBike Price £3000 Looking like something from Star Wars, the YikeBike takes the principle of biking to a different level. The rider sits on a seat, legs forward with the handlebars wrapping around them, the graduated throttle sitting to your right. No weight can be put on the handlebars, so the rider leans to steer. folding bikes for boats MBM says At first it is wobbly and scary, but it didnt take long to get the hang of it and we were soon screaming up the road at 15mph. It has indicators, brake lights, headlights and a horn, which for some people will be enough to warrant its purchase. The legality of such features is something of an unknown, even the YikeBike website seems unsure as to its use on public highways. Were also not sure if we would recommend using it around water. Weight 9.97kg Folded dimensions H69cm x L57cm x W17cm Contact www.yikebike.com Read the full test in the August 2013 issue of MBM

Best folding bikes for boats

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