| Folding Bike | | | | or the English. Here in America the foldies have mainly |
| It finally happened. We had been planning for it for | | | | been stowed away in campers or brought on sail |
| years and all our friends knew it would happen soon | | | | boats. But their time has come. There is a range of |
| enough and recently it did. No, not the adoption of | | | | high quality, easy-to-fold bikes with wide price points. |
| our baby boy but instead, the avalanche of stuff | | | | (Everywhere from $300.00 to $1,400). Today’s |
| that came with him. One of the best things about | | | | high energy lifestyles have been waiting for these |
| my job is that I can ride my bike to it. For the past | | | | sweet machines. A folding bike would allow folks who |
| few years I have saved the bus fare (and hopefully | | | | commute by train to save that bothersome next leg |
| a little bit of the earth) by riding my mountain bike to | | | | of their journey and get in a little exercise too. You |
| work. But my mountain bike is very big. New York | | | | bike to the train station, fold the thing up and get on |
| apartments are very small. So, now with the new | | | | the train. Unfold it and bike it from the station. No |
| little guy and all his gear: the strollers, the cribs, the | | | | need to lock it up outside your office, just take it in. |
| toys, something had to go. I took my big mountain | | | | The business traveler could explore his or her new |
| bike to work and gave it to one of my students (It | | | | city, get some exercise and not have to lug a big |
| was old and not very expensive, the bike, not the | | | | bulky bike around. A folding bike can easily be |
| student!) and got myself a folding bike. My life has | | | | checked as regular piece of luggage. Campers and |
| been changed. Yes, yes, the new father thing has | | | | boaters have long known the delight of a foldy. Any |
| changed me, but this new bike. Wow. I feel so cool | | | | place where space and size is a concern is the place |
| whipping it out and dashing across the city every | | | | for a folding bike. A folding bike may not ride exactly |
| morning. I feel like a superhero. And does it whip and | | | | like a full size bike. The wheels are smaller so going |
| dash! Last year there was a perfect storm moment | | | | up hills means you push a little harder. The balance |
| here in New York for bikes. Gas prices shot up to | | | | takes some getting used to as well. But after a little |
| crazy levels, the buzz about global warming started | | | | practice you feel quite comfortable, even nimble and |
| to really get some traction, and we had a subway | | | | light. Some very tall people may have to have one |
| and bus strike. All of a sudden there were bikes | | | | custom made ($$$) though. The higher end models |
| everywhere. And as I said above, our apartments | | | | come very close to replicating the ride and |
| are small, tiny little things, it would only be a second | | | | performance of a full-sized bike. Some fold smaller |
| before bikes followed suit. They were everywhere, | | | | and more quickly than others. Some have only three |
| these cute, slightly clownish gizmos careening around | | | | gears, some come fully equipped with bells, lights and |
| taxis and down the paths along the Hudson. Folding | | | | racks. The world of folding bikes is broad enough |
| bikes have been around for years but they have | | | | that bike novices or hard core riders both will find |
| been a badge of very aggressive environmentalists | | | | what they need. |