Folding Bikes

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