| It finally happened. We had been planning for it for | | | | foldies have mainly been stowed away in campers or |
| years and all our friends knew it would happen soon | | | | brought on sail boats. But their time has come. There |
| enough and recently it did. No, not the adoption of | | | | is a range of high quality, easy-to-fold bikes with |
| our baby boy but instead, the avalanche of stuff | | | | wide 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 can | | | | waiting for these sweet machines. |
| ride my bike to it. For the past few years I have | | | | A folding bike would allow folks who commute by |
| saved the bus fare (and hopefully a little bit of the | | | | train to save that bothersome next leg of their |
| earth) by riding my mountain bike to work. But my | | | | journey and get in a little exercise too. You bike to |
| mountain bike is very big. New York apartments are | | | | the train station, fold the thing up and get on the |
| very small. So, now with the new little guy and all his | | | | train. Unfold it and bike it from the station. No need |
| gear: the strollers, the cribs, the toys, something had | | | | to lock it up outside your office, just take it in. |
| to go. I took my big mountain bike to work and | | | | The business traveler could explore his or her new |
| gave it to one of my students (It was old and not | | | | city, get some exercise and not have to lug a big |
| very expensive, the bike, not the student!) and got | | | | bulky 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 father | | | | Campers and boaters have long known the delight of |
| thing has changed me, but this new bike. Wow. I feel | | | | a foldy. Any place where space and size is a concern |
| so cool whipping it out and dashing across the city | | | | is the place for a folding bike. |
| every morning. I feel like a superhero. And does it | | | | A 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 here | | | | push a little harder. The balance takes some getting |
| in New York for bikes. Gas prices shot up to crazy | | | | used to as well. But after a little practice you feel |
| levels, the buzz about global warming started to really | | | | quite comfortable, even nimble and light. Some very |
| get some traction, and we had a subway and bus | | | | tall 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, tiny | | | | close to replicating the ride and performance of a |
| little things, it would only be a second before bikes | | | | full-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 and | | | | come 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 they | | | | novices or hard core riders both will find what they |
| have been a badge of very aggressive | | | | need. |
| environmentalists or the English. Here in America the | | | | |