A long-time favourite amongst commuters, folding bikes are no longer just for the daily trip to work. They’ve also become a great option for riders with limited storage space at home who still want to swap four wheels for two.
Even compared to the best commuting bikes that don’t fold, the ride quality of some high-end folders is so refined now that unless you looked down, you’d hardly notice the difference. As practical utility bikes that could even replace a motor vehicle for city commuters in most use cases, folding bikes certainly have an important role to play in helping society to become more green, one bike ride at a time.
Whether you’re after something high-end or more budget-friendly, there’s a folding bike out there for everyone. The challenge is knowing what you get for your money and which style best fits your daily routine and lifestyle – which can feel overwhelming at first. Walk into some bike shops and you might be bombarded with advice before you’ve even had a chance to think about what you really want! That’s why it helps to have a rough idea in mind before you start browsing, whether in-store or online, so you don’t end up with a bike that isn’t quite right for you.
This guide to the best folding bikes should offer everyone food for thought on what’s out there: whether that be regarding what you can get for your ideal budget, or even what may suit your needs or lifestyle. At the end of the day, it’s best to be armed with knowledge before you splash the cash on a new bike.
If you fancy a little helping hand with regards to speed and power with a folding bike, then be sure to also check out our guide to the best electric commuter bikes. You can also check out our page on how we review, which explains how products are selected to appear in this buyers guide. Without further ado, here are our top folding bike picks…
41 thoughts on “Folding bikes for convenient commuting: our top portable bike picks”
Is £450 really a budget price
Is £450 really a budget price? Why not any of the BTwins (some under £200)?
I’m surprised Brompton haven’t got discs yet.
I’m surprised Brompton haven
I’m surprised Brompton haven’t got discs yet
Yes, I suspect they’re already planned- they’ll be forced to offer them
I’d suspect disc would need
I’d suspect discs would need wider wheel axles, which would interfere with the fold. Probably the same reason they have not offered an 8-speed Shimano hub, etc.
Kinetics in Glasgow modify
Kinetics in Glasgow modify Bromptons. Their offerings include disc brakes, hub gears, belt drive and 20″ wheels. It can all be done, but Bromton choose not to.
Ninja’d by 11 months
Indeed, as[b] andystow[/b] mentioned a while back. But all these mods detract from “the fold”, which is what makes a Brompton a Brompton. Of course Brompton could do it – as so many other manufacturers do. But in neither case would the result be “a Brompton” other than in name. Now, if Brompton could find a way to include an 8-speed hub gear, Gates drive & disc brakes without compromising on their USP, that would be a different matter.
I bought a Brompton, my first
I bought a Brompton, my first, a couple of months ago, and I find their stock brakes to be fantastic, even in the wet. When braking becomes less than fantastic as the pads age, I’ll replace the pads with Kool Stops.
This guy sells a front disc conversion kit starting at £430, and says the fold is “just a bit wider.”
https://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/folding-bikes/brompton/brompton-disc-brakes/
Some great stuff there – not
Some great stuff there – not sure how much original Brompton would be left if you went through all their upgrades though!
The discs would be bigger
The discs would be bigger than the wheels
The new (ish, released end of
The new (ish, released end of last year) G-line model has discs.
Quote:
Which is it then?
It’s both, they’re not
It’s both, they’re not mutually exclusive:
Difficulty in gettting hold
Difficulty in gettting hold of parts for my dahon vitesse d8 is a real issue for me, though the bike itslef is a good bike. I think brompton are much better in making their parts available. Does anyone know of any good fold up parts suppliers except holland bike shop, brillant bikes and c h white. I’m really struggling to get a 52 teeth chain ring guard. Thanks
A point worth noting is that
A point worth noting is that folders with 20″ wheels will typically be able to use a very broad range of tyre choices. You can get some really good 20″ tyres from the likes of Maxxis, Tioga and Michelin to suit a range of riding conditions as many of us BMXers know. I’m curious when Brompton will recognise this and offer a model with a 20″ wheel TBH.
I’ve ridden a few Bromptons over the years and I do admire the engineering and build quality, while the ride isn’t bad either. But they are expensive and the wheel size does limit tyre options. If I was buying a folder, I’d want a 20″ wheel as that offers a better range of tyres and can still fold down to a compact size.
folders with 20″ wheels will
folders with 20″ wheels will typically be able to use a very broad range of tyre choices
This is true with 20″ ERTO 406 tyres- but if, like the Halfords Intercity, you have 451 rims you are very restricted and the 451 20 x 1 3/8 that come on the bike are badly made. You can’t get replacement tyres as wide anywhere. The saga is here
folders with 20″ wheels will
website behaving badly here at present- duplicate post
folders with 20″ wheels will
another duplicate
the decathlon folding bikes
the decathlon folding bikes are great and a lot cheaper than these
The new one from Priority
The new one from Priority looks like a great deal for a belt drive folder.
https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/folder
I’m tempted by a Tern S8i –
I’m tempted by a Tern S8i – same Gates belt drive but higher all round spec (and price, sadly). I like that the whole spec is aimed at commuting convenience. No lights to charge or forget (hub dynamo), rack and mudguards included, no oily bits, and it folds. But it does cost a lot. Be nice if road.cc could test one!
https://www.ternbicycles.com/uk/bikes/472/verge-s8i
The Best Budget, halfords,
The Best Budget, halfords, bike here has a better spec than the Best Mid-range, Tern Bike. With 9 Speed Sora on the Carrera vs 8 Speed Tourney on the Tern. The Carrera has disk brakes too (cheaper rim brakes on Tern) and is slightly lighter.
It’s an odd one, purchasing a
It’s an odd one, purchasing a folder.
Why? Because you have to work backwards with your decision making. Your choice is determined by what you want to do with it, arguably more than any other urban bike. Here’s some of the questions I asked myself before I ended up with a Tern Link.
Taking it on the train/underground?
Putting it in the car?
Do you need to store it under your desk at work?
How long and bumpy will the commute be?
Do you fancy doing summer touring on it, together with public transport?
Will you be using it in all weathers? Do you normally use full size panniers?
How tall are you? (The Dahon and Tern folders can be really cramped and twitchy for a bigger rider)
Is retained value important to you? The Brommies hold their value like nothing else, a lightly-used Tern or Dahon will be available for 40% RRP.
The Dahon and Tern folders
The Dahon and Tern folders can be really cramped and twitchy for a bigger rider
If you think they’re twitchy, try a Brompton. Quite unpleasant, and I’m not ‘big’ (well, not tall…)
I have hired a Brompton a few
I have hired a Brompton a few times. Initially the twitchiness seemed intolerable, but I got the hang of it quickly and was quite happy riding in traffic and trundling down steepish slopes. At some point I bought a Kansi (looks like a Dahon) which felt pretty similar but with notably worse brakes. If I found myself (unlikely) living in a small London flat and using trains daily, I would buy a basic Brompton and think it good value.
I have 2 folders, Halfords
I have 2 folders, Halfords Intercity and a 90s Birdy. Whenever I get on either it seems surprisingly twitchy, but the feeling wears off in a couple of minutes – it’s not a problem
strange you still don’t
strange you still don’t mention decathlon’s range of folding bikes, much cheaper than these and very good….
single speed folding bike – £199
geared folding bike £250, £330
elevtric single speed folding £800
strange you still doing
strange you still doing mention decathlon’s range of folding bikes, much cheaper than these and very good….
single speed folding bike – £199
geared folding bike £250, £330
elevtric single speed folding £800
Apologies, we’ve added the
Apologies, we’ve added the Btwin Tilt 500 now. We missed it first time around because the 900 model we reviewed is no longer available, but the 7-speed Tilt 500 is essentially the same apart from having fewer gears.
Bromptons are sucky IMHO. Not
Bromptons are sucky IMHO. Not built that great, crazy overpriced for what they are, vendor-specific only parts, and you are then in a clique of pious sanctimonious Brommer riders who start calling all folding bikes Bromptons. Tern/Dahon etc so much better value.
Not a Brompton owner, but
Not a Brompton owner, but strikes me that if you are really doing a lot of multi-modal commuting likely the size when folded / weight and convenience of lugging it about when fully or partially folded probably trump other considerations. That would seem to be where the Brompton has a clear edge.
If not then as you say other folders are cheaper / nicer to ride / have more compatible parts etc.
Of course, now Bromptons are “a thing” no doubt there are other reasons people join the tribe…
“Pious sanctimonious Brommer riders … ” – did one bite you?
Bromptons are sucky IMHO. Not
.
I tried a Brompton once, a
I tried a Brompton once, a genuinely sketchy ride – albeit only a short test. At the same time, I tried a 20″ Dahon or Tern, and it felt more like “a bike” – well, a BMX anyway. Quite fun. But the fold is nothing like as good. However – how important is “the fold” vs “the ride”? If you’re doing a few miles, “the ride” matters. That’s why I got neither, and instead kept a ratty old bike at the station.
Birdy?
Birdy?
I did not like the R&M Birdy
I did not like the R&M Birdy with 18inch wheels, some of the Pacific Cycles Birdies come with 20inch (406) wheels and even dropbars though. My current folder is the Birdy’s folding roadbike cousin, the Pacific Cycles Reach with OS20 aka 22inch (451) wheels. That one is more of an “easy travel” than a “commuter” folder though. Nevertheless, for my use case, the best folder. Very long wheelbase, 451 wheels and full suspension with elastomers, truly rides like a full sized bike.
Oh, and considering the
Oh, and considering the Halfords 451 tire saga below, tire choice for 451 is limited but by far not as bad as depicted there. I did not like the 28mm Schwalbe Pro Ones (uncomfortable and I had a puncture) and mounted 37mm Maxxis Torch instead, I ride them with Chinese TPU tubes and haven’t got a puncture yet. There are other options, but they are sometimes difficult to find since too many webshops list them under “20inch” and tease customers with a merry guessing game for the ETRTO specs. It helps to first search the manufacturers so that you know the article name and number.
Many good 451 tires com from BMX racing, where the “OS20” got its name. Schwalbe even introduced a new 451-30 BMX racing tire this year.
I got a folding bike for the
I got a folding bike for the last mile after the metro. Decathlon Tilt. Swapped out the brakes, twist shifter, rear mech, handlebar and saddle. Love it for short rides. Points to note – it has bolt on hubs; a steel frame and a freewheel. The hinges are well-made.
I’m on my 3rd Brompton and a
I’m on my 3rd Brompton and a huge fan. Sold my 2nd one for top dollar to help buy No 3, which permanently lives in my car boot ready to scoot about. When Bromptons were a rarity in Scotland decades ago, two reactions were common: wee neds would hurl insults as I cycled by and the second reaction would be people just amazed seeing me fold/unfold it in seconds. Interestingly, Asian men were especially attracted by the mechanics of the fold and would shake their heads in wonder!
Drunk passers by absolutely
Drunk passers by absolutely loved my red, white and blue tyreflies, light up valve caps, when they worked…
Never knew if they helped drivers see me…
My wife bought a Brompton on
My wife bought a Brompton on the ride-to-work scheme and dislikes it. Far too heavy for her to carry. That’s I suppose why you mostly see men riding them. 12 kg is a lump for a small woman to carry.
There is only one folding
There is only one folding bike: the Bickerton. Beloved of city gents, nuns and helicopter-flying playboys. All the rest are just wannabes.
The original Bickertons
The original Bickertons (trivia fact: they were invented by the eponymous engineer because he was given a three-year driving ban for crashing his car whilst drunk) were so bad that it’s quite surprising they didn’t kill off the whole folding bike concept. I remember having a go on a late 1970s model in the 1980s and the flex of the frame was absolutely ridiculous and in fact dangerous; the steering was so vague that it was almost impossible to ride consistently in a straight line. It was assembled using half a dozen (I think) clamps which all had to be done up incredibly tightly and had a propensity to loosen in use. They weren’t particularly original (folding bikes have been around since the 19th century) but they certainly set a new benchmark in terms of awfulness.
So could they be the “most
So could they be the “most folding” bike because even when “locked” and being ridden they already want to fold?