Like all bikes there are some really good ones and the really terrible. Cheap usually equals terrible.

The better bikes do perform quite well. Probably not quite as quick as a standard road bike, but not a real lot slower. There are quite a few people that have ridden good folders across the country loaded with panniers etc. So not just for around town.

The ones I have had the most contact with and would be happy to own myself are these.

http://www.bikefriday.com/

http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/

http://www.birdy.com.au/

There are other brands that are probably as good but I haven’t had any contact with them so I can’t recommend.

Here is a list of “some body’s best”. Like I said I can’t comment on all of them, The three that I know are there.

http://www.optimalride.com/folding-bicycles/the-best-folding-bikes-of-2008-a-review.html

Shop around and steer clear of the el cheepo’s. I think you will be pleasantly surprised just how good a folder can be.

ROBRADY design and DK City Unfold The Future of Electric Bikes

Go-Ped GSR Sport Gas Powered City Scooter (Gloss Black) $508.98 The Go-Ped GSR Sport combines the powerful GSR40 style chain drive system and the versatility of the original Sport Go-Ped. The gas-powered scooter is equipped with the fuel-efficient and quiet GPL290 engine, which provides a smooth acceleration to reach speeds above 21 miles per hour in stock configuration. The GSR Sport’s patented extra-light heavy-duty frame, cantilevered fork, and gas tank co…

Continental Road Bike Tire Grand Prix 4000S Black-BW + Black Chili Wirebead For the coloured GP 4000 tyres, the activated silica compound improves the handling at stability limits and gives great rolling resistance….

Currie Technologies eZip Men’s Trailz Electric Bicycle $439.47 The Currie Technologies eZip Trailz is the perfect bike for many uses from recreation to transportation. Its powerful Currie Electro-Drive system has 450 watts of power that provides plenty of torque to level hills and is powered by a sealed lead acid (SLA) battery pack that can easily be removed for charging or swapping. It can travel 15-22 miles with normal pedaling or about 10-15 miles with no…

Schwinn Hinge Folding Bike $169.94 Bikes are terrific for commuters, but they’re not always easy to fit in small apartments, homes, or offices. Enter the Schwinn Hinge 20-inch folding bicycle, an ideal commuting bike that folds compactly for easy storage in a closet, garage, or elsewhere. The Schwinn Hinge bike folds up compactly for easy storage. The Hinge is equipped with such features as a low stand-over frame, an ATB rigid fo…

Bicycle Diaries $18.00 A renowned musician and visual artist presents an idiosyncratic behind-the-handlebars view of the world’s cities. Since the early 1980s, David Byrne has been riding a bike as his principal means of transportation in New York City. Two decades ago, he discovered folding bikes and started taking them on tour. Byrne’s choice was made out of convenience rather than political motivation, but the more c…

Dahon Folding Bicycle 2006 Catalogue 43 pages 8×8 Includes Introduction, Technology, Bikes (All-Purpose, City, Performance, Mountain and Road), and Accessories. For the serious collector of Folder Bike ephemera. Personal mobility and it’s progression. Original catalog from the manufacturer….

Bicycle Diaries (Paperback) $10.77 Owning a folding bicycle has allowed former Talking Heads singer, solo musician, artist, and author David Byrne to explore many a city on two small wheels. Among others, he`s scoped out Sydney, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Detroit–and of course his hometown …

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