Folding bikes provide an innovative way to commute or travel conveniently with your bicycle. New designs allow you to pack your bike into a suitcase-sized case for airplane travel or just to roll underneath your desk at work. Folding bikes are generally made for both men and women, and some companies make customized folding bikes to fit a woman's more petite frame.
Pocket Rocket Pro Petite
Bike Friday specializes in customized folding bikes, and makes petite bikes for women and little people. The company can custom-build a bike for someone as small as four feet, taking into account smaller hands and limbs. With nine gears, Shimano brakes, derailleurs and shifters, and weighing a little over 20 lbs., the Pocket Rocket Pro Petite is one of the company's best bikes for women with smaller frames.
Kansi 3Twenty
According to Bikeradar.com, the Kansi 3Twenty is a newer folding bike, but its performance puts it at the top of the folding bike heap. It garnered 4.5 out of 5 stars, mostly due to its ride. It handles like a stiffer framed, non-folding bike rather than one with a hinge. Replete with three speeds, Avid brakes and room for fatter, off-road tires, the 3Twenty is an excellent folding bike for both women and men.
Brompton Titanium
In the United Kingdom, Brompton folding bicycles are among the best. Each is handmade with innovations like the handlebars on their P-type bikes that allow you to sink lower for decreased wind resistance while you pedal.
The S-type bikes are the lightest, and have parts made from titanium. Bikeradar.com reviewed the S6L-X, giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars, stating that it is light, fast, easy to fold and comes with up to six gears. However, the bike has a good deal of flex, and so takes practice to become accustomed to its ride. Despite this shortcoming, the site states that "if you are looking for a bike with an ultra-fast, fuss-free fold for everyday use, then the Brompton is still the bike to beat."
Strida Folding Bike
If you are looking for a folding bike that is easy to wheel around when its folded, Strida may be your best choice. Not meant for long rides, these bikes are excellent for rides around the park and shorter commutes. The triangular frame puts the rider in a comfortable upright position, and its six-second folding time makes it a snap to take anywhere. Instead of a chain, the Strida has a kevlar belt that requires no cleaning, lubrication or adjustment.
Member Comments