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