What's a folding bike good for anyway? My summer with a Tern Link D7i

For years, I looked a little, I dunno, askance at folding bikes. I admired the ingenuity and engineering that went into creating them, but I could never really understand what they were for. I struggled to imagine how they might fit into my life. So what did I do? I went and bought one. Here's my attempt at figuring out what a folding bike is all about.

0:00 How I found myself on a folding bike
1:03 Why I chose this bike
1:56 How this bike folds
2:37 How this bike rides
3:11 Taking the bike on an airplane
5:23 Taking the bike on a road trip
7:15 Taking the bike on a train-commute
8:46 The verdict! Folding bikes are best at this...

#cycling #bike #commuting

I don’t really do proper product reviews, but here are some products that I’ve tried on this channel that I like. (Of course, you don’t need anything fancy to ride a bike, other than a bike, but these are Amazon affiliate links, and I get paid a small commission if you buy them 😉)

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[Shifter_Cycling]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed experimenting with a folding bike. Have you ever tried one?

[lsamoa]

Something that's rarely mentioned when it comes to folding bikes, is that they're great for wearing medium-long skirts/dresses. Especially Bromptons. Better than step-troughs even, as these require skirtguards to avoid accidents. Here the frame and chain are so low and the wheels are so small that there's no risk of getting fabric stuck in while riding. It makes the bike fit really great in your everyday life because you don't have to worry about what you're wearing.

[TuckamoreDew]

An extra benefit not mentioned is that folding bikes adjust easily to suit people of widely differing heights so they're great for sharing between family members or as a loaner for visitors or friends.

[CLipscombe]

I love folding bikes. I wish I got one years ago. I chose Brompton.

I often go to the grocery store, fold it up and roll it around like a grocery cart, dropping my groceries into the front bag that can stay attached. After paying, roll it out, open it up, again while the bag stays attached and ride my shopping cart away.

I have taken my bike into grocery stores, hardware stores, and coffee shops. No issues. In fact, staff often ask me questions about the bike or make very positive comments about it.

I also like how when my Brompton is folded up, all the greasy parts are in the middle of the bike so that if I were in a business, train or a bus, I don’t have to worry about me or another passenger brushing up against the bike and getting grease on their clothes.

My Brompton is small enough to easily keep inside my house, throw in my car, and is very comfortable to ride. I have no issues on long commutes.

Anyone thinking of a bike for commuting around a city, running errands, etc, take a look at folding bikes. They are so convenient.

[bebopkirby]

One thing that rarely gets mentioned is that at age 73 l find the 20” wheels and small frame to be a easier bike to get on and off, and the more upright position to be more comfortable. The ride is probably a bit more harsh and squirrelly, but at the same time it feels just safer to ride than my 26” wheel bike.

[calebmwagner]

Another benefit for multimodal transit is that some cities require buying a separate bike ticket when the tires exceed a certain size. For example, in Munich, bikes with tires less than 20 inches and folding bikes can be taken on transit free of charge! Love the channel by the way.

[ThePopoproductions]

Seeing Tom in a car was a mental flash bang for me lol. Love the content as always!

[goisles]

I bought my Brompton for my life in NYC and it's perfect for that. I've take it on ferries, subways, and commuter trains. In personal cars and Taxis. It fits under my desk at work and wherever else I need it to go. And it feels so quick and zippy compared to the local bike share bikes.

[lostcarpark]

My main bike is a folder and I love it. Before Covid I had a 10 min ride to my local train station, 40 mins on the train, and 15 mins to my office. It was super easy with the bike. I wasn't allowed to bring the bike into the office, but we had a secure location to lock the bike, so that was fine.
Have been working from home for nearly 3 years, but I still love my folder. I have ridden thousands of KM on it, and quite a few longer journeys without any problems.
Mine is a Fuji Origami, which has to be the best name for a folding bike.

[NunontheRun]

I just rode my old Brompton to where I am and tucked it safely away in the corner. It's normally my public transport bike.

[doggylover]

I got fed up with having my bikes stolen every few months (despite multiple heavy duty locks and chains). So I bought a folding bike, and just took it everywhere with me. On the train it went on the luggage rack, at work I parked it under my desk and at home I stored it in the cupboard under the stairs. I’ve had it for 15 years.

[karlInSanDiego]

I really appreciate the folding compatibility with public transit.

[rodrigoalamgonzalezarrieta]

I love folding bikes, at the beginning I was afraid by the size of the wheel, but I really love it because thanks of his small size, I could use it more in the city than a regular bike. For example, I could hang out with my friends and I don’t have to worry if its to late go back riding or having extra beers, I just ask for a cab or uber, put the bike in the trunk and that’s it! Also, to travel by bus to another city it’s much easier, you have the bike to ride to the hotel, going around saving money. Best wishes from Mexico :D

[RobadobaChannel]

I've been following this channel since the beginning and I've gotta say, seeing the improvement in production quality and your on-camera personality has been great! Keep it up Tom, proud of ya.

[WhenWillILearn]

I don't think its any accident that the most famous folding bike came out of the UK. Storing a bike in a smaller home or on a canal boat is super convenient and being able to take it on short public transport journeys makes so much sense here in our little island

[ibracadabra]

Folding bikes are awesome!

I always thought they would be a bit of a compromise, since they’re smaller than regular bikes. But when I got a folding bike I realized that it rode wonderfully. I now take my folding bike everywhere and enjoy every minute of it.

[KarlTheCool]

One of the big things is its a lot more acceptable to bring folding bikes into stores and restaurants now. Lots of people riding giant electric scooters helping break the ice for us haha.

[rudinah]

One thing I love about bicycles in general is the fact that you can make these kind of purchases on a whim, because of how much cheaper they are than cars. Especially with financing these days it can be super super affordable to buy a folding or E bike just on a whim, unlike with a car were you might need to save up a ton and still take out a massive loan.

[peterclarke]

Um, for people without outdoor bike storage who live in flats, and people who do a commute that involves trains, basically.

[solk.posner]

Recently when I was in Spain, the foldable was a game changer. So versatile because beyond just riding through the city you can fold it up, take it on subways or busses and put it inside buildings for easy of mind against theft.