Recently, many friends have been asking me about folding bikes and asking for recommendations. Actually, it’s not easy to recommend one because I don’t know exactly what you want. Here, I’ll explain the features of folding bikes and the key points in choosing one.
The following are all based on my personal experience and summary. Friends with questions, please feel free to ask. No one can stand at the pinnacle of technology forever, and the world of modifications is full of surprises. If there’s anything wrong with my explanation, I hope experts can point it out and we can discuss it together.
Folding bikes generally come in sizes of 14-inch, 16-inch, 18-inch, 20-inch, and 26-inch.
14-inch and 16-inch folding bikes are mainly for urban leisure use. They are lightweight, take up little space when folded, and are not very fast, typically reaching speeds of 16–18 km/h. They are suitable as small transport tools for urban commuting, traveling with cars, or personal independent travel to other cities.
18-inch and 20-inch folding bikes are usually used for medium to short-distance travel and are convenient to carry. They are lightweight and fold into a relatively small space, with a general speed of around 18–30 km/h, making them suitable for single-day rides of up to 200 km and 4+2 travel biking.
26-inch folding bikes, such as the Hummer folding bike, are suitable for light off-road use. Though they offer the added function of folding, they take up more space when folded. Their speed is generally 18–30 km/h, and their top speed is higher than that of 18/20-inch folding bikes.
Here, I will mainly discuss 18-inch and 20-inch small folding bikes.
Advantages: Lightweight;
They fold into a relatively small space—usually 1–2 can fit in a car’s trunk. With an average speed of 18–30 km/h, they are fully capable of handling general bike touring. Pedaling is light because of the smaller wheel size, making it easier than pedaling a typical 26-inch bike.
Disadvantages: Due to the small wheel size, the angles of the wheels and frame affect acceleration and top speed. The folding mechanism also slightly reduces overall rigidity—no matter how good the folding design is, it can only minimize this loss. The light and easy ride from the small wheels means riders used to powerful pedaling may find it hard to adapt to the ride and acceleration of a folding bike. The folding design also makes these bikes more expensive than regular 26-inch non-folding bikes. For the same configuration, a folding bike will definitely cost more. Therefore, adapting a folding bike to various terrains and slopes requires more investment than a non-folding bike.
Summary: 18-inch and 20-inch folding bikes are suitable for normal medium to short-distance touring. If you’re targeting long-distance or complex road conditions, the bike configuration needs to be higher. Folding bikes are not suitable for racing or for riders seeking instant high speed. Also, to handle various terrains and slopes well, a folding bike demands more financial investment than a non-folding one.
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1. Upper body and arm length — Choose a model with or without a stem based on your upper body and arm length. This determines the distance between the handlebar and the saddle, and riders need to test ride it. (Proper riding posture affects your power output and overall comfort.)
2. Flat roads under 50 km/h — A front single gear and rear 8-speed setup is completely sufficient. (The speed is moderate, and you can keep up easily on short distances without getting too tired. It might get a bit strenuous on longer distances or higher speeds.)
3. Up to 200 km with no steep hills — Without major steep slopes, you can use a front 2-speed and rear 8–10-speed, or a front single-speed and rear 9–10-speed. This setup allows smooth acceleration, speed changes, and handling of small slopes. (More gear options make climbing and accelerating easier.)
4. Up to 200 km with noticeable steep hills — You’ll need a front 3-speed setup, with the rest as above. (The smaller front chainrings make climbing easier.)
5. Steep and long descents — Equip the rear wheel with disc brakes for more stability during downhill. (V-brakes are more prone to heat fade, which can cause brake failure or locking.)
6. Bumpy roads — You can choose a front fork with suspension, thicker tires, and a rear frame with rear suspension rubber. (These configurations help with bumpy roads but may slightly affect speed.)
Based on your needs, choose one or several of these factors. These points can clearly help you find the right small folding bike for you.
1. A: 14-inch and 16-inch bikes can also reach 18 km/h. Since our average speed for short trips is also around 18 km/h, can we use them?
A&Q
Q: No. Although the average speed during a trip is around 18 km/h, the actual riding speed often reaches 23–25 km/h, which is hard for a 16-inch folding bike to keep up with. Add in complex road conditions with ups and downs, and longer distances, and it becomes quite tiring and difficult to keep pace. Even adding gears later won’t solve the issue.
2. A: If 14-inch and 16-inch bikes aren’t suitable for touring, why do they still have geared models?
Q: The main purpose of gearing isn’t just to go faster, but to make riding easier. Adding gears to 14-inch and 16-inch folding bikes makes urban riding in various conditions much easier. Gearing isn’t only needed for climbing—when pedaling feels too strenuous, your mood affects power output, or wind resistance is high, you can shift gears to make riding easier.
Q: The primary purpose of gears is not simply to go faster, but to make cycling easier. Folding bikes in sizes 14-inch and 16-inch with gears can make riding more comfortable on various urban terrains. Moreover, gears aren’t only needed when climbing hills — you can use them whenever pedaling feels too strenuous, your mood affects your performance, or you’re facing wind resistance, among other factors, to make your ride smoother.
3,A: I see many people choosing models like the DAHON SP-8 single-speed. Can they not be used for long-distance riding either?
Q: First of all, this bike from DAHON has a solid overall structure and some room for modification. However, the front derailleur on this model cannot be modified. Using it for long-distance rides will result in insufficient gear ratios, making it relatively more strenuous. To elaborate further, lower-end configurations aren’t necessarily unusable under heavy loads, but bicycles put strain on the human body. While it won’t cause injury, it will definitely be tiring. It’s like wearing summer clothes in winter — you can do it, and you can ride a single-speed bike long-distance, but comfort definitely won’t be your priority.
4,A: The Birdy folding bike also uses a single front chainring. Why do so many people use it for long rides?
Q: The Birdy folding bike has an excellent frame structure that adapts well to various terrains and offers good shock absorption. It also has strong acceleration performance. It’s worth noting that most Birdy riders use either 9 or 10-speed modifications or stock setups. Increasing the gear ratio will certainly improve pedaling comfort and riding speed, but a single front chainring will inevitably struggle on steep climbs. I’ve also seen some modified to have a double front chainring, so you’ll need to carefully consider your riding style.
5,A: I see some bikes using road gearing and others using mountain biking gearing. Why is that?
Q: Folding bikes also come in both mountain and road versions. Choose based on your preference and the type of terrain.
For example:
1> Using fat tires, a triple chainring, front suspension, rear rubber suspension — these are more obvious external configurations. At the same time, using mountain gearing can improve climbing ability.
2> Using thin tires, a double or triple chainring, no front suspension, along with a road gearing setup can improve acceleration on flat roads.
6,A: What is meant by rubber suspension, and why not use rear suspension?
Q: Rubber suspension serves to absorb shocks while not affecting pedaling. High-end bikes with carbon fiber frames can achieve similar effects. As for rear suspension, the suspension systems used on folding bikes aren’t much different from rubber suspension — they’re just there to absorb shocks. Rear suspensions like those on mountain bikes are not recommended, as they can affect overall power transfer and riding. Keep in mind that the folding structure will inevitably make the bike less rigid than non-folding bikes. Normal riding won’t be a problem, but don’t expect to take it off-road aggressively.