Phil (ascentale)5d ago

@Brownian_motion asks:

Q5. Have you heard of the bike builder, Bike Friday?

(A lot of folding bike talk has been re: Brompton, but are there any other notable folding bike builders? What do you think of them?)

based on this post: https://mastodon.scot/@[email protected]ial/116326156655308992

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

mastodon.scot

Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)4d ago
@ascentale @Brownian_motion @bikenite A5. Yes. And I bought a bike from them, their first recumbent and one of the first, if not THE FIRST, folding recumbent bike. The Bike SatRday (Mark I). At that point I was working where I had to commute across the SF Bay yet I had become disabled and needed to ride a 'bent. I was desperate for folding designs so I stretched my budget big time to buy the SatRday. It was an imperfect solution for me, especially because it was not a quick fold for #BikeNite
Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)4d ago

@ascentale @Brownian_motion @bikenite But it was still potentially useful for having to fly somewhere as it could pack into a Carlton hard-sided suitcase that could turn into a trailer with the special trailer attachment (not included). I never got past the impediment to my hands that folding and packing posed, though. So I only folded it at times I was sending it back to Bike Friday for a tune-up preparatory to trying to sell it.

It was a good bike, but for abled folks. #BikeNite

Show threadJ. Nathan Matias 🦣3d ago
@meganL I would be curious to hear more about folding bikes that are more accessible - have things improved with other manufacturers since your attempt with the SatRDay?
Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)

@natematias Yes. That was back in the '90s. Things have exploded since. I was out of the loop as far as recumbent forums for some years so I don't know who was the next to try it, but now there are folding recumbents (bikes and trikes) from Azub, folding recumbent trikes from Catrike and others.

While in the '90s recumbent manufacturers weren't really acknowledging how big a part of their market disabled people were (and I'm including abled-identified people with disabilities they brush off),

Apr 6 at 8:53amWeb
Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)2d ago
@natematias many of them now acknowledge it and offer things like grab bars to help people sit back into recumbent trikes or offer trikes that are higher up off the ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdaVmCuJUIE
The Best Folding Trikes of 2024 - Take your Recumbent Trike With You!

YouTube
Show threadJ. Nathan Matias 🦣2d ago
@meganL thank you for taking the time to share! I'm encouraged to see how things have improved. I may be helping a family member look for one sometime later this year, so it's especially helpful.
Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)2d ago
@natematias If you're at Cornell, I'd recommend going to Bicycle Man. They have a huge inventory so it allows for trying a lot of different ones. https://bicycleman.com/
Show threadJ. Nathan Matias 🦣2d ago
@meganL Oh cool, thank you, they look great!