Folding Cycles and their Rider Weight Limits

If anybody ever wondered if a folder is for you, then here is the weight limits at least, for those who wish to know it.

AIRNIMAL JOEY http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/airnimal_joey.htm
Max Rider Weight – 102kgs/225lbs;
AIRNIMAL CHAMELEON FIXIE [special order] http://www.airnimal.eu/News/Home.php
Max Rider Weight – 102kgs/225lbs;
AIRNIMAL RHINO http://www.airnimalfoldingbikes.com/RhinoStreet.php (Single-Speed!)
Max Rider Weight – 109kgs/240lbs;
BIKE FRIDAY http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/bf_road.htm
Max Rider Weight – 100kgs/220lbs, or 118kgs/260lbs heavy rider option;
BIRDY http://www.en.r-m.de/products/productfinder/faltgenie/birdy/
Max Rider Weight – 111kgs/245lbs (incl. luggage);
BROMPTON http://www.brompton.co.uk/content.asp?p=3&l=1
Max Rider Weight - 110kgs/242lbs [plus extra 20kgs/44lbs of luggage only; NOT EXTRA RIDER WEIGHT]
DAHON Mu Uno http://www.dahon.com/bikes/2010/mu-uno
Max Rider Weight – 105kgs/230lbs;
KANSI 1twenty http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/kansi_1twenty_white_grey.htm
Max Rider Weight - 101kgs/223lbs; [inclusive of luggage/baggage]
MEZZO http://www.mezzobikes.com/spec.htm
Max Rider Weight – 110kgs/242lbs (incl. luggage);
MONTAGU Boston (Swissbike) http://www.montaguebikes.com/boston-folding-single-speed-bike.html
Max Rider Weight - 105kgs/230lbs
MOULTON http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/moulton_tsr_rohloff_fbspec.htm
Max Rider Weight – 101kgs/224lbs
PACIFIC CYCLES REACH http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/pacific_reach.htm;
http://lightenupbikes.com/pacific-cycles-reach-sl-super-light.aspx; http://www.pacific-cycles.com/;
Max Rider Weight – 110kgs/242lbs (incl. luggage);
XOOTR SWIFT http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/xootr_swift.htm
Max Rider Weight - 118kgs/260lbs

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The Bike Friday saves me, just. Now to learn how to save money.

EDIT (07-April-09): Xootr also has a higher max rider weight than most others.

The Dahon can barely take that weight.

Mate of mine had one break on him.

Helluva mess....

Bear in mind that CampagNOlo only warranty their kit up to a rider weight of 80kg.

Which is (a) shite and (b) why I boycott their flimsy Italian crap.

GrandeAnse2Grenville
MOULTON http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/moulton_tsr_rohloff_fbspec.htm
Max Rider Weight – 101kgs/224lbs;

Re. the Moulton, Pashley apparently state in the TSR manual

"Whilst any bicycle weight limit is, due to variation in riding styles
and usage patterns, somewhat arbitrary, we are legally obliged to state
a limit.
All TSR models: Maximum permissible total weight (rider + luggage) =
120kg".

I don't know if that helps you at all...?

Spotted this on Wiggle, has a sturney acrher 5-speed hub. Could it be converted to a Fixed, Five-speed, Foldable?

its been done

If anybody ever wondered if a folder is for you, then here is the weight limits at least, for the lardy, like me. I couldn't get info on Brompton,

Saw a portly gent (app 17st) on a Brompton this fair morn. Looked like a seatpost fail waiting to happen.

Brompton have finally posted weight limits.

110kgs/242lbs/17st 4lbs is the rider maximum weight, for which the seatpost is designed.

The frame can carry another 20kgs as pannier luggage, but not added to the weight borne by the seatpost.

Brompton have finally posted weight limits.

110kgs/242lbs/17st 4lbs is the rider maximum weight, for which the seatpost is designed.

The frame can carry another 20kgs as pannier luggage, but not added to the weight borne by the seatpost.

Ah bugger and I really wanted a Brompton!

Saw a portly gent (app 17st) on a Brompton this fair morn. Looked like a seatpost fail waiting to happen.

Yeah, sorry about that :S

its been done

That rocks!
Is that the original hub? If so how is it fixed?

Ah bugger and I really wanted a Brompton!
I've got a goal to lose enough weight, so that I can get a single speed Moulton (or similar), but at the moment, there is NO folding cycle that will accomodate me. A work in progress.

Bear in mind that CampagNOlo only warranty their kit up to a rider weight of 80kg.

Which is (a) shite and (b) why I boycott their flimsy Italian crap.

wow, I never knew that.

Thank God I can't afford campagnolo at the moment.

The rear wheel is a White Industries eliptical hub on a BMX road rim

it works pretty well I am just waiting to bang it up a bit before I attack it with a grinder and remove all the old braise ons

I'd like to thank Steve at Xootr for his kind assistance. Much appreciated.

Re: Xootr Swift - Weight Limit
Monday, 6 April, 2009 4:06 PM
From:
"Steve K___" <S_@xootr.com>
To:
"Ashley"
Hi Ashley,
260 lbs.
Best,
Steve

Ashley wrote:
To whom it may concern;
Hi, I'm trying to find out the weight limit of the Xootr SWIFT bicycle.
I provide some of the resources on a singlespeed cycle forum. One thread in particular, concerns weight limits of folding bikes.
Please go here to see the relative thread. Could anyone provide me with this information - the maximum weight limit for this bike?
Thank you very much in advance for any help that you can give,

Best regards
Ashley [GA2G]

Noticed a couple of singlespeed folders on wiggle. Not so taken by the Cadenza Solo, but the Mu Uno is a nice looking little folder.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Dahon_Cadenza_Solo_2009/5360042687/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Dahon_Mu_Uno_2009/5360042679/

I've seen plenty of those Cadenzas (well, geared ones) on the train and TBH then look like they could fold any minute, be it the folded verson or not.

I'm all over the Cadenza Solo at the moment. So please don't piss on my pipe dream fire ;)

Just need to find it available as a F&F only.

Anyone have pics of how they fold? There are other bikes which look like this (Giant???) I think which don't fold too??

The cadenza looks like a good ride for a folder and folds down small. I just love the silly small wheels/ huge chainring combo on the Mu. You could show off, and impress the ladies, by posting that you ride 54:14 on our numerous gear ratio threads (with 20" wheels thats still only 77GI).

It may look small folded down in a photo, but trust me, it's not small in real life.

Plus the stupid little stand doesn't work too well on a bouncy train. Seen a fair few tip over.

Sorry Smallfurry!

I love the Uno - just too expensive

It may look small folded down in a photo, but trust me, it's not small in real life.

Plus the stupid little stand doesn't work too well on a bouncy train. Seen a fair few tip over.

Sorry Smallfurry!

TBH I'm not in the market for one. I just spotted that Dahon is moving more into the SS market.

I'd be more interested in an Airnimal Rhino to put in the boot for family camping/cabin trips. So I can nip out and enjoy some off-road fun*.

This one has a Rolhoff 14 speed hub, fox rear sus, and rock shox sid race front sus. It has a RRP of 2.4K though :(

I'd probably go for a singlespeed version of the above. The frames now come with sliding drop-outs, so the tensioner is no longer needed.

(* Yet another of my 'why I need another bike' musings)

[ED: Apols for posting this bike for possibly the third time on this forum. If someone buys me one I'll stop ;) ]

The Dahon can barely take that weight.

Mate of mine had one break on him.

Helluva mess....

Ouch!

Mine's been a mix. Got a Cadenza - the full-size folder, which is built to be like a street bike, with 2x8 gears. Frame hinge creaks a little but always has. The big problem has been the rear wheel - it came single cross on the drive side and straight spokes on the non-drive side. I've busted loads of the spokes. Need it stripped and rebuilt as a triple-cross or something. Or maybe buy some super-strong spokes like those bladed sort maybe. Shrug. I don't live in Chesham anymore, so I don't need it for the next year or two. Hello eBay, goodbye Dahon.

The cadenza looks like a good ride for a folder and folds down small.

It doesn't really. Unless you want to get the allen keys out every time you get on a train, to twistify the headstock or take it off altogether, it folds to about the size of a double push-chair. Given how flimsy, ahem, I mean how lightweight most of the components on it are, I'd worry about thread stripping etc.

BUT...

If you do a commute where there aren't too many people to get in the way of and you don't mind a compromise of a bike (it looks a bit like a street bike, it just isn't quite man enough for the job) then it's ok. I wouldn't recommend one to other people, except for very specific journeys. But I wouldn't slate it too badly either. Mine's had getting on for a couple of thousand road miles I reckon, so it can't be THAT bad.

Trouble is, if you're big, the one-size-doesn't-really-fit-all geometry starts to take its toll. About ten miles is my limit for riding on it. Mine gave me terrible trouble with numb-cock after a few miles and stuff like that. Plus I end up with my shoulders dead in line with the front forks, so instead of bumps causing my arms to go up and down slightly, it thumps straight up my arms and into my shoulders. Gave me a partial dislocation (my medical friend informs me it's called a "subluxation") of one shoulder, until I realised what the problem and just rode it less.

If you want to sling something on a train, get near town, jump off and put a few miles down, it's good. But don't be tall or heavy, or on a busy train.