What Is A Folding Bike? What are they good for?

Last Updated on 30 September 2023 by Cycloscope

what is a folding bike

Bikes are not portable and that has been a huge issue with this medium of transport. One cannot carry or transport them easily.

This is a huge revolution in the world of bikes and has evolved the capabilities of this vehicle as well. The pandemic might give a boost to this new trend. 

Folding bikes minimize a lot of โ€œpotentialโ€ issues that people complained about previously. For instance, a lack of space to park a bike is solved with a foldable one.

Moreover, as the basic design of the bike is changed, it does affect its functionality as well. Thus, the riding experience of a folding bike is slightly different. It will feel a bit odd for newbies, but you will gradually get used to it.ย 

Interested in Folding bikes? Check also:
> Why Folding Bike Touring + The 6 Best Folding Bikes For Touring in 2022
> Folding Bikes! Advantages & Disadvantages of a Foldable Rig

What is a Folding Bike?

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foldable bicycle

Folding bikes are innovated to be folded into a compact size which makes them portable. You can park the bike in spaces where it is not possible to fit it usually.

Foldable bikes vary in the methods that they are folded in. they also vary in their weights and sizes. Mostly, the bike is folded on the sides where the tired are sitting. This allows them to share the circular space of the tires easily. 

Who can use folding bikes?

16-in folding bike

So can everyone benefit from folding bikes or not? The first thought that occurs in oneโ€™s mind when hearing the term โ€œfolding bikesโ€ is that its consumer market will be extremely compact.

But, the reality is that a lot of people can benefit from it. Whether you are a traveller or a commuter, a foldable bike can be used by you, to simply add more efficacy to its usage.

Moreover, anyone who lacks space but wants to own a bike or two, can easily buy a folding bike and get rid of this issue. 

Sizes of Folding Bikes

Folding bike sizes vary to a slight degree. They donโ€™t have a huge difference in sizes. 

Firstly, the most standard size of a foldable bike is compact. The compact-sized bike is slightly smaller than a mountain or road bike. They use 20-inch wheels.

And this is the usual size of BMX bikes. This is smaller than the usual bike but if compared side by side, one can easily notice that the riderโ€™s seat position is almost the same. 

Then there are full-size folding bikes and they are used the most. This is because people want the functionality of a full bike with the feature of being foldable. They commonly come with 26-inch wheels.

Lastly, there are portable size folding bikes that are suitable for people who want to save a lot of space. They have 16-inch or below wheels.ย 


Wrap Up

Folding bikes are gaining popularity over time as they function exactly the same but bring ease of transportation and save space largely for the users.