[Closed] Cheap folding bike for a tall bloke?!

Similar size to you, looked at all sorts from Expensive to cheapies

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Not impressed with any, either too small for comfort or too flexy.</span>

Considering some of the price differentials, was very disappointed with some offerings, the more expensive ones in particular.

Eventually found a Trek Navigator, basic 3 speed, that I could ride and be comfy.

Fairly heavy, but easy enough to fold, and a few bits replaced (chainring, pedals , bars) quite good to ride.

Don't think they still make them, but see then regularly on the bay, (mine was £90 off there, sadly now sold) might be worth a look ?

I'm 6'3. Brompton S series is fine, M is too low

Cheap, folding, for a tall bloke: pick two.

(Me: 6'5"; had a Dahon for a while and the seatpost was actually ok but the seat was just too far forward relative to the BB; now on a Brompton S2L with a couple of tweaks to move the saddle further back and the bars further forward.)

Here?

The description says ok for 6' 4" so maybe worth researching that model?

Oops, I forgot to add that I have the telescopic seat post on my brompton. It comes with an additional benefit of being to take the seat off without the bike opening when folded (the post is used to lock it closed) and being able to easily fit a Carradice SQR bag clamp

Do you need a folding bike or could you just buy a cheap normal bike and ditch it at the station/where ever you need it?

Brompton S series is fine, M is too low

S bars are lower then M

I'm 6'2" and I rode a Kansi 3 twenty it was comfortable, no whacking knees on the bars and the seat post actually went up high enough without going past the min sign.

cynic-al is absolutely right, S is too low, M is OK!

S looks better, but I was way too hunched over riding those. P would probably be even better but they make a ridiculous bike look more so

Technically, my brompton is my 'road bike'

M is too high for my liking. S gives me more reach: the bars are further away and my back ends up in a more comfortable position. With the M bars I feel like I'm all over the back of the bike: high bars only work for me with a long reach from the saddle, and folding bikes are the extreme opposite of that.

Bucketloads of YMMV though 😉

Interesting, how tall are you Bez?

A secondary benefit of the M bars was I added the brace to give my kids two hand positions when they're being carried on the IT chair. Disappointingly this is probably the last year I can manage with them now - getting too big/heavy

Thanks guys. As I’ve just given up my 12 year career to go back to uni I’ll definitely need something cheap! I figured the Brompton would work but there’s no way I can afford that.

It looks like the go outdoors own brand ones might be the closest I can find to fitting but they still feel a couple of inches too short. As this will need to be slung in the car daily and my parking spot changes I’ll need a foldy one.

i looked at those folding MTB’s in Argos but they look pretty awful ...

Used Giant Halfway will fit. There is a pronounced difference in head and seatube angles, making reach increase as you pull the saddle up. Unfashionable bikes so very good value.

RR rider, where are you based?

Interesting, how tall are you Bez?

See the post immediately below your first one 🙂

My Brompton:

https://mashing53.wordpress.com/2016/03/17/folding-for-freaks/

Ah, good point, well made.

Your set up is quite different to mine, I have a lot less saddle to bar drop than you (lower saddle and higher bars). Interesting about the reach though, I would appreciate more space there

TiRed - I tried what I think was a halfway in a bike shop and it was too small. It could have been a giant something else I guess.

BigEls - I’m just north of chesterfield.