"Handles as nicely as my last road frame"

To see the original online version of this article, sign up for the free NYT email. See link at bottom of this article.

September 15, 2005 Freewheeling on the New Lightweight Fold-Ups By STEFANI JACKENTHAL

FOLDING bicycles, light enough to carry on trains or planes and small enough to store in tiny spaces, have long been popular with commuters. But as their quality has improved, some cyclists are shelving their standard road bikes and using folders for morning rides and weekend cruises. They're also packing them into hard-shell suitcases (avoiding the airlines' roughly $80 "bike fee") to take along on business or family trips.

Because they have small wheels, fold-up bikes may not perform as well as the finest standard bikes. But many high-tech models have lightweight frames and gears that are easy to shift. And most collapse in a minute or less, no tools required.

John Whitton Bria, an avid cyclist, traded in his Italian road frame for a folding bike last November, after hip surgery left him unable to run. "The thought of traveling and not being able to work out spooked me," he said. "And my folding bike is actually lighter and faster then my old one." Last week Mr. Bria took time out from his daily 20-mile ride to test these five folding bikes for speed, comfort and handling.

From top:DAHON SPEED PRO, $899.95, www.dahon.com. This 23- pound bike comes with 21 speeds and thumb-controlled shifting. The pedal system is removable, a feature Mr. Bria praised: “It had a neat quick-release mechanism to pop the pedals off of the crank arms.” He also liked the sturdy, 20-inch wheels and the way the mangocolored tires match the frame.

TREK F600, $1,049.99, www2 .trekbikes.com. This bike’s wide frame and steel fork make it sturdy enough for bigger riders, but the upright seat tube may mean discomfort on longer rides. It has 20-inch wheels, thumb-controlled shifting, nine speeds, a bell and even a kickstand (rare on fold-ups). But Mr. Bria found this bike a little hard to steer.

BIKE FRIDAY POCKET ROCKET PRO, $3,100, www.bikefriday.com. This bike (above and top middle) has a custom frame built to fit the rider’s body, shift levers built into the handlebars, 20- inch wheels, a carbon fork (for a softer ride) and an aerodynamic design. And its drop handlebars make hill climbing easy. “It’s responsive and handles as nicely as my last road frame, but a lot more portable,” Mr. Bria said.

BIRDY YELLOW, $1,050, www.rad -innovations.com. With an aluminum frame, 18-inch wheels and eight speeds, this bike is sturdy and easy to handle. The seat tube angles back for comfort on long outings, and full suspension smoothes the ride over potholes and rough surfaces. “It felt like being on a regular road bike,” Mr. Bria said. “The shifting was easy to finetune and the ride, very smooth.”

BROMPTON P6R-X, (second photo) $2,100, www .bromptonbicycle.co.uk (available in next month). The most compact of the bikes tested, this six-speed bike with 15-inch wheels was also the lightest (21 pounds). A $1,300 model made of steel instead of titanium weighs 24 pounds. “It had a sedate ride and would make a great city bike,” Mr. Bria said. But he found the double stacked touring handlebars “an unnecessary complication.” Diane Bondareff for The New York Times

* Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company - note: Carbon fork not currently available on Bike Friday