FAQ’s

What Handlebars Are Available For A Bike Friday?
Bike Friday has a variety of handlebar choices which can generally be fitted to all models according to taste. Certain shifters, however, will only work with certain types. See component compatibility charts. Most models come with bars split in the center for easy packing into the TravelCase. Most bars can be cut down to suit different shoulder widths.

Drop bars For road riding and touring. Gives the most hand positions. Many standard widths. Drop bars accept bar-end shifters (or “barcons”), or STI or Campagnolo Ergo lever shifters.

Flat bars For mountain bike and recreational riding. Some models come with flat bars un-split for lightness and simplicity. Flat bars accept twist shifters like SRAM Grip Shift or thumb shifters like Shimano RapidFire click shifters.

“H” Bars Bike Friday’s unique design for touring and recreational riding. Gives 2 hand positions. Many widths. A very popular choice, particularly for the touring models. “H”-style bars accept twist (Grip Shift) or thumb (RapidFire) shifters.

STI Touring Bars Another Bike Friday invention, designed to take all kinds of shifters. A combination of the “H”-style bars and bullhorn bars. Specially designed for Shimano STI lever shifters.

Bullhorn bars Also known as bullhorn stoker bars, this bar is rather like a drop bar with the drops cut off and the bar turned upside down. It is a popular choice for the stoker (rear rider) on our tandems.

Child stoker bars A special, recreational handlebar with additional extensions for small children. A popular option on tandems.

Each of these bars works with different stems.

I’m really SMALL/TALL — can you make a bike to fit me?
Every Bike Friday travel bike is built to your specifications: from frame size to color, you determine how you want your bicycle set up.

We make bikes for everyone from short individuals to NBA basketball players (yes we do have a customer in that league). See note about tall riders below, from co-founder Alan Scholz.

The most crucial of these steps is the sizing.


6’3″ Nick Mancello chose a New World Tourist because it was “the only bike he could get to fit AND free him from the NYC subway system.”

I’ve been commuting 3-4 times a week for 2 1/2 years bringing an NWT (folded and in a bag) into my office building in downtown Brooklyn (Mariott Hotel Office Bldg on Adams St.). Security never says a word to me and has never asked me to open the bag. Some of them know a bike is in the bag and others don’t know. I guess it helps if you look like you own the place and just walk to the elevators like you mean business! — Nick Mancello, mancello at yahoo dot com

TALL RIDERS

At Bike Friday, bike sizing is based on the proposition that each person deserves a bike that fits.

We know the basic physics of human ergonomics. The tool must fit the person, not the other way around. Our unique design and build process here is not really about folding bikes. Travel and folding bikes happened to be one area that was crying out for good design for convenience and basic human needs. We designed our business around fulfilling that proposition.

Many businesses in the world still operate on the demanding format common after World War II, when there was a huge demand that was most efficiently filled by mass producing lots of generic items. People had nothing; it helped fill that demand fastest.

People are more sophisticated now. Mass production has never worked well for bicycles, shoes, garden carts, garden tools or any item used as a tool to produce a result based on several hours of use.

Imagine yourself walking 2 miles to work every day in shoes made one-size-fits-all. This is quite common for folding bicycles. No matter how adjustable a system you have, a bike built to accommodate someone 48″ tall (1.2m) will simply not work for someone is 80″ tall (2m).

Optimization is a requirement for safe, comfortable and effective cycling. At Bike Friday, that is what we are attempting to do – optimize bikes for more than just guys 68″ to 72″ tall.

We see sizing as a bell curve of leg lengths, arm length, back flexibility, age, goals, foot size, fitness levels, experience, injuries from peoples past and the relationship of all those things.

Tall cannot be seen as separate. We built a bike for a 70″ tall woman in Australia that had legs as long as many men at 78″ tall. This is not unusual, and if you met her on the street you would not realize she rode a bicycle much bigger than yours, even though she is the same height as you. It’s a shorter bike front to back, but taller.

Bikes sometimes need to be tall, and not long, or long, but not tall. Sometimes both, and sometimes neither.

We do not have as much experience with people at the extremes of the size percentile range as there more people in the middle. But we have a lot more experience than anyone else who has not successfully built bikes for dwarfs and basketball players.

Since we do such a range of sizes for such a range of people, we do not always get it 100% right the first time.

That is part of our expected process, and that is why we guarantee a minimum accuracy of fit. Very often though, we do give someone the best fitting bike they have ever had. We do not often miss, but when we do, will continue to do what is necessary to make it right. That is our fit guarantee.

Some of our favorite people are tall. We can’t do anything about the doors that are made too short for them, but we can usually make them a bike that fits and helps make them the best cyclist they can be.

They can then, like us, be happy and comfortable. Our favorite size of people to build for is those with big hearts that love cycling.

Best in Cycling, Alan Scholz, and the design team at Bike Friday

What FRAME sizes do you make, and how do they compare to a standard or non-folding bike?
A Bike Friday frame is sized according to 8 “effective” top tube lengths. The Effective Top Tube is the distance from the center of the headtube to the center of the seat tube measured horizontally. This number is equivalent to the top tube length on a standard pre-2000 road bike with a horizontal top tube.

XXS 48cm 18.9″
XS 50cm 19.7″
S 52cm 20.5″
S/M 54cm 21.25″
M 56cm 22″
L 58cm 22.8″
XL 60cm 23.625″
XXL 62cm 24.4″

The sizing of stems and seat masts is virtually unlimited, which enables a more precise fit for a wider range of riders – from kids and short-statured people to NBA basketball players — than a conventional bike can offer.

How much does a Bike Friday WEIGH?
As all custom and built-to-order Bike Friday models are custom-manufactured, the exact weight of the travel bike that will fit you is variable and can be viewed in the specification charts, which can be reached via the Bike Chooser.

Weights vary with most single bikes around 26 pounds (11 kg). Tandems weigh more. The weight shown is for a medium-sized bike with a 56 cm (22″) seat tube, which would fit someone between 5-foot-6 (168 cm) and 5-10 (178cm), weighing between 150 to 175 pounds (68 – 79kg). Our high-end road bikes can weigh less than 20 pounds (9 kg)

For built-to-order models, the weight is provided without including any pedals or saddles unless specified.

How do Bike Friday bikes fold up? And, how small?
All Bike Fridays either fold or disassemble for packing into the TravelCase. Most Tandems require two TravelCases. There is a special soft zippered TravelBag to fit each folded model.

“Quick-fold” This fold takes around 30 seconds for the average single pocket model, achieved by undoing a seat mast and stem riser quick-release levers. The stem is removed (but stays connected by cables to the bike), and the rear wheel folds down, under the frame, and beside the front wheel. The models which Quickfold are the Pocket models. The folded dimensions are 34″x33″x12″. Watch the video on How to Fold a Pocket Bike.

The Two’sDay tandem takes a couple of minutes to fold. Choose this model if ease of folding is important. All the remaining tandems do not fold, but rather, disassemble. The Two’sDay folded dimensions are 33″x37″x17″

You can choose from a wide range of cassettes to give you up to 27 speeds. If you know all about “gear-inches” click here for a gear chart calculator, otherwise our Sales Consultants can help you work out what kind of gearing you need.

Here is a selection of the most popular options:

  • Chainrings: This is the traditional setup: single, double or triple front chainrings in conjunction with a rear cassette of 7, 8 or 9 cogs. The number of chainrings depends on how many gears you think you need, which in turn depends on your fitness and the terrain, but as a general guide, use single for flattish commuting, double for sport, moderate hills and light touring, and a triple for loaded touring, big hills, mountain biking, and tandem touring. In combination with the right 7, 8 or 9 cog cassette in the rear, you can achieve up to 27 speeds.
    The advantages: simple, light, and can be repaired anywhere; it is a standard system the world over.
    The considerations: fairly large chainrings need to be used to compensate for the smaller 20″ wheel diameter, typically 53-62 teeth. In addition, the front derailleur is yet another piece of equipment that can be knocked out of alignment during travel, a problem which is completely eliminated by the SRAM Internal Hub system if you choose that kind of gearing, described below.
  • SRAM Dual Drive 3 speed INTERNAL HUB: This is an innovation that works particularly well with the Bike Friday’s 20″ wheel diameter. The system looks like this: single front chainring (no front derailleur), and in the rear wheel, an enclosed, planetary gear system that performs the same function as the front chainrings, in combination with a standard 7, 8 or 9 cog cassette to give a total of 21-27 gears.
    The advantages: Wider gear range than a triple chainring, robust, bulletproof casing which makes it great for touring. If you climb really steep hills or like really low gears, this is it! Unlike earlier editions of this hub, you can shift it while pedaling.
    The disadvantages: generally a pound heavier than a typical chainring setup, and though it is a reliable component, it is not as easy to repair on the road in the unlikely event that it fails. However, it is designed to be a fully enclosed, relatively maintenance-free system.
    Read more about it on the SRAM Web site.
  • ROHLOFF SPEEDHUB: A completely internal gearing system: single front chainring, no front or rear derailleur, no cassette, 14-speeds evenly spaced (no overlapping) gears, yet with as wide a range as a triple chainring. Operated by a single grip-type shifter. Was developed for mountain bike downhill competition.
    Advantages: Bulletproof, wide range of gears.
    Disadvantages: Heavy (typically almost a pound heavier than the SRAM setup), expensive, more drag and a whirring noise which is music or menace to your ears depending on whether you’re a fan or not. Needs to be run in: after the first 500-1000 miles, the oil should be changed out — a simple procedure.
    Read more about it on the Rohloff Web site.
  • CAPREO: This 9-speed cassette, usually found in 9-26 speeds, allows the use of standard chainrings (eg 53/39). The Capreo is made from 105-quality parts.
    Advantages: It shifts better than other cassettes. Replacement rings are easy to find. It is a lighter option than dual drive.
    Disadvantages: There is only one hub, freehub, and cassette available, and each is unique to the Capreo. No lightweight Dura-Ace version is available, for example. In addition, replacement cassettes or hubs may be difficult to find.

Article: Goof-proof gearing

What COLOR choices do I have for my Bike Friday?
Bike Friday powder coat colors are available in solid, metallic and custom *Two-Tone colors(*$300 upgrade).
Touch up paint is also available for a nominal charge.
Tandem paint Upgrades carry an additional charge.

You can see what colors are available by looking at our color page.sky_blue_pakit_belt_drive

Are Bike Fridays as FAST as a regular bike?
Tests have shown that up to 16 mph, the small wheel is more efficient than a big wheel. Between 16 and 33 mph, there is little difference. Over 33 mph the gyroscopic effect of the big wheel makes it more effective. Most folks do not go over 33 mph.
— Source: 1984 Olympic Men’s Road Race Gold Medal winner, Alexi Grewal during a conversation with Jeff Linder. Alexi owns a Pocket Rocket.

Here’s what customers say:

BIKE FRIDAYS ARE FASTER I

From The Yak!:

Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 07:58:33 +0100 From Joost van Waert Subject: [Yak] Bike Friday is faster

I ride a BF Pocket Rocket Pro and also a regular road racing bike. I ‘race’ every week with the same bunch of guys. This is how I have found out that the Bike Friday is definitely faster than a big wheeled bike.

It took me a long time to figure out just WHY that was. After some years of riding a BF, I read an article about spoke turbulence (3).

(1) John Allen and Eileen are right in saying that ‘rotating weight’ only affects the speed when accelerating; (2) Rolling resistance IS a bit greater with little wheels, but, the faster you go, the less important rolling resistance is. Air resistance becomes the most important factor.

(3) The main reason why little wheels are faster is mentioned by John Allen as ‘drag’. A 20-inch wheel also has less frontal surface than a 28-inch wheel, but the main speed advantage of the smaller wheel can be found in the TURBULENCE that a rotating wheel generates. A small wheel (with fewer spokes!) generates much less turbulence-drag than a big wheel. That is the main reason for our advantage of big wheelers at high speeds.

Joost van Waert The Netherlands

BIKE FRIDAYS ARE FASTER II

Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 10:51:50 -0700 From: “Dennis Rushing” Subject: [Yak] Bike Friday’s are faster Time to pack bike, drive to airport, fly to San Diego, unpack bike, ride to beach-Couple of hours Time to load big bike on top of car, drive to San Diego, find a place to park car, ride to beach-couple of days Yep, Bike Friday’s are faster.

Dennis Rushing

XL Triple Twin Air PRP

How do Bike Friday models DIFFER from each other?
Bike Friday makes a frame to suit most kinds of riding. All Bike Fridays:

  • Fold or disassemble
  • Pack into standard checkable airline suitcase(s) see Travel System.
  • Are custom fitted to suit the individual rider?
  • Feature wheels with 20-inch wheels or 16-inch (Bike Friday pakiT).

There are four general frame types:
sky_blue_pakit_belt_drive

pakiT bike The lightest bike in our line-up. This perfect urban commuting solution folds into a convenient, compact package, by adding a backpack your bike becomes stealth – able to get past doormen and bus drivers without a blink, no need to lock your bike outside!

New World Tourist Silk

Pocket bikes True performance that packs. These are high-performance bikes that happen to fold, which fold easily in 30 seconds and pack into the Travel system.

•Touring version is the New World Tourist

•Road and Sports version is Pocket Rocket and Pocket Rocket Pro can be less than 20lbs

•Expedition and rough terrain is the Diamond Llama

famtandem

Tandems High-performance Tandem you can easily take with you that either folds or disassemble for travel. Pack into two suitcases. Can be designed for Touring or Road – see the Bike Friday Travel system

Tandem Two’sDay folds

Family Tandem Disassembles

hauladay

Haul-a-Day Cargo bike

The perfect combination of a great city bike and a Family minivan. This bike can carry your groceries, take your kids to school, haul bags of dirt for your garden or carry lumber for your weekend project. Frame adjusts to fit riders 4’6″ to 6’4″ so your whole family can ride it.

 

For more details about these models, including photographs and prices, contact us 541-687-0487 or in the US and Canada dial 1-800-777-0258

What is the warranty on a Bike Friday

Bike Friday® Guarantee

We at Green Gear Cycling, Inc. (Bike Friday) want you, the customer, to be happy with your new bicycle. For direct orders shipped from the factory if your bike does not meet your expectations, you may return the bicycle to us for a full refund, less all shipping charges and a 15% restocking fee (as of 06-01-18). For bikes ordered through a dealer, we allow the dealer to use their own return policy. This applies to the purchase of new Custom and Stock bicycles. In all cases, the return shipping charges are your responsibility. To take advantage of this guarantee, you must notify our service department (800.777.0258 / service@bikefriday.com) within 30 calendar days of your receipt of your bike of your intent to return the bike, and we must receive it in our possession within 35 calendar days of you taking delivery of the bike. We also accept returns on parts within 30 days as long as the part is unused and undamaged. Processing your refund usually takes 2-6 weeks from the time that we receive back your returned item(s).

We want your bicycle to work for you, and in order for your bicycle to work well, it should fit. We’ll need some help from you to ensure that your new Bike Friday fits you well, specifically by providing us with the measurements of your best fitting bike (if you own a bike that fits well) and a description of how you feel on this bike. Additionally, you will be asked for some personal measurements with a required accuracy within 1/4″ (5mm) and 3 pounds (1.35kg) – yes of your current weight and not your ideal weight – as well as a description of your riding style and the places you most likely envision riding your new Friday. Our Consultants can guide you through the process of obtaining and interpreting this information. This guarantee does not apply to Stock Bikes, which are not custom built to your specifications, but come in standard small, medium and large sizing.

Armed with this data, we can guarantee the fit of your new Friday if (1) we are matching exactly the dimensions from your current, best fitting bicycle, or (2) we build a Friday from your body measurements that include our optional “fit stem” program. If you choose to have us build a bike for you that is sized in any other way, the bike will be sized per that method and built in a manner that allows for later fine-tuning of the sizing should you choose, at your expense, to pursue a more exacting fit.

BIKE FRIDAY WARRANTY

As part of the consideration for buyer’s purchase, buyer understands and agrees to the following: Green Gear Cycling warrants your bicycle frameset, including fork purchased from Green Gear Cycling or an authorized Green Gear dealer against defects in workmanship and materials for 10 years. This does not cover paint or powder coat finishes. Green Gear Cycling honors the original manufacturer’s warranty on parts and components against defects in manufacturing. Tubes and tires are sold as-is.

This warranty is expressly limited to the repair or replacement of the defective frame, fork, or defective part at the discretion of Green Gear Cycling. This is the sole remedy of the warranty. This warranty applies only to the original owner and is not transferable.

Claims must be made through Green Gear Cycling or an authorized dealer. Proof of purchase is required. This warranty covers bicycles and components purchased outside of the United States only if purchased through an authorized Green Gear Cycling dealer.

This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, improper assembly or maintenance, or installation of parts or accessories not originally intended or compatible with the bicycle as sold. Under no circumstance shall Green Gear Cycling be responsible for incidental or consequential damages.

This warranty gives you specific rights, and those rights may vary from place to place. This warranty does not affect the statutory rights of the consumer. The warranty applies to bicycles and parts purchased directly from Green Gear Cycling, Inc., or from its authorized dealers. Except as provided herein, this product is provided “as is” without any additional WARRANTY of any kind, including the WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY and the WARRANTY of FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, whether EXPRESSED or IMPLIED.

Pre-Owned Bike Guarantee

We at Green Gear Cycling, Inc. (Bike Friday) want you, the customer, to be happy with your pre-owned bicycle. If the bike does not meet your expectations, you may return the bicycle to us for a full refund, less shipping charges. This applies to the purchases of pre-owned bicycles. In all cases, the return shipping charges are your responsibility. To take advantage of this guarantee, you must notify our service department (800.777.0258 / service@bikefriday.com) within 30 calendar days of you originally receiving the bike. We must receive it within 35 calendar days of you taking delivery of the bike. We also accept returns on parts within 30 days as long as the part is unused and undamaged. Processing your refund usually takes 2-6 weeks from the time that we receive back your returned item(s).

The sizing of the pre-owned bicycles is limited by their current construction. Bike Friday will, as part of the purchase price, replace the stem if necessary before shipping to you or allow for an upgrade to the “fit stem” program for a more exacting fit. No other modification to a pre-owned frame (including SatRday boom) is allowed. Any expenses for future corrections to the sizing will be borne by the purchaser.

Green Gear Cycling, Inc. 3364 W. 11th Avenue. Eugene, OR 97402