Bike Friday? Anyone?

[Blueberry]

I have a Crusoe (so lighter NWT) and have test ridden a Tikit.

One of the main issues I would be concerned with is tire selection. The NWT will have a decent amount of choices available (and BMX tires in a pinch) - but the Tikit has many fewer options available. Although the NWT has many specialized parts, the Tikit has more - therefore, I would be concerned about the ability to get parts on short notice with the Tikit.

Otherwise, I did find the Tikit twitchy and less stable. But, I'd had my Crusoe for a while and was just testing a Tikit, so it's not a fair comparison.

In any case, good luck and welcome to the fold! They're a cool company - bikes, philosophy, referral credits to owners - they do things differently, and it really seems to work.

[Kerry1976]

Makes a lot of sense. I def would buy "pre-loved" and love that they have the 30-day guarantee. I don't know if I need "all of the bike" of the NWT as I would use it for primarily running around town and short out of town rides, but on the other hand love the 20" wheels.

I plan to cart it up stairs each day when going to work, so that is where the Tikit is quite appealing.

May I ask - How easy is it to fold and carry around a NWT?

I'd be going up two flights of stairs at work and two flights at home.

(MTA: This wouldn't even be a "problem" to consider if they didn't have the seemingly perfect NWT in my size - small - on the pre-loved list.....)

[Blueberry]

You know - if you're only looking at the NWT because it happens to be there, that might be your answer....

I don't know that I'd fold a NWT going up and down stairs. I used to live in a condo where coming in meant up one flight, down one flight. I never folded. I would ask about bike weight, and be a bit more concerned with that.

I do think the Tikit is significantly easier to fold. If that were my only consideration, I might get a Tikit. If I needed to take a bike on public transportation daily, I'd take the Tikit. I wouldn't want to fold/unfold a NWT multiple times a day. The "issue" with the NWT is that the handlebar/stem area is sort of hard to manage when folded. It does what it's intended to, but it's a bit harder to velcro/etc. than I believe the Tikit to be. If I were going on ride criteria, though - I'd go with the NWT.

How long do you think your out of town trips might be? I wouldn't put a limit on the Tikit, but my DH has done back to back centuries on his Crusoe (and I've done rides in the 50 mile range). You can always grow into a bike

[Kerry1976]

You know - if you're only looking at the NWT because it happens to be there, that might be your answer....

I don't know that I'd fold a NWT going up and down stairs. I used to live in a condo where coming in meant up one flight, down one flight. I never folded. I would ask about bike weight, and be a bit more concerned with that.

I do think the Tikit is significantly easier to fold. If that were my only consideration, I might get a Tikit. If I needed to take a bike on public transportation daily, I'd take the Tikit. I wouldn't want to fold/unfold a NWT multiple times a day. The "issue" with the NWT is that the handlebar/stem area is sort of hard to manage when folded. It does what it's intended to, but it's a bit harder to velcro/etc. than I believe the Tikit to be. If I were going on ride criteria, though - I'd go with the NWT.

How long do you think your out of town trips might be? I wouldn't put a limit on the Tikit, but my DH has done back to back centuries on his Crusoe (and I've done rides in the 50 mile range). You can always grow into a bike

Thanks! I honestly don't know how long my out of town trips would be, but I don't see them being very long at all. More short range for sure. Of course, that could change, but for the foreseeable future, this is what I envision.

I will add that I have carried my Trek Pure Lowstep and Fuji roadbike (now sold) up the stairs at my apartment but if I had ridden to work they would have been simply locked up on the bike rack outside the office. I would take my BF up to the office. We have an elevator, but I refuse to use it.

[emily_in_nc]

I don't know that I'd fold a NWT going up and down stairs. I used to live in a condo where coming in meant up one flight, down one flight. I never folded. I would ask about bike weight, and be a bit more concerned with that.

ITA. I live on the third floor and never fold my Crusoe. The only time I'd fold it is for packing into its suitcase. That's where the foldability is important, for travel. Otherwise, it's much easier just to carry it. With the small wheels, it's easier even for a short person like me to get it up high enough to carry up the stairs. I just prop the saddle on my shoulder and go!

I definitely think (agreeing with blueberry) that you'll get a more satisfactory ride on the NWT with 20" wheels. DH and I did a 565-mile bike tour on our Crusoes, and they did great. My Crusoe is my only road bike now, and I just love it for recreational rides as well as errands and utility rides. But for ultimate easy-fold, carrying on buses, etc, I'd go with the Tikit. They're very cool for what they're intended for, which to me is more of an urban commuter function, not really meant for long rides, events, etc. It all depends on what you're looking for.

[Kerry1976]

ITA. I live on the third floor and never fold my Crusoe. The only time I'd fold it is for packing into its suitcase. That's where the foldability is important, for travel. Otherwise, it's much easier just to carry it. With the small wheels, it's easier even for a short person like me to get it up high enough to carry up the stairs. I just prop the saddle on my shoulder and go!

I definitely think (agreeing with blueberry) that you'll get a more satisfactory ride on the NWT with 20" wheels. DH and I did a 565-mile bike tour on our Crusoes, and they did great. My Crusoe is my only road bike now, and I just love it for recreational rides as well as errands and utility rides. But for ultimate easy-fold, carrying on buses, etc, I'd go with the Tikit. They're very cool for what they're intended for, which to me is more of an urban commuter function, not really meant for long rides, events, etc. It all depends on what you're looking for.

Thanks, Emily. This is just what I needed to know. I'm also short, so getting wheels off the ground to carry is important. But, I won't be packing it to get on a bus anytime soon. I figure if I can get my Trek Pure up stairs, I can certainly get a NWT up.

As far as the earlier question regarding why I hadn't considered an NWT previously - I wouldn't have if they didn't have one on the pre-loved list. I figured this bike was simply out of the question due to cost. Having two small frame ones available pre-loved is something I simply don't feel I should pass up.

I've sent an email to Dave with some questions (and yes Denise, I mentioned you!), so we'll see what he says.

[tulip]

Rob English of Green Gear Cycling (the folks who make Bike Fridays) rode across the US on a Tikit. Of course, he's a super-duper racer and ultra cool cyclist who can do most things that the rest of us wouldn't dream of. His Tikit is a very high end one with drop bars and is very light due to some carbon in their somewhere.

I would get a Tikit for urban commuting, particularly if my commute involved a bus or a train, or if there was nowhere to lock up my bike (I'd fold it and bring it to my office). However, I work from home and therefore have no commute anymore. So no Tikit, either.

I fold my Pocket Rocket Pro to fit into the way back of my VW Rabbit on occasion. But mostly it stays unfolded until I need to take it to some exotic locale, which is actually more frequent than before. Since I can take my bike, I usually do.

[hulagirl]

Yeah Kerry - I think it's about what you want the bike to do. Do you plan to travel with it? Commute? Urban travel? Long distance?

Make a list of everything you want to do with that bike. Make a list of the things you want the bike to do for you (easy up hills, no hills to worry about, ride easy in the rain, haul lots of gear, light weight, etc). Then let Dave know what you want. He will guide you in the right direction. He did with me - he didn't try to sell me on one thing or another. He just asked me tons of questions and I told him what I wanted my bike to do/be for me. I didn't put a price on it. I just said what I wanted, he guided me to what he thought would work and then I got a price. I worked back from there.

I'll be getting the Pocket Crusoe as well! Hubby is getting the NWT.

Hope you can find something that works for you. I can't wait to get my BF. Just about 3 weeks to go!