Basic Guide to Buying Your First Folding Bike
Since riding a bike as a means of transportation is becoming popular in Singapore and abroad, more and more commuters are choosing to purchase bikes. In particular, folding bikes are seeing a lot of interest lately, probably because their design makes them so convenient.
If you also plan to invest in foldies, here’s a basic guide to buying your first folding bike in Singapore. We’ll take you through the things you need to consider!
1. Check how much you can invest in your first folding bike.
Whether it’s a gift for a close friend or a Christmas gift for yourself, one of the first factors you’ll have to consider when making a purchase is the amount of money you can invest.
In this table, we included some of the most easily recognized brands when it comes to folding bikes in Singapore.
Note that these are just their usual model prices, so it’s still best to visit your chosen brand’s official website or physical store before you make your final decision.
You can also look into our reviews of the best foldable bicycles to get a view of the features each brand can offer you.
Note that what we also like about these folding bicycle stores is that they accept direct billing from major debit cards and credit cards in Singapore, so each transaction can be done with just a few clicks.
2. Know what wheel size you need.
Whether it’s a folding bike, balance bike, or electric bike, every bicycle shop will probably ask you about your ideal wheel size to ensure that it will be in line with your requirements.
Bear in mind that your wheel size choice can greatly depend on how you plan to use your folding bike. Besides that, when the diameter of the wheels becomes larger, the ride quality also improves but its portability decreases.
For example, if you plan to use it for day-to-day multimodal transportation, you can consider looking into foldies with 16-inch wheels.
You see, this is one of the most sought-after wheel choices because you can pretty much take it anywhere. After all, it’s small and light enough to be carried on a bus and train.
With a 16-inch foldie, you can easily find a parking space even in the most crowded cafes, chili crab restaurants, or steamboat buffet spots in Singapore. Sadly, though, these foldies don’t fare well on bumpy and rough roads with potholes.
On the other hand, we recommend 20-inch wheels for BMX (Bicycle Motocross) riders and for people who want to travel long distances without carrying the bike often.
The 20-incher is an excellent choice for BMX riders because it offers better maneuverability for flatland and aerial tricks. In addition to that, foldies with 20-inch wheels offer better performance for long-distance rides because they have wider gear ranges.
3. Determine what folding mechanism you prefer.
You’re probably wondering about the ways on how you can fold a bike. Well, there are more than a few folding methods or mechanisms offered out there.
Of course, it can depend on the model and the manufacturer. To give you an idea of some of the most common folding methods, here are some of them:
- Half/mid-folding
- Vertical folding
- Triangle hinge
- Magnet folding
- Breakaway folding
4. Remember to consider future upgrades.
One of the biggest downsides of a folding bike is that there can be limited options for upgrades. Since most of a folding bike’s components are not compatible with standard and full-sized bicycles, the specialized parts, components, replacements, and upgrades can be a bit on the high side.
However, if the price is not an issue for you and you think it will really serve its purpose, you can definitely invest in a folding bike.
Just remember to check if there is a warranty period for the folding bike and if there are local bike retailers near you who can offer you the services you require if you encounter some issues with it in the future.