Best Folding Bikes [Buying Guide & Review]

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i hope you are doing great!

Today, I will review 10 best folding bikes and there will be a buyer’s guide to help you pick your own bike with confidence.

Those who love biking know how painful it is to choose between bike and subway, bike and car or bike and bus.

But all of us know that we have to make these choices. Isn’t it?

Unless you’re hellbent on using your bike for commuting between two locations located too far from each other.

Unless things like time management aren’t important in your urban life, you might not need to switch to anything from bike, but everyone else does.

Like going on vacations with family – you have to skip the bike. This is why I opted for folding bikes.

A folding bike – a modern folding bike – is so easy to fold and so lightweight, that you can take them anywhere with you. Just fold the bike and keep it with you.

Contents

Best Folding Bikes Reviews – Best Picks
Buyer’s Guide
Verdict
Related Posts:

Best Folding Bikes Reviews – Best Picks

Schwinn Loop Top Folding Bike

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Schwinn Loop bike has a unique design and a different appeal to aesthetics. One cannot help, but approve the design and appreciate the attention to detail.

Features:

Unique Design of Down Tube – The reason why this bike is called loop is the unique design of a down tube – it is fashioned on a loop pattern. Because of this unique design, the bike folds smaller than a few other bikes.
7-Speed Drivetrain – This is the biggest number of speed gears that you mostly get with the best bikes. 7-speed Shimano drivetrain makes it possible for you to keep the momentum uphill as well as downhill.
Sturdy Rear Carry Rack – Unlike the shaky rear carry case that you see with almost every other bike, this one has a carrying rack made of durable pipe that is connected to both, the seat stay and seat tube. This means it is built for heavier sacks and long hauls.
Big 20” Wheels for Good Grip – I’m an advocator for bigger and wider wheels. Why? It is because when compared to small and narrower wheels, they have better traction. It is because of the larger and wider “contact patch” that they have with the ground.
Protective Features – In this review, you will notice that many bikes are without fenders. If you love biking, but you want to stay clean for work (urban biking), you’d like your bike to have front and rear fenders, and a good paint guard. All of these are covered when you buy this one.
Free Nylon Carrying Bag – This bike packs real small – so small that you can easily store it in a closet. For storing purposes, you get a free nylon carrying bag with this bike.

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Loop Design Down Tube
Sturdy Carry Rack
Big Wheels for Good Traction
7-Speed Drivetrain

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Small and Hard Seat
Heavier than Expected

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Bottom line – This is a good bike – perhaps the best one on this list, but apart from the two problems that I mentioned, it has other general issues like less momentum that almost all folding bikes suffer with. Other then these issues, it is ideal because of design, quality of material and specs.

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EuroMini ZiZZO Campo Best Folding Bike

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EuroMini ZiZZO Campo is one of the most adjustable seats and handlebar height bikes that you’d ever see. It touches ridiculous limits to ensure that whatever the size of the user might be, they must be able to use Campo without any problem.

Features:

Lightweight Aluminum Frame – This bike weighs at 28lbs which is roughly 10lbs less than most of the bikes on this post. A lightweight, but high-quality aluminum frame lets you enjoy the true taste of portability.
Easy and Maximum Folding System – Campo has a unique opening system that does not only folds the bike to the maximum possible limit but also makes it super easy. The easy and single folding alloy stem allows you to fold the bike in two halves and the same system lets you fold the end of the head tube.
Shimano 7-Speed Drivetrain – Just like Schwinn, this bike has also got a 7-speed drivetrain. In simple words, it has 7 speed-gears. Shimano is the premium brand when it comes to drivetrains.
Shimano Revoshift Grip Shifter – This is a thing of beauty and by the way, Schwinn bike also got the same. You use the drive train by twisting the grip shifter a little, instead of pushing it.
Front & Rear Alloy V-Brakes – V-brakes, both in rear-wheel and in the front wheel, provide you the much-needed braking power whenever needed. Unlike cantilever or center-pull brakes, they provide much better braking which is second only to disc brakes.
20” Big Wheels – Just like Schwinn, this winner also got two big, 20” wheels. As it has been said, big wheels increase traction/grip and support the braking system.

Easy and Maximum Folding System
Premium 7-Speed Drivetrain
Front and Rear Alloy V-Brakes
Big Wheels for Better Traction

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No Fenders
Substandard Stock Tires

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Bottom line – ZiZZO Campo is one of the best bikes on this list and I listed it as the best overall bike. Now you know the reason – it beats many contenders in terms of foldability, it has premium drivetrain system, better than standard brakes and big wheels. The problems with this bike aren’t too big – fenders is more like a matter of personal requirement and you have to change the stock tires: sooner or later.

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Retrospec Folding Bike

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Retrospec, as the name suggests, is for those who do not want to make things complicated – I mean who needs a drivetrain (that might need maintenance and repair), in a city? So they decided to keep things simple and make an affordable bike with a 1-speed drivetrain and simple foldable design.

Features:

Single-Speed Bike – Yes, this is a single-speed bike and you definitely won’t be wrong for disapproving this bike for being a single-speed bike, but it’s retro style and also multiple-speed drivetrains aren’t that much needed in cities.
Simple Foldable Design – It has a simple foldable design – just based on a simple lever shifting/pulling mechanism. You cannot believe how soon you can fold the entire bike.
Rear Coaster Brake-In terms of braking too, since this bike is bent on retro design and simple urban biking style, they only give you one rear coaster brake, I being a fan of front brake, would certainly have loved it more if it came with a front brake too.
Ideal for Urban Biking – This bike is ideal for urban biking – it is not made for adventure. The idea was to keep things simple and take away the complex details that require maintenance and repair.
Multiple Folding Choices – now this is something insane – this bike can be reduced in size and folded at so many places, that after 10 or so seconds, you get a maximum foldable bike to store anywhere. These points include a seat, pedals, head tube, and top tube, etc.
Plenty of Space for Addons – Since this bike is based on a minimalistic design, there are not any extra attachments/addons on it, so you can easily add them. Take front basket for example; it’ll be difficult to install it on a handlebar so occupied by drivetrain shifter and other things. In the case of this one, you have plenty of empty space wherever you look.

Simple and Retro Design
Rear Coaster Brake
Foldable at Multiple Points
Lightweight

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Could be Good to Have a Few Gears
Only one Brake

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Bottom line – In all honesty, while this bike is simple, affordable, based on retro/urban/minimalist style and extremely foldable, it clearly misses out on many important features that people look for.

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Dahon Boardwalk Folding Bike

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Dahon is one big folding bike brand – out of 10 bikes that I chose from this review, 4 are Dahon bikes. This one is actually a pretty basic version of Dahon and very closer to the above reviewed Retrospec. It is a minimalist, urban bike, but what I appreciate is that it has more features than Retrospec.

Features:

One Speed Urban Bike – This is also a one-speed urban bike. The idea was to build a bike for urban streets where one does not have to shift gears again and again. So, this is your standard urban commute bike with a few extra features.
Fast Foldability – They claim that this bike can be folded easily within l5 seconds maximum. The joints from where this can be adjusted/folded are more than one, but definitely it does not take longer than 15 seconds.
Maximum Adjustability – Speaking of the points, Dahon claims to be the company that manufactured the first highly adjustable bike. You can identify the specimen with an H-shaped frame – the same design that Retrospec follows and many other brands too. You can adjust the height of the seat and handlebar to accommodate even those who are under 5 feet or over 6 feet.
Heavy-duty Alloy-V Brakes – When compared to the Retrospec model, this one is fat better because, with all its simplicity, it has got alloy-V brakes which are considered among serious bikes braking options – and it has front brake too.
Many Useful Features – Another comparison can be made in terms of useful features – while Retrospec does not even have a front brake, this one has rear and front fenders, wheel reflectors and a rear rack.

One of the best H Frame Bikes
Simple, but with all Bells & Whistles
Important Features
Alloy-V Front & Rear Brakes

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Hard to Pedal
Hinges Locking Issues

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Bottom line – This bike is one of the best and as per manufacturer’s words, premier H-model bike. Gift it to any family or person because it can be adjusted to any size. The hard to pedaling problem is not specific to this bike – it is a problem of all folding bikes. And yes, the only drawback that I noticed was that hinges are not of premium quality.

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HASA Sram F-2: Best Budget Folding Bike

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All of us love it when a high-quality product is highly affordable too. What if you want a proper, multiple speed bike at the most affordable rates? Isn’t this something everyone would want? HASA’s Sram F-2 is the answer to your prayers because it is the best budget bike on our list and it has all of the bells and whistles.

Features:

Aluminum Alloy H-Frame – This is yet another aluminum alloy H-Frame. The four-digit code of this alloy is 6061 – this kind of alloy is a precipitation-hardened alloy that is largely made of magnesium and silicone.
20” Alloy Wheels – This bike also comes with big wheels – the tires are definitely even bigger than the alloy and what you get is a strong grip on the road. Tires are wider than many other bikes and this is a plus for traction.
Shimano 6-Speed Drivetrain – Just like our top-seller bikes, this one also has a Shimano 6-speed Drivetrain, with a little difference – those bikes had a 7-speed system and they were expensive when compared to this one.
SRAM MRX Shifter – SRAM MRX Shifter is not the stock shifter used with Shimano, but Shimano’s own RevoShift Twister is used with Shimano drivetrain. However, SRAM is also a high-quality shifter that is compatible with Shimano rear derailleurs.
Promax V-Brake Set – For being the most affordable bike on this list, this one should have had very basic braking, but on front and rear, it has got the Promax V-Alloy braking set. This set is good and pretty famous for effective and noiseless braking.
Maximum Adjusting for All – Apart from all other amazing features, this bike offers maximum adjustability. It is an H-frame bike; this means that both, the seat and the handlebar, can be raised or lowered for the user.
Maximum Foldability – H-frame bikes are ideal and easiest to fold. They have an aluminum stem for seat and handlebar adjustment, and then hinges let you fold it from the center/top tube, right from the end of handle tube and other places.
Many Useful Features – Lastly, it has got both its fenders and a rear rack big enough to host your rucksack or anything of that size.

Best Budget Bike
Maximum Adjusting & Foldability
Promax V-Alloy Brakes
Shimano 6-Speed Drivetrain

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Folds Bigger Than A Few Bikes
Plastic in Seat Post

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Bottom line – Say whatever you want, but if a bike gives you so much value and even when it is the cheapest bike on the list, you cannot help but praise the quality. I mean, Dahon Boardwalk and Retrospec are more expensive than this one and do not have as many features as this. The only big issue is that a part of seat post has plastic and it could all be alloy.

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Strida Folding Bike SX

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With the advent of scientific inventions, we notice something new and smart every passing day. There are bikes with motors that get energy from your pedaling and go faster than bikes and a little less fast than the motorbikes. Strida SX is an innovation in fold biking – this bike can be folded like a stroller so the user may hold the handles and stroll the bike to store it anywhere.

Features:

Innovative Design – This is the most innovative design that you can notice in a folding bike. The center of innovation was a purpose to enable the user to pack and stroll the bike just like a stroller.
7000 Series Aluminum Frame – In case the innovative design makes you worry about the strength of the frame, you should know that this bike’s frame is made of 7000 series aluminum. This grade of aluminum is known for the highest strength levels.
16” Magnesium Alloy Wheels – The wheels of this bike are made of magnesium alloy and they are 16” high. This is not the ideal size for traction, but magnesium alloy is known for its strength and resistance to rust.
Reflective Kenda Tires – The tires of this bike are from Kenda and they are reflective. These tires are good because of offer better traction at cheap rates.
Disc Brakes in Front & Rear – The best thing about control – the braking system of this bike, is not disappointing at all. Both: the front brake and the rear one, are disc brakes that are the best choice for braking.
Strida Single Speed Special Belt Drive – This is a single-speed bike, but the special thing about this is that drivetrain is a special belt drive from Strida that promises a 50,000 miles use at least.

Most Innovative Design
Best Braking System
Strong and Sturdy Frame
Accessories like Fenders and Rear Rack

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No Kickstand
Not a Design for Everyone

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Bottom line – Strida’s innovative attempt at fold biking is not for everyone, because the shape is very unique. However, it is a good choice for those who see the value in a strong frame, better braking and easy moving of their folded bikes.

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Allen Sports Downtown: Best Portable Folding Bike

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I listed Allen Sports’s Downtown as the best portable bike on this list. I have explained the reason above, but here’s a quick recap. It folds really small, really fast and after Strida, it is the only bike whose wheels can be used in folded form.

Features:

6061 Aluminum Frame – The frame is made with 6061 aluminum frame that is known for precipitation resistance.
Single Speed Drivetrain – It is based on an urban biking style so there is just one-speed drivetrain.
20” Wheels for Strong Traction – 20” wheels and tires added to them provide a good grip on wet and dry roads.
WinZip Disc Brakes – Both brakes, the front, and the rear, are WinZip pretty standard quality disc brakes.
Patented Frame Release Levers – Single action quick release livers, fold it beyond expectations; seat and handlebar adjustability feature also help.
Patented Wheel Lock System – A patented wheel lock system locks the folded parts and allows you to stroll the bike like a wheelbarrow.

6061 Frame
WinZip Brakes
Most Portable Bike
20” Wheels

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No Protective Features
Only One Speed

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Bottom line – True opinion? This bike is a steal at price and with all these features. However, there are no protective features, there is only one speed, and the seat is just ok.

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Dahon Folding Mariner Bike

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Ever wished for a speed 8 bike? If the answer is yes then go for Dahon Mariner, because apart from the 6-speed drivetrain, this bike is highly adjustable (H-frame) and easy to fold.

Features:

Shimano 8 Speed Drivetrain – Shimano is a time-tested and vetted drivetrain system for many athletes and users.
Easy to Fold within 15 Seconds – Including the adjustability options and the easy hinges system on the bike, it can be easily folded within 15 seconds max.
Highly Adjustable – Since it is another H-frame bike, expect it to be a highly adjustable one. You can adjust the height of the seat and handlebar for a 5 feet person as well as 6 feet one.
7005 Alloy Frame – 7005 aluminum is not as good as the 6061, more or less it has the same characteristics as 6061 has. It is resistant to bending and still lightweight.
20” Tires for Grip – Yes, not wheels but tires – this means the wheel is an inch or so smaller – still it is a good size for road grip.

Protective Features
Rear Rack
8-speed drivetrain from Shimano
Easy to Fold

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Could Use Better Alloy
Substandard Tires

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Bottom line – Dahon’s Mariner is a pretty average bike, but it has been one of the most famous bikes among the fans of fold biking. The only issue that I can see is with tires – and you know that you always have to change them.

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Dahon Folding Speed Bike

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For those who expect a little more color and more drama in a folding bike, Dahon’s Speed is a perfect choice Strida. This is yet another H-frame bike with unique features.

Features:

Lightweight Chromoly Frame – Instead of aluminum, Dahon used 4130 lightweight Chromoly for this bike. While it is not as strong as alloy, it has characteristics of corrosion resistance, reasonable strength, and toughness.
Fork Makes Steering Easy – The Hi-ten steel blades in the fork and the steerer makes it a fun to steer and manipulate fork.
7-Speed Shimano Drivetrain – It has got an RD-TX35 7-speed drivetrain from Shimano. This is a low-end but easy to use variant.
20” Wheels – 20” wheels mean you’d have bigger than 20” tires and this means nothing but really good grip.
WinZip V-Brakes – The V-alloy brakes from WinZip – both in front and rear, take the grip and braking to a whole new level.
Best Adjustability – The adjustability is very much there because of H-frame; lower it or raise it as much as you want.

Easy to Fold
Really Good Breaking
Fenders
Rear Rack

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Could Have Better Braking
Cheap Shifter Variant

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Bottom line – This is one of those bikes that you have to read a lot about to find a flaw. It is ideal for H-frame lovers, and the only big problem I can find is picking Chromoly over aluminum.

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Dahon New Speed Uno

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Dahon’s New Speed Uno is also an H-frame bike and the reason why Dahon makes so many H-frame bikes is that an H-frame bike provides maximum adjustability. This is also a lightweight Chromoly variant.

Features:

Single Speed Drivetrain – This is not an expensive bike or a Dahon flagship – they did it single speed for minimalistic urban casual style.
Ideal Folding Time – It takes roughly 15 seconds to fold and it folds really small like other Dahon bikes.
Forged Aluminum Handlepost and Handlebar – This bike features a forged aluminum handle post and a 6061flat, aluminum handlebar.
20” Tires – 20” high-pressure 65 psi tires make it easy for you to have a strong grip on wet or dry roads
Good Adjustability – The H-frame means you can adjust the height of the handlebar as well as the seat for a person who is roughly from 4’ 8” to 6’ 4” height.
Coaster Brake – It is a minimalistic bike so it just features a set of coaster brakes in the rear.

Single Speed Drivetrain
Forged Aluminum Handlepost and Handlebar
20” Tires
Good Adjustability

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No Front Brake
Chromoly Instead of Aluminum

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Bottom line – This is not a flagship bike from Dahan and it is made for minimalist urban style, so it does not have many advanced features – even misses some basic ones. The big problem is not giving a front brake.

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Buyer’s Guide

Here are the most important points to look for when buying folding bikes:

Frame – Is the frame made of aluminum or Chromoly? Aluminum is strong, while Chromoly is lightweight. If it is aluminum, is it lightweight or heavy? If it is Chromoly, can it sustain weight and remain its strength? What is the size of the frame? If it is too small, it will make hard for you to pedal and you will take more time to reach somewhere.
Wheel Size – Is the wheel small or big? If it is small then it is very easy to steer and maintain. If it is big, then you enjoy a good grip on the road. Is it too small for you to lose grip? Is it too big for you to handle and steer?
Folding – What kind of person are you? Can you carry a heavy foldable bike and take it to your subway, car or bus? If not, you should go with those bikes that can be strolled via hands – when in a folded position. How easy is folding? Is it just a simple lever or you need to do more? How many folding points are there? Does your bike only fold the top tube, or you can fold the head tube as well? Can you fold pedals? Can you fold other parts? Is it and H-frame so the adjustability will also help in the folding it small?
Braking – Does the bike have both brakes – front and rear, or only on the rear? If the bike only has a rear brake, is it a set of old center pull brakes or V-alloy brakes or disc brakes? If you have brakes on both ends, are the both of them the same and similarly good? What type of brakes do you prefer?
Drivetrain – Do you like a retro-style minimalistic bike with a single gear drivetrain? Or do you like to have a lot of options and a 6 – 8 drivetrain will be good for you? Do you even know whether you need 1 gear or 8? Does your biking mostly occur in the city or are you an athlete and love biking everywhere? Inter cities, interstate – everywhere.

Verdict

Take a look at this table, before you read our verdict:

Here are the best folding bikes to the best of our knowledge:

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Best Folding Bikes Reviews – Best Picks

Schwinn Loop Top Folding Bike

EuroMini ZiZZO Campo Best Folding Bike

Retrospec Folding Bike

Dahon Boardwalk Folding Bike

HASA Sram F-2: Best Budget Folding Bike

Strida Folding Bike SX

Allen Sports Downtown: Best Portable Folding Bike

Dahon Folding Mariner Bike

Dahon Folding Speed Bike

Dahon New Speed Uno

Buyer’s Guide

Verdict

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