The benchmark for the best folding bikes remains the Brompton, the iconic British brand which paved the way for all other bikes-in-miniature. There is a reason why the company has lasted so long, and been so popular across the world – it is very good at what it does. Increasingly a status symbol, a Brompton is more than just a bike mocked on sitcoms.

The Electric P Line is the lightest electric Brompton ever, weighing in at about 16kg with the battery clipped on, and can really boost the distance or terrain you are able to cycle.

I probably am not the target market for this bike given I don’t commute too often, and I usually get around my hilly home city of Bristol on a single-speed, but I was intrigued by the prospect. That is where the Electric P Line was tested, though, on the steep inclines of the south-west English city, helping me nip about town.

I did take it on a train, and brought it along with me to the pub, to work and even to get my haircut, low-mileage journeys, but trips which were made quicker and simpler with added power. It is fantastic at what it is, a premium electric folding bike, although it did leave me wondering who this bike was actually for, but more on that in a bit. However, is this Brompton Electric P Line the best electric folding bike money can buy? We spent a fair bit of time on it to find out.

Design details

The Brompton is clearly a design classic, something I’m sure will live on in museums after we are long gone. It looks fantastic, if a bit weird, and it has barely changed from the original model in 1981. Obviously, it looks a bit different with a motor attached to the rear hub, some ungainly power cables and a battery pack on the front, but it is unmistakably a Brompton.

My bike came in ‘Pacific Lacquer’, a lovely bluey-green sheen, which shone in what little sun we had at the end of last year. It certainly stood out, and looked good, although I do think some of the style was lost when I rode it. Whatever its utility and class, you do, in my opinion, look a little silly riding around with a tiny bike beneath you.

There are a lot of different materials involved in the Electric P Line, a carbon fibre fork, an aluminium handlebar stem, a titanium rear triangle, and steel main frame. You can get it in ‘Dune Sand’, 'Amethyst Lacquer’, ‘Cloud Metallic’, ‘Palm Green’, ‘Matt Black’ and ‘Plum Red’. You do get the same black and grey battery bag to go on the front, however, whatever your choice of shade on the frame.

People who have Bromptons always make the folding and unfolding look so easy, but I have to admit I had to watch a YouTube video a couple of times to get my head around the system. Add a couple of pints into the mix, and you might be standing outside a pub trying to unfurl your bike for a few minutes. Remember to put your pedal in before you set off, too.

Specifications

The big thing to talk about with the new Brompton Electric P Line is its new e-Motiq system, which means a 250W motor in the rear hub connected to a new handlebar controller and a 345wh battery at the front of the bike. The electric power being in the rear wheel means it is more of a push than a pull, compared to previous C and P Line Bromptons, which makes for a much smoother experience. That power comes in four modes – three, or full power; two, less power; one, some power; and zero, no power.

That assistance is selected from the control on the right of the handlebar, which is smaller than a Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt and uses a rocker mechanism, not a touch screen, to cycle between modes. It also comes with integrated lighting, which can be selected from the handlebars or the battery bag, which is always useful.

The battery bag itself weighs around 3.5kg, and attaches to the front of the bike with a simple clunk, and houses the battery with a little bit of space for other things.

It has four-speed gearing, along with the four power modes, which means it is able to manage basically any climb you throw at it.

The crank has 54 teeth, and is made of aluminium too, while the rear sprockets range from 11-18 tooth for a really compact groupset. The tyres are special, too, obviously, for such a small bike, being 16" Continental Contact Urbans, with Schwalbe inner tubes. You also get 70mm roller wheels on the back rack, meaning it is fairly easy to wheel around. It comes with mudguards too. One pedal is quick release, meaning it folds up narrower than you would expect.

Performance

If you have never ridden a Brompton, then it will be a little tricky for me to wholly explain what riding one feels like. It’s a tiny bike, with handlebars that feel directly attached to the front wheel, so every movement has an impact on direction. Twitchy would be an understatement, but that is part of the charm, the little bike which feels directly connected to you. Once you have the hang of it, it feels far from unstable, and it’s a very comfortable ride, all told, if you avoid potholes. It’s also fun. Given the small wheels, it’s not as smooth as you might be used to on a full-sized bike, but it’s also not as bad as an electric scooter, for example. You’re sat pretty upright on a Brompton, it should be noted.

The most important thing to know about the Brompton Electric P Line, however, is how it differs from an ordinary one. The power really does help a great deal, pushing you along and up whatever you throw at it. I cycled up St Michael’s Hill on it – 200m at 12.9% – and thanks to the top power mode, barely broke a sweat. When it wants, you can ride along at quite the lick, although it is capped at 25km/h, and it makes everything easier. When you’re not trying to go ultra-fast, the first two power modes help a lot, in combination with the four gears.

However, when you’re anywhere even slightly hilly, you will definitely want at least a bit of power, because the bike with its e-Motiq system is not exactly light. With the power modes on, though, it really feels like a proper e-bike, with the push you get from the top level particularly noticeable. Obviously, the range differs depending on how much assistance you get, but most people are unlikely to be cycling more than 20km on it a day, so if you want to have it on top power all the time, you can.

The bike computer is very intuitive, giving an easy way of cycling between power levels and choosing whether you have your lights on or off. There’s also walk assist and start assist, which helps you push the bike along and set off from a junction, respectively. If you’re starting up a hill, start assist is a great feature, pushing you up to 13km/h from zero. It’s a bit addictive.

Folding it up is a doddle, once you understand it, and the battery just clicks off to allow you to carry the pair at the same time. However, it is quite a weight, and both your hands will now be full, so getting on and off a train, for example, is a bit more of a bother. It folds up so it can be put anywhere, but as I discovered in a tiny pub, it isn’t quite as small as you think it is.

Value

This is not a cheap bike. The new Brompton Electric P Line with the e-Motiq system costs £3,879 in the UK ($5,500 in the US) before any add-ons, but this is a premium bike. The Electric C Line, with the same system, is £800 cheaper, but also 2kg heavier, so there are available options. The Gocycle G4i is a tad more expensive, and probably a little bit heavier too, according to the stats, so the Electric P Line might be the premium option to go for.

There are cheaper options from other brands, like the Estarli E20.7 Comfort, with 20” wheels, but this isn’t necessarily as premium as the P Line. The range is less, it’s a bit heavier, and is not the design classic the Brompton is.

It really should be said that £4,000 is a lot of money for any bike, even if it does have a fantastic motor, is a Brompton, and is a heritage classic. However, if you really want to get the best folding electric bike, then the P Line isn’t too far from that; the T Line is lighter, but is £2,000 more. These bikes are classics for a reason, and would stand up to a lot being thrown at it. It does seem to be good value should you wish for an iconic folding bike with titanium, carbon and aluminium parts, and an excellent motor system.

Verdict

If you want to spend close to £4,000 / $5,500 on an electric folding bike, then I see no reason why you wouldn’t buy this one. It’s great for what it is, it surprises in its power, and makes riding fun and easy. That said, I don’t really know who this is for. If you’re someone who needs or wants an e-bike, the weight of the bike with the battery might be a bit of a hassle, while a classic Brompton would do an excellent job if you were able to ride it around. The original is the perfect commuting bike if you’re the kind of person who gets the train from Basildon into London but hates the tube, or fancies a bike ride. The motor is fantastic and intuitive, but it does mean a heavier machine. It’s up to you if you think it’s worth it.

Tech spec

• RRP: £3,879
• Frame: Brompton P Line steel, carbon fork, titanium rear triangle
• Size: N/A
• Weight: 16kg
• Groupset: Brompton 4-speed drivetrain
• Crankset: 6061 forged new aluminum crank with 54T chainring and integrated chainguard
• Wheels: Double-wall rim, 20 spokes laced to a Brompton front hub
• Tyres: 16" Continental Contact Urban
• Bar/stem: Brompton headset
• Seatpost: Extended, Black (35")
• Saddle: Brompton Superlight

The Brompton Explore was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

Since their inception, Brompton bicycles have been used countless times for inappropriate purposes. The famously small bikes have been pedalled around the world, ridden from Land's End to John O'Groats and even ridden at the South Pole. Yet despite already having a intrepid reputation, Brompton's announcement of a dedicated 'Explore' model late last year was met with some mirth from the cycling world.

For sure, a Brompton is typically the hallmark of any veteran commuter. The bike's 16" wheels make for easy portability and nippy manoeuvring when pedalling the streets or flying home from the train station, but are by no means considered efficient for long distance riding. However, any Brompton owner can attest that the bike's compact size and portability has leant itself to travelling for years now, so it should come as no surprise that Brompton would draw on its heritage of exploration to make a bike.

Brompton Explore: Design Differences

I've always thought that designing new Brompton bicycles must be a real challenge. Ultimately, the brand's engineers are constrained by the very thing that makes them so brilliant: their portability. The bike must have 16" wheels and it must fold in that famous Brompton way. What else can you optimise within those constraints?

In the past, the London brand has experimented with material changes for its special editions, and it still makes its Chapter 3 bikes out of titanium to reduce weight. The Explore model however is made of the steel, it's a trade off that makes the bike slightly heavier (this model weighs 13kg) but bombproof and sturdy for any adventure. It uses the same traditional folding mechanism of all Brompton's bikes, which isn't as complicated as Brompton users like to make out, but is smart and remains the undisputed king of folding bike mechanisms. My favourite part being the ample adjustment you get through the seatpost so even those with the longest legs can get a great fit.

So, with limited room for manoeuvre in design terms, what is different about the Explore model? The main difference is with the bike's gear ratios. The Explore uses a 3-speed internally geared hub paired with two sprockets, giving 6-speeds for use, that's double the 3-speeds of the typical models. The ratios are also lower than on the standard models, reduced by 12% according to Brompton, taking the sting out of those hills and in recognition that you might be carrying more luggage on the bike.

The Explore also comes with a 28l rolltop bag that clips to the front of the bike. I've been using this (for the most part) to cart my review kit to and from the Cycling Weekly office. The bike's steering remains independent of the bag, so no matter how full it is it has a minimal impact on the bike's handling.

The rest of the changes are largely in the bike's specification. It uses tough Marathon Racer tyres which have a thicker tread and over the course of a year's use I suffered zero punctures on my bike and it also has a chic Brooks Cambrian saddle.

Brompton Explore: The Ride

Unfortunately, 2020 prevented me from doing any real adventures aboard my Brompton Explore, but it didn't stop me riding it. A lot. Over the year I've probably swung my leg over this tiny wheeled wheeler more than I have my standard roadie or gravel bike.

Whether that was the classic office to train station shuttle before the world ended, or seeing every park in the city once lockdown eased and, of course, all and any pub trips I went on. It's a bike for any occasion and there's not any distance in a city that felt too far for its small wheels, which is why I kept reaching for it instead of my dedicated town bike. For starters it didn't feel much slower in urban confines and then there was the added benefit of not having to worry about it getting nicked because its portability and size make it easy to pop down the side of a table or under a chair.

There's something that makes you want to ride fast when you're on this bike. Whether that's because it's funny seeing how far you can push 16" wheels or because of the joy of being faster than the nose-to-tail traffic around you, you find you want to ride everywhere a bit too quickly and with a grin on your face.

At speed, it wasn't what I expected, either. I used to think the tiny bike would be unstable but it's remarkable balanced and thanks to their diminutive size, the wheels accelerate, letting you get away first at traffic lights. It's not as light as Brompton's Chapter 3 models, and you notice that more when it comes to carrying it around than you do riding. Because of this I tended to push it through train stations rather than heft the bike folded with just one arm

Brompton have three different handlebars available, and my test bike came with an M-type riser bar. It added comfort and put you in an assured upright position for navigating your way through traffic and took the strain off your back. It also came with a set of mudguards which are a must have for any self-respecting Brompton owner.

Of course, it wouldn't fair brilliantly on rides of any real distance but I don't really think that's what Brompton meant when they meant it. I could absolutely see it being brilliant for European city breaks or holidays by train, whichever one returns first!

Gocycle’s rethinking of the urban e-bike features a stunning swooping magnesium alloy frame and unique single sided swing arm. It doesn’t end at the frame though: the wheels are radical too being made of alloy in a motorbike inspired five-spoke design. Combine all this with a powerful motor powered at the front wheel and the Gocycle GS is the perfect urban bike for our Editor’s Choice.

Gocycle was founded in 2002 by Richard Thorpe. He’d previously worked in the motorsports and electric vehicle industries for over 25 years and left a job as a designer at McLaren Cars to start Gocycle. His aim was to build a lightweight electric urban bike and the first Gocycle was launched in 2009 after seven years of development.

>>> Best electric folding bikes

Thorpe’s timing was excellent, as the market for easy to ride e-bikes continues to expand and more and more options are out there for the leisure rider and commuter. Brands like Brompton have now got in on the folding e-bike market too.

Gocycle’s design has the plus that it folds up into a really small package, so you can stash it away in a corner if you’re short on space. It’s also devoid of exposed messy bits, so you won’t get smeared with grease if you lug it down stairs. For £300, you can buy a wheeled docking station with a zip-up fabric cover, making for an even neater package.

On the minus side, folding and unfolding is a bit fiddly and not very intuitive. Gocycle says that you can get it down to a minute with practice, but it was taking me quite a bit longer. Along with the bike’s 16kg-plus weight, it would make taking it on the tube or a rush hour train a bit of a chore.

Gocycle recognises this deficiency and has addressed it with its latest Gocycle GX model. A new folding mechanism means that it’s super-easy to fold to a luggable package in under 10 seconds.

Gocycle says that its bikes are popular with sailors, who can stash them away below decks when at sea, but unpack them for mobility when ashore. Gocycle’s extensive range of accessories includes a front-mounted pannier and a rear luggage rack, as well as lights and quick-remove mudguards, so you can set the bike up for shopping or an evening trip to a restaurant.

Included with the bike is a 1.8m cable lock. If you want increased security, there’s a more robust lock available as an extra, that sits in a holster on the side of the frame when you are riding.

There’s also a bar mount for a smartphone, allowing you to use the accompanying GocycleConnect app (Android and iOS) as a dashboard when riding as well as see stats like calories burned.

>>> Best smartphone cycling apps

The bike pairs with your smartphone using Bluetooth. Once you’ve downloaded the app and paired your phone to the bike, there are a series of registration screens and pre-ride safety checks that it takes you through.

You can then set the power mode, check battery level and configure the info you’d like to see when riding. There’s a range of stats stored for each ride. But there’s no navigation or mapping, which might be nice on an e-bike likely to be packed and taken to new locations.

The range-topping G3 model comes with a set of LEDs built into the bar top to give you info like speed and battery level. It also has an integrated LED strip front running light.

Colour-wise, the GS’s main frame comes in either white or grey. But there are five different colours for the chainstay, allowing a bit of variation in your bike’s look.

Gocycle design features

Made from magnesium alloy, Gocycle’s frame has a low step-over and fully conceals the battery. Rather than a fixed rear triangle, the rear wheel is attached to the frame via its pivoting drivetrain side-only chainstay. This is held in place when riding by a shock absorber attached to the back of the frame. The shock absorber includes an elastomer allowing an inch of travel, so you’ve got extra rear end compliance. Gocycle’s saddle is nice and squishy too.

The shock comes in two parts and is held together by a plastic pin. Take out the pin and you can pivot the rear of the bike through 180 degrees for carriage and storage.

The drivetrain’s chain and cogs are completely enclosed in the chainstay structure, so it’s out of the rain and kept away from mud and grit. This makes it very low maintenance and wear-resistant. Gocycle says that it’s maintenance-free for thousands of miles.

Inside the housing are three speed Shimano Nexus mechanicals. In the Gocycle GS test, they’re controlled by a gripshift on the bars; in the higher spec Gocycle G3 gears are selected automatically as you ride.

Gocycle’s rethinking of the bike doesn’t end at the frame though: the wheels are radical too. Both are attached to the frame on the right side only. Also made of lightweight alloy, they’re five spoked, making clean-up that bit easier than a wire spoked wheel and obviating truing.

They can be completely removed for storage, by opening a sliding lock and operating three cams. The wheels then just push off the bike. They mesh with a series of knobs on the bike’s axles, to make sure that they don’t slip when riding. There are plenty of in-built safety features to make sure that they can’t drop off as you’re riding and you can bolt them to the axles if you’re worried about them being stolen.

Once you’ve taken the wheels off, you’re left with the axles, which incorporate ventilated hydraulic disc brake rotors, exposed on the left side, but their right sides and top edges enclosed in protective casings. This means that you can put the frame on the ground – as you need to when folding the bike – without damaging the brakes and it also keeps the rotors safely out of the way of pro cyclists’ fingers.

The 20 inch wheels, with their 2 inch wide tyres roll nicely over uneven surfaces and Gocycle says that you should be able to tackle less even surfaces like towpaths just fine. There’s not much tread to the tyres, but their width means that there’s a good sized contact patch with the road. If you do get a flat, the single-sided wheel attachment means that you can get the tyre off to fix it without needing to remove the wheels.

There’s a stable built-in two legged kickstand that folds away into the underside of Gocycle’s frame when you’re ready to roll. It’s helpful when you want to fold the bike too.

Gocycle geometry

At 106.5cm, Gocycle’s design leads to quite a long wheelbase for a folder. In fact, it’s comparable to a non-folding hybrid bike. Along with the bike’s low centre of gravity, this leads to a stable ride when going a bit faster, while the small wheels make the Gocycle extra manoeuvrable at low speeds.

The bar and saddle position also mirror those of a hybrid bike with full sized wheels, so the contact points and position when riding are similar. This leads to a ride that’s very familiar feeling to anyone used to riding a “normal” bike. You can tilt the bars back to a second position with a slightly closer reach too.

There’s only one frame size, but lots of adjustment in the telescopic seatpost, so you can set it for riders between 5 feet and 6 foot 5 inches tall, If you order a compact seatpost in place of the standard one, the saddle height should fit riders of 4 foot 6 inches upwards. But the bar height doesn’t adjust on the GS (although it’s adjustable on the G3), so it might be a bit high or a bit low for riders at those extremes.

You need to use an allen key to adjust seatpost length, making it slightly fiddly, although Gocycle includes a holder under the saddle for the supplied allen key, so it’s always to hand. You also need to unscrew the allen bolt to drop the seatpost and fully fold the bike so that it fits into its carrying case.

Gocycle quotes a rider and luggage weight limit of 100kg.

Gocycle motor

But of course, Gocycle’s bikes are electrically powered, not just pedalled.

The electric motor generates 250 watts and is housed in the front hub. The GocycleConnect app lets you choose between three pre-set modes: City, Eco and On-Demand as well as configure your own preferred power profile. Power delivery as you ride is determined by your applied pedal torque.

As with all e-bikes sold in the EU, assistance cuts out at 25kph. Pulling away from stops, you make a couple of pedal turns before the motor cuts in and adds extra acceleration.

The motor works a bit harder than say the Fazua unit on the Focus Paralane² e-road bike, but no more so that with the ebikemotion unit on the Wilier Cento1Hy. It will pull you up hills without you needing to put too much extra effort in, so rides aren’t confined to flatter locations.

The lithium ion battery, housed in the frame, supplies 300Wh of power at 22 volts. It will give you a range of up to 65km on the Gocycle’s Eco mode, which is likely to be plenty for Gocyle’s target market. Charge time is around 7 hours, although Gocycle sells a fast charger that halves this; it’s included in the package for the higher-spec G3 model.

The charging port and on-off button are on the rear of the main frame and there’s a series of four small LEDs to show drive status. Even without mudguards, the rear shock shields it from road debris.

There is a chunky cable that runs from the bars into the frame, then out to the fork crown. It’s wrapped in a webbing sheath, so well protected, although it might end up looking a bit dirty riding on damp roads or towpaths. On the Gocycle G3, the cable runs are fully enclosed within the frame.

The 16.8kg weight, including lights, makes the Gocycle GS luggable rather than portable. It’s best carried via the seatpost and bars.Naturally it's not as light as the best folding bikes, but for an e-bike, its weight is actually pretty good. The lightest e-road bikes we’ve tested come in at around 12kg and we’ve tested non-folding hybrid e-bikes at around 17kg, so it’s not out of range.

Gobike’s closest competitor, the Brompton Electric, weighs almost exactly the same, although that bike’s removable battery pack means that you can lug it in two parts. But Gocycle’s weight is low down and its centre of gravity almost dead centre, whereas the Brompton Electric’s battery pack adds over 3kg over the front wheel.

The Gocycle GS costs £2499. Again, that’s in line with the £2595 Brompton Electric. Step up to the G3 and you’re looking at £3499. The launch price for the new, more foldable GX will be £2899.

To sum up

So in summary, if you’re looking for an e-bike for leisure or commutes and your space is limited, the Gocycle GS is a neat option, with head-turning looks and clever design features It rides well, is highly manoeuvrable and the electric assist makes riding that much easier.

For an all self-propelled commute, it will get you there in style, although if you want to mix in public transport, its weight and fiddly folding mechanism make it a bit awkward.

We feel that the Brompton CHPT3 is by far one of the best Brompton’s you can buy in the brands current line up. It's fast, looks great and handles well. Ideal for those looking to chop some time off their commute or for those that ride a little further between stations or around town, it isn’t eye wateringly expensive either, an ideal Editor’s Choice winner.

British brand Brompton is one of those great engineering companies that seem to do everything right. Seemingly teaming up with David Millar for its latest version of the Brompton X CHPT3 was the right thing to do also.

>> Brompton bikes range guide

Brompton has been around since 1975 and its main stable is a steel made folding bike for the city commuters. So riders who are nipping between meetings, or making that last part of the journey super quick, after taking that rush hour train, bus or tube home.

Brompton has modernised too. Working with titanium parts to bring its bikes in the same form but much lighter, with its Superlight version knocking at least a kilo gram off the steel version. The Brompton X CHPT3 goes one step further by knocking that weight down some more.

The brand also has an E-Brompton, which we've tested already.

I've been riding the latest version of the Brompton X CHPT3 and I must say, I'm rather taken by it.

Now, despite my social media suggesting I can't fold the Brompton up quickly, I can. I've managed to get this down to 10 seconds, roughly. A bit better than I did in Tech of the Month. Once you get the technique down, folding or unfolding a Brompton is pretty satisfying. And whilst I don't live in the centre of London and work all the way out in Farnborough, Hampshire, to get a direct train to work it is a 15 minute cycle, plus another five minute ride the other end.

The convenience of not taking a complete bike in the very busy Surbiton train station at peak times makes life so much less stressful and not having to wait and catch a bus either end cuts my commute time down to well under the hour.

>> Brompton S2L Superlight review

So what is different here compared to the standard version? And what do you get for your extra outlay?

First of all, it's around two kilo grams lighter than the standard version, sitting just above 10kg, which does make a world of difference - especially when carrying the bike once folded around town. I've always admired those who carry their usual work day bag and a standard Brompton, you need some strength!

That saving is down to a titanium rear end, along with a titanium fork. It brings the ride to life and the Brompton X CHPT3 does nip around easily and is very enjoyable to chuck around. Brompton say that it has give the Brompton X CHPT3 a racing 'suspension' insert at the rear as well to tighten up the handling compared to its normal range.

These two things alone seem to give the bike a stable ride feel with the Brompton X CHPT3 feeling longer in terms of wheel base, but from our measurements there isn't any real difference. Compared to the steel version, it isn't twitchy up front and I felt more comfortable chucking this bike around.

That will partly be down to the S-Type handlebar, which is flat, and gives a lower riding position that'll help handling be a little more measured.

Everything else is a little superficial but it does all add up to help make the bike what it is. Fabric Scoop titanium railed saddle, Schwalbe One 35mm tan side wall tyres and the Fabric Dual textured grips are all 'nice to have'.

This version has six speeds, two sprockets and three internal hub gears. That spread means most, if not all, types of riding you do on this bike is covered. Even a bit of climbing is possible and getting out of the saddle is easy enough despite the tiny wheels.

This bike was a limited run of 1000 initial bikes, which can still be found online. Hopefully some more will be made available!

At £1990 it is the most expensive bike of the lot from Brompton and I'm wondering if that outlay is worth it against the rest of the range. Colour scheme, ride and finish touches work very well together and if you did spend that kind of money, you wouldn't be disappointed.

Brompton has a reputation for setting the standard for folding bikes – easy to commute with, hardwearing and with a surprisingly good ride for a bike with 16in wheels. British designed and built, the Brompton has become something of an icon of British cycling and is seen in increasing numbers on the roads of many UK towns and cities.

As a Brompton owner – of the similar steel S3L model – I was very interested to see what difference the Superlight frame would make to the ride quality, portability and attractiveness of the bike as an option when considering which folding bike to buy.

>>> Brompton goes electric with new folding bike

The build

Brompton's Superlight frame – titanium and steel built – is the major difference between this model and a standard S2L steel-framed model. This titanium/steel mix results in the overall bike weighing 10.2kg compared with a standard bike in similar spec being 10.9kg. The three-speed S3L model that I currently own comes in at 11.5kg, with its Superlight sibling carrying a claimed weight of 10.7kg – though we made it 10.33kg on the scales.

The Superlight two-speed model, with mudguards, is priced at £1,555; the standard model comes in at £950. Given the price differential the Superlight model would have some work to do in order to convince that it is worth the extra investment.

>>> Brompton: the perfect commuting machine?

This test model, in an attractive Tempest Blue, came with the S type handlebars – these are Brompton's flat handlebars which it claims make for a sportier ride. The company offers three other handlebar types – the M and H types, which result in a more upright riding position, and the P type which offers several different positions and would be of interest to those looking to ride longer distances on the bike.

>>> Cycle to work scheme: everything you need to know

As well as offering numerous handlebar positions, Brompton also offers a standard seatpost, an extended version, and a telescopic version for taller riders. The telescopic seatpost adds a further £40 to the build price.

The bike comes with two gears, and Brompton also offers -7 per cent and -18 per cent options for lower speeds or more challenging gradients than the London streets this was tested on.

Mudguards, included in the build price of £1,555, are essential if the bike is used for day to day commuting, and were trouble free on the test bike as they have been on the S3L version that I have ridden through the week for 18 months now. The bike is finished with Schwalbe's Marathon Racers, a relatively slick tyre with impressive grip.

The fold

A key consideration when purchasing a folding bike is the ease of fold and the compactness of the folded bike. Often this is where most compromise is made, with bigger-wheeled folders conceding on fold size in order to prioritise ride quality. The choice comes down effectively to what the bike will be used for.

For a commute involving public transport Brompton is ahead of the competition. After a couple of tries, folding the Brompton is quick and intuitive, and takes only a few steps. More than that though, there is not a folding bike on the market that gives as positive a ride yet folds as small as the Brompton.

It is capable of stowing in luggage racks, under seats and out of the way – a definite advantage on busy commuter trains.

Carrying

In day-to-day use a folding bike will see a certain amount of carrying: again this will depend on intended usage. My commute involves carrying the bike up and down stairs, on and off trains.

Unfolded the Brompton feels extremely light to carry – a marked difference to the standard model. When folded it also feels easier to manoeuvre than the standard version.

The ride

Where other, bigger wheeled, folders err towards a 'real bike' feel, the Brompton is unashamedly a folding bike, but such is the quality of the build and the light feel of the frame that this does not feel a disadvantage for city riding. This is the same for Superlight and standard models.

On first impressions the S bars may feel a bit twitchy when coupled with the smaller wheels, but after a couple of rides it is clear that as well as giving the bike a more sporty look than other models, they make for an agile, fun and responsive ride. Given the number of other options it is worth considering which handlebar would suit your preferred riding position.

Given the reduced weight of the Superlight frame, the standard ratio feels a little undergeared at times when on the flat and the opportunity arises to give the bike a decent push. Personally I would recommend the three-speed Sturmey-Archer gears that I have on the S3L – offering a wider range of gearing that would suit the potential of this lighter frame. As with handlebar choice, test riding different ratios is definitely recommended.

Overall however, having ridden and owned a couple of standard Bromptons over a number of years, the question for me was whether the Superlight version would feel different, and the answer is a definite yes.

The reduced weight, combined with the slicker Schwalbe tyres, gives the ride a real sense of urgency, particularly noticeable when accelerating away from junctions and lights. It feels fast, certainly fast enough for around town, and ultimately I was a little disappointed to hand the test bike back and revert to the standard Brompton.

Tern Verge X11 frame

Tern’s Verge X11 is built around a 22in wheel size (451mm) – meaning that although it’s a long way off the standard 700c you’d find on a road or hybrid bike, it’s larger than your average folding bike.

Buy now from Triton Cycles for £2399.99

The result is a greater degree of momentum which means faster rolling, and a ride a bit closer to your average experience on a full-size bike. However, it also means that the folded unit is larger than a traditional folding bike – which often has 16in wheels.

With the Verge X11, Tern has also tweaked the frame to develop what it calls T-Tuned Geometry. The design boasts a longer wheelbase, tweaks to the fork rake and head tube angle, and a slacker seat tube. These alterations create a riding position that feels sportier when compared with standard designs.

Tern Verge X11 specification

With a price tag of £2,400, you would expect a top end spec list – and you wouldn't be disappointed.

The Tern Verge X11 is shod with hand-built Kinetix Pro X wheels, with just 20 paired, straight-pull spokes per wheel, shod with resilient  Schwalbe Durano tyres.

The crankset is SRAM's Force 1x, with carbon cranks and a 52-tooth chainring alongside a 10-42 cassette. Upping the wheel size creates a greater gear ratio, which means that there's enough power to push on descents, yet the large cassette means there are plenty of climbing cogs too.

Shimano Deore disc brakes offer fast stopping power and there's a Biologic rear bike light built in.

A Syntace VRO adjustable stem has been designed for Tern and allows the rider to alter their position to a lower, more aggressive stance, or a more upright one for casual comfort. The handlebar is a Kinetix Pro X made from double-butted alloy with Ergon grips and saddle.

Tern Verge X11 ride

With a matt-black finish, Pro X wheels and flashes of metallic blue the Verge looks unlike most folders – fast and attractive. Pick it up and it feels seriously light for a folding bike.

The Tern Verge X11 rides like a fast hybrid bike. It’s light, stiff, pretty agile, accelerates well and rolls along much quicker than you’d expect from a folder. It’s fun to ride and pretty smooth – you could certainly travel a good distance on it; it’s not a bike limited to short commutes. The hydraulic disc brakes are awesome in terms of stopping power, which is great on a stop-start commute.

I did everything from short rides to the station, blasts through the centre of London, up to a nine mile ride out of the Farnborough office to test it on a longer ride. The 10-42 cassette means it copes really well when faced with a climb, and also enables you to get up to a decent speed on the flat. Comparing Strava stats from rides on the Tern to that on a Brompton S3L, it definitely has the edge on speed.

One gripe from a commuting perspective is the lack of mudguards.

Compared to a Brompton, which is probably the benchmark in this area, the folding mechanism doesn’t feel as well thought out and intuitive. Small details just aren’t quite perfect – the magnet that holds the folded bike together can ping open quite easily, the brake levers rub against the fork when folded – which could damage the smart paint job in consistent use. It just feels a little clumsy.

The main problem is, it’s rather large when folded. To the extent that on a rail commute it was sometimes tricky to work out where to put it – it certainly didn’t fit in a standard luggage rack. With this in mind the Verge doesn’t feel like a bike that you would want to use on a regular commute involving public transport. It certainly can’t compete with a Brompton in this area – it may be a bit quicker but if you lose all that time trying to find a place to put it on the train, then that additional speed becomes irrelevant.

When it comes to carrying the bike, unfolded, the Tern is light to put over your shoulder and carry around, up and down stairs at train stations and so on. Folded, due to the large size it’s less practical, but does roll along well on the wheels.

The S1 City Series is the brainchild of Dutch company Split Bikes. The idea behind it is a no fuss, portable bike designed for ease of use in the city. The result, however, is slightly different.

>> Read more: The best folding bikes buying guide 

Basically, the S1 City is a bike that splits perfectly in half and fits inside its own travel case. I’m not talking about folding here, I mean literally splits in two.

It’s possible to do this because of the bike’s “LOCtube” design. The method here is to employ two quick release-esque levers that you open to separate the bike at both the downtube and top tube.

>>> Essential commuting clothes for cycling to work

While it sounds simple, sadly it’s not. Separating the bike at its junctions is neither clean nor flawless. Instead, it’s hard to get the leverage through the lever correct (altered using the nut on the bottom), it’s always either too tight or too loose.

Sadly, that’s not the end of it, either. I had real issues getting the two halves of the down tube to sit flush with each other – which created the terrifying proposition of the down tube coming apart - although it never did.

At a more fundamental level, the fact it splits in two doesn’t achieve much.

Whereas a Brompton folds, meaning it’s easy to transport, the Split Bike comes clean in two. The two halves are then held together by its cables, with no way to secure them to each other.

Similarly, the large 650B wheel size means snapping it in two becomes redundant, as you still have to lug large wheels around.

>>> Nine reasons why commuting by bike is surprisingly brilliant

Regardless of these flaws, I can see it being useful for flying or putting in the back of a car. That is, however, if you travel long haul with your commuting bike. All the same it’s a nice touch to include a travel case in the price of the bike.

Watch: Cycling Weekly's top 5 bizarre cycling products

Naturally, due to the separation points there’s also a high degree of flex throughout the bike frame. This becomes particularly noticeable when putting the power down or riding through dips and potholes.

>>> Disc brakes: everything you need to know

The bike comes furnished with a host of good quality Easton Haven components, including bars, seatposts as well as cranks. Although, at the price of $3,295 USD as quoted on the Split Bikes site you’d hope this to be true.

The bike is disc equipped, with stopping duties taken care of by Magura. Happily, there’s plenty of power on tap – although lever reach is a little far out and there's no means of adjustment.

Our bike came setup ‘Euro’ style, so either be prepared to adjust or spend the time altering the brake setup.

The bike turns on 650b wheels, which while awkward to carry are, at least, nippy. Maxxis Detonators are specced on the front and back. I found these to be a nice in between, providing good grip as well as decent rolling speed.

There’s also the novelty of a belt fed drive chain, which I quite liked. Like a normal single speed setup, its function is reliant on the chain tension negotiated at the rear wheel.

>>> Road bike groupsets: A complete buyer's guide

The novelty continues with the pedals. Rather than the usual threaded affair, Split Bikes instead use a less secure, quick release system to attach the Wellgo pedals to the bike. Worryingly, these were prone to falling out the cranks on hard hits.

Montague Bikes was the brainchild of Harry Montague, a 6 foot 2 inch US architect who wanted something which was a better fit for his size than the usual small wheeled folding bikes. Along with his son he founded the bike company in 1988 in Boston, Massachusetts to design and sell folding bikes with larger wheel sizes. There’s a 700C range – the same sized wheels as a normal road bike – and a 26 inch wheeled range too, based on a design used by US paratroops.

>>> Read more: The best folding bikes: a buyer's guide 

We have tested the single speed/fixed 700C wheeled Montague Boston model, but if you encounter hills which require a bit more range there’s also an eight speed hub geared version and derailleur geared bikes with up to 30 speeds. The SwissBike range with 26 inch wheels has chunkier tyres and a more off-road feel.

Frameset

The Montague Boston’s frame is made of aluminium with a steel fork. There are two parallel top tubes to ensure rigidity. These are slightly bowed, which Montague claims helps to dampen road vibration. The design means that the main frame tubes do not have a joint in them, so they are lighter and more robust than a design with a hinge in the frame.

Watch: five commuting tips

There’s a quick release on the top tube and a pivot built into the seat tube. Pull up the quick release lever and the rear triangle pivots around the seat tube, so that the whole bike folds to around half its length. The front wheel also needs to be removed to take advantage of this space saving; there’s a nylon strap to fix it to the bike’s top tube.

Components

With single speed gearing the Montague Boston’s components are quite straightforward. There’s an SR Suntour alloy chainset with a 42 tooth chainring. This has a chainguard integrated into the design to help keep chain grease off clothing and legs.

The brakes are Promax dual pivot calipers and there’s a Montague branded saddle with a cut-out mounted on a 27.2mm alloy seatpost. The bike is supplied with alloy platform pedals although there’s the option to buy folding pedals to save a bit of width. You can also buy quick release mudguards to add a bit more protection from the UK weather.

Wheels

The wheels have Alex alloy rims laced with 36 14-gauge stainless steel spokes to Formula hubs. The rear wheel is bolted on to allow the chain length to be adjusted for the single speed set-up. The hub is a flip-flop design so that the bike can be run either with a freewheel or fixed.

>>> Best hybrid bikes: a buyer's guide

The front wheel uses the same components but runs on a Clix quick release hub, so that the wheel can be quickly removed for storage. The Clix system uses a spring loaded collar to make taking the wheel out very fast, as it removes the requirement to unscrew the quick release lever to get the axle out of the lawyer’s lips on the forks.

Tyres are 28mm Kenda Kwik Roller Sport, which have a wide section and a low profile grip pattern to provide confidence around the town and in damp conditions.

Riding

Let’s start with not riding. Folding the Montague Boston is quick and easy. The front wheel is very quick to remove and the quick release on the top tube just needs to be flipped to turn the rear triangle forward. It doesn’t fold flat against the top tube though, as the rear wheel gets in the way, so the folded bike is quite wide.

Slot the rear wheel in between the handlebar and the frame and the whole lot can be held together with the nylon strap around the bars, front wheel and frame. The folded package can be carried around quite easily by the top tube and is stable and reasonably comfortable if a bit heavy. Reversing the process gets the bike ready for action very quickly.

>>> Buyer's guide to road bike tyres

Get aboard and the big wheeled design really comes into its own. The Montague Boston feels super-stable and there’s no evidence of flex in the frame. It’s quite heavy though so it takes a bit of effort to get moving and once there’s more than a gentle gradient the effort level soon mounts, although out of the saddle you can grind up surprisingly steep gradients which would have you reaching for the smaller chainring if this were an option. The ride is comfortable over rough and broken surfaces due to the wide tyres.

The flat bars come up at a comfortable angle and result in a riding position which is not too upright and the rubber grippers are reasonably comfortable for an hour or so without gloves. The supplied brakes are adequate rather than being super-effective; they would probably benefit from a change of pads. I found the Montague’s saddle to be well padded without being too soft and comfortable enough to ride in non-padded shorts.

Conclusion

Montague takes a fresh approach to folding bikes, with a design which may not be super-compact but has benefits in rideability. The larger wheels really do roll much better and give a more familiar ride feel than a smaller wheeled machine.

This is bought at the expense of a rather bulky folded package though. The Montague Boston is a bike which is really useful if your storage space at home is limited and great for transporting in the back of a car, but just that bit ungainly to carry around on the Tube.

For more details visit the Montague website.

Words Jamie Darlow | Photos Daniel Gould

Folding bikes are a work of compromise, a trade-off between a bike that rides well and one that packs up quickly and easily when you need to stash it on public transport. Sometimes the compromise is brilliant, sometimes it leaves us feeling hollow inside.

In our experience, the easier a bike folds, the worse it performs in its primary function as a bicycle. Easy-folders often feel flexy, slow and unbalanced when you pedal. Likewise, bikes that don’t fold well often feel great to ride but are a faff to stash. What about the Joey — a triumph or a tragedy?

Flexible friend

In unfolded form, the Joey is certainly very good. It feels sprightly even when you stand up on the pedals and really crank it, with none of the noodly flexiness some folders suffer from. This is probably because it has a big, chunky top tube and still maintains a double triangle shaped frame, while the main hinge where the bike folds is also clamped off with a solid quick-release to reduce any chance of play between the joining parts.

>> Read more: The best folding bikes

Just as important is the height of the frame. While most folders have tiny wheels that necessitate low frames and really long steerers and handlebars, the Joey’s bigger wheels mean the controls are more compact and therefore stiffer.

I can’t go any further, then, without mentioning the wheels, which feel a million times better than any other folder simply because of their size. At 24in, they are nearly full size and that really does make a difference to the feeling of stability on the bike. It’s also a much smoother and faster ride because rough road surfaces have less of an impact on the big wheels, as they just roll over the top.

There are two options when you buy the bike: fat-profile wheels and tyres, if you want to take it off-road or want more grip in town, or narrow tyres with high pressures for speed. We went for the latter and didn’t regret it, as the skinny tyres seemed to have lots of grip. Not enough grip for the vice-like pull of the front brake, though, which is a really powerful cable-operated disc brake and has way too much power and not enough modulation for the task in hand. Airnimal has fitted it with honest intentions, to make the front wheel easier to remove.

Into the fold

If you feel like there’s an inevitable, looming caveat over this glowing review, you’re right… sort of. The inevitable payoff embodied in this great-riding folder is that it’s tougher to fold. Because of the big wheels, there was no way the Airnimal engineers could fold the bike to a reasonable size without requiring detachment of the front wheel, e.g. when you want to get it into a compact enough size to carry on to the Tube.

It’s not that the action is particularly difficult — drop the saddle, remove the front wheel, fold the bike along the main hinge and hook the wheel on a purpose-built dropout — but the Joey’s is far slower than the best folding action out there, from Brompton. The latter takes about 10 seconds, the former about a minute. Our Joey came specced with something called the Commuter Kit to make moving the bike around in its folded state easier.

It means you can roll the bike along on its front wheel even when folded, which is a great feature because carrying a bike even over short distances quickly becomes a pain in the arm. The Joey also comes with a big Joey Bag to stuff it into for car journeys and such like, and a Traveller Case too if you want to fold it up small and take it abroad.

I know this bike is slightly clunkier to fold than some of its rivals, but I don’t care. It’s worth it for the ride feel; it pretty much feels like you’re riding a non-folding urban bike. In any case, how often do you see folding bikes actually folded properly on the train? Rarely. I think the presence of fold-ability, just in case a railway jobsworth challenges you, is the real value here. Point out the big hinge in the middle of the bike and, voilà, you’re set free and on your way.

Specification

Airnimal Joey Commute £1,399

Frameset Joey folding, cro-mo fork

Gears Shimano Alfine 8spd rear hub

Chainset Airnimal 48T

Brakes Shimano disc (f), Acera V rear

Wheels 24in, 32h Airnimal rims

Tyres Schwalbe Marathon 1.75in

Bar 2B alloy

Stem 2B 120mm

Saddle 2B Comfort

Seatpost Telescopic

Weight 13.5kg

www.cyclecentric.com

Alternative

Birdy Light £1,369

If you’re looking for something a little different, try a Birdy. While most folding bikes hinge in the middle, the Birdy Light folds around its suspension pivots, which Birdy says makes it stiffer and lighter than conventional folders. The folding action is quicker than the Airnimal, taking a claimed 15 seconds, and it shouldn’t be a pain to carry. At 10.9kg, it’s very light — around 2.5kg lighter than the Joey. A little bit of suspension can only be a good thing too, in light of the government’s pothole-growing scheme. www.birdybike.com

Words and photos: Chris Catchpole

You’ve never heard of Tern? Neither had we until quite recently. Behind the Taiwanese brand lies a history of folding bike invention and family acrimony. Brand founder Joshua Hon is the son of the creator of Dahon folding bikes, David Hon.

>>> Read more: The best folding bikes: a buyer's guide 

Back in 2011, when young Hon decided to enter the folding bike arena, father Hon swiftly filed a lawsuit against his son, citing breaches of patents, misuse of assets and other such legal issues, which weren’t settled until earlier this year. So with beginnings that lack the smoothness the name may suggest — the tern being the classier cousin of the seagull — the brand is now moving forward as a brand in entirely (or almost) its own right.

Fall out

After hearing this history, something clicked. I’d wondered why the two brands’ bikes look so similar. The Tern has ‘borrowed’, shall we say, some design cues from its predecessor while injecting some of its own. The hinge arrangement, for example, folds the bike in half in a fashion similar to Dahon. The Tern, however, has a much faster locking system that saves time.

In fact, I’d go as far as to say it must be one of the fastest folds in the business. Even a casual commuter can fold this bike down, ready for train duties, in around 10 seconds, and that’s on a slow day. If you’re feeling competitive, you may pack it up in half that time. In essence, it’s a three-fold system. Firstly the bike folds in half around the centre. Then the saddle is lowered with a quick release, and finally the handlebar folds over against the side of the package. A strong magnet and rubber catch help keep the fold tight when you’re running up stairs or fighting for the last space on the train.

But before you picture yourself with your trusty Tern elegantly traversing through busy stations, I must tell you, you’ll probably struggle to run with it, or fit it into the last cubic foot on the train without excessive tutting from crabby commuters. With a pair of 20in wheels, it’s not the smallest fold. And by only folding in half, it can be awkward to hold to one side as you walk. On the upside, though, both wheels sit level on the ground, so you can use the saddle to steer or drag it.

Fall apart

I’ve given this bike a fair amount of abuse, taking it in and out of London’s busiest stations, and throwing it in my boot between photoshoots. Within weeks, signs of use were showing.

A rubber retaining snapped and a magnet bracket bent, leaving me to question its long-term reliability. While these parts don’t affect its rideability and they are probably covered under a standard one-year warranty, but what about after?

Small parts such as these assist its folding elegance, and once they’ve had it, you’re left with some seriously hard-to-control pieces of metal.

Durability aside, I did enjoy testing this bike. It’s a good ride and fun on flat city streets. The singlespeed is perfect for spinning along in traffic, and it’s responsive enough to reward a bit of extra effort, should you be so inclined. I’m sure folding bike manufacturers must be constantly annoyed with comparisons to Brompton, but it’s not quite as practical or desirable, and at almost half the price of an equivalent model, it’s probably naive of me to hope it would compete on quality.

Specification

Tern Link Uno £425

Frameset Link, 6061 aluminium, patented OCL

Gears Singlespeed

Chainset Cold-forged 6061 aluminium crank arms, hand-polished

Brakes V front, Coaster rear

Wheels 20in aluminium rims

Tyres Schwalbe Citizen

Bar/stem Physis QR, 2D forged aluminium, 4 patented technologies

Saddle Sport

Seatpost SuperOversize, 6061-AL

Size range One size, 20in

Weight 11.5kg

www.evanscycles.co.uk

Alternative

Pacific CarryMe £399

This might be taking the space-saving idea to its very limits. This is the aptly named the CarryMe, from expert folding bike-maker Pacific. Weighing in at under 8kg and with ridiculously small dimensions, if you’re tight for space on a cramped train or aren’t willing to keep your rusty old commuter indoors, then this might be the key. The tiny — just 8in — wheels would be swallowed by some of the London potholes I’ve seen recently, but on the plus side, its nimble handling should make it easier to avoid hazards in the first place.

Words Derri Dunn | Photos Daniel Gould

There is an air of suspicion that hangs around bikes without a chain. The ‘real’ cyclists of the CA office seem strangely affronted by the notion of something without that most ideological piece of linked metal to drive them forth.

>> Read more: The best folding bikes

The Sidekick, though, is pitched firmly at a different classification of bicyclist — the ‘real-life’ riders. It has the distinction of being the first folding shaft-drive bike we’ve ever tested and in fact only the second shaft drive bike of any sort we’ve ever got our hands on at CA.

Coming fully equipped with neat mudguards, a wide, clip-down rear rack, bell, kickstand and hub gears, such a practically oriented machine, along with its innovative ethos as a folding bike, seems a natural home to a shaft-drive system.

If you’ve not come across shaft drive before, its benefits seem attractive, especially to those (like me) who laud the advantages of enclosed hub-gear systems. The

shaft is totally sealed from the outside world and the associated muck and grime, so there’s no sprocket scrubbing to be done, no chain-savaged trouser legs… basically you glide down the street in silence with no moving drivechain parts beyond the pedals themselves.

Hinge whinge

Nevertheless, one of the chief shaft drive bugbears was an issue with this bike: weight. Its folding nature defines that, at some point, you’re going to want to furl the thing up and carry it — which at 15kg is nothing short of excruciating. Exacerbating this, the folding mechanism was rather poor. We had some difficulty with the central hinge which involves undoing a QR then pulling down to unlatch — it’s clunky and not as robust as we’d like, considering you’ll want to trust it not to unhinge on you mid-ride.

The stem hinge was more interesting and the catch showed some promise as a refined design, but it too was a little awkward and unintuitive in use. Finally, the whole package didn’t neatly clip together, instead relying on a Velcro strap to stop it all springing apart. The whole folding package just really lacked the refinement of its competitors.

Silent flight

Still, folders are always a compromise between fold and ride quality and the latter proved a more rewarding experience. With its short wheelbase and small wheels, the handling, particularly at slow speed, was a touch erratic, but it was a long way short of being unrideable. With the low gearing courtesy of a Shimano Nexus hub and the silent glide of the shaft drive, it’s a pleasant experience drifting along at chill-out speeds.

As a shorter rider I found I had a feeling of sitting rather far back behind the bottom bracket and having to pedal forward, although taller riders didn’t have this perplexing geometry issue. Such is the one-size nature of folding bikes though; if you’re anywhere off average height, you might get a feel of some curious geometry quirks.

Riding the bike, we were grateful for the quality of some of the parts on board. As well as the shaft drive itself, there’s the much-loved Nexus eight-speed hub with its bulletproof characteristics, plus the Tektro brakes were plenty sharp enough for the speeds racked up by the Sidekick. There’s even internal cable routing — a nice little touch to keep things looking neat and avoid a tangle during folding.

Unfortunately, beyond these highlights, quality was a little erratic elsewhere. The frame itself was probably the main culprit — its crude fold has already been covered but it really was a heavy and unrefined beast. Considering it is presumably made specifically for this particular model and shaft drive, there were some perplexing unused cable holes and guides that were a bit untidy.

The kickstand clattered annoyingly on the frame while riding — such a small point but so easily fixed with a stronger spring or rubber boot.

The notion of a folding, chainless bicycle is a sound concept overall, though, worthy of some investment, so we’re happy to hear Dynamic UK is continuing to develop the model with some changes for next year.

The thing is, the £525 price tag is right at the budget end for folding bikes, but at present there are many others at this price that beat it for ride and especially fold quality.

We wouldn’t mind seeing this developed as a more premium product with a robust and well thought out folding mechanism plus, crucially, some weight shaved from the frame to make hefting it about a more realistic proposition. That would allow it to really show off its novel shaft-drive technology at its best and give it an innovative advantage over its folding bike competitors.

Specification

Dynamic Sidekick 8

Price £525

Frameset 7005 aluminium folding frame, cro-mo fork

Gears Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub

Chainset Dynamic forged alloy

Brakes Tektro linear pull V-brake

Wheels Alex DA16 rims, Nexus/unbranded hubs

Tyres Kenda 20x1.75in

Bar/stem Alloy anodised

Saddle Velo plush

Seatpost Alloy anodised

Size range 14in

Weight 15.1kg

dynamicbicyclesuk.co.uk

Alternative

Dynamic City Runabout 8 £490

The Runabout pretty much does what it says on the tin. Other than its shaft-driven credentials, it’s a fairly basic sort of bicycle, albeit with that handy Shimano Nexus eight-speed hub and a suspension seatpost. Perfect for jaunts around town for the low-maintenance bicyclist. If you don’t need the complications of a folding bike, it’s a low-priced, care-free ownership option.

www.dynamicbicycles.co.uk

Words: Matt Lamy

In last month’s CA we mentioned French bike brand B’Twin’s new ‘one-second folding bike’, the Tilt. Now we’ve been lucky enough to ride one in person and speak to one of the main men behind the project — B’Twin’s Tilt brand manager Jean-Philippe Rode. Jean-Philippe says what he and the team at B’Twin wanted to achieve was very simple — they wanted to make the fastest and most straightforward folding bike on the planet.

>> Read more: The best folding bikes buying guide 

“In French, ‘j’ai tilté’ [to tilt] is an idiomatic expression that means: ‘I get it now’. We got that ‘tilt’ when we understood that, although there were pretty good folding bikes on the market, none of them were addressing the issues that many people were facing when commuting on a folding bike,” Jean-Philippe says.

“We dreamt of a bike that would be compact, but clean — grease or oil- free — easy to fold and carry, that could roll folded, would be fun to ride, enhanced by a gorgeous design with an accessible price. That’s what we wanted to achieve.

“With Pierre-Louis Bassetti [Tilt’s designer] and Benjamin Poullet [Tilt’s engineer] we thought about creating a new kind of folding bike. Since a small-wheeled bike is eye-catching, we wanted the design to be of value for the rider — a modern vision of urban mobility — that will be part of one’s life on a daily basis.

"As a longtime skateboarder, I’ve also tried to bring an ‘out of the box’ point of view to urban mobility. On the other hand, Pierre-Louis was inspired by the BMX and pinball imagery of his teenage years. It was all about connecting the dots.”

A dream come true

Did they achieve what they wanted? Jean-Philippe says so. “Two years ago when we started to work on the Tilt project, we made what we call a ‘monster’: a rough prototype that illustrates the main benefit of the bike. With the monster, I made a 10-second video to explain that we wanted to create a folding bike that lets you go from cyclist to pedestrian in one second. Two years later, we can do that with the Tilt. The dream came true.

“In fact, my favourite part of the Tilt is definitely the frame hinge. It’s the heart of the bike. It’s gorgeous, technical, and so simple in some ways. It’s composed of two pieces of forged aluminium with high-precision CNC machining. I love the way it looks when the bike is unfolded, but also when it’s neatly folded.

“Of course, there are still a few points to improve. For instance, the Tilt isn't the most compact and lightweight bike on the market. But it’s as compact as most 20-inch folding bikes, much easier to transport because it can be wheeled along while folded, and it’s the only 20in folding bike that can carry a rider up to 120kg [18st 12lb]. That says a lot about the quality of the components. As you can imagine, we've a few new ideas as well, but I can’t talk about them now.”

At the moment, the Tilt line-up features three different specifications: the Tilt 5 (£329) which comes with a normal chain drive and three-speed hub gear; the Tilt 7 (£399) which comes with a belt-drive and exclusive automatic two-speed SRAM hub; and the Tilt 9 (£599), another belter married to a seven-speed hub gear, which also comes with a rack and Shimano dynamo lighting system.

“Each Tilt is designed to meet different needs and expectations,” Jean-Philippe says. “The Tilt 5 is probably the most versatile. Three speeds are usually enough to get around most cities — first gear to climb up the hill, second to cruise on top of it and the third to bomb down it.

“Tilt 7 and 9 are more segmented. We see the Tilt 9 as a fully equipped city bike that can fold easily. On the other side, Tilt 7 is the wild one and my favourite. It’s got only two gears that shift automatically at 19kph [12mph]. It’s easy, maintenance-free, and perfect for flat cities.

Declutchable hub

“That two-speed automatic gear is a real breakthrough and a beautiful example of co-development with SRAM. They came up with the easy-to-use, low-maintenance hub that we were looking for, but we asked them for a special function: a declutchable hub. On a bike, when you make it roll backwards, the crankset turns backwards. As a result, when your bike is folded and you make it roll backwards, the left pedal will turn and block on the front wheel. So we asked SRAM to design a system that would work like the neutral gear of a car, by declutching the crankset when you go backward. This hub is on the Tilt 7.”

If that cooperation was relatively easy, other areas of design had their own particular hurdles.

“The biggest challenge we had was the folding stem system. I wanted the stem to be really stiff and safe. By safe, I mean that it will never, ever open while riding and that the security will set automatically when you unfold the stem, you don’t need to take care of it. There’s a price to pay to achieve that: you need to use both hands to fold the stem.

“It took a long time to get the right parameters. I crashed really hard with the first prototype on a ride to the New York Bike Century last year. But after loads of modifications and improvements, we made it.

“Our lab engineers even created some one-of-a kind torture test robots to make sure that the stem is built to last. So I have been riding that stem for a solid 20 kilometres a day for a year now and so far, so good.”

B'Twin Tilt

Virtual Damper comfort system

“In my functional specifications I asked how we could enhance comfort without heavy suspension,” Jean-Philippe says. “Our engineers told me that a specific shape of the chainstay tubes could allow for extra flexibility and comfort. So, after some digital calculations, they came up with the perfect balance between flexibility and strength. The Virtual Damper shape is 22.5 per cent more flexible vertically than regular tubes and offers more comfort.”

‘Easyclamp’ seat clamp

“Easyclamp is our patented seat clamp that requires little strength to lock and works vertically. The shape of the seatpost isn't round so you don’t have to worry about the circular adjustment. Then, the laser marking on the post makes it easy to set the saddle at your perfect height. Lastly, the seatpost is thief-proof.”

‘Pop-Up’ folding system

“A lot of people who tried folding bikes told me that they’re not easy to fold at all. In fact, they avoid folding as much as they can,” Jean-Philippe says. “The Pop-Up system is our patented frame and stem hinges, including the trigger lever located under the saddle. This lever easily opens the frame hinge. Thanks to this system you really can unfold the whole bike in one second. There are no extra levers to tighten either. It’s easy, fast, and extremely safe.”

‘Lightin’ built-in lights

“One day a customer sent me an email to complain about her clip-on lights on a folding bike that got stolen while she was out shopping,” Jean-Philippe says. “I told her she should have taken the lights off with her. Her answer was so simple and obvious. She replied that, when she parks her car, she doesn’t take the lights off with her. So we decided to have built-in, secured lights instead.”

‘Fold ‘n’ Roll’ system

“A folding bike is never light enough if you have to carry it,” Jean-Philippe says. “Of course, we can reduce the weight with a carbon-fibre frame, but that affects the price. Think about a suitcase. In the past, you had to carry it. Now, every suitcase can be wheeled along. The Fold ‘n’ Roll geometry of the Tilt is designed to make it roll on its wheels when folded. Instead of using magnets to lock the folded frame, its hinge has a lock position. This is far more efficient.”

‘Cleanride’ chainguard system

“No one wants to get oil on their trousers while riding, so with Cleanride the chain line sits inside the frame to reduce contact and potential stains,” Jean-Philippe says. “On Tilt 7 and 9, we also developed a belt drive which is really light, durable and grease free.”

Expert opinion

Urban transport game changer

CA’s in-house folding bike aficionado Derri Dunn gives the Tilt her considered thoughts…

The mission to create the perfect folding bike is hampered by a dichotomy: there’s an inevitable compromise between creating the smallest-folding and the best-riding cycle. What’s most interesting about B’Twin’s Tilt is it isn’t striving to be the smallest folding (good thing too as it’s bulky), or particularly striving for an excellent ride. It’s gone off on a creative tangent by trying instead to be the most practical to use.

The big USP is how fast this thing folds — the idea is you can just yank a handle and swing it in half to leap on a train. There are some truly amazing ideas on the Tilt — not least because I can’t believe no one else has thought of them before, like an oval seatpost and seat tube. So it’s just not possible to get your saddle at the wrong angle when you unfold in a rush. Breathtakingly simple, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

Tall handlebars

This low-end model is comfortable enough, with a practical SRAM hub gear and gripshift. Comfort is limited by the rather tall handlebar height which isn’t adjustable — it’s an awkward riding position for shorter riders and unweights the front which makes handling a touch unstable, particularly with only one hand on the bar.

Thankfully, there are certainly no major issues with the ride, though, which too often can be the case with the smaller wheelbase and wheels of many folding bikes.

The Tilt isn't light and the boast of being able to wheel the thing is a massive selling point — carrying folders is horrible, as is wheeling them while stooping. The principle of wheeling it using the saddle as a handle is great — but it comes with a catch. Or rather, a catch that doesn’t work. The little plastic clip to hold the stem when folded is tricky to engage and patently not strong enough. Wheel the Tilt about erratically and the whole package will spring apart.

Fix this minor flaw and B’Twin is truly on to possibly the most practical multi-transport city folder out there at the moment — at a truly awesome price.