Bike Friday

Because of the job I have to travel, mostly to the US but elsewhere at times. After a couple of years of not having much to do at the weekends I started looking at travel bikes, a bike that I could take with me and get out at weekends rather than staring at the curtains of yet another hotel room. I love my cycling, not very good or fast, but love to get out and I like to climb. So I investigated. I liked the look of the airnimal bikes but after much deliberation came down to buying a Bike Friday. Went with a Rocket Pro because I wanted something that rode in a similar fashion to my road bike at home (a Scott, few years old, Shimano 105, a reasonable training bike).

So the good folk at Bike Friday had me measure my bike to provide the key measurements and then I waited for about four weeks. Oh, nearly forgot, most difficult decision, the colour! In the end went for black. Picked it up on my next visit to the US, no problem at all with delivery at all and excellent service from the folks at Bike Friday in getting it all arranged. So there I am, late one Thursday evening if memory serves me, new shiny toy being assembled across the floor of a Marriott hotel room. Took me about 40 minutes the first time, being careful and reading the instruction book. Now it takes me about 15 minutes to pack or unpack. The only issue I had was a stiff link on the chain. But here Bike Friday excelled. Wrote a quick email to the person I had been dealing with to say it had all arrived safely. Mentioned the link. 1 hour later there was a voice mail on the hotel room phone with a suggested remedy. So tried it and it was enough to ease the link. The link then ease over the first couple of rides and no problems since. Probably should have known the remedy having cycled for many years but not something I had come across before (the fix, clasp the hain with both sides either side of the link. Then flex, not the way the chain normally flexes, but at right angles to it). Just to say,Bike Friday were great throughout buying the bike and doing the initial set up.

So I have had the bike for a few months now and it has been excellent. Is it as good as the bike at home? As good but different. Good on the flat, you can get a good speed out of it but you spin out at about 25 mph because of the smaller wheels (20 inch). Climbing is good, smooth and stable. Descending is where you notice the difference. The ride is simply not as stable, I assume because of the frame not being as stiff. But that said, I would not give the bike up, it has been excellent.