Portable bicycle

A portable bicycle is a folding bicycle that is small and light enough to be easily carried afoot or in a cramped vehicle. Portable bicycles compromise riding capability for portability. The technology of portable bicycles constantly evolves, as new concepts and materials are proposed every few years.

Riding performance

The riding performance of portable bicycles is challenged by the need to make the bike as small and as light as possible. Rider body weight and size, and road conditions have a strong impact on design and on performance. Typically, portable bicycles intended for the East Asia market (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, ...) can be designed for riders lighter than 80kg and shorter than 174cm. Northern Europe and America require designs for riders up to 120kg and 200cm. City roads are generally smoother in Asian cities, but the bicycle has to be able to ride in crowded city sidewalks. Many European city streets are paved with cobblestone, so portable bicycles marketed in Europe need to cope with such a pavement. The smaller the diameter of a bicycle wheel, the higher the rolling friction and the rougher the ride, which is a challenge for portable bicycles as well as for kick scooters. New technological solutions are being studied to offer the same rolling friction at smaller wheel diameters.

Carrying and folding

The point at which a folding bicycle can be considered a portable bicycle is not precisely defined, and depends on the user. A benchmark for portability are the Brompton Bicycles, medium-size bicycles that fold well and are the world's most numerous built on a single design. A bicycle easier to carry than the Brompton C3 can be considered portable.

Many portable bicycles weigh below 6kg and fold in less than 20 seconds. Above these figures the risk is a bike that is too big, too heavy, too long to fold. Folding and unfolding has to be easier than for typical folding bicycles, because portable bicycles are used for shorter trips than full size folding bikes.

Use

Frequent uses for a portable bicycle include:
* last mile scooting from a far away parking lot
* city district riding
* subway or bus station shuttle
* family fun
* pit bike

Bicycles can contribute to reduce fossil fuel emissions by shortening or eliminating car trips, and by extending the reach of public transportation as part of a mixed-mode commute. Portable bicycles often can be used also by children and so can be kept for a lifetime.

List of portable bicycles, commercially available (present and past)

Many portable bicycles are commercially available or have been; they include:

See also

* Kick scooter

References

Oritatami Jitensha to Shoukei no Hon Vol. 3, 2004/Aug/10, EIMUKK898, ISBN 4-7779-0134-3, C9475 Y933E
[http://www.sideriver.com/ec/html/item/001/005/item4065.html Oritatami Jitensha to Shoukei no Hon Vol. 3]