So, I decided to buy a folding bike because I travel quite a bit (and am too young to rent a car). Many of the places I travel to are tropical in nature: places like Hawaii and Florida. For those of you who havent been to either of these places: they are warm, and many people spend most of their time outdoors.

I love riding bikes, and realized on my last vacation that I could not possibly bring a bike to Hawaii easily. I began looking up portable bikes.

I looked at a local bike shop, they offered one Dahon bike, for like $600. Im broke, thus I didnt want to spend that much. Also, I'm 6'2" and 180 pounds, so I needed a bike big enough to support my height (not necessarily my weight).
I ended up making my decision on a number of factors: price, size, weight.

Size really does matter! I wanted a bike that would fit into a suitcase so I could pack it for my trips. You'll notice that the Stow-A-Way bikes are too massive to be packed. Also, many of the... Read more

Frame design and welds look strong. Steartube is 1 1/8, hinge area is large and well fitted. Looks like crank (68mm?), rear hub (probably 130mm) and handlebar are standard size and could be upgraded in the future. Uses 52t chainring for faster than other folders ride (still, not very fast due to 20" rims). It'll probably accommodate tires up to 2" wide. Equipped with easy 6 speed shimano index shifter. Good fit for people up to about 33-34 inseam (~6.1' tall?).

The bad:
paint job is unfinished around hinge bolt, only visible if you pay attention and I'm not too worried since it's aluminum
rear wheel seems slightly untrue and causes brake to squeak
25lb weight does not include fenders (which are not included)
although bike comes assembled it requires bolt tightening here and there
hinge adjustment bolt was loose and needed thread locking compound

For the price, it is pretty good. It weighs a respectable 25 pounds, the frame is strong, it feels steady and rolls well. The hinge seems strong, and the bike does not creak. The paint and the fittings look good. The brakes and shifting were fine straight out of the box and there really is no assembly required. The seat is comfortable to me, and it can tilt forward and backward. The folding pedals feel solid. Note that the front wheel has a quick release, but not the rear wheel. You do need to pump up the tires and they use a presta valve, not the usual Schrader valve (so order a presta adapter). The wheels and brakes are generic (but look decent) and the shifter, derailleur and freewheel are Shimano.

The gearing could be improved. It has a 14-28 freewheel in the rear which lacks a truly low gear for hills, nor does it have a really high gear for going fast. Sheldon Brown's famous gear calculator says the bike is capable of a speed range of about 6.2 to 12.4 mph... Read more