California based company, Mobiky, has release the world’s first foldable bike — the Genius. It supposedly took Mobiky 2 years of research and over $1 million in R&D to develop, so the least you can do is read this blog post.
The Mobiky Genius is a 3 speed city bike and can collapse into half its size in 2-3 seconds. The height is adjustable to fit almost any size person.
The Genius’s dimensions are 50″ x 18″ x 41″ and the bike collapses into 25″ x 12″ x 32″. That’s a great size for people like me who live in a small townhouse and would love to stash their bike in a closet.
Unfortunately, however, its 29 lb weight and not very impressive biking specs won’t win over any real biking enthusiasts. But for the casual biker who can afford the $999, its ability to store in your trunk or closet may just do the trick.
Oh and it looks nerdy.
Story via I4U
Also why not check out:
This bike does fold very fast, even faster than 3 seconds if you are used to it.
BUT it can’t handle rain. First you will get all dirty, mud all over your pants. Secondly this mud will get onto the middle bar, dry and completely block the folding mechanism. This makes it a completely useless bike because it rains here often.
I have got a Mobiky now. and it has turned out to be a fantastic buy. Previously I had just seen them being ridden so my comments were based on aesthetics alone. The bike sturdy, really well designed and very easy to use. I would recommend it as the best folding bike I have tried. The simple 3-speed gears make all the difference compared with gearless bikes like the Strida. For non-bike riders I guess anything looks “nerdy”, but this thing attracts a lot of positive attention from cyclists and non-cyclists alike. It is a ground breaking product that could revolutionise commuting for people who use a mix of public transport in city centres.
Anyone know anything about replacement tubes/tires for this bike?
Anyone know hoe it compares to a Dahon 8spfor $525? I’m only looking to go about 8 blocks from the train to the office. I have another bike for the fun stuff.
By the way, it’s a French design. The dealers in the USA/UK/etc. are just that: dealers.
Here’s a link to the headquarters:
http://www.mobiky.fr/
$699 on Amazon..doh, pressed £ instead of $…doh! Now you know what country I lve in so I’m not safe any more ;-)
What is this reviewer on about? Major errors in this “review” and no sign that he/she has actually used a Mobiky!! 1) there are dozens of folding bikes on the market. 2) the price is wrong…it is £699 on Amazon. 3) It doesn’t look at all nerdy…unless you haven’t seen the thing in the flesh. What is the point reviewing something you know nothing about and haven’t tried?
World’s first foldable bike? Not by a long shot. Sounds like they must’ve spent some of that million on crappy market research.