After all the talk of the very excellent Brompton, I realised that I'd never written about my own folding bike. As fate would have it, I ended up with the Mobiky Genius.
I don't use it that much here in Copenhagen but it's nice to have. A French design that has won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2007, the bicycle is a treat when considering folding ability, riding experience and storage. Plus, I love the aesthetic look of the bike. It is a fine example of Bicycles As Interior Design Objects. Not that it's in the flat all the time. That would be geeky. It's in the cellar.
I only use it for two reasons. The first is fetching a car from the car share programme we subscribe to. As a rule there are cars at the spots around the corner but if it's busy and I have to travel a bit farther to pick up a car, I'll take the Mobiky.
I have also taken it on trips to other European cities on business. Berlin was a breeze. Bus from Tegel airport to Zoo Station and then hop onto the bike for the rest of the day. It only weighs 13.5 kg so into the bag with it and check it in for the flight.
We've taken it out for bike rides and it's great that both me, Wifealiciousness and the boy Felix can use it. Felix can unfold it in 25 seconds. We timed it. Boys like stuff like that.
Despite the small tyres, it rides completely and utterly like any other bicycle. There are two chains to assist this function.
I like the detail that you can fold it up and leave the handlebars up so you can just roll it along with ease if you need to, instead of having to carry it all the time.
Here's a film from Mobiky about the bicycle in use in the urban environment.
To be honest, the Mobiky Genius is the only folding bike that I've seen that can compete with the Brompton for elegance, aesthetic design and comfortable riding.
58 comments:
It's an amazing little bike. Those wheels look far too small, but the guy in the video rides it with no hands at the station, so it must be quite stable!
The weight surprises me a little, it looks smaller/lighter...
(By the way, I would't ride while wearing those earphones...)
you're right. I wouldn't ride it wearing those earphones either.
my earphones are much better than those ones.
Are you sure about the 20kg weight?
Sounds rather heavy. Typo?
My tandem weighs 18kg. My Brompton only weighs 11kg.
total brain fart. sorry. 13.5 kg. thanks for pointing it out.
I'd have to submit the Bike Friday Tikit against the Mobiky and a Brommy. (http://community.bikefriday.com/tikit)
The ride is no different than a regular bike. The key is that it folds with just a few motions, in under 5 seconds; the same to open it back up.
When I tell people that the small wheels roll just fine, I wonder if they believe me. I usually say paved roads are fine but gravel slows me down.
What's your take, do they believe you or are they just being polite?
http://asset.soup.io/asset/0408/2086_6ff4_500.jpeg
the biker's torment.
What about Strida? Next to Brompton, it's also a very well designed bike.
TC
http://AbioBikes.com
There is one other English make Mezzo they are very light and great to ride http://www.mezzobikes.com/
Check out this folding bike - that actually looks like a "normal" bike. Love innovation!
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Student-Invents-Bicycle-Which-Folds-Into-26-Inch-Wheel-Circumference-For-James-Dyson-Prize/Article/200908115353249?lpos=UK_News_Article_Body_Copy_Region_0
It looks great, though scary that it is heavier than a brompton.
Would you be prepared to do longer distances on it (a few miles?) or is it strictly a short distance bike.
how the weight is 'scary' i don't understand but sure, i've ridden it a couple of times on a round trip of 20 km. no problem. at the end of the day it's just a bike and one can ride any bike 20 km without a problem.
if you think about the bikes that people rode in the first half of the last century, over long distances, a bike like this is a piece of cake.
I bought a Mobiky last summer and love it. I looked at other folding bikes, including the doubly expensive (in Canada) Brompton. I was lucky with the price because it was the last one so I got it for 30% off list. The Mobiky is so easy to fold/unfold and conveniently easy to roll along when it is folded by keeping the handle bar stem unfolded. It is also really easy to ride along at a walking pace to do window shopping like a pedestrian. The size of tire is small enough to allow the Mobiky to be ridden on the sidewalk here. It is really convenient to put into a car's trunk (Subaru Impreza wagon). I have never had to lock it up, offices and stores let me wheel it in because its so small and unique (everyone wants to look at it). When I ride it around I get a lot of attention, all positive. It only has three gears and very small wheels but it does perform like a 3-speed with tires twice as big because of the double sprocket double chain arrangement at the crank. The only concern I have is for parts because I am in Canada and there's no disributor here but the bike shop gave me a two year comprehensive money back warranty if they can't get parts and/or fix it. Because I am a "tinkerer", I am looking into how I can increase the gearing from 3-speed to be able to tackle steeper inclines which are a bit of an effort with only 3 speeds.
I bought a Mobiky last summer and love it. I looked at other folding bikes, including the doubly expensive (in Canada) Brompton. I was lucky with the price because it was the last one so I got it for 30% off list. The Mobiky is so easy to fold/unfold and conveniently easy to roll along when it is folded by keeping the handle bar stem unfolded. It is also really easy to ride along at a walking pace to do window shopping like a pedestrian. The size of tire is small enough to allow the Mobiky to be ridden on the sidewalk here. It is really convenient to put into a car's trunk (Subaru Impreza wagon). I have never had to lock it up, offices and stores let me wheel it in because its so small and unique (everyone wants to look at it). When I ride it around I get a lot of attention, all positive. It only has three gears and very small wheels but it does perform like a 3-speed with tires twice as big because of the double sprocket double chain arrangement at the crank. The only concern I have is for parts because I am in Canada and there's no disributor here but the bike shop gave me a two year comprehensive money back warranty if they can't get parts and/or fix it. Because I am a "tinkerer", I am looking into how I can increase the gearing from 3-speed to be able to tackle steeper inclines which are a bit of an effort with only 3 speeds.
thanks for helping host the alleycat! Andy, #6749
Still no idea what French has to do with it... Cool site though #2846
Oh my...what a clue! #5635
I don't quite understand the connection, but I found it! #3313
thanks again! this was a fun alleycat - Andy, #6749
Ian Prust
#9475
goathens # 7561
man, this was TOUGH
1065 man that was rough
Why do I feel like I'm in the wrong place? Can I be? I mean there's yehuda's face right there! #7804
#5290 I WIN!
Thanks! no. 2277
aaron 8363 this had better be it
Yikes. Took me forever to figure.
#812
#9501
#1656 checking in.
Nice. Spent a while looking for this.
Badda Skat #6233
checking in...
Iwakura
#772
#2913
Should I leave a comment here too?
mrben #3089
#892
As normal I was overthinking this.
Maybe something about coffee and laundry would have been a better riddle.
Still don't get the U2 thing and none of the searches i did pulled this up.
Way to hide a checkpoint...
Glenn Girtman , #6163
That was friggin' hard.
#4776
#3215 Finally found the check point..
Nice.... sneaky, but nice.
Rudi Riet, #2975
Finally!
Blue Fish #5080
I suppose my virtual alleycat number goes here. #4911. Sean
thgir si ooz
http://is.gd/ijyAp
help me
fix my flat some day
#8315
Thanks for tour through Zooropa.
It was hard to find
Ludgero #7678
7920. Yup Djjazzynick.
oh that was not easy...
yiiiiiikes.
#9921 / JWM
backhander to edith piaf ->should have gone with my first thought-instead spent 12 hours thinking about it on and off.too straightforward typically danish:>>
kerry#3686
Bromptons are more my thing ;-)
Cheers,
BykMor, #5113
This is taking too long. Good thing I;m determined.
Ben #9356
michael, 8774
Andrew #3481
Andrew #3481
This is much harder than I thought it would be. But thanks for linking to this site, which I haven't visited for a while.
Ruth Turner = #6691
And I'm off, ZOOm, ZOOming out of here! (But I'll be beack to browse another day - thanks for being a checkpoint in the race).
#6386
this wasn't as hard as the anagram.
but it was nice and interesting
John #7947
hackin5hit.com
dfl here i come!
kowenn #3784
conjob, #5853
i wouldn't have figured this out in a million years if i hadn't started googling everything i could think of.
"To be honest, the Mobiky Genius is the only folding bike that I've seen that can compete with the Brompton for elegance, aesthetic design and comfortable riding."
Hi Michael - try out the Montague Boston, it is a very nice alternative to the Brompton and Mobiky AND it has fullsize wheels which is a great thing when You are riding long distances :-)
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