| Birdy |
| Reviewed By: Mark Henley |
Rating: 4/5 |
Date: February 1, 2004 |
1184 out of 2034 people found this review helpful
|
|
| Folding bike reviews are really tough, for 2 reasons. Firstly, the choice of bike is tremendously dependent on the activity it is to be used for. Second, all folders represent a compromise at some level - specifically, are they to fold well or ride well? Generally, the better the ride, the worse the fold, and vice versa. The other 'problem' is that the benchmark for comparison for most folder reviews is the Brompton. It folds wonderfully, and rides reasonably well- for some people, some of the time. So, to the Birdy. I bought a Birdy Red, after my Brompton was stolen, thinking it would be interesting to see how it compared. I had been a little frustrated with the Brompton's lack of speed, and flexy handlebars. How was it? Ride- close your eyes and ride away. You think you are on a decent mountain bike, based on the handling and plushness of the suspension. Handling is sporty (which I like), and a lot more reassuring than the Brompton, particularly in faster corners. The front suspension definintely helps here, especially in the wet. Speed- great! Again, much quicker than the Brompton, due to frame stiffness, wider gear ratios, and more aerodynamic posture. The light weight doesn't hurt either. Pedal bob from the rear suspension is not at all bad (I'm 6'1 and 170 lbs), and variable elastomers are available to tune this. (A trick is to use a jubilee clip around the elastomer to prevent it flexing as much). You can even get out of the saddle and heave at the bars if needed- all nice and solid, with little flex. Folding- it isn't a Brompton. It's longer, wider, and a little taller. The fold is less convenient, and it doesn't do that cool Brompton trick of allowing you to swing the back wheel under and have the bike stand on it's own. In fact, even when folded fully it doesn't stand up on it's own very easily. All that said, the fold is pretty straightforward when you get the hang of it. You do need to put it in top gear, and hold the bike up by the main tube. Compared with other folders like the Dahons etc, it does fold more quickly, and more intuatively in my opinion. One aspect I did like was the catch to lock the rear triangle in place, allowing the bike to be picked up in one piece, over curbs etc. The Brompton sags in the middle when you do this -very disconcerting! Components- SRAM shifters and mech all worked fine. V brakes were powerful and, well, just worked. Braking is much better than the Brompton, and the suspension doesn't dive, which I was impressed with. Quick release wheels were nice to have too. Many, many accessories are available- I had the rear beam rack and the front carrier, both of which were functional and fine. I carried a weeks groceries in a messenger bag and front panniers, with no problems at all. Other accessories include a stand, carrying rucsac/bag, and a full rack, rather than the seatpost mounted version. I did find that the propstand on the rear axle seemed to inhibit the handlebar folding as far down as it might, but only by an inch or so. Overall build quality was really good - typically German, well thought out. What engineers tend to term 'well screwed together' I think. So, who buys a Birdy? Multi modal commuters, with more than 3-4 miles each end. Sportier riders who want a do-it-all machine, that will cope with some light touring, gentle off-roading, and still be easily portable, perhaps for around town or train transportation. In conclusion- the Birdy fills a niche for a proper folding bike that rides really well. If you want to do coast to coast in the USA, and must have a portable, the Birdy would cope, but a Bike Friday might be better. If you need to get on buses and trains very frequently, and are not concerned about speed or performance, a Brompton might be better. But, if you need a bike that does a bit of everything, and does it with minimal compromise, the Birdy may well be the bike for you. Happy Pedaling! Mark Henley February 04 |
| Did you find this review helpful? Yes <-> No |
|