The trusty foldie for your weekend adventures
The Drive Foldable Bicycle is an entry-level foldie that is perfect for those looking for a more reliable ride than a regular rental bicycle. This lightweight bike folds down to a compact 86cm (L) x 33cm (W) x 63cm (H) that can fit easily into the boot of any car, and can also be brought onto public transport.
Specifications
This foldable bicycle is fitted with a Shimano 7 Speed Gear Set, that is located conveniently on the right handlebar. The controls are simple and easy to use, with the number dial indicating all 7 gears. Switching gears is a breeze and is accompanied by a reassuring click each time. This bike also uses a Shiming TZ Rear Derailleur along with front and rear disc brakes for accurate braking on tight corners and descents. The high strength carbon-aluminum frame is coated with high grade anti-rust paint in four attractive colour schemes – red, blue, yellow and black. Reflectors can also be found on the front, rear and wheel spokes, with ample space on the bicycle itself to fit your light of choice.
Experience of a Sunday Cyclist
I had the opportunity to bring this nifty bike out for a spin last weekend, and I was determined to push it to its limits. Starting from Pasir Ris, I brought the Drive Foldable Bicycle along various Park Connectors through to East Coast Park and looped back to Tampines via Katong-Kaki Bukit-Bedok Reservoir. In terms of comfort, I did have to take a few breaks, however this stemmed from the sheer distance more than any fault of the bike itself. I am about 165cm tall and I managed to find a good height for riding this bike. This foldie can accommodate riders from about 145cm to 185cm. As with any bike, one simply has to be mindful of one’s riding posture.
As I had to go through several suburban centres, I found myself dismounting quite often to pass through areas with heavy footfall. The design of the foldable, with its low frame, definitely made this much more convenient. The 20″ tyres and the rather small frame (145cm) made navigating through urban areas and crowded cycling lanes much easier.
In terms of speed, this foldie can definitely reach up to speeds of 25km/h on straights and flats, on gears 5 and 6, for more seasoned cyclists. For Sunday Cyclists like myself, I was struggling to maintain even 20km/h on gear 6. Lower gears are definitely more suited for leisure cyclists and you will be able to keep a comfortable pace on this foldie.
The folding process may also take some time to get used to, especially to remember to fold in the kick stand before folding the handlebar down, and so on. Though it is possible to wheel the foldie through public transport by folding only its body, the lack of a locking mechanism on the wheels makes it rather unstable (ie. it might open up on its own).
We hope this blog post has given you a clearer insight of the Drive Foldable Bicycle.
This blog was written by a member of the Drive Bikes team.