BigFish Folding Bike Coming

by Larry Lagarde

I just received word that a BigFish folding bike will be on its way here in a few weeks for me to review.

BigFish is the new aluminum folding bike on the block. Hailing from Slovenia (the Central European nation on the Adriatic Sea just east of Italy), the BigFish has the geometry of a standard sized bike; yet, it has 20" wheels.

Interesting Folding Design
The bike folds down to 41" x 25" x 12" in 10 seconds via a unique process that keeps the main frame rigid, folding the front fork and rear sub frame instead. According to BigFish, this gives their folder the feel of a full size, non-folding bike and improves pedaling efficiency.

From what I saw at InterBike 2008, I believe the BigFish will live up to its claims but we'll have to wait until I have the opportunity to take it on the streets of New Orleans. If you want specs on the BigFish, here's all that I have for now:

Frame: Aluminum, unfoldable
Gearing Mechanism: Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal geared hub
Lights: front and rear battery light
Brakes: front V-brake, rear pedal brake
Folded Dimensions: 64 x 104 x 31,5 cm
Weight: 28 lbs (12,5 kg)
Wheel size: 16"
Colors: Black, Orange or Gold

By the way, the BigFish is not yet for sale in the USA. In Europe, the bike sells for 599 Euros (about $770).