IF Reach DC Folding Bike - First Ride

by Larry Lagarde

My compliments to Pacific Cycles on their IF Reach DC. This bike rocks!

UPS finally delivered my IF Reach DC at 6:30 pm this evening so I took it for a 6 mile spin.

Although the sun was setting and the battery pack was just partially charged, I was too excited to wait another day to try out the bike. I removed the IF Reach DC from the shipping carton and packing materials, slid the hot swapable battery pack into the holster, turned the key locking it in place and hit the road.

Once I was atop the Mississippi River levee trail, I pressed a button on the handlebars (switching on the motor) and began pedaling. With a slight whir, the motor came to life. The pedal-assisted boost was noticeable but not jarring.

The IF Reach DC has no throttle. There are 2 power levels (Medium for normal riding; High gives more torque for hill climbing). A speed limiter cuts the motor at a certain cadence, acting as a signal when to up shift. Using this method, I quickly moved through all 8 gears and found myself riding at 21 mph. Maintaining that speed required significant effort (as required by law, the motor turns off just below 20 mph) so I backed off to see what speed the motor would provide with minimal pedaling. The levee trail turns constantly to follow the river so the cruising speed varied from 16.8 to 19.5 mph dependent on the wind direction. That's pretty respectable for minimal pedaling.

Using the cool Integrated Folding system designed by Mark Sanders, the IF Reach DC folds easily, quickly and with precision. With the forked kickstand located just below the motor and bottom bracket, the bike rests folded on 4 points, making it the most stable folding electric bike yet. Magnets hold the front and rear wheels together so the bike can easily be rolled folded.

Like the Xootr Swift folding bicycle, the IF Reach DC folding bike has the geometry of a full size road bike; however, it folds down to about the size of a Dahon Mu. In fact, the IF Reach DC even weighs and costs about as much as a Dahon Mu with the Bionx aftermarket electric kit installed. The difference is, the IF Reach DC is a fully suspended folder with a performance pedigree that's factory built from the start as an electric. The motor is centered and as low as it can be (below the bottom bracket), giving the bike great balance and a lower center of gravity. Plus, the suspension system and folding mechanisms are tops. Very impressive.

I'm charging the bike's 24 volt/9 amp hr. Lithium Ion battery now in anticipation of a longer ride tomorrow. Based on this evening's ride, I think it's going to be a blast.

By the way, the IF Reach DC weighs 42 lbs with the battery; slide out the battery pack and the bike weighs 38 lbs. That's incredibly light for an electric.

BigFish Folding Bike FAQ

by Larry Lagarde

With the North American launch of the BigFish folding bike taking place in about a week, interest in this new, European folding bicycle is growing. To help answer these questions, I've posted the following FAQ. As I receive additional questions concerning the Bigfish bike, I'll post them here.

Q: What colors does the BigFish come in?
A: Black, Orange, Gold & Pink.

Q: Are the pedals plastic or simply painted black?
A: Black resin with rubber grips on pedal surface.

Q: Why does the BigFish weigh more than some other small wheel folders?
A: Ride geometry is one of the primary features that sets the Bigfish apart from most other folding bikes with 16" or 20" wheels. The Bigfish rides like a normal sized bike because the wheelbase, distance to the handlebars, etc. is the same as on a full size bike. Since most other folding bikes have shorter frames, they can feel cramped or less steady - not the Bigfish. Also, the Bigfish uses a drivetrain with the gears inside the rear wheel hub. Internal gear hubs are a little heavier than a gear system with exposed gears and a derailleur BUT internally geared hubs require far less maintenance and last much longer. Thus, a more comfortable ride, better longevity and less maintenance are worth the small weight gain.

Q: Is a rear rack available?
A: At the moment, Bigfish does not offer a rear carry rack. If you would like to have a rear rack for carrying light luggage, an aftermarket seat post rack like the Topeak Beam Rack MTX can work well. It attaches to the seat post via a quick release and is easy to remove when you need to. Please be careful using one, and keep in mind that the bike's maximum carry capacity (including luggage) is 242lbs. A heavier load may lead to accident and injury of the user or damage the bike.

Q: Is there a carry or storage case to put the bike in?
A: Not from Bigfish; however, I offer a custom carry case that works for the Bigfish. Made from cordura nylon, the soft carry case has an inner padded pocket to store the seatpost/saddle and a padded shoulder strap. When not in use, the carry case folds into an outer side pocket and attaches to the handlebars or the back of the saddle: Price: $39.

Q: Is there a shopping bag for the bike?a carrying case available?
A: Yes. It's called the Klickfix Mini Shopper bag but Bigfish isn't stocking them yet in the USA. The bag and attachment adapter are @ 57 Euros (currently @ $80 USD) and shipping is additional. You'll need to email BigFish to order this. An alternative would be to mount an aftermarket basket to the handlebars or handlebar stem.

Q: Are the front brakes necessary or is the coaster break sufficient; if so, can the front brakes be removed?
A: Coaster brakes provides ample stopping power & could do the job alone (many beach cruiser bikes only have coaster brakes). Naturally, if you wanted to remove the front brakes, this is easy enough. Unbolt the front brake lever from the handlebars, unscrew the cable from the front caliper assembly and remove the caliper assembly from the front fork.

Q: Would you characterize the BigFish as expensive?
A: Not by a long shot. In fact, for a bike made in Europe, the price is surprisingly reasonable. There are cheaper folding bikes but these are made in mainland China and none fold as narrowly as the BigFish or roll easily when folded.

Q: What's the warranty?
A: 2 years. The warranty covers problems in the material, the workmanship of frame and all mounted parts not subjected to wear-and-tear.

Q: Is the BigFish a brand new bike or is there a quality track record for the bike?
A: BigFish launched in 2008. Management team is small but dedicated. Bike is produced under contract by large Italian bike company. Design is fairly simple so there's little to go wrong.

Q: How long will the bike be available at the promotional $549 price?
A: That's up to BigFish. Chances are the promotion will end once Bigfish begins receiving mainstream press coverage in the USA. Given my experiences riding the test bike 7 months and the support I've received from BigFish, I doubt that will take very long. It's a good product.

Q: How does the BigFish ride?
A: Very stable. See the video I shot riding the BigFish on the Mississippi River levee; the entire time, I was holding the camera in one hand and steering with the other... http://ridethisbike.com/2009/05/bigfish-on-levee.html

In comparison to other folding bikes, the BigFish cruises slower than a CarryMe DS, DownTube Mini, Strida SX or Zootr but faster than a CarryAll, Dahon 1 spd, Kent trike and a variety of 6 speeds (like the Kent Compact). I'd rate the ride as similar to a Giatex and more comfortable than an unsuspended Mobiky or run of the mill Dahon. Unlike other small wheel folders with long, adjustable height handlebar stems (some Dahon, DownTube Mini, Mobiky), there is no handlebar flex. Turning radius is wider than a CarryMe, E-Z Pack or Mobiky but equal to other bikes w/16" wheels. The full alloy fenders are great if you're caught in the rain. Folded, the BigFish touches the ground at 4 points, making it the least likely to fall over & get scratched of any other bike (be it folding or non) out there.

Q: What's the folding/unfolding process like?
A: Initially, folding/unfolding the BigFish can be confusing so it's best to watch a video (like this one) first. Once a rider gets the folding sequence down (about the 2nd to 3rd time trying), it becomes easy to fold/unfold the bike in less than 10 seconds (translation: folding process deters opportunistic bike thieves & amazes bystanders).

$1100 For A Mobiky?

by Larry Lagarde

The future of the Mobiky Genius is uncertain.

NOBODY has any in stock in the USA and the US distributor now redirects their website to the site of Mobiky's home office in France. What's going on???

Price.

The 12" Mobiky is still being built in France. In fact, the factory recently wrote me that they will be rolling out a 16" version and an electric version within a couple of months. Problem is, it is not currently possible to sell new Mobiky's from France for $699.

Due to the high cost of producing the Mobiky in France, the 12" Mobiky Genius (w/3 spd Sturmey Archer) is now selling in Europe at 789 Euros. Given the current value of the dollar versus the Euro, that's about $1100, pricing the Mobiky similarly to an entry level Brompton. Unfortunately, Mobiky does not have the same fame or following as the Brompton. Additionally, a crop of innovative folding bikes in the same niche (BigFish, CarryMe, Giatex, Strida LT) is coming of age, giving consumers more choices for less cost. And with the emergence of the highly superior Integrated Folding (IF) series of bikes from Pacific Cycles (see this brief video), Mobiky is being squeezed from both sides.

Despite it's higher than average weight and limitation to 3 speeds, I like the 12" Mobiky. I'm sure Mobiky has considered reducing production costs by building their bike in Asia but the design requires lots of special parts machined to a high standard - not mainland China's specialty (Brompton tried this several years ago with disastrous results).

Given that the ultra fast folding, fully suspended 18 spd IF Reach sells for $1700 and that 2 other new bikes that roll when folded will be available this month for less than $600 (3 spd, $549 BigFish & 3 spd $599 Giatex), Mobiky is facing some significant challenges. Hopefully, they will see their way through but $1100 is just too steep for most people, especially during a recession.

09 Giatex Folding Bike Here Soon

by Larry Lagarde

You heard it here first. The Giatex is returning to the USA. The 1st shipment arrives in mid July.

Mind you. Only 1 model will initially be available but it's a beauty.

The Giatex was the first brand of folding bike that I reviewed and came to feature on RideTHISbike.com. What sold me on the Giatex was that the frame did not fold.

Instead, the top tube was sleeved so the frame could expand out or contract in, allowing the Giatex to become compact for storage or transport yet still be rolled when "folded". But there is an even bigger benefit.

Since the top tube adjusts in or out, the frame can be sized specifically to the needs of the rider. Thus, one bike can be shared by young and old, short and tall. There's even room in the top tube to store a bike pump.

The Giatex will arrive here in mid July. It will have an aluminum alloy and stainless steel frame and will be outfitted with the dependable and efficient Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal hub, 16" wheels, folding pedals and fenders (more specs to come). The bike has a low stand over height so it is easy to get on or off. Pricing on this 25 lb alloy folding bike is $699 but there will be an introductory offer of just $599.

What an exciting month July is turning out to be!

Status - Electric IF Reach

by Larry Lagarde

Well, the Electric IF Reach folding bicycle is almost here.

My IF Reach DC folding bike has been up in Cincinnati at the distributor's headquarters for about 2 weeks now. Since this was the first one in America, the distributor asked if they could have some time with the bike before sending it down here to New Orleans. They were only supposed to have it 2 days but their chief was out on vacation and he wanted to try it. Anyhow, when I spoke with them this morning, they were boxing up the bike for the courier.

The reports from Cincinnati are that the bike will cruise at @ 18 mph with minimal pedaling (it's pedal assist so you do have to pedal some). At 18+ mph, they rode 20 miles at a pop with plenty of juice left in the battery pack. Cool.

Once I get the bike, I'm hitting the Bill Keller levee trail along the Mississippi River for an out and back. It's about a 40 mile run so that should be a good initial test. When time allows, I'll take Amtrak up to Hattiesburg for an out and back on the Long Leaf Trace. The whole loop is 82 miles so that should tell me a lot about the IF Reach DC's capabilities.

Just 6 Strida SX Left

by Larry Lagarde

If you're considering purchasing a Strida folding bike, the creme of the crop is the Strida SX.

Matt black in color and dressed out with a Brooks style leather saddle (w/chrome springs) leather grips and narrow, low rolling resistance tires, this is a hip ride with options that are unavailable on the Strida 5.0 folding bicycle. Add to these features the curved handlebars, larger rims and kickstand and you have the most comfortable and fastest Strida folder around.

And I have the last 6...

That's right. It seems that Ming (the company that makes the Strida bike) is busy cranking out Strida 5.0's for the moment and more Strida SX models will not be available for months. So if you want the nicest Strida yet made, the time to buy is now.