In my mad dash to adjust to PhD work, I have been looking for ways to streamline my schedule, cut my carbon footprint, avoid gas prices, and not get fat while entering as my profs say, “the life of the mind.” 

   I have seen a lot of folding bikes recently, but could never justify some of the huge price tags for a purely commuter bike.  I heard about citizen bikes from a friend, and was able to purchase one for $164, plus $30 for a carrying bag.  SWEET DEAL!

  Anyways, I have been incessantly mocked by people who live in my neighborhood, where few people bike for recreation, let alone commuting, but I am really okay with that.  Yes, the bike looks strange, & no, it is not as cool as a go bike, but they can continue to laugh while my butt gets smaller, and they pay for gas and swim in calories.

    I will be the first to admit, that as a piece of gear goes, this is the shoddiest thing I have ever owned.  For an outdoor nut like myself, this was a huge pride swallowing deal to begin with.  Yet, I had to get by the fact that this was just for a few miles to the train and the office, and was purely functional.

  I have had problems with the bike, but overall, I am very pleased with it. I have read other reviews that really attacked the components and etc, but you need to keep in mind that this particular folding bike is the equivalent of buying a mountain bike at walmart. After mountain biking, a folding bike will feel loose, and not as tight, but it gets the job done.

   I have really loved the bike primarily b/c it builds my workout into my day along with my commute (hooray! multi-task!), and t/o the week adds an additional 2 hours on the train where I can read for school instead of just sitting in my car.  

So, for those who keep asking, how exactly does that work? 

Basically, I bike or drive to the train station, fold up my bike onto the train, ride into 30th street, unfold it, and bike the last 2 miles to my office.  A medium size timbuk2 holds my laptop and clothes, with room to spare, so it has worked out well. 

 

 

  Pros:   cheap cost that fit my student budget (do you really need an $800 bike to go 2 or 3 miles?)

            fun colors to choose from

            web delivery straight to your door

           commuting essentials included like a bell & a back rack. (saying “on your left” gets really old)

           folds up very easily

           fenders, which are a must when doing city biking, it took me all of 3 days before I bonked something

           pushing my bike through a crowded station

           weighs 30 lbs, (less than my pre-schooler)

           it’s fun annoying people on the train who stare at it and want to ask how it works, but instead are gun

           shy and just look at my quizically.

Cons:

           It arrived poorly wrapped for shipping, got damaged, and I had to request a new one, which took an

          additional week and half.

          A lot of the screws needed to be tightened and the gears needed minor adjustment after 2 rides.

          While pedaling one day on VERY crowded market st., a screw was loose, and literally my pedal & crank

          fell off causing me to bite hard into the handle bars. (plus, very easy to fix)