f you have never tried a folding bike, you owe it to yourself to do so. There are a lot of advantages to folding bikes, most notably their small size. Folding bikes use about 1/3 the space (volume) as standard bikes. This allows you to carry two folding bikes in the trunk of a standard car. That means no money spent on a rear or roof mounted bike rack; and no hassle of getting your bikes on those racks. You can also take more than two bikes with you at a time. I have even taken four folders and four people inside a full sized SUV. When you use a standard bicycle and rack system you risk theft or damage by leaving your bike outside. I keep my bike in my car at all times, just in case I want or need it. Wouldn’t it be great to have your bike handy at anytime?
Additionally, multi-mode transportation becomes a reality. You can use a folding bicycle when you travel by boat, bus, or train. Try that with a full sized bike and you will be bitterly disappointed. In the fall 2016 I taught in Hawaii. Because lived far from the campus, I used the bus, and carried my folding bicycle with me. Once in town, I used the bike to do my shopping and run errands. Then I took the bus back home. It has been my experience that, while folding bicycles are allowed on most trains, full sized bikes are not. That can put a real damper on holiday plans.
Here is another example of the advantages of the small size of a folding bike. I flew with a folding bike as well. It went in the cargo hold, of course, but because it is light, I didn’t incur additional weight fees. After getting off the plane, I rode the bike to my final destination, brought it into the office with me for safe keeping, and then pedaled back to the airport that night. I saved time, money, and got in a great workout at the same time.