What is better a Full size folding bike or Small Wheeled folding bike?

Full size folding bikes are approximately half the size of a standard bicycle. They are allowed on most trains, and can fit on boats and RV’s easier. However they are just too big when compared to a small wheel folding bikes. Big wheel folders have an average size of 36"x36"x13"=16,848 in3, most small wheel folding bikes are around 32"x23"x12"=8,832 in3, this means you can fit nearly two 20" wheel folding bicycles in the space taken by one full size folding bike. Hence small wheels folding bikes make much more efficient use of space.

Small wheeled folders have other advantages over their bigger wheeled cousins. Smaller wheels are more efficient up until 16mph, hence bigger wheel bikes are harder to climb hills and slower on recreational rides.. Nowadays most bikes are of very good quality; hence buying a good bike is easy. So a shopper must make sure the bike fits their body properly. Most 20" wheel folding bikes are one size fits all from 4’8"-6’2". How is that possible? The seat tube on a 20" folder is angled back behind the bottom bracket; hence it increases the virtual top tube length as the seat post is raised (and decreased as it is lowered). The higher a rider lifts the seat post implies their inseam is longer, hence the top tube length is also increased (likewise a shorter rider will have a shorter virtual top tube length). Small wheel bikes really are one size fits all. Unfortunately big wheel folding bikes do not share this feature, since their seat tube lie on top of the bottom bracket. Hence you need to make sure the frame size (seat tube length) fits your body, otherwise you will find yourself crunched up or leaning to far forward.

Big wheel bikes have some advantages; they absorb more road shock to keep the rider comfortable. Additionally they are more efficient on rough terrain (unpaved roads or dirt trails ). They are also safer to ride on mountain bike trails. Small wheel bikes have a habit of rotating around large objects such as rocks, and throwing the rider off the bike.

Overall big wheel folding bikes are nice and compact, about half the size of a normal bike. However smaller wheel folding bikes are about half the size of the big wheeled folders, and that seems ideal for commuters, flying, boating, and RV’s. Two small wheeled folding bikes can fit into a standard car trunk, as opposed to one big wheeled folder. The small wheeled folders can fly on airlines with no oversize fees. They are also designed to be a one size fits all option so the entire family can enjoy one bike. Big wheel folding bike are more comfortable and safer on the rough stuff, however they cannot match the advantages of their 20" wheel little brothers. If you shop around you will find 80%+ of folding bikes have smaller wheels. Please shop around and decide for yourself.

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