Ted,
I've created some city bike concepts, including some that fold, and have also found that unless wheel diameters are in line with standard bikes (700c / 27" road & 26' mountain) there is a kind of "weird" or "geek" factor that makes marketing of the bike difficult to the general public. Of course there are BMX bikes with small wheels, and Dehon bikes with even smaller wheels, but these not general public niches.
Would be nice to see at least a pic of a folding 24" so we can see how it was done. (perhaps this might translate to a folding 27" or 26' bike for today).
Getting thin and fast again,
Bill Ungar
Torrance, CA
They were also sold in th US back in the '70's for sure, Gitane and Peugeot
had models they marketed and we tried to sell.
These models were great as far as I thought, but maybe way ahead of their
time but not in the minds of the general public.
I think the lack of appeal was in the fact that adults thought it a kids
bike, and kids wanted 20 stingray types, full size 10 speeds were the "in"
thing, and the 24" wheel just faded away.
Then mountain bikes came in and the public got off on a whole new off track
of what they needed but bought into this one with results as we now see,
some very good, others marginal at best.
Comments?
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
>
> Gang,
> On my recent trip to Poland, I saw LOADS of these wonderful looking
> folding/city bikes being ridden all over town and country. They were
> along the lines of a Raleigh Twenty or those Italian made folders (badged
> "Safari" "Barbarella" "Bianchi" etc.) with 20" wheels...but the bikes I
> saw all had 24" wheels. With the possible exception of a Peugeot here or
> there, I am not sure I have seen a bike like these state side. Can anyone
> confirm if they were ever popular elsewhere in Europe? Or are these some
> sort of relic from the other side of the iron curtain?
> Lastly, anybody know of a source for one or have one to get rid of?
> Agnieszka has fond memories of riding them as a kid and I plan to surprise
> her with a new addition to the stable...
>
> Matthew Bowne
> Brooklyn, New York
> (longing for the wind-swept dunes of Poland's coast)
>
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