Unfolding commuter convenience (lightweight folding bike)

[jpak]

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=15050&sid=1&layout=Default

During a recent visit to Eugene, Bobbi Kamil, of California’s Monterey Bay area, attracted a small audience at the Starbucks near the University of Oregon campus.

The 64-year-old retired educator wheeled up to the coffee house on her bike, and — in about 15 seconds — folded it into a compact, 25-pound package that could be stowed easily beside one of the tables.

She’s a proud and happy owner of a “tikit,” the latest creation of Bike Friday, a manufacturer in west Eugene that says it has designed the fastest-folding bike in the world. The company says it can be folded in five seconds.

Bike Friday unveiled its newest model in February, and has since made 500 of them, said marketing manager Hanna Scholz. She is the daughter of Alan Scholz, who founded the company 16 years ago with his brother, Hanz.

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[gateley]

1. This is a REAL solution to the hassles of biking to work. Of course it doesn't

address the problem of my having a heart attack if I attempted it.

Kudos to Bike Fiday!! :headbang:

[acmavm]

3. I wouldn't get a block.

[tandot]

2. I know a couple of people who own tikit bikes and drive around

our campus with it.

They are really easy to fold up and put into the trunk of your car.

[MADem]

4. That price is just bullshit, though. They gotta bring that bad boy DOWN

But sensing that the broader market is finally ready to accept fold-up bicycles as one antidote to global warming and rising obesity rates, Bike Friday hopes that its tikit, which retails for $1,195 — compared with an average cost of about $400 for folding bikes — will turn more people into bike commuters.

[jpak]

6. Economies of scale - they appear to be hand made (only 500 built so far)

Mass production would bring the price way down...

[MADem]

7. It needs to -- that's a chunk of change for a working family.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

5. Folding bikes are cool......n/m