For years, folding bikes have had a bad reputation, but these days, they’re much lighter in weight, and, with a little practice, they’re super easy to assemble and flatten. A good folding bike could change your life or, at the very least, make life a little easier.
And if you ride a mountain bike regularly, it makes sense to find a better way to store it or transport it when you need to get to a trail. Riding your bike for an hour or more to get to a trail is not always the best option because once you arrive, you might be too tired to enjoy it.
If you’re often in this situation, it’s a good idea to invest in the best folding mountain bike for your needs.
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What Are the Benefits of Folding Mountain Bikes?
Manufacturers have spent many years folding all types of bikes to see what works best. The past few years have seen some nice features being added to foldable mountain bikes.
If you like to practice on various routes or are too tired to ride your bike back an hour or more post-trail ride, you need a bike that folds.
Here are some of the benefits:
Easy Storage
One of the biggest advantages of folding bikes is that they easily fit in the trunk of a car. This is ideal when you need to take your foldable mountain bike to a new location.
In addition to being portable, a folding bike is also easier to store. You can put it in a closet, garage, or basement. If you live in an apartment or home that doesn’t have a lot of extra space, a folding mountain bike can be stored inside without taking up too much space.
It’s also perfect to bring to the office as it can be discreetly stored in a corner or even under your desk. Also, if you bring it inside, there’s less chance of your bike being stolen.
You Can Move the Bike Without Riding It
Another advantage of a folding mountain bike is that you can get it to a new place without having to ride it there.
Sometimes, bikes are too large to fit in a car and too heavy to carry long distances. A foldable bike is a great option if you need to travel or just want to take it on some fun trails with friends.
Convenience
Most people buy folding bikes for their convenience. If you do a daily commute to the office and need to be able to put your bike in a car on the way home or visit trails that are far away, and you can’t ride all the way there and back, then it’s more convenient to have a folding MTB.
What’s great is that it can go anywhere you go. It can even fit on subway cars, buses, and in the back of small vehicles. The best part about commuting to work on a bike is that you get to avoid sitting in traffic jams.
Once you make it to your destination, you can park it on a bike rack just as you would a normal bike or take it inside.
Common Misconceptions
While the benefits of a folding bike may seem obvious, there are some misconceptions about them that could put you off.
Here are some of the most common misconceptions:
They Break Easily
Many people believe that a bike isn’t meant to fold and that if you spend years folding them, they will eventually weaken and break. This isn’t true; many bikes are made to be folded and bent.
Because this is the way they are designed, the pieces that move when folded can move freely without getting damaged. This means you can fold it in half and it won’t affect its performance when you unfold it and are cycling on a trail.
Your bike is more likely to break when you try to take it apart for storage and then reassemble it. You could easily lose or damage a pedal, light, or bolt in the process.
You can save on repairs by choosing a bike made for portability.
They Are Expensive
In the past few years, bikes that can fold and fit in a car or be stored more easily have grown in popularity.
People who enjoy mountain biking want to be able to do it as much as possible, and when you have a bike that you can fold and put in your car, you can do so much more easily. They are very practical and affordable, and there are so many different models to fit your needs.
They are also affordable becausing cycling to work means you spend less money on gas; plus, you get to avoid the traffic in the process.
Even some of the best folding mountain bikes available are quite affordable.
Folding Damages the Motor
Some people think that an electric bike cannot be folded because they believe it can damage the motor. And the same goes for full-suspension folding bikes.
However, because these bikes are specially designed to fold, it won’t damage the motor or any other components.
Most folding bikes bend in the middle of the body, near the post of the seat. The body bends easily and there is no risk of damage to the motor.
They Are Slower
Performance is important with any type of bike, and many riders worry that even the best foldable bikes are too slow. However, portability doesn’t affect speed, and many models are light, fast, and easy to control. You’ll still have a great time on this bike.
They are a good option for people who do mountain bike racing, and you can easily turn at full speed and not have to worry about the bike folding up while you are riding.
Conclusion
In recent years, folding bikes have been greatly transformed from the clunky, heavy bikes they used to be. Nowadays, they’re lightweight and they fold up in seconds (although it does take some practice).
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a practical ride that’s convenient, portable, and fun, then a folding bike is an excellent choice.