Because of having smaller wheels and fewer gears, many perceived folded bikes to be slower than conventional mountain bikes. But exactly how fast can a folding bike go? Through this article, we will like you to learn that not every folding bike always comes slower than a mountain bike. So make sure you read thoroughly and put this as one of the lists on why you should get yourself a folding bike.
Average Speed of Folding Bike
Do you know that a cyclist’s speed limit depends on local regulations for speed limits? In Singapore, the maximum speed limit on footpaths is 10km/h or 6mph. But that’s not the top limit of a folding bike’s actual speed.
Most folding bikes with 16″ up to 20″ wheels can have around 10mph to 12mph, depending on the rider’s fitness level and ability to generate speed. An experienced cyclist can push the average rates of 14mph up to 16mph over a below 60 minutes short commute.
Although folding bike seems to be the type of vehicle people ride only for a nice city stroll or as a transport option for a short trip to a nearby coffee shop since it’s indeed typically designed to provide speed and maneuverability in city environments over short commute Still, it can match the speed of the larger road bikes.
There’s an opinion saying that the main cause of the slower pace of a folded bike comes from the size of its wheel. But in fact, physics theory proved that a smaller wheel caused a quicker acceleration but, of course, with the condition of a smooth surface to ride on (which is why we often see the folding bike around urban areas more).
In conclusion, when choosing between a folding bike vs a road bike in a city environment, a folding bike is undoubtedly a faster option than the latter.
Folding Bike Component Can Affect Your Speed
If you need more proof to convince yourself that a folding bike can perform just as fast as a road bike, then here are some considerations to look after when you plan to get a folding bike for yourself:
Size of The Wheel
We have mentioned above that the size of the wheel will affect the speed of a folding bike but not always in a negative way. A smaller wheel will accelerate the bike faster, especially in areas with more inclined hills.
For the fastest foldie with a smoother riding experience and will perform better for a longer commute, you can consider upgrading the wheel from 16″ to a 20″ wheeled folding bike.
Gear’s Range
Folding bikes have come a long way in design and performance these past years. Knowing that the range of teeth on the cassette is a crucial factor that will give the rider enough gear options to go fast, Polygon Urbano 5 comes with an 11-34 tooth cog with a 9-speed cassette primarily useful for racing.
Also, know that according to the RoadBikeView, the 9-Speed cassette—which is being used in manufacturing Polygon Urbano 5, will get the rider up the hill easily and as fast as the 10 speed.
Weight of The Bike
The extent of effort needed by a rider to keep the bike going is determined by the weight of a folding bike. The folding system of the folding bike itself tends to add more weight to the bike’s frame. And we all know that a heavier frame will affect the bike’s speed.
This is why the material used in manufacturing a folding bike will often be made of light material such as carbon fiber or aluminum, just like the material used in Polygon Urbano 5 2022. The lighter your bike is, the less you need to worry about the speed reduction occurrence.
The Tire Pressure
A bike tire functions as a wheel holder. By applying gas pressure to keep the wheel from bending and make it rotate properly. Because of the smaller size of its wheel, the air pressure of the tire needs to be kept high in order to reduce the rolling resistance.
You may notice your folding bike to be more sluggish and slightly harder to ride when ridden with lower tire pressure, and a header tier may result in a smoother guy faster ride experience.
Tips to Make Folding Bike Faster
Now, you might have questions such as “how to make my folding bike faster?”. Of course, every question has its answer, and we will be the ones delivering it to you! Here are some dos you can apply to your foldie to make it go faster:
Maintain Your Tire Pressure
Check your folding bike’s tire pressure before riding with them. Running at lower pressure will increase the rolling resistance, so you need to exert more power in pedaling to maintain a constant speed.
On the other hand, higher air pressure will enable the tire to roll faster and, of course, much smoother than in low pressure.
Choose Your Range of Gears
The size of the gears and the way both front and rear gears are combined will result in more efficient and steady power, thus guaranteeing a faster folding bike. More gears allow you to change the gear smoother because of the closing gap in between.
Maintain Your Bike
Make sure to clean your bike regularly, especially after riding it for a long run in the middle of a muddy area. You can also give your folding bike a routine cleaning by wiping it so you won’t go through a lot of hassle for having to do big cleaning once in a while.
To make sure your folding bike runs smoothly, you have to ensure that the chain is well lubricated. It will help you to max out the efficiency of your folding bike’s motors. Diligently maintaining your folding bike will also help you save much money for changing parts and workshop services. You can find lots of necessary bike maintenance materials at Rodalink.
Conclusion
Now to answer the question of whether foldable bikes are slower than an ordinary road bike or not, it will depend on the terrain you are used to riding your bike. Under the circumstances of flat and smooth surfaces like those in urban areas, a folding bike speed can match the road bike.
But for a long-distance trip with more extreme terrain such as rocky hills, we sure everyone knows who will be the winner of folding bike vs mountain bike speed. However, Polygon Urbano 5 still is designed to do pretty well for long distance touring.
According to Dr. Yan Lyansky in one of his article publications in 2017, Bikes that have big wheels are more absorbent to ensure the rider is comfortable, thus, more suitable for a long-distance trip. A folding bike efficiency comes with a more giant wheel of 20″ because they’re considered lovely and compact and appear great for a fast-speed ride.
Enough with the folding bike speed comparison between 16″ and 20″, a foldie with road bike, also a foldie with a mountain bike. Now it’s probably the time for you to make decisions on whether to get a foldie for yourself or not.
No matter what kind of decision you make, you can look to Rodalink Singapore to entrust your bike shopping experience. Why must Rodalink? Because you’ll find every product, you need starting from bicycle, components, accessories, and equipment that suits you most through Rodalink.
They also have a special best deal for you, such as getting free shipping with a minimum spend of $200 that applies to bikes accessories and spare parts purchase. You can also purchase your bike with buy now, pay later with the help of ShopBack, where it provides installment with zero Internet charges for using either debit or credit cards.
Register yourself to Rodalink today, pick your favorite foldie and get them delivered to your doorstep in the ready-to-ride form!
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