What the motorised boat offers in terms of freedom on the water, the folding bike should make possible on land when it comes to comfortably exploring the area or getting to the nearest supermarket. The bikes for on-board use are always a compromise between a small pack size and the resulting poor riding characteristics.
One of the main problems in this context is the small wheels, which means that you have to pedal in top gear to get around reasonably quickly. This is where the electric drive, which is now also available on many folding bikes thanks to compact lithium batteries, should help. This means that even hilly terrain or - not uncommon on the coast - strong headwinds no longer stand in the way of a bike tour. The only disadvantage of the e-drive is that it makes the bikes, which are designed by the manufacturers to be as space- and weight-saving as possible, larger and heavier. We looked at six current e-folding bikes and also included two bikes without an e-drive in the test field.
Six electric cars plus two
The six models with electric drive are divided into a group of compact bikes, formed by Ahooga Power+, Brompton Electric and the GermanXia Carbon eFold 9G, as well as a group of slightly larger models GermanXia Light CF 3G, NCM London and the Tern Vectron Q9. The seventh bike was the Ahooga Comfort+ from Trankvile, but it is so similar to the Power+ from Voss Spezialrad that we have not included it in the list. The equipment is different, but the good riding characteristics are the same. However, due to the smaller battery, a shorter range is to be expected with the Comfort+, and the brakes were not of the same high quality.
That works
You can ride them all - but how much fun the bikes are in practice depends on many small details. Important: handling when folding, pack size and drive control
The Tern BYB P8, a new model without an electric motor, is also included as a reference. The Kwiggle is the exotic model in the test field; according to the manufacturer, it is the most compact folding bike in the world and fits easily into hand luggage. And it weighs just ten kilograms.
This is how we tested
Firstly, all the data was collected. Wheelbase, handlebar and saddle height, weight and more can be seen in the table. The practical testing took place on a specially selected test route of around three kilometres. A variety of surfaces were represented, including a tarmac cycle path, a dirt track and a gravel track as well as sections of meadow and forest floor. By riding the circuit with several testers, a meaningful picture of the riding characteristics emerged.
Particular attention was paid to e-assistance, which also meant that each wheel was moved using only muscle power, even without additional drive, in order to assess the difference. Most models had five or six speed levels that regulated the motor power. As soon as the pedals are moved, the motor then pushes up to a defined speed, depending on the speed level. In most cases, the range was between 15 and 25 kilometres per hour. The Vectron from Tern is an exception. The Bosch drive integrated into the bottom bracket also has a different control system. Whereas other models only measure whether the pedals are being moved, the Bosch control system also monitors the pedalling frequency and adjusts the motor torque accordingly. As the drive also sits in front of the derailleur, the control system intervenes almost imperceptibly, but pushes effectively.
Under juice
The electric motor needs to be supplied with power - so where to put the battery? The batteries are positioned differently depending on the model and manufacturer
The measured value "Unfolding" in the table refers to the gear ratio. It measures how far the bike travels in the lowest and highest gear with one revolution of the crank. Due to the small wheels, the value for folding bikes is rather low, which means that it is usually not possible to ride very fast with an average cadence. As mentioned, this problem is compensated for by the electric drive, one of the major advantages of e-folding bikes. This also makes it easy to ride fast.
How many kilometres?
The range is stated very differently by the manufacturers, with values around or well over 50 kilometres depending on the size of the battery. We have not checked these values because it is not possible to measure them reliably. It is not only the terrain and possible headwinds that determine how long the battery lasts, but also how hard you pedal. With most models, it is simply enough to turn the pedals slowly and without force so that the motor pushes hard. Riding in this way is almost effortless, but the battery will not last as long. If you pedal hard and the drive is only used for a little extra speed or as support on inclines, the range is likely to exceed the manufacturer's specification.
Good and bad details
The test revealed many good and customised solutions. Thanks to the folding mechanism, the Ahooga and the Brompton, for example, can be parked very practically by folding the rear wheel. When it comes to lighting, most manufacturers rely on the battery that is already on the bike anyway; on the Carbon eFold, the rear light is even integrated into the rear-mounted battery. The Tern came with a lot of (optional) equipment such as a protective cover against rain and a bag on the handlebars. Good idea with poor implementation: The mudguards on the Ahooga are rolled up like snails and are extended for use; however, a slightly larger bump causes them to roll up again in a flash.
The candidates:
- Ahooga Power +
- Brompton Electric
- Germanxia Light CF 3G
- Leon Cycle London
- Tern Vectron Q9
- Kwiggle Bike
- Tern BYB P8
We also didn't like the drive on the Brompton: when riding normally without e-assistance or when pushing, it makes quite loud noises, and it also feels like you're riding against resistance - which is bad when the battery is empty. In general, the front-wheel drive proved to be less comfortable than a rear-wheel drive. They can lose grip on sand in bends or on steep inclines. The folding mechanisms differ greatly in some cases, with the larger models such as the London, Vectron and Light CF simply being folded once in the centre, handlebars folded down and you're done.
Brompton and Ahooga swing the rear triangle forwards at the bottom, with the front part of the Brompton frame also being folded in. With the Ahooga, the only way to save packing space is to remove the front wheel. Sliding down the seat post secures the folded rear wheel; if you don't know this, you will need a lot of time to unfold it. Nevertheless, folding was only assessed on the basis of the pack size. Once you have familiarised yourself with the folding mechanism, it works very quickly and easily on all models. Whether it takes 20 seconds more or less in the end is rather unimportant. The Kwiggle undergoes the most impressive transformation, as it can be folded extremely small and is still ready to go in two easy steps.
Spoilt for choice
The Brompton is ahead in terms of dimensions, but the pack size of the Ahooga is only slightly larger, while its handling characteristics are significantly better and on a par with the Carbon eFold from GermanXia. On longer boats there is room for the larger models; here the Vectron is the winner in terms of handling characteristics. However, the Light CF and the London also offer a high level of comfort, with the latter being the clear price-performance tip.
Market overview
There are other new folding bikes, but they were not available for the test
The pandemic has triggered a veritable boom in some sectors, including bicycles and pedelecs. Many dealers were simply unable to supply any more bikes for our test. The overview shows models that can also be considered as on-board bikes.
If pack size is the most important factor in the selection process, then the Kwiggle is the favourite. However, it takes a little getting used to the very special riding characteristics.
Doing without the electric drive may cost comfort, but it also saves a lot of money. And doubly so: after all, two wheels are usually required on board a boat. At least if you want to go on tour together.
