Unfolding a commute solution Ann Maver's eco-epiphany (linked with permission from The Ventana, Magazine of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2008)
Wow – the Tikit you sent me is a very sweet bike! I had a chance to put it together once the kids were a sleep. So far I’ve had one nice, long ride on it – it feels a lot like my Pocket Rocket Pro The bike will definitely make commuting a little easier. - Chris La Palm, MN
As I posted to the Yak shortly after geting the bike, I like the ride. I ride a one hour / 26 km commute each way. I've done this eight or ten days now. There is no significant difference in ride time by comparison with any of my big wheel bikes. It's lighter in the steering than my other bikes, but quite manageable. It feels responsive. Steering is very stable at speed. I reckon I've pretty well got the fold down to the nominal fivesecond action. It's probably quicker for me to fold and bring the bike indoors at work than it was to lock it ... - Paul Webb, Australia
The Tikit is a very nice ride. I like my Brompton ride; what seemed at first "twitchy" compared to a full size bike, I now think of as manuverable & responsive. But the Tikit feels smoother. More like a full size. It is just better ... I didn't really understand the comments about Brompton brakes until that ride. I think the Brompton brakes are satisfactory. But the ones on the Tikit are waaay better: more powerful and easier to modulate as well.Weight seemed about the same. Folded size is definitely both smaller and more regular (i.e. "square" with no parts sticking out) on the Brompton, but it's not a huge difference ... - from a folding bike forum
[Thailand] Due to its light-weight, high pressure tyres and decent gearing, my tikit could climb those long hills with ease, outperforming even a brand new rental MTB that Chris rode. It flew down the hills swiftly and confidently too. But more impressive was its ability to handle off-road. I was surprised on a trip to the waterfall at how well the tikit took to the beaten tracks paved with stones, sand and the occasional mud. It was almost like using a Honda Civic to cross the Amazon jungle only to discover that this city car is actually a Hummer in disguise. My tikit also attempted a small river crossing! Once again, the tikit surpasses my expectations. What a fantastic piece of engineering this bicycle is. And of course when it was time to go home, a quick 10-minute job was all it took to pack it back into the Samsonite. - Alvin Lee (pictured), in Thailand
The fold on this bike is amazing. With a little practice (it took me about 5 tries to get the hang out of it) it folds down in a few seconds ... Once folded everything is secured nicely by a single latch and there are no traditional quick releases ... The fold protects the drivetrain (and keeps the greasy chain away packed away in the middle). More importantly it doesn't put the handlebars in the middle which makes converting to drop bars possible. This is not true of many folders by Downtube and Dahon - Alex Wetmore (see his full article in Review section)
... Upon my departure, I had to lift the tikit high over my head in order to avoid bumping other diners and I heard cries of disbelief (What's that? A bicycle?) from people at the restaurant. As I unfolded it and rode off, I'm sure they were wishing they had a bicycle as versatile as mine, instead of spending the rest of the evening waiting for a taxi ... - Rebecca Haldeman in Paris
tikitTM FAQ
Q: What size will fit me? A: Small fits riders 4'10" to 5'2", medium 5'3"to 6', large 5'9"-6'6". The Effective Top Tube is 50cm (small), 55cm (med), and 60cm (large). The Large is built with a slightly thicker tubing to handle the larger riders. Other than that, they are the same.
Q: Does the front rack come standard? A: The front rack and showercap (cover) are optional accessories. The fenders, brass bell, saddle and pedals come standard.
Q: Can you pull the Bike Friday TravelTrailer? A: Yes! Simply use the BF axel hitch and tow away ...
Q: How fast is the fold? A: 5 seconds flat (original model) or less with a little practice. No fiddly quick releases, latches or 12-step program to fold it. The new Model T with 'twiddly knob' takes about 10 seconds longer. Q: How small does it fold? A: The tikitTM folds into a 15"x24"x35" space - about the size of a small suitcase, or a trio of cases of beer/soy milk, whatever's your poison.
Q: How much does it weigh? A: No heavy lifting - it's 24 lbs, and you can push it along on its own wheels like a cart (or 'trolley' if you live outside the USA).
Q: Will it fit in the BF soft TravelBag too? A: Yes, it will fit in the Standard or Compact TravelBag nicely. This is good if you wish to cover it more completely or protect it more when transporting it.
Q: Can you roll it with the showercap cover on? A: At the time of writing, yes, but only if you have the front rack. The rack acts as a frame to hold the cover. Without the front rack you have to roll it uncovered, or carry it covered, for which there is a webbing handle on the main tube.
Q: How does it compare to other folding bikes? A: We believe it to be one of the fastest if not the fastest folder. It comes with more sizing options than any other folder. 'the famous Friday ride' refers to that fact you can ride it greater distances in comfort than most folding bikes, so can be used as a light tourer. It folds down smaller than any Bike Friday to date, but is not the absolute smallest fold on the market. Decide on your priorities in a folding bike, and choose accordingly. See the tikit On Trial experiment.
Q: Where is the serial number? A: The serial number is either on the stem folding plate, or under the bottom bracket, which is the newer location. If it's on the stem, you have to fold the stem down and look on the inside of the lower folding plate.
Q: Is there a lifetime warranty on the tikit frame? A: You bet!
Fred weighs in Our office mascot comments on recent developments
Need a tikit 2 ride? Contact Walter, Peter, Stephen, Bruno, Dave, or Ruthy at +1-541-687-0487 or (800) 777-0258 or find more specific contact information on the sales roster page
