The layman can recognise a billiard artist by a small case. His own cue, his billiard cue, rests in two parts on velvet. He puts it together, concentrates and pockets the balls. Without his favourite cue, a real player feels pretty lost. It's similar for the racing cyclist; he's only happy pedalling on his own bike - but that only fits in suitcases that you can't just tuck under your arm.
But if the inventors of the folding racers have their way, road cyclists will no longer have to struggle across the country with bulky giant panniers. Folding racers solve many packing problems, but they also create new problems that only folding racers have. Perfect folding or riding - still an optimisation problem. TOUR took a closer look at five bikes.
All bikes in this test:
Airnimal Chameleon, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro, Dahon Helios XX Limited, Moulton AM 18, Ritchey Brake Away Bike
(Text: Jörg Spaniol)
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