Brompton Folding Bike

The Brompton folds into a package the size of a large briefcase in about 15 seconds. Carrying a full-sized bike onto a subway or into a coffee shop without inconveniencing anyone is exactly the kind of urban problem that good design solves. The folding mechanism uses the frame itself as hinge points. The front wheel tucks under the main tube while the rear triangle folds forward. Brompton has been making them in London since 1975. The basic geometry hasn't changed, which says more about the quality of the original design than any marketing claim could. At $1,500 the starting price is steep, but the bike lasts decades. Brompton will service any frame regardless of age.