Portable bicycle
Encyclopedia
A portable bicycle is a bicycle
that has been designed to be small and light enough for easy carrying. It is usually dismantled to make a convenient bundle and the frame often has a folding action
to facilitate this. The design of a portable bicycle involves a trade-off between easy of carrying and ease of riding.
s. The pioneering inventor, W. H. J. Grout
of Stoke Newington
, invented a portable version in which the large front wheel could be dismantled into four pieces so that they would fit into a carrying bag.
In the 1890s, Captain Gérard of the 87th Regiment of French Infantry was an advocate of bicycles for military use. To enable his troops to operate in rough terrain, he devised a bicycle which could be folded in two and carried on the soldiers' backs; the weight was "between 22 and 26¼ lbs" (10–12 kg). The first time the Gérard portable bicycle was used, it "gave complete satisfaction and justified all expectations". The bicycles were manufactured by Charles Morel who commercialised the type.
In 1919, Charles Haskell Clark of New York City
filed a patent (granted in 1921) (patent US1381281) for a portable bicycle that was easy to carry onto trains or street cars. Additional advantages of small wheels, described in the patent, were the reduced interference with skirts and the ability to dodge in and out among the crowd. The December 1919 issue of Scientific American
had an article describing Mr. Clark's "city bicycle".
market (China
, Japan
, Korea
, Taiwan
, ...) can be designed for riders lighter than 80 kg and shorter than 174 cm. Northern Europe
and America
require designs for riders up to 120 kg and 200 cm. City roads are generally smoother in Asian cities, but the bicycle has to be able to ride in crowded city sidewalks. Many European city streets are paved with cobblestone
, so portable bicycles marketed in Europe need to cope with such a pavement. The smaller the diameter of a bicycle wheel
, the higher the rolling friction and the rougher the ride, which is a challenge for portable bicycles as well as for kick scooter
s. New technological solutions are being studied to offer the same rolling friction at smaller wheel diameters.
s, medium-size bicycles that fold well and are the world's most numerous built on a single design. A bicycle easier to carry than the Brompton C3 can be considered portable.
Many portable bicycles weigh below 6 kg and fold in less than 20 seconds. Above these figures the risk is that the bicycle is too heavy for easy carrying, or takes an inconveniently long time to fold. Folding and unfolding has to be easier than is needed for ordinary full-size folding bicycles, because portable bicycles are used for shorter trips than full-size folding bikes.
Bicycles can contribute to reduce fossil fuel
emissions
by shortening or eliminating car trips, and by extending the reach of public transportation as part of a mixed-mode commute
. Portable bicycles often can be used also by children and so can be kept for a lifetime.
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
that has been designed to be small and light enough for easy carrying. It is usually dismantled to make a convenient bundle and the frame often has a folding action
Folding bicycle
A folding bicycle is a bicycle designed to fold into a compact form, facilitating transport and storage. When folded, the bikes can be more easily carried into buildings and workplaces or onto public transportation or more easily stored in compact living quarters or aboard a car, boat or plane...
to facilitate this. The design of a portable bicycle involves a trade-off between easy of carrying and ease of riding.
History
The first popular bicycles were the large penny-farthingPenny-farthing
Penny-farthing, high wheel, high wheeler, and ordinary are all terms used to describe a type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel that was popular after the boneshaker, until the development of the safety bicycle, in the 1880s...
s. The pioneering inventor, W. H. J. Grout
W. H. J. Grout
William Henry James Grout was a pioneering inventor and manufacturer of bicycles. He patented the Grout Tension Bicycle in 1870 which introduced several innovations including hollow forks to save weight, rubber tyres for a better ride and adjustable spokes which could be tensioned to align the...
of Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
, invented a portable version in which the large front wheel could be dismantled into four pieces so that they would fit into a carrying bag.
In the 1890s, Captain Gérard of the 87th Regiment of French Infantry was an advocate of bicycles for military use. To enable his troops to operate in rough terrain, he devised a bicycle which could be folded in two and carried on the soldiers' backs; the weight was "between 22 and 26¼ lbs" (10–12 kg). The first time the Gérard portable bicycle was used, it "gave complete satisfaction and justified all expectations". The bicycles were manufactured by Charles Morel who commercialised the type.
In 1919, Charles Haskell Clark of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
filed a patent (granted in 1921) (patent US1381281) for a portable bicycle that was easy to carry onto trains or street cars. Additional advantages of small wheels, described in the patent, were the reduced interference with skirts and the ability to dodge in and out among the crowd. The December 1919 issue of Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
had an article describing Mr. Clark's "city bicycle".
Riding performance
The riding performance of portable bicycles is challenged by the need to make the bike as small and as light as possible. Rider body weight and size, and road conditions have a strong impact on design and on performance. Typically, portable bicycles intended for the East AsiaEast Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
market (China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, ...) can be designed for riders lighter than 80 kg and shorter than 174 cm. Northern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
require designs for riders up to 120 kg and 200 cm. City roads are generally smoother in Asian cities, but the bicycle has to be able to ride in crowded city sidewalks. Many European city streets are paved with cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
, so portable bicycles marketed in Europe need to cope with such a pavement. The smaller the diameter of a bicycle wheel
Bicycle wheel
A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels....
, the higher the rolling friction and the rougher the ride, which is a challenge for portable bicycles as well as for kick scooter
Kick scooter
A kick scooter or push scooter, originally scooter, is a human-powered vehicle with a handlebar, deck and wheels that is propelled by a rider pushing off the ground. The most common scooters today have two hard small wheels, are made primarily of aluminium and fold for convenience...
s. New technological solutions are being studied to offer the same rolling friction at smaller wheel diameters.
Carrying and folding
The point at which a folding bicycle can be considered a portable bicycle is not precisely defined, and depends on the user. A benchmark for portability are the Brompton BicycleBrompton Bicycle
Brompton Bicycle is a manufacturer of folding bicycles based in Brentford, London.The Brompton folding bicycle and accessories are the company's core product, noted for its self-supporting compact size when stored. All available models of the folding bicycle are based on the same hinged bicycle...
s, medium-size bicycles that fold well and are the world's most numerous built on a single design. A bicycle easier to carry than the Brompton C3 can be considered portable.
Many portable bicycles weigh below 6 kg and fold in less than 20 seconds. Above these figures the risk is that the bicycle is too heavy for easy carrying, or takes an inconveniently long time to fold. Folding and unfolding has to be easier than is needed for ordinary full-size folding bicycles, because portable bicycles are used for shorter trips than full-size folding bikes.
Use
Frequent uses for a portable bicycle include:- last mileLast mile (transportation)Last mile is a term used in supply chain management and transportation planning to describe the movement of people and goods from a transport hub to a final destination.-Usage in distribution networks:...
scooting from a far away parking lotParking lotA parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface.... - city district riding
- subway or busBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
station shuttlePublic transportPublic transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams... - family fun
- pit bikePit bikeA pit bike is a small off-road/on-road motorcycle originally used for riding around the pits or staging area of a motocross race. Since the early 2000s pit bike racing, a sport similar to motocross, has become popular in the United States, especially in Southern California...
Bicycles can contribute to reduce fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
emissions
Exhaust gas
Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack or propelling nozzle.It often disperses...
by shortening or eliminating car trips, and by extending the reach of public transportation as part of a mixed-mode commute
Mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting refers to the practice of using two or more modes of transportation. The goal of mixed-mode commuting is often to combine the strengths of various transportation options.-Mass transit:...
. Portable bicycles often can be used also by children and so can be kept for a lifetime.
List of portable bicycles, commercially available (present and past)
Many portable bicycles are commercially available or have been; they include:
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Moulton - Places in the United Kingdom :In England*Moulton, Cheshire*Moulton, Lincolnshire**Moulton Windmill*Moulton St Mary, Norfolk*Moulton, Northamptonshire**Moulton College, agricultural college**Moulton Park, industrial estate*Moulton, Suffolk... Strida Strida is a portable, belt-driven, folding bicycle with a distinctive 'A'-shaped collapsible frame, designed by UK engineer and designer Mark Sanders... Bike Friday Bike Friday is a brand of folding bicycle made by Green Gear Cycling of Eugene, Oregon, United States. Cyclists often refer informally to the company as Bike Friday.-Hardware:... (Oregon) |