Bicycle Folding
Consumers Looking For Alternate Methods Of Transportation
Constantly increasing gasoline prices are pushing more and more consumers to begin looking for alternate methods of transportation. For instance, many heads of households voice their concern that one of their biggest monthly expenses is gasoline. Therefore, one method of transportation that is beginning to become more and more popular is the bicycle. More specifically, bicycles that have the bicycle folding feature have increased greatly in their popularity. In addition to the growing gasoline costs, there is also the concern that private parties reap all of the benefits from gasoline consumption. For instance, according to the U.S. energy information administration, 20% of the price of gasoline is made up of taxes and marketing costs. As the average American consumer becomes more infuriated with these skyrocketing costs, the usage of bicycles as a primary mode of transportation will continue to increase.
What Is A Bicycle Folding
What does the term bicycle folding refer to? As most people may recall, folding bikes are a type of bike that are especially designed to be portable and easy to store. As the name implies, a folding bike can be folded for easy travel. Typically, bicycle folding is a process that requires a manufacturer to overcome the challenge of making a bicycle that is portable, but can also perform at a decent speed. Before we delve into the different folding mechanisms that comprise bicycle folding in general, we will explore a brief history of bicycle folding in the following section.
Efficient Method Of Transportation
During the 1890s, military conflicts arose in France, and the French Army realized that an efficient method of transportation had to be utilized to move troops at a faster speed. Many decades later, experts point to the French Army as the first group to make use of bicycle folding. Once many people realized the advantages of bicycle folding, manufacturers saw the need to continue developing a more sophisticated process for bicycle folding. Years later, in the early 1900s, an entrepreneur was able to accomplish a folding bike model. These were the few steps that eventually led us into very sophisticated models of bicycle folding of the 21st century. The next section will touch briefly on the various bicycle folding methods used in the bicycle folding process.
Bicycle Folding
The first method of bicycle folding is known as the half fold (also called the mid fold) method. The mid fold method of bicycle folding gives a folding bike the ability to completely fold into half, as the name implies. The basic mechanism behind this specific bicycle folding mechanism consists of folding frames that are similar to those of a classic frame; the only difference is a hinge point which gives the folding bike the ability to fold in half. The next bicycle folding method is known as the triangle hinge method, also known for its latching and quick release features. Although the triangle hinge is a unique design, the folding bikes that use the triangle hinge method do not fold in half entirely. The reason why the triangle hinge method is popular is because it affords a higher speed than similar models. How does the triangle hinge bicycle folding method work? There is unique part that resembles a typical hinge that is used near the bike’s frame. The fringe-like structure allows another rear triangle to shift and wheel to be folded down and subsequently flipped forward. Another bicycle folding mechanism consists of the break away mechanism which is mostly found in bikes that can be disassembled for storage purposes. For instance, even if you are traveling, a break away bike would be ideal for easy storage. The various bicycle folding methods are a perfect fit for the unique rider, as they each provide their own advantages.
