Fits in the MR2 spare tire well!

by Larry Lagarde

At least once a month, a customer sends me photos of their folding bike. The following photos are from Jay H. (source for the recent tips on bicycling in San Diego).

Jay has ridden a variety of folding bikes including the A-Bike and the CarryMe. Unfortunately, he's also been the victim of a bike thief.

After his last bike was stolen, Jay called me to learn more about the EZ Pack folding bike. He wanted to know if the bike was suitable for a multi-mode commute via light rail and if it would fit in the spare tire hold below the hood of his mid-engined Toyota MR2 sports car. As you can see by the photos, it does and Jay is quite happy (for comparison, note the pics of the A-Bike & CarryMe in the MR2).


Thanks Jay for the photos.

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike, Toyota-MR2

Planning to visit San Diego? Want to go cycling?
This should help.

The following info was compiled by Jay H., a San Diego resident and new owner of an EZ Pack folding bike.

Pro's & Con's of Bicycling in San Diego:

-Pro's:
Good year round weather!
Bike friendly public transportation.
Lots of bike paths and bike routes.
Relatively safe, relaxed-paced city/county.

-Con's:
Outside of the coastline, San Diego is mostly hilly terrain.
Public transportation doesn't go everywhere.
Many bus routes only run once an hour.
San Diego is very spread out.

Bicycles on Transit:
Busses and Trolleys are very bike friendly - no time of day restrictions. Although San Diego mass transit's literature says 2 bikes per Trolley, I've seen up to 6 on each car (3 at each end) with no complaints and no problem at all!
Transit Tip: Best way to go: buy an all day unlimited pass ($5 as of Nov 2009)

San Diego Transit Links:
-Overview: Getting @ S.D. by bike+other transportation
-Bikes on Metro Transit buses & trolleys
-San Diego Trolley map
-San Diego points of interest by MTS bus

Flying into San Diego?
Bicycling from the airport into town is scenic and easy. Exit the airport going southeast on Harbor Drive and you'll see a bike/pedestrian trail on the bay side of the harbor. Turn left on Broadway and the Santa Fe Depot Amtrak/local light rail station will be on the left (after crossing the tracks). Total ride distance is about 3 miles.

Great San Diego Bike Rides:
-Around San Diego Bay
-Around Mission Bay
-Bicycling in San Diego: Organized group rides & DIY routes
-Separated bike pathways in San Diego

By the way, many of the above routes can be accessed by the local MTS bus/trolley system.

Many thanks to Jay H. for the super San Diego bicycling info & links!

LL

Labels: bicycle-San-Diego, E-Z-Pack-folding-bike, great places to go bicycling

EDITOR'S NOTE: Contest winner Marla Ferber submitted this review of the new E-Z Pack folding bike that she won. LL

by Marla Ferber

I LOVE THIS BIKE.

I knew that I could "rideTHISbike" and I was able to do so!

I had started looking at folders for obvious space reasons, but also because after more than a decade off a bike, I actually was afraid of a big bike and wanted to know that I could plant my feet on the ground easily if I lost my balance.

The E-Z Pack was easy to ride and gave a comfortable ride. It was easy to steer and
was not twitchy with it's fat tires, despite it's small 12" wheels. I was amazed at how fast it was and how much fun it was to ride it. It is a great bike for flat ground or gently pitched slopes; though when I tried to climb our steeper streets, it showed it's one gear limitations and I was not strong enough to pedal up the sharper inclines.

The saddle is narrow and lean and I do not think that I will find it comfortable for long distances. It seems to me to be more of a "male" saddle and I think I will chose to replace it with a wide, cushiony saddle which will be more comfy. However, that is merely a personal preference, not a necessity.

This is a "lot of bike" for the price! I love its stylish "look" and easy passover, though it is sort of a "diamond in the rough" in that It does not have the flawless finish and distinguished workmanship of a high price folder. It does what it has to do well and the first ding won't make you crazy.

The E-Z Pack folds easily into a small package, but you cannot "walk" it like an umbrella folder and take it into stores, restaurants etc. basically unnoticed. It does fit easily under tables, in closets, corridors or just in a corner. I put mine in the tiny floor space between the front and back seat of my compact car w/o any problem. However, it does not stay there for long as I always just want to get out and "rideTHISbike."

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike, folding-bike-review

Folding bike contest winner Meg Ferber sent me the following email regarding the arrival of her new E-Z Pack folding bike.

Today was the day! I had refused to go anyplace all week until it was dark enough that I was convinced that UPS had gone home for the night. I didn't want to miss a moment of the experience of receiving my bike. I didn't want to look in my mailbox and find a UPS notice saying "we were here, where were you!" Late in the day, I went down to walk my dog, naturally only in areas where I could continue to keep a sharp eye out for the "Wells Fargo Wagon."

I was totally surprised to see a small carton sitting in the foyer, it was marked E-Z Pak, and my name was on it! *

The bike was well packed and undamaged from shipping. It was snug in its box and it took some pulling to get this little bundle out. I am 5'1" and the bike folded didn't even come up to my knees; it is a nice small, compact, package.

The instructions were uncomplicated and everything went together w/o any difficulty. Most of the bike was actually already assembled and just needed the handlebars, seat and pedals put on. Even the extras, such as the kick stand, the fenders, the carry rack, the many reflectors and the little ding-dong bell were already attached.

I took it down to a really good, professional bike mechanic to check it out and make sure that I had put the bike together correctly. He tightened, straightened, oiled and admired the E-Z Pack and declared it a great little bike. I had met Matt C. when, as preparation for receiving my bike, I went to his bike maintenance course in Burlington, Vt.

I think that the bike is great looking! It's picture doesn't do it justice. It has a classy, unfussy look that is sleek and attractive. I only took a short spin on it once it got it's checkup and was very pleased. Then weather closed in and we went home. I'll write about this more once I ride him again.

Him? I have been reading bicycling blogs and see that some seem to name their bikes. I decided to do so too. It wasn't hard to decide on a name. The bike, with it's sparkling silver finish practically named itself; Hi Ho Silver! (maybe it's a generational thing-12" tv's and Roy Rogers)

Sounds like I'll be getting more info from Meg concerning her new E-Z Pack folder. When that arrives, I'll post it as well.

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike, Free-folding-bike-giveaway, Meg-Ferber

by Larry Lagarde

Here's a great deal on a folding bike that just got even better - $159 for a new E-Z Pack aluminum folding bike.

Formerly, I had been selling the E-Z Pack folding bicycle for $179 with the carry bag included; however, some customers felt they didn't need the bag. As a believer in the old adage that the customer knows best result, I've revised the E-Z Pack's order page and pricing so that the carry bag is now an optional accessory.

Having a carry bag to put the folding bike in can be a real plus. It keeps you and your bike cleaner, it removes your bike from sight, it makes the bike much easier to carry when you need to and it will gain you access to more places with your bike.

So to sum this up, if you DO want to order your E-Z Pack with a carry bag, you'll pay the same low $179 price as before. If you do NOT want the bag, now you can get the E-Z pack for $20 less.

And shipping within the USA (lower 48 states) is still free...
:-)

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike

by Larry Lagarde

Cyclists are always asking how one folding bike compares to another but the 2 folding bikes that I'm asked about most often are the E-Z Pack and the Superlite 1 speed. If you're considering one of these bikes, the following may help you.

In my inbox today, there was an email from B.C., a guy in New York. He wrote...

I WILL be buying one of these bikes. I live in Brooklyn now but am moving upstate. I will be commuting from upstate on the train. I need a bike that will carry me ( I'm a small guy- 5'7", 145-155lbs) from Grand Central Station to Soho (probably a mile and a half or so - 45 blocks). Both of these bikes fold so well. Both are light. Both are very reasonably priced.

_Ultalight:_
Pros: I love having no cables / really like the backpedaling brakes / simplicity
Cons: I fear that it is geared too low.

_E Z Pak:
_Pros: Comes with a bag / 12" wheels reduces the size / the gearing system advertised as having the feel of a cruiser (True?)
Cons: Has more parts (Handbrakes, 3 gears, cables) / small wheels might make it hard to handle.

I don't know if folding pedals is a plus or minus.

Right now I'm leaning on the EZ Pak.

Is there anything you can add or suggest?

Following is my response.

Both the E-Z Pack and the Superlite are great folding bikes for commuting. It all depends on your riding style.

If you plan to ride slowly so as to keep from breaking a sweat and you want to be comfortable, go with the Superlite folding bike. That's what the bike was designed for - comfort seat, comfort hand grips, shock dampening magnesium frame, upright riding position, low gearing. A hand grip is built right into the frame to ease carrying (such as for getting on/off a bus, train, going up/down stairs, etc.). If the gearing is too low for you, just have the rear cog swapped out for one with fewer teeth. These are readily available at most bike shops; the cog should cost @ $15.

If you plan to ride in traffic, go with the E-Z Pack folding bike. You'll ride faster (thanks to the higher gearing resulting from the dual crank drive) and brakes on both the front & rear provide greater stopping power.You won't be riding tucked but you'll definitely be leaning forward more than on the Superlite, cutting drag a bit. The bottom bracket is located further forward and the seat is more narrow so you'll get more power from the pedal stroke and be less likely to chaff your legs from robust pedaling. The smaller wheels make steering more responsive and the bike tracks slightly better than the Superlite. Also, the bag comes in very handy as it will get you on trains and in buildings where unbagged bikes are turned away.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com

One thing I forgot to answer was B.C.'s question concerning folding pedals.

Folding pedals are handy for a variety of reasons. First, when walking beside the bike, folding the pedals will prevent them from hitting your leg as you walk or hitting other things (furniture, doors, other people in a narrow hallway, etc.). Folding the pedals before inserting the bike into a bag or suitcase will prevent them from poking a hole in the carrybag or case; it also decreases the chance of the crank arm getting bent if the bike case is dropped (think tired baggage handlers). Lastly, folding the pedals makes it a bit harder for an opportunist to take off with your bike. They can't just hop on & pedal away.

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike, Superlite-folding-bike

Low Price, Light Weight, Folds Compactly, Includes Carrybag
by Larry Lagarde

Here's a small wheeled folding bike that will likely be even more popular than the infamous Gekko folding bike - the $179 E-Z Pack folding bike.

What Makes The E-Z Pack So Exciting
1. Less Weight
At just 22.5 lbs, the welded aluminum E-Z Pack folder is light - very light. There are only a couple of folding bikes that weigh less than this; yet, they all cost more.

2. Pedals Like A Full Size Bike
Due to the E-Z Pack's dual chain drive, pedaling the E-Z Pack at a normal rate will deliver speeds similar to riding a full size single speed beach bike. Similar dual chain, small wheel folding bikes (such as the Mobiky Genius) cost almost $500 more.

3. Useful Accessories Come Standard
The E-Z Pack sports a folding handlebar stem, seat post accommodating riders from 4'-5'10", alloy rear carry rack, kickstand, alloy rain fenders, custom folding bike carry bag, bike bell, and bungee strap (for holding items on the carry rack or keeping the bike folded in a tight bundle when not in use). Even shipping across the USA (lower 48 states) is included.

If you've been looking for a budget folding bike that's easy to bag up and carry onto the bus or train, definitely meets airline standards for checked baggage, stows folded just about anywhere and is ideal for running errands or riding short distances, the E-Z Pack is definitely the folder to consider.

Weather permitting, expect to see more photos, videos and details about this bike soon here at RideTHISbike.com. Order one today.

Labels: E-Z-Pack-folding-bike