Modern Bike Tech: Why Portability is an Essential Overlooked Feature
Biking Skills
April 7th 2023
When it comes to modern bike tech, many of us overlook an essential feature: portability. In this day and age, where convenience reigns supreme, ease of portability should be considered just as important as other features when choosing a bike.
Portability affects around 50% of your biking experience because if you can’t get there with your bike, you cannot ride. While modern bikes have all the advanced features, from smooth shifting to self-adjustable seats and hydraulic disc brakes, most bikes lack portability.
The truth is that portability matters. It’s no longer enough to have just a great bike or one with all the bells and whistles; you need to be able to move it from one place to another with ease.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of having a portable bike:
Advantages of Portable Bikes: Why Is Portability an Essential Feature?
When it comes to biking, portability is convenience!
If you are someone who loves–or wants–to take your bike everywhere to take advantage of any riding opportunity, portable bikes are for you. Here are more reasons why foldable bikes are the future of riding:
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Maintaining a Bike No Longer Breaks the Bank
It might seem like the folding mechanism of these bikes requires more maintenance, but it’s the opposite.
Due to their compact design, folding bikes are often stored inside and are less exposed to the elements. This means that cables and shifting mechanisms tend to work better and stay in good condition for longer periods of time.
As a result, you can expect decent ride quality without the need for frequent maintenance – which is easier on your wallet in the long run.
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Your Bike is Safe at all Times
Traditional bikes are not only cumbersome to lock up and secure, but they are also prime targets for theft. In the United States alone, a bicycle is stolen every 30 seconds, resulting in roughly two million bikes stolen each year and costing around $350 million.
The uncomfortable truth is, we live in an age of highly portable power tools. Even the biggest, strongest steel and titanium lock will not protect your bike from a battery-powered angle grinder and a committed thief. Even a little pocket tool can cut through all cable locks.
But with the best folding bike, you don’t have to worry as much about theft. You can store your bike inside your car trunk or apartment, keeping it safe from potential thieves.
No hassles of locking your bike with the nearest pole. Fold it, put it inside the trunk, and enjoy your day without worrying about its safety. Furthermore, with Flatbike’s pop-off pedals, you can remove them quickly and make your bike even more compact.
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You’re Always Adventure-Ready
Are you a spontaneous cyclist who randomly decides to pedal in the middle of a trip? Well, if you are, you’ll love portable bikes for the spontaneity they allow for. You can always carry your MTB in the trunk of your car to be ready for an adventure at a moment’s notice.
There is no need to plan or worry about transporting your bike to a specific location. If you see a beautiful trail you want to explore, you can just pull over and start biking.
» More: How To Travel With A Bike
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You Have Fewer “Off Limits” Places
Unlike traditional bikes, folding bikes are designed to be compact and lightweight, making them easy to maneuver in tight spaces and carry upstairs or in elevators.
Whether taking them into your apartment, onto a public transport vehicle, or up a flight of stairs, a foldable bike offers maximum commuting convenience. Some folding bikes even have pop-off pedals, so you walk your bike through a crowd without scraping your shins with every step.
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It’s Your All-time-ready Ride
Imagine having a ride that can take you anywhere, anytime, and fit into any mode of transportation. Well, with a portable bike, you can have just that!
Whether you’re a boater, RV owner, trucker, or a private pilot, needing a secondary transportation solution for provisioning, exploring, and more, a portable bike can be your companion in any situation. So whether you’re on land, sea, or air, a portable bike is the all-time-ready ride that can take you on any adventure.
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Working Out is Easier with a Portable Bike
Do you miss working out, but your stringent shift as a truck or taxi driver doesn’t allow for one? With a new folding bike inside your car’s trunk or rear rack, you can work out whenever you want. Once done, fold your bike and fit it in place, and you are all set for your next work shift, fresher and more energetic.
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Portable Bikes Add Flexibility to Your Life
As humans, we need flexibility in everything, be it working hours or anything else, why compromise on your bike? If you’re looking for flexibility in your biking adventures, portable bikes are the way to go.
You can easily change your plans and bring your bike along for the ride, whether that’s a quick trip to the store or a longer adventure with friends.
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Ultimate Peace of Mind
One thing that every cyclist is afraid of is unexpected maintenance issues. Whether it’s a flat tire or a broken suspension, incidents like these can make things daunting, especially in a remote area with no repair workshop nearby.
While it’s a task to transport a regular bike, a portable bike can fit in any car to go to the nearest bike shop without stress and hassle.
Similarly, if you’re commuting to work or running errands on your bike, you can easily take it to a repair shop during your lunch break or on the way home.
» More: How To Always Select The Right Bike
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Extended Adventures are Now Easy
One of the greatest advantages of portable bikes is extending your adventures beyond the limits of your physical abilities or endurance. You can cover greater distances and see more of your surroundings without worrying about getting too tired or backtracking.
Imagine you’re on a road trip and stumble upon a beautiful bike trail you want to explore. With a portable bike, you can simply unload it from your car trunk or rear cargo rack, ride the trail, and then call an Uber or Lyft to take you back to your car.
Similarly, if you’re visiting a new city and want to explore it on two wheels, you can bring your portable bike on the plane or train and then use it to navigate the city streets. When you’re ready to head back to your hotel or catch a flight, just fold up your bike and call a taxi to take you to your destination.
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You Don’t Spend the Entire Day Assembling and Disassembling Your Bike
Love bike rafting? Want to take your bike on an adventure with you? A portable bike gets ready in under a minute, and you can mount it on your raft!
No hassles of wrenches and screwdrivers since these collapsible bikes require no tools. You’re always light and ready for any adventure that awaits you.
Need a Portable Bike? Try CHANGE Line of Best Folding Bikes From Flatbike
Do you want a reliable, portable bike that won’t weigh you down? Get your hands on the CHANGE line of full-size folding bikes from Flatbike, especially if you want to avoid the heaviest folding bikes on the market. These bikes, made by Changebike, offer an exceptional and convenient biking experience that can be enjoyed hundreds of times per year.
The CHANGE line of bikes includes a variety of options to suit different needs, such as the high-end CHANGE 812 folding off-road MTB for MTB enthusiasts, the rugged hybrid CHANGE 811, the entry-level street MTB CHANGE 809, and the CHANGE Road Warrior folding gravel bike with an MTB frame and drop bars.
A unique feature of CHANGE bikes is their portability. Despite having full-sized frames and wheels, these bikes can be folded down in under a minute to fit in a 30″ by 37″ space. This makes them small enough to store in a car trunk, truck cab, boat, private plane, or even a studio apartment.
Additionally, unlike other folding bikes, CHANGE bikes are both light and rugged, having passed the ISO 4210 certification for mountain bike durability. They are also designed to “live” inside, making them less susceptible to rust and theft.
Flatbike also offers innovative components to make your existing bike more convenient and easier to store, like the THINstem that folds your handlebars 90 degrees or pop-off pedals that swap easily between SPD and flat pedals with no tools required.
So if you’re looking for a bike that can go more places with less fuss, is more secure when it gets there, and stores inside so it lasts longer, try the CHANGE bike- the lightest folding bike from Flatbike for a portable biking experience.