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  • smokedhuman
    +4

    I love commuting on my bike although it is a bike commute in a roundabout way. I live ~30 miles north of Boston. In order to make it affordable to work in the city, I have a wicked cheap parking space in Cambridge (to park in my building is $385/month) a couple of miles from my office. I looked into folding bikes and didn't like them until I found my paratrooper. It's a full size folding bike and handles really well. Haven't had an issue with the snow this past winter or the resulting potholes. I'll try and post a photo as a snap in the tribe.

    • Jackalope
      +2

      "Wicked cheap" eh? Boston status verified! Wow, I didn't know that full size folding bikes existed! the paratrooper is an intriguing looking configuration: see it here Looks similar to a mountain bike, how is it as a commuter bike on the roads? Doesn't look like it accepts panniers or baskets. How do you carry your gear to and from work (I schlep my briefcase and a change of clothes). Thanks for your interesting post! Would you like to be a mod?

      • smokedhuman (edited 8 years ago)
        +2

        I didn't know they existed either until I started looking at reviews of folding bikes obsessively. I can't remember what site I found them on but I was in lust as soon as I saw it. It is more of a hybrid than a strict mountain or road bike. It handles the pothole really well and has a very smooth ride. It is a 24 speed so it works well with some of the steeper bridges I have to cross getting over and around the Charles River. I have a kick ass day bag that I use to carry my gear. It holds my laptop, my morning coffee, 1 liter water bottle, full change of clothes for those rainy days, and my lunch. The biggest thing I love about this bag is the mesh support that keeps it off my back and allows air circulation. And sure! I would love to be a mod!

        EDIT:

        The other thing I forgot to mention is the other reason I went with folding bike is because this is allowed on the commuter train during rush hour. I wanted to make sure I had as many options as possible.

        • Jackalope
          +2

          Welcome to team mod! I'll make it official as soon as I figure how which buttons to press! Btw, how easy is it to lug the paratrooper around in 'folded mode' ? I didn't notice any handles or grips...

          • smokedhuman
            +3

            yay! and yeah... the interface here is interesting. I am still figuring out terminology. I do, however, like this place so much more than reddit or facebook. so much cleaner and less crap.