Try a 16″ Folding Bike for a Change – Commuting to Work Has Never Been Easier

We love reviewing techno gadgets, and this time we’re focusing on the marvels of folding bikes.

As more startups sprout up, parking in the San Francisco Bay Area is becoming a nightmare and traffic is even worse. You can waste a lot of precious time in your car.

So how do you get to work without a car? BART? CalTrain? MUNI? Those are nice, but what if your office isn’t near a stop? Do you go for a long walk? Or try to catch a bus? Well, there’s an alterative. Why not bring your bike along? It’s not hard if the bike folds up into a neat little bundle that you slide right onto a train with.

If you haven’t tried a folding bike, it’s something you should definitely check out. We just did, and we love it. Folding bikes are perfect for the busy founder. Not only does it get you between public transport and your home/office, but it also provides a way to fit exercise into your busy schedule.

We tested the Vilano APEX 16″ Folding Bike, and it’s an engineering marvel that won’t break your wallet. When our Apex arrived, it took me 10 minutes to assemble, and I didn’t have to read the instructions once. That’s pretty nice. Basically, all you have to do is cut off the bubble wrap and snap everything into place. No tools required.

Another nice thing is that the Apex comes with everything, from reflector lights and fenders to a kickstand and rear rack. It even has a bell. Every other bike I’ve purchased required me to go out and buy all these accessories.

Riding the APEX is easy. Adjust the seat and off you go. Not much to it. And having a folding bike means those with small apartments and no garage won’t have storage issues. Also, carrying it up a flight of stairs is a breeze. And it only takes a minute to fold up and unfold.  For all these reasons, a folding bike makes sense.

Now don’t delude yourself. This isn’t a replacement for a full-sized road bike. The wheels are tiny and going up hills takes effort. But it works, and it has 6 speeds and a Shimano shifter and derailleur, so it can get you where you need to go, even in San Francisco.

All in all, if you’re looking for a commuter bike that’s easy to store and transport, this is a solution. APEX itself is one of the least expensive folding bikes around. You can buy one online for a couple hundred dollars, which is money well spent in our opinion.

Now, if you want the best, you can go higher. There are high tech folding bikes that run in the thousands of dollars. Our recommendation is to start with a low priced bike, try it out, and if you find that you can’t live without it, you can always upgrade.

Overall, we give the Vilano APEX our recommendation as a perfect starter folding bike for any busy entrepreneur!

Product Description:

The APEX is our most economical folding bike. It’s ultra compact and durable. It features a Shimano shifter and derailleur for fast reliable shifts, it’s 6 speeds and included rack make it a versatile commuter.

The APEX is equipped with a safety latching system. It allows for fast easy folding and maximum security.

Specs:

• Frame: 16 Steel Folding
• Stem: Foldable
• Handlebar: Aluminum Height Adjustable
• Crank: 44T w/ Chainguard
• Rims: 16 Alloy double walled
• Shifter: Shimano 6 Speed Indexed
• Derrailleur: Shimano 6 Speed
• Fold to: 12″ x 21″ x 29″
• FREE Platform Pedals included
• FREE Front and Rear Fenders included – installed
• FREE Rear Rack inlcuded – installed

Bike Components:

NOTE: We received free samples of their products for this review.