They build their bikes to order, and size them based on your measurements. They ask you about the dimensions of your present bike — and lacking one, I assume they’ll ask for inseams, arm lengths, etc.

When I got mine, it fit just like my non-folder — and I put 2500 miles on it before trading up to a different model, which I then rode for 5000 miles — almost all commuting. They’re very high quality, not like the Dahon junk that you see all over. Their New World Tourist line is my favorite, and they cost about $1200 to $1500. (Far less than auto insurance, especially when amortized over a decade or so…)

So, I think that the bike would be very stable. I also doubt that you would look like a clown — or for that matter, attract any attention whatsoever in NYC. That said, I always dress in the most tasteless clashing clown-like neon colors when biking — I want to be seen by motorists. A clown look can be a big plus…

They build their bikes to order, and size them based on your measurements. They ask you about the dimensions of your present bike — and lacking one, I assume they’ll ask for inseams, arm lengths, etc.

When I got mine, it fit just like my non-folder — and I put 2500 miles on it before trading up to a different model, which I then rode for 5000 miles — almost all commuting. They’re very high quality, not like the Dahon junk that you see all over. Their New World Tourist line is my favorite, and they cost about $1200 to $1500. (Far less than auto insurance, especially when amortized over a decade or so…)

So, I think that the bike would be very stable. I also doubt that you would look like a clown — or for that matter, attract any attention whatsoever in NYC. That said, I always dress in the most tasteless clashing clown-like neon colors when biking — I want to be seen by motorists. A clown look can be a big plus…

I used to have a 20-mile bicycle commute, and I used a folding bike that would fold into a small package so I could bring it into my building. That said, you also need to find some streets that aren’t suicidal to bike on.

Anyway, the bike-sharing rules sound a lot like car-rental rules — and they are particularly analogous to Zip Car. So I don’t see a problem with the concept.

But I would worry about maintenance. Unlike a car, which is pretty hard for the prior motorist to make unsafe, a bike is pretty vulnerable. If I “bike shared”, I would EVERY TIME, at a minimum, check the axle bolts, the brakes, the spokes, the bottom bracket, and the tires — and violate the contract by doing an on-the-spot adjustment if needed. And that means carrying some tools, and being prepared to spend a little time doing inspections.

I wonder what kind of consent form you need to sign before becoming a member. And I wonder how many times the phrase “in case of injury or death” appears in said document.

But the biggest problem is the lack of decent biking facilities. New York’s bike lanes are awful, and provide no protection whatsoever — except to the bureaucrat whose “monthly report” can have phrases like “twenty miles of bike lanes added this month.” Which are twenty lanes that will not be maintained, that will wear off, that will be dug up by ConEd, that will be used for double parking, that will have car doors flung out into, that will have broken glass, and will in general be ignored by all — to the peril of the cyclist who, under the false impression of safety, lets his guard down.

I used to have a 20-mile bicycle commute, and I used a folding bike that would fold into a small package so I could bring it into my building. That said, you also need to find some streets that aren’t suicidal to bike on.

Anyway, the bike-sharing rules sound a lot like car-rental rules — and they are particularly analogous to Zip Car. So I don’t see a problem with the concept.

But I would worry about maintenance. Unlike a car, which is pretty hard for the prior motorist to make unsafe, a bike is pretty vulnerable. If I “bike shared”, I would EVERY TIME, at a minimum, check the axle bolts, the brakes, the spokes, the bottom bracket, and the tires — and violate the contract by doing an on-the-spot adjustment if needed. And that means carrying some tools, and being prepared to spend a little time doing inspections.

I wonder what kind of consent form you need to sign before becoming a member. And I wonder how many times the phrase “in case of injury or death” appears in said document.

But the biggest problem is the lack of decent biking facilities. New York’s bike lanes are awful, and provide no protection whatsoever — except to the bureaucrat whose “monthly report” can have phrases like “twenty miles of bike lanes added this month.” Which are twenty lanes that will not be maintained, that will wear off, that will be dug up by ConEd, that will be used for double parking, that will have car doors flung out into, that will have broken glass, and will in general be ignored by all — to the peril of the cyclist who, under the false impression of safety, lets his guard down.