Review of Zport Folding Bike - 18 Inch Foldable Bicycle

Zport Folding Bike - 18 Inch Foldable Bicycle - Golden
By: ZPORT Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 3
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be careful

On: 2008-05-04

I was going to order this bike but went to Zports website first. Discovered a discrepancy in how much it weighs (The one posted here says it weighs a few pounds less than the one on the bikes site; it is the exact same bike model). This makes a big difference to me as I am not a strong person and have to carry it up 3 flights of stairs. Buyer beware.

Excellent Service ,Perfect Product

On: 2008-04-02

This was an excellent investment for me. The bike arrived in two days.Very quick and easy to assemble.I love the color.Package was very well protected for shipping .I was able to use immediately. I look forward to using this bike daily. I highly recommend this bike for all uses. I will be using it to commute and daily exercise. Very easy to fold. I just need to get a bag for storing. Im very happy with this purchase. Now my husband wants one.

Good BANG for the buck.

On: 2007-04-12

Pleese fogive horable speling.

My dimensions = 59" 185lbs

I recieved my Zport18 in the mail today and had a few suprises some good, some bad. The box was smashed in one corner, but there was no damage to the bike. The handlebars and post ARE removable, but are not attached to the bike once removed. The Zport requires you remove the entire handlebar stem and find a way to lash it to the rest of the bike rather than folding down against the front tire like other brands. This hampers the Zport18 portability slightly espically as the bars still have cables attaching it to the rest of the bike in ackward ways.

Nice suprises included a free spring loaded bell, sturdy and practical bike rack with bungee attachment points, and engineering that was far above what I expecrted for the price tag. The packaging included every painted part being covered with taped-on bubble wrap. The tires were inflated. The seat is okay for short distances, but I will be replacing it shortly with a more forgiving variety.

The only major pre ride tuning the bike required was an adjustment of the front brake pad alignment. The front and rear brake systems also required some slack removal as they were barely gripping with the lever fully depressed. The rear brake system, which features a drum/band housing, seems wonderful and has massive stopping power, but I have not used it when wet.

This bike does not include quick release tires. In urban biking this is both a blessing and curse. It keeps people from stealing your wheels, (Not that 18" tires are a hot commodity), but on the other hand it requires you to carry a seperate 15mm wrench for changing tires as few multi tools provide them.

The ride is really good. Not outstanding, but really good. The handlebars are a bit narrow which makes turning more of an artform of shifting weight than steering. The small tires also make the bike attempt some insane turns. A shift of weight that would cause a larger bike to make a gradual turn makes this bike pounce. I was able to manipulate amound road hazards and pedestrians in ways I had never considered on a full size frame. The front tire is right below your knees. This takes some getting used to and I hated it at firt but it has its advantages with turning and stopping. The orbit of the pedals seems short, but could probably not be engineered any longer given the bikes stature.

Brakes are reversed from the standard. Front brake is on the left. Rear is on the right. The shifter is a well constructed handgrip mounted racheting rig which, with only three gears, allowed me to climb moderately steep inclines and push hard on the ride back downhill.

It took a while getting used to the nuances of folding bike riding. I rode mine over eight miles today and had a great time. These are not fast bikes or big bikes but are very solid and super functional. A great addition for folks who want a portable bike for commuting, trips to the store, or for stashing on a boat or RV.

Just get used to people commenting on "how zippy that cute little bike is!"

CHug Munechow
New Haven, CT

Lock it or lose it.