8 of the Best Folding Bikes 2021

We had produced the Top 5 Folding Bicycles for 2020 but a flood of new models have emerged this year.  This has prompted us to update the list to have these new models for 2021 and extend this list with 8 of the Best Folding Bikes 2021.   For all you fellow commuters who have to regularly endure standing pressed up against a random strangers armpit and discard any boundaries of personal space this weeks blog is just for you.  Folding bikes are not reserved purely for Rapha wearing investment bankers so we have tried to give an option for all budgets.

Best Folding Bike

Brompton M3L 2020 Folding Bicycle

Price – £1,100

The only candidate for the number one slot in our Top folding bicycles.  The original and most peoples perception of what is meant by a folding bike.  It has become an inter-changeable term for folding bike in the same way Hoover as a brand defines vacuum cleaners.  The UK classic brand Brompton are top of the pile and the most expensive bike in our list.  They provide a single frame size running on a set of comedy sized 16 inch wheels but allow you to then customise the bike with colours, number of gears and handlebar styles.  The bikes are effortless to fold and relatively lightweight.

Brompton folding bike

Brompton M3L Specification

Best Price for the Brompton M3L bike

Best current price – £1100 from Halfords (with bikes in stock as of December 2020)

Cheapest Folding Bike

B’Twin Tilt 120 Folding Bike

£249.99

The challenger in the line-up and a huge difference in price between this and the Brompton.  This is the cheapest folding bike in our line up and an incredible package for under £200.  It has a 6 gear system built into the hub and comes with mudguards and a saddle height that can accommodate all but the tallest of cyclists.  Styling wise it steals much of its cues from the Brompton but fails to fold down into quite such a small package when commuting.

BTwin 120

BTwin Tilt 120 Bike Specification

Best Price for the BTwin Tilt 120 folding bike

Best price – £249.99 from Decathlon

Raleigh Evo-2 2020 Folding Bike

£275

A similar proportioned bike to the B’Twin with a somewhat ugly cabling system running up the elongated handlebar stem.  The frame is aluminium sporting a 7 speed Shimano Tourney set of gears but comes complete with mudguards and a rear pannier that certainly makes it versatile but contributes to a bucket load of extra weight resulting in it tipping the scales at 13kg.

Raleigh Stowaway

Raleigh Evo-2 Specification

Best Price for the Raleigh Evo-2 Folding Bike

Best price – £275 from Halfords

Best Electric Folding Bike

Carrera Crosscity Electric Folding bike

£999

The Carrera Crosscity Electric Bike is perfect if you’re looking for a reliable solution for your daily commute or fancy a bit of leisure riding with an electric boost. With a 313Wh battery offering up to 30 miles of power assistance on a single charge, this bike will more than cover the average commute. The battery feeds its power through a stable rear hub motor that can propel you to speeds of up to 15.5mph.

carrera-crosscity

Carrera Crosscity Specification

Best price – £999 from Halfords 

Best Folding Bike for Tall Riders

Tern Node D8

£807.50

With 24″ wheels the Tern Node D8 is the best folding bike for tall riders over 6′ 3″ who may find the Brompton and others a struggle.  Folded the Tern comes in bigger than the class leading Brompton but compact enough to be practical while on the move with the bike folded.  With a geared hub on the back the rear and Shimano gear set but no mudguards or rear pannier Tern keep the weight down but sacrifice some of the functionality of other manufacturers with this approach.  Folding in under 10 seconds a very practical option for commuter cyclists.

Tern-Node-D8-Folding-Bike-2021

Tern Node D8 specification

Best Price for the Tern Node D8 Folding Bike

Best price – £807.50 from Wiggle

Gocycle GX 2020

£2898

The GoCycle GX 2020 folding bike has a hydroformed aluminium main frame with PitstopWheels.  This provide great performance at a low weight.  The lightweight and durable aluminium frame houses the battery, which provides up to 65km of range with a 7 hour charging time.

Hydraulic disc brakes provide excellent stopping power giving you consistent braking performance in all riding conditions.  Gearing is provided by internal Shimano Nexus 3 speed hub gears that give you consistent shifting in all conditions.  This is coupled with incredibly low maintenance as all the components are protected from the elements.

Gocycle-folding-bike

GoCycle GX 2020 Specification

Best Alternative to the Brompton M3L Folding bike

Bickerton Argent 1707 City Folding Bike

£675

Go Outdoors have joined the folding bike band wagon and stock a number of models with the Bickerton the pick of the crop. For anyone looking to an alternative to the Brompton M3L folding bike this is a cracking option.

The Bickerton Argent 1707 City folding bike is a well specced lightweight bike weighing only 14kg.  The bike uses a 7-speed gearing system for when you’re commuting giving good flexibility for inner-city cycling.

The lightweight aluminium frame folds simply and quickly.  The folding mechanism means the bike can be collapsed in just 10 seconds.  This means the bike is an all-round versatile option for riding and travelling on a variety of transport.

bickerton-folding-bike

Bickerton Argent 1707 City Specifications

Best price for the Bickerton Argent 1707 City 

Buy the Bickerton Argent 1707 City Folding Bike for Go Outdoors for £675

Best Folding Mountain Bike

Change Bike folding mountain bike DF-812 Trail Pro

£1799

Mountain bikes undergo more strain and challenge than a road bike.  Hence traditionally it has been incredibly hard to create an effective folding mechanism. Change Bike have been tackling this and developed their DF-812 Trail Pro MTB that we have fully tested to ensure it was worth including in this list.

The frame has a unique folding system with two quick releases on the seat tube, undo these and the frame folds completely in half. Take the front wheel out, again with a quick release mechanism, and this then attaches to a discreet fixing on the seat stay. The pedals also have a quick release mechanism for easy removal.

>>>  Full review of the Change Bike Folding MTB 

Change Bike Folding MTB Specification

Best Price for the Change Bike Folding MTB

Buy the Change bike Folding Mountain Bike DF-812 Trail Pro for £1,799.00

Full List of 8 of the Best Folding Bikes 2021

1. Brompton M3L Folding Bicycle
2. B’Twin Tilt 120 Folding Bicycle
3. Raleigh Evo-2 Bike
4. Dahon QIX Q8 Folding Bike
5. Tern Link C8 Folding Bike
6. GoCycle GX 2020
7. Bickerton Argent 1707 City Folding bike
8. Change Bike Folding MTB