Along with my good friend Barbara, my husband Peter and I recently travelled to Budapest where we boarded a Viking River Cruise (vikingrivercruisescanada.com). We sailed up the Danube River stopping in: Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Durnstein, Melk and Linz Austria then ending in Passau, Germany. Barbara and I are avid cyclists and frequently wanted to rent bicycles during the trip. We know that touring a city by foot and by bike offer very different viewpoints and a bike can, of course, allow you to travel further, faster. We spent a day in each destination. The only location we were able to find a bike rental shop that was near to the harbour was in Passau. During the trip we tossed about the idea of bringing bikes with us. My astute husband took note of the conversation and asked me last week if my next bike might be a folding one? There is a great saying in the world of bikes that the number of bikes you need = n (number of bikes you own) + 1. I said that I was actually thinking about folding bikes after our trip. He said that he and my two boys have decided that for Mother’s Day 2017 they want to buy me a folding bike for me to take on vacation, in particular ones that involve air travel. With Barbara’s help, Peter did the heavy lifting with regard to finding the folding bike company he thought I should buy this bike from which is Bike Friday (www.bikefriday.com).
I reviewed the website and of course, immediately fell in love with these bikes. I was excited about the idea of building my own bike. I used their on-line design tool and was somewhat scared off by the on-line build price. They have a “pre-loved” section to their site and those prices looked more approachable so I picked up the phone and called them. Phoning them was THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I recommend if you are considering a Bike Friday to just pick up the phone and call them. Walter, their Sales Consultant & IT Assistant, was the best! He asked what my budget was and custom built me a pakit. I was able to discuss and choose all of the components I wanted along with my frame paint colour and decal/wire colours. They also took all of the measurements related to the most favorite ride I currently own along with my height, weight and age (not sure how age plays into the equation). I really loved the buying experience with Walter and felt he was keen to ensure I received the bike I wanted at the price I could afford. I decided this was going to be the best “girl” bike ever and it will be pink and white!
Because they custom make every bike I now must wait. Their turnaround time is 5-8 weeks depending on the availability of parts. My pakit is scheduled to arrive June 9th.
Diane Freeman, P.Eng., FEC, FCAE 