I meant to post this a while back. A nice ad (I'm guessing) for the folding Peugeot with 22" wheels. I'd love to own one of these someday.

Firestone Vagabond

Man, I wish I was in Denver AND had $180 to spare. Spotted this bike on craigslist. That's a pretty sweet ride!

Jawa Nomad

Another European folder, this one Czech-made. Similar to other U-frames but with a slightly different frame. Other distinctions are the chain guard, and rear rack. More pictures here. There are two in the gallery, both were up for auction.

22" Peugeot

As an owner of a folding Peugeot, I still like to keep an eye out for other folding bikes that are out there. I see this particular style pop up every once and while in various colors; orange, white, and this light seafoam green. Pretty unusual for a folding bike to have 22" wheels. Not a fan of the newer saddle, but still, I find myself wanting one everytime I see another one, maybe someday If the opportunity is right. This one is on craigslist in the San Jose area. It seems this area (SF) along with Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver is a hotspot for this sort thing. Craigslist

Marilu Folder

Another bike I decided to pass on, due to it being 11 hours of a drive away. It was listed on ebay, with the option of pickup only, which I was almost willing to do. Also, the bike was listed under the brand Marilu, which I wasn't able to find any information about at all, which seemed a little suspicious. Still, a nice design for a folder. A fairly typical u-frame including a gear case, not something you see a lot of on folders. The bike sold for $37.

Legnano Bianchi

Right now on ebay, there's this beautiful Bianchi up for auction. This is just out of my price range, otherwise I might consider buying it. Beautiful design, though.

Legnano Bianchi

The First

After my interest developed into an obsession I started to keep an eye out on craigslist for a decent folder. Nashville is not a good place to be looking for one. Luckily I found a few in California a week before I took a trip back home. I got this one the first week I was there.

This is what I hope is the first of a small folding bike collection. It says Bianchi, but I'm not completely sure if it is as I"ve seen tons of the same model online with different labels. But I've also seen others labeled Bianchi so I'll leave it as that. I originally didn't like the purple and was planning to paint it the first week I got it, but after a few rides with it, the color grew on me, so I think I'll be keeping it. I never thought I could get so attached to a bike.

I was never one to fuss with car racks, so the folder suits me best. When it's folded, it's not incredibly compact, but just enough to fit nicely in the trunk which is the main reason I wanted it. I took it to Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Mission/Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and Newport, which is where the picture was taken. It's a great coaster, the wheels are 20" which is pretty much a BMX wheel which is what I've always been comfortable with. For photographers, it's great because you can pull over a lot easier for shots you stumble upon, and you seem to stumble on them more often. The phrase "stop and smell the roses" comes to mind.

And for bikers in Newport Beach, make sure and take the ferry to Balboa Island.

I did, however, leave the bike back in California, but I plan to get another one somewhere on this side of the country.