[Yak] A reply to a little nervous

[cvgfreightpilot at aol.com]

Dave,
 
I was some what like you when I purchased my first bike Friday. How could that little bike do what I needed it to do? Like you I did a lot of homework. I even test rode one of Bike-Friday's competitors, a Montegue. That bike was a piece of junk in my opinion. In the end the Bike-Friday was the only bike that rode like a "real" bike. Now this part will sound funny, but I spent the first two days looking down in disbelief that I was riding a bike with 20-inch wheels. But once I got past that part and started to concentrate on my riding, I never noticed the wheels again. In fact I felt like I was riding a high quality bike ... which I was was. That was my first Bike-Friday, a model called the "Metro". The Metro was what they call a production bike and was not custom built. They came in sizes small, Medium, Large, and Extra-Large. They were also specified with lower quality parts to keep the price down. But in spite of the non-custom label and the lower quality parts that bike rode as well as any bike I had ever owned. In fact I took it on several group rides and was able to hang with the 16 mph group which is the group I ride with when I'm on my regular Road bike. I probably could have been faster but the engine was the limiting factor .... Not the bike. I owned that bike for about 4.5 or 5 years and eventually upgraded several of the parts as they wore out. 
 
I Never counted how many trips I took that Metro. Being a Pilot, I fly a lot and it was only the weekend or the 36 hour layovers I would take it on. which makes up about 20 to 30% of my flying. Just estimating I think I packed my Bike-Friday anywhere from 100 to 300 times in any given year. In that time only one part ever broke, the seatpost pivot bushing and bolt. I was actually en route to Denver when I called BF for a replacement part. I did not have my Hotel's address, only a phone number. BF called the hotel, got the address, and the part was waiting for me when I arrived three days later. NOW THAT IS SERVICE!! 
 
Eventually, I got a hankering for a better bike. The Metro was still a solid bike, but I wanted a true road bike and a custom built for me frame. The timing all came together in the fall of 2005. Even my wife agreed it was time. However, before I ordered a second Friday I had become aware of some other options. Those were the Garlen and the Richey Break away. I did my homework again and eventually ruled out those bikes. Like most BF customers, I decided to stick with what I knew worked. So I ordered a green Pocket Rocket. I posted here on the Yak my intention to sell my metro and within 30 minutes I had three offers. One of which was a friend here in Cincinnati. I have not looked back. I have already had some great times on my new Pocket Rocket. In fact as I write this, I am due in LAX this weekend for some promising riding.
 
I know I can kinda ramble on, but I hope that sharing my experience will help you to decide. I think the best two selling points for a Bike Friday are ... The great customer service and the fact that most BF owners always seem to come back when it's time to replace. 
 
Good luck with whatever you decide. Don't worry about the questions, that is what the Yak is all about. 
 
Paul Patterson
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA