A bike that can be folded is called a folding bike and this was invented after the 2nd world war. Folding bikes are used for almost all purposes such as traveling, city riding, long-distance riding, etc. So, Nowadays folding bike has become very popular, especially for their portability, quality, and features. Here, you are coming to know whether a folding bike can be used for uphill riding or not after reading this article completely.
Folding Bike And Its Usability, Amenities
A folding bike is a bike that can be folded where folding means laying one part over another part or clasping together. That means Folding Bike parts can be folded on top of each other. As a result, the bike becomes smaller and can be stored in less space.
Advantages:
- As the folding bike is light in weight and small in size, this bike can be easily carried on buses, trains, airplanes, and boats. Also, if you carry this bike on public transport, you don’t have to pay extra because it occupies less space.
- Folding bikes do not need to be parked outside the house or office like normal bikes. You can fold the bike in seconds and take it with you to the office. So, you don’t have to worry about this bike being stolen.
- This type of cycle is suitable for city riding, traveling, group riding, and long-distance riding. at the time of long-distance riding, you can carry a lot of necessary things on your bike.
Usability: Kids To Mature Rider
As the folding bike is not hard to ride, from kid to mature one can bike with it easily.
Despite having so many benefits, people express some doubts about folding bikes such as is folding bikes slow? And, is it a folding bike for kids? Let’s clear the first doubt first.
Folding Bikes- Fast Or Slow?
- As the wheel is a bit smaller and due to the low gear ratio, the folding bike is a bit slower than the normal bike.
- 16″-20″ folding bikes are slower than normal bikes, because their wheels, cog, and crank are also smaller. That means folding bikes are 3/4 minutes behind normal bikes. But if you think about a standard bike, it takes 2/3 minutes to find the parking place and park the bike.
- On the other hand, A small-wheel bike takes 30 seconds to fold. In this sense, folding bikes are not too slow as a standard bikes as the slightly bigger bike has more speed. But 24″ and 26″ folding bikes are similar in speed to normal bikes, there is not much difference.
Now it’s time to clear the 2nd doubt.
Who Can Use A Folding Bike?
A folding bike is a bike that can use by all ages of people, from kids to adults and it’s also a unisex bike.
- As this portable bike comes in different sizes, small-size folding bikes are suitable for kids. And, big-size folding bikes can be driven by adults.
- Folding bike is a boon, especially for old citizens who have not been riding for a long time and have problems controlling bikes. Because of being light in weight they can be easily controlled and carried anywhere.
Uphill Riding And Its Specialty
Uphill cycling means riding a bike uphill. Also, uphill riding is the name of riding against gravity from the plain and slowly climbing to a high peak.
- While riding on a steep mountain road, there are many obstacles to face, so you need to exert a lot of energy. At the time riding technique, clothing and respiratory control help to ride properly and keep balance.
- After starting uphill riding, you need to paddle firmly and gradually increase the amount of paddling. And this will help you to overcome obstacles encountered while up skilling.
- The steep slope of each hill is different. Before riding uphill, you need to know what kind of hill you are riding and how high is this hill. And how steep is the hill? After confirm about these, it is easy to decide the riding technique accordingly.
Benefits Of Uphill Riding
- Uphill riding improves physical and mental health.
- It is good for heart disease, burn fat, strengthens muscles in your leg and upper body, and helps to lead a better sexual life.
- Also, you get peace of mind while riding and winding mountain, hilly track roads.
But Can Folding Bikes Go Uphill?
Yes! A folding bike can go uphill.
A folding bike can do uphill riding depending on some matters, such as:
- The number of gears you have
- How hard can you pedal
- Tires
- Rider Position or Posture.
Gear And Pedaling Mechanism:
We all know that bikes have 2 types of gear: Lower and Higher gear – Higher gear helps the bike to run faster while Lower gear transmits more power to the bike.
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- If you want to ride fast, you need high gear. Because high gear makes the bike go faster but it requires extra power and needs to exert more power to paddle. And, a low physical bike may get tired quickly. As a result, that kind of biker has to end the ride before reaching the final destination.
- On the contrary, the lower gear will help you pedal easily.
The bike will run slowly but you will be able to ride for a long time using less energy. As a result, you will not get tired and can finish the ride successfully.
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We know the folding bike has the lower gear. So, it is proven that a folding bike is good for climbing hills. Moreover, some larger folding bikes have gear ratios similar to standard bikes.
Tires:
Proper tire selection can greatly affect your uphill riding.
- Wider, thicker, heavier tyres offer smooth riding. But it is not suitable for rugged riding. It is good for commuters and traveling.
- On the other hand, smoother, thinner, lighter tires are preferable for uphill riding. So, you will get good speed by using this tire for rugged riding.
Cyclist Position Or Biking Posture:
A good and comfortable riding position plays an essential role in the uphill riding where wind resistance and leverage have a big impact on uphill riding.
- Riding straight this time will make uphill riding more difficult for you. So, you should adopt an aerodynamic position at the time of uphill riding. Only then you can overcome all obstacles and reach the destination.
As a Folding bike has a low gear (ratio), thinner-lighter-smoother tires, and provides to maintain the aerodynamic riding posture that is the main requirement for uphill biking. So yes, Folding bicycles are suitable for uphill riding in many cases.
Tips For Riding Uphill On A Folding Bike
Some tricky and essential techniques in using a folding bike for uphill riding will give you easy and comfortable riding. And, such strategies are described below:
Use Appropriate Gear
By now we must have understood that gear plays an important role in uphill riding. So, by selecting appropriate gear a biker can make riding easy and enjoyable.
Low gear means slow speed and it provides easy riding facilities without getting tired. High gear indicates high speed but it is laborious and tiring. And, in uphill biking low gear is preferable most of the time.
Be Positive
For uphill riding, you have to work hard whether you use gear or a single-speed bike, you have to apply physical strength.
So, you have to be positive and determined from the beginning of riding to the end. In this scenario- first, you have to ride slowly and then gradually increase the speed.
Control Your Breathing
During uphill riding, you have to take care of whether your breathing is normal or not.
If you maintain normal breathing, you can ride normally, otherwise, you will get tired before reaching the destination. That’s why you have to control your breathing on uphill riding with a proper rhythm.
Use A Lightweight Bike
When you do uphill riding, you should use a lightweight bike. Because in uphill riding you have to face various obstacles including air resistance, and gravity.
The higher your bike goes; the more gravity will pull it down. This is if you are carrying extra weight or your bike is overweight, then you have to work hard to lift the bike upwards and uphill riding will turn into hell for you. So, try to use a lightweight bike and avoid carrying extra weight. And, folding bikes are a great choice in this criteria.
Practice
Uphill cycling is really a difficult task as it is different from other types of traditional riding. So, if you want to be good at uphill riding, then you have to practice a lot because practice makes a man perfect.
A List Of Lightweight Folding MTBs: Suitable For Uphill Biking
1. Swagtron Swagcycle EB-5 Lightweight Aluminum Folding Electric Bike with Pedals
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Bike Type: BMX Bike
- Age Range: 3 – 5 years
- Number of Speeds: 1
- Wheel Size: 14 Inches
REASONS TO BUY
- Height adjustable for adults and teens
- Pre-assembled
- Satisfied traction and easy tire maintenance
2. ZiZZO Ferro 20-inch 29 lbs Light Weight Folding Bike
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Bike Type: Folding Bike
- Age Range: Adult
- Wheel Size: 20 Inches
- Number of Speed: 7
REASONS TO BUY
- Recommended for riders 16-75 years of age
- High adjustable fold stem
- High Tensile Steel frame
3. Schwinn Hinge Adult Folding Bike
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Bike Type: Folding Bike
- Age Range: 14 Years+
- Wheel Size: 20 Inches
- Number of Speeds: 1
REASONS TO BUY
- Fit for a wide range of riders
- Sturdy steel frame
Last Lines On Uphill Riding With A Folding Bike
Low gear bike is suitable for uphill riding because it transmits power to the pedal, resulting in easy pedaling. And, the folding bike also has low gear. Furthermore, the gear ratio of a large folding bike is the same as that of a general bike. That indicates that if there is a problem with the gear ratio of the folding bike, it can be changed to a low gear ratio by changing the crankset. So, folding bikes are suitable and reasonable for uphill riding as they offer low and high gear options with in-built lightweight and thinner & smoother tires.
