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Birdy
Birdy
Birdy
'Killing two birds with one stone' may be an unfortunate metaphor, but it perfectly describes one of the Birdy's most ingenious aspects. By making the pivot-points for the suspension - front and rear - also work as part of the folding sequence, the Birdy engineers have created a folding bike with an unusually stiff main frame, light yet solid. The suspension also evens out the ride from the 18" wheels, which are shod with specially-developed high-pressure Birdy tyres for on and off-road use.

The riding position is identical to that of a conventional 700c touring bike, and the Birdy is hands-off stable. It's a tribute to painstaking development work that the geometry has been refined to this degree, on a bike which also folds in less than 20 seconds to a 76 x 58 x 28cm bundle. That's small enough for hassle-free use on public transport: naturally, a carrier-bag is available if you'd rather be unobtrusive.

Birdys come in four flavours: Red (Shimano STX-RC/Nexave and Gripshift), Blue (Sachs 3x7 system, giving 21 gears between 25" and 108" (2.03 to 8.78 metres development), Elox (Shimano XT and Gripshift) or Green (Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub gear). All feature the same frame of powder-coated 7005T6 aluminium and suspension, and have a wide range of accessories available - from rack, lights and mudguards to a carrier bag which converts into a rucksack. The elastomer suspension elements can be changed in seconds to tailor the ride to the rider's weight and preference. A 'comfort' stem is also available for those who prefer a more upright riding position. Weight ranges from 9.7kg for the Birdy Elox to 11kg for the Nexus-equipped Birdy Green.


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