Any thoughts on Autofolder Airwheels R6

[Marwood Hill]

I asked what she’d like for her birthday and she said one of these Autofolders. Anyone here had experience with one of these?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I can almost guarantee that it'll get left folded for a long time, then, when you get it out to use, it'll be jammed with no way to extend it for riding.

 

[Marwood Hill]

I can see you are all speechless with this. An automatic folding ebike. Wow, how easy and cool is that!
This is the chap that is selling it on Ebay for around £650.

 

[JimRides]

I think it's a really neat concept. Bit ugly though!

 

[Marwood Hill]

I think it's a really neat concept. Bit ugly though!

Yes, they have gone straightforward easiest shape. No fancy curves. I like ugly and easy.

 

[Danidl]

That strikes me as the most practical approach to a folder I have ever seen. The usual arrangements with a front hinge is that it flops about in the open position and makes it difficult to manouvere in the compact form. In this version the frame remains rigid that is a huge positive. I can see this of use to flat dwellers. Whether they need a motor for extending the frame i would question, but it looks sweet.

 

[Woosh]

That strikes me as the most practical approach to a folder I have ever seen.

I disagree. The Brompton's folding system is quick, simple, secure and does not need a battery, just a bit of common sense.

 

[Marwood Hill]

The beauty of the Airwheels R6 is the thinness of the folded bike. Apart from having nothing to do to fold it and no messy hands, it’s also so easy to carry. It just hangs at your side with no effort required to keep it away from your body.
I also like the single gear on this bike.

 

[ianboydsnr]

I dunno it seems a bit gimmicky to me, more things to go wrong, no gears, there seems to be a few which offer the same without the gimmicky folding, I can’t help thinking that you would be better off with a Brompton with the swytch kit fitted, and if you must one of the other easy folding small wheeled ebikes, but without an extra motor and system to go wrong, it looks slower to fold than most, even if it does manage to do it thinner.

 

[tommie]

Many people, including myself, bought folders so they could transport them in the boot of their car.
This one doesn`t `fold` it just shortens itself and i doubt that wouldn`t be enough to fit in many cars boots?!
Possibly more suited to city dwellers living in apartments etc

 

[Marwood Hill]

Please don’t compare this to a Brompton. I cannot buy an electric Brompton with rear wheel drive and disc brakes for £650 post free.
I would see this R6 being beneficial to people like myself. Those that suffer breathlessness on minimal exertion. I find folding a hinged bike hard work and too bulky to move once folded. The R6 can still be wheeled when closed. Like a unicycle and not much bigger. As for fitting in a car boot, i can see this easily fitting into a Smart car.

 

[ianboydsnr]

Please don’t compare this to a Brompton. I cannot buy an electric Brompton with rear wheel drive and disc brakes for £650 post free.
I would see this R6 being beneficial to people like myself. Those that suffer breathlessness on minimal exertion. I find folding a hinged bike hard work and too bulky to move once folded. The R6 can still be wheeled when closed. Like a unicycle and not much bigger. As for fitting in a car boot, i can see this easily fitting into a Smart car.

I thought it was for your wife?

Having never seen one before, and I have been looking at folding bikes this past months it looks new ish to the market, that’s backed up by it being sold by one reseller, so your unlikely to get a review, good or bad, no one knows what the quality will be like and what the backup if things go wrong is like, life is a compromise, better spares and repairs backup and quality components have a cost, my opinion for what it’s worth is buy a better known quality make, even if you don’t fold it as a rule, if you have to fold it and it must be at the push of a button, then you have no choice but to take the risk yourself, you seem to be the target market for it, most of us can live without the auto folding, so don’t consider it for the complication and wheel sizes it adds, contact the guy on the video, he seems a nice guy, voice your concerns, it may be fantastic for you, but quality is not always apparent in a video.
Let us know how wrong we are, when it’s still going great in a few years time.

 

[Marwood Hill]

I found my knitting machine was hard work. My project was to make it easy without using a motor. Creating a circular motion is easy. Creating a reciprocating motion is very difficult. So, by knocking up a Heath Robinson contraption using some old bits from the shed including old bike bits and i can now use my knitting machine with ease. So easy it will move using my little finger. Next project, a folding ebike. Out with the hacksaw and welder and cut up one of my ebikes. The one i’ve been given for free. See what i come up with. I’ve got an idea.

 

[Danidl]

I dunno it seems a bit gimmicky to me, more things to go wrong, no gears, there seems to be a few which offer the same without the gimmicky folding, I can’t help thinking that you would be better off with a Brompton with the swytch kit fitted, and if you must one of the other easy folding small wheeled ebikes, but without an extra motor and system to go wrong, it looks slower to fold than most, even if it does manage to do it thinner.

The motor for the elongation is a gimmick . But I assure you, and I agree with Tommie, that folder bikes in the folded positon are usually pretty difficult devices to lift in and out of car boots. They flop they rotate, they swing around and pinch hands . The weight of ebikes is considerable and when they are in the unstable mode, ie hinged and unlocked, unpleasant, wheels swing around and dirty clothes etc. . The fact that this model stays locked will make it much easier to handle.
Gears?? No reason not to fit a three speed, except cost. For a quick runabout in London town OK , but don't try it in hilly Swansea,

 

[Marwood Hill]

This photo of it in black shows the quality of it better. Three things i would have altered if i was designing this bike. Firstly, i would have replaced the opening and closing motor with a worm drive handle on the back. Secondly, i would have fitted a rack on top of the back part which is just a waste of space at mo. Thirdly, fitted a carrying handle.

 

[flecc]

Firstly, i would have replaced the opening and closing motor with a worm drive handle on the back. Secondly, i would have fitted a rack on top of the back part which is just a waste of space at mo. Thirdly, fitted a carrying handle.

And fourth I'd have a belt drive as it's a single speed folder, avoiding oily chain to person contact when lifting.
.

 

[Marwood Hill]

And fourth I'd have a belt drive as it's a single speed folder, avoiding oily chain to person contact when lifting.
.

Brilliant, love it!

 

[KwikFold]

I asked what she’d like for her birthday and she said one of these Autofolders. Anyone here had experience with one of these?View attachment 24321

Hi Mark

Have you considered a KwikFold bike, if it is an effortless fold that appeals to you, we have developed a bike capable of folding in one second. Simply lift the lever and it unfolds/ folds.

Take a look at our website:
https://www.kwikfold.co.uk/dealership

It can also be used to wheel along in its folded form, either way let me know which bike you went for in the end.

Kind regards

KwikFold

 

[ianboydsnr]

But if you add the cost of adding gears, if it’s possible to fit gears to it, then you might as well buy say for instance the Kwickfold with its gears, discs and dealer network, all I am saying is that the compacting of it is gimmicky it would be better if indeed there was a handle and screw, because a fault with the unfolding system will render it scrap, and it’s at that time you find out how good or bad the backup and warranty is.

 

[Marwood Hill]

Hi Mark

Have you considered a KwikFold bike

The KwikFold is a bike that i have been looking at for quite some time. I very much like the folding method. I think i will have to buy one of each to add to my collection.