FOR THE CITY
The Mariner D7 from Dahon is a commuter
bike with an urban design, ready to eat up the pavement as you
head out from the boat. The 7-speed cruiser has 20in wheels and
features a rack over the back tire, a nice touch for getting your
groceries back to the boat. When it’s time to stow the bike, the
Mariner folds up quite nicely with little effort (folded, the bike
measures approximately 11in by 32in by 26in) and weighs in at
approximately 26lb. $579. Dahon, dahon.com
COMPACT CRUISER
The APEX from Vilano rides on 16in tires
and sports Shimano’s six-speed Revo Twist Grip and a
Shimano six-speed derailer. The APEX has a steel frame and fork
and folds up into a nice package, measuring just 12in by 21in by 29in
when it is ready to stow. Front and rear fenders keep you dry while
you’re riding, and the bike comes with a rear rack for shuttling your
goods back and forth to the boat. $399.95. Vilano, vilanobikes.com
THE FUTURE
The Gocycle G2 folding electric bike may be the most advanced folding
bike you can stow onboard. The bike has an LED “dashboard” built into
the handlebars that tells you your speed, what gear you’re in and the
amount of battery life left in the motor. The electric motor provides
assistance depending on how fast you’re pedaling, and there is also a
“power button” that when pressed will deliver power through a small
motor mounted on the front wheel for when you need an extra boost
of speed. The bike’s gear system is completely internal, so there is
no fear of snagging a pant leg on an
oily chain, and the level of corrosion
resistance (important when dealing
with metal parts in a marine
environment) is quite high.
There is also an optional
travel case for even more
protection when, say, loading
the bike into the dinghy
before heading to shore. With
a myriad of techy options
and accessories available, the
Gocycle may end
up being one of the
more advanced
pieces of electronics
onboard. (From)
$5,199. Gocycle,
gocycle.comTHE SHOW STOPPER
The IF Mode folding bike from New Hampshire-based Independent
Fabrication and Taiwan-based Pacific Cycles is for sailors looking for a
bike that is on par with their boat. (The company describes it as “the
Aston Martin of folding bikes.”) When unfolded, the IF Mode gives you
a smooth ride atop its 26in tires. When folded up, it looks like a unicycle
from the future. But the really neat part about the Mode is the bike’s
Swiss-made Schlumpf 2 Speed Drive gear system. In this setup the gear
system rests between the pedals, so to shift you simply tap your heels
against the buttons on the crank arm (tap with your right heel to cruise,
your left to go climb hills). The Mode weighs just over 32lb and folds down
to approximately 16.5in by 10in by 39in, though it looks so slick you might
not want to put it away. $2,750. Pacific Cycles, pacific-cycles.com