Best folding bikes in 2026

The Btwin Tilt 500 is the sensible starting point if you are not sure folding bikes suit you. Decathlon lists an aluminium frame, seven gears, V-brakes and 20 inch wheels with 1.75 inch tyres, and it comes with mudguards, a kickstand and a chainguard, so you can ride it in the rain without buying anything else. At 12.9 kg it is about the same weight as the Dahon and Tern 20 inch bikes in this comparison.

The folded package is the compromise. Decathlon gives 78 x 66 x 44 cm, which is roomier than a Brompton and will not slip into the smallest lockers or under every desk. It folds in about 15 seconds, which is fine for a train platform but not as quick as the best of the rest.

The parts are entry-level, so expect to adjust the gears and brakes occasionally and to upgrade tyres or pedals if you ride it every day. A pannier rack is sold separately.

For short train commutes, occasional use and a flat in a city, it is the best value here. Because Decathlon is also where you buy it, spares and servicing are easy to arrange. If you ride daily over long distances or climb big hills, the Dahon and Tern bikes below are better built.

The Vybe D7 is Dahon's entry-level commuter, and its main selling point is that it arrives ready to use. Dahon's own specification lists fenders and a rear rack as fitted, and the whole bike comes in at 11.98 kg, lighter than the more expensive Tern Link D8 and Dahon Mariner D8 in this comparison. That matters when you are carrying it up station stairs.

The drivetrain is a seven-speed Shimano Tourney set up with a 52 tooth chainring and a 14-28 tooth cassette. That is a modest range, fine for flat and gently rolling city routes but short on low gears for steep hills. V-brakes, 20 inch wheels with 1.75 inch tyres and an aluminium frame are all as you would expect at this price.

Folded, it measures 66 x 34 x 80 cm according to Dahon's German page, so it is taller than a Brompton but small enough for most train racks, car boots and under-stair cupboards. Dahon lists a rider range of 145 to 190 cm and a 105 kg rider limit, which covers most adults.

Against the Btwin Tilt 500, the Vybe adds a rack and shaves almost a kilogram. Against the Mariner D8 it gives up a gear range but is lighter and cheaper, so it suits riders who want a simple, light train commuter.

The Mariner D8 is the Dahon to choose when your commute has hills. It keeps the aluminium frame and 20 inch wheels of the Vybe, but swaps the seven-speed cassette for an eight-speed Shimano set with an 11-32 tooth cassette behind a 52 tooth chainring. That larger sprocket gives a much easier bottom gear for climbing with a bag on the rack.

Dahon lists Schwalbe 20 x 1.5 inch tyres, a step up in quality from entry-level rubber, and Tektro V-brakes with matching levers. A standard fender and rear rack are specified, with integrated mounts for both, so the bike is practical on day one.

The weight is 12.64 kg, which is about 650 g more than the Vybe D7 but still lighter than the Tern BYB P8. Folded, it measures 82.8 x 35.5 x 67 cm on Dahon's German page, so it is the longest fold in this comparison, although it is also slim. That makes it better suited to car boots and cupboards than to the smallest luggage racks.

If your route is flat, the Vybe D7 saves money and weight. If you face hills or carry loads, the Mariner's wider gear range is the reason to pay a little more, and it still sits comfortably below the Tern and Brompton bikes on price.

The Link D8 is built around a comfortable ride. Tern fits wide Schwalbe Big Apple tyres with puncture protection and reflective sidewalls on 20 inch wheels, and a hi-tensile steel fork, which together take much of the harshness out of potholes and cobbles. It feels more like a small ordinary bike than many folders do.

The drivetrain is an eight-speed Shimano Claris with an 11-32 tooth cassette, covering 33 to 87 gear inches, enough for city hills and flat runs alike. Aluminium V-brakes do the stopping. Tern lists a 12.1 kg weight, so it is not the lightest, but it is easy enough to carry.

The folding system is where Tern's design shows. The frame hinge and handlepost lock quickly, and Tern says it folds in about 10 seconds into a package of 38 x 79 x 72 cm, with a Magnetix clip holding it shut. A kickstand, bell and luggage socket come as standard, but a rear rack and fenders are optional extras, so budget for them if you ride in winter.

The rider height range of 142 to 190 cm is wide, which helps if two people of different heights will share it. Compared with the Dahons it costs more but rides more comfortably; compared with a Brompton it folds bigger but is cheaper and rolls over rough surfaces better.

The BYB P8 is Tern's ultra-compact folder and the bike here that arrives most completely equipped. Tern fits a Metro Transit rack with built-in spinner wheels, SKS fenders, a deluxe centre kickstand, a chainguard and a brass bell, so there is little to buy afterwards.

The frame uses Tern's TriFold design, which folds in three places to a package of 35 x 81 x 52 cm. That is much shallower than the 20 inch bikes with a single hinge, and the rack wheels let you roll the folded bike along a platform instead of carrying it. The compromise is time: Tern quotes about 30 seconds, three times as long as the Link D8.

The drivetrain is an eight-speed Shimano Alivio with an 11-32 tooth cassette and a 52 tooth chainring, giving 31 to 91 gear inches, a bit more range at both ends than the Link. Schwalbe Citizen tyres on 20 inch wheels carry puncture protection and reflective sidewalls.

The real cost is weight. At 14.3 kg it is the heaviest bike in this comparison, so you will want to roll it rather than lift it up stairs. It suits commuters who carry a laptop or shopping every day and want one tidy, ready-to-ride package. If you mostly lift the bike, the lighter Link D8 or Brompton is easier.

The Brompton C Line is still the benchmark for people who fold a bike every day. Brompton gives the folded size as 58.5 x 56.5 x 27 cm, so it is only 27 cm deep, and it fits under desks, in cupboards and in the luggage space on a crowded train. It folds in under 20 seconds, and you can roll the folded bike along on its small wheels.

The frame is steel, and Brompton fits mudguards and folding pedals as standard, with a roller rack as an option. Retailers list 16 inch wheels with Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres, which resist punctures, and dual-pivot caliper brakes. Brompton's own page gives a starting weight of 11.35 kg for the lightest versions, while retailers list about 12 kg for the 12-speed.

Gears come as four-speed, which suits flat cities and short rides, or twelve-speed, which combines a hub gear with a derailleur for hills and longer trips. Handlebars come in three heights to suit your reach.

The small wheels make steering lively and bumps more noticeable than on the 20 inch bikes, and the price is the highest of the six. What you pay for is the smallest fold, a long track record and a frame many riders keep for years. If you carry the bike every day, it is the most convenient here.