I bike commute to work, but for other trips where I don't want to arrive covered in sweat and/or would take longer than 30 minutes each way, I generally have to drive. I'd like to be able to get anywhere in my city without a car. My city (Austin) has OK but not great public transit and the buses only hold two bikes (and are always full). We also have Car2Go, but there isn't always one nearby. I figure that if I had a folding bike, I could always get to one or the other fairly quickly and make most trips around town 30 minutes or less.
So, what folding bike would you recommend for:
- Occasional use. 5-10 times per month.
- Short trips. 1.5 miles or less each way.
- Some hills, but nothing too steep.
- Very compact size and easy transport. I need to be able to take it on a bus and fit it in a Smart Car.
EDIT to add:
- I'm 6'3", about 200lbs
- I generally would have 10lbs+ of gear with me.
- I'll spend over $500 if necessary, but looking for the cheapest bike that will get the job done.