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Submitted by
Abneycat
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Bike Fri | | Strengths: | Custom fit, exceptional performance for a folding bicycle, extremely good design able to accommodate multiple riding styles, top notch quality and durability - this bike can handle all the rigors of XC riding one day, then hop on a plane and go for an expedition tour in far off lands the next. The geometry is matched to ride like a "normal" full sized bike, and the performance is up there too. | | Weaknesses: | Smaller wheels handle most off road demands well (exceptional at tight switchbacks, precise maneuvering), but have a weakness in that they will sink into deep ruts harder, as well as being harder to guide over larger rocks - rock gardens are not for the Llama, for instance. | | Similar Products Used: | Dahon Speed D7 - the only similarity is that they fold. Ride wise, the Llama is very similar to my rigid Rocky Mountain Hammer. | | Bike Setup: | Mixed SRAM X9 and Shimano XT components, Velocity wheels. Bike Friday will build the Llama any way you like from the ground up. Custom fit, custom design, custom components. | | Bottom Line: | If you're looking for a great travel bike for cross country riding or expedition touring, the Bike Friday Pocket Llama may well be the best. Handmade in the USA from the ground up EXACTLY how you like it. None of this junk where you get to pick from 2-3 colours or something like that - the bike is built to your specification every step of the way.
Performance is astounding. The Llama rides like a full sized bike, and the hinge design presents no real weakness - The Llama has the strength and ride of a good steel XC bike.
The small wheels are exceptionally good for tight maneuvering and switchbacks, beating out their larger brethren in this regard, IMO. They do fall short in situations where the small wheels may sink into deep ruts or strike taller rocks though, so there is a trade off. Overall, the Llama is still a very competent Cross country machine. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Kelly
a Weekend Warrior
from Juneau, Ak
Date Reviewed: December 25, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Hermosa Creek | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Folds into a samsonite suitcase for tariff free travel. Rides like a full size bike. | | Weaknesses: |
The small wheels are better on some moves and not as good as 26 on others, it's a wash. | | Bike Setup: |
Llama with 3x7, Richey Megabyte 2.0 tires. | | Bottom Line: | Great Bike! Travels and yet performs like a full size bike. Good company to deal with. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brendan
a weekend warrior
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Bike Friday sucks. My friend John bought one and he loves it. I rode it and it made me feel like a damn fool!!! I'm 6'3 and this bike does not agree with me. It feels too damn BMX like. That and the fact I'm just too damn big for damn BMX crap. I'd rather ride my 8 year old son's bike. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Barber
a cross-country rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: April 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Bike Friday Pocket Llama is a folding off-road bike that fits into a standard size suitcase, which
means it does not get charged the outrageous airline fee. It uses a Sachs 3x7 drive train, has a Gianni
suspension seatpost, a Softride stem (recommended), and 20 knobbies. It rides like a real mountain
bike cross-bred with a BMX. In technical situations, it responds better to precision than full speed ahead
and damn the torpedos. The bike is custom made to your sizing specifications (mine is identical in fit to
my Titus HCR). There's a raft of cool extras, including a kit that turns the suitcase into a bike trailer!This is not the bike to race in, or to abuse on a major gravity course. But if, like me, you travel frequently,
it's nice to be able to arrive somewhere with a bike that fits, while sneering, er, smiling at the nice airline
folks! For fitting a specific purpose very well, 5 stars.
| | Overall Rating: |
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