Birdy Touring Review - BikeRadar

Narrow they may be, but bicycles take up a surprising amount of space, especially where there isn't much to start with. This makes them unpopular with, for example, the British railway authorities, which responded two decades ago to demands for improved cycle facilities by replacing rolling stock capable of carrying many cycles with thoroughly modern carriages with dedicated space for none. This alone has probably been enough to sustain the British folding bike market in recent years, but the machines best suited to mixed commuting using bike and rail rarely satisfy the cycling enthusiast.

Folding demands hinges or couplings, which are usually either heavy, or none too rigid, or both.

There is also a tendency for folding bikes to have very small wheels, again in the interests of keeping the size of the vehicle to a minimum. A heavy, flexible bicycle with mini wheels is practically the antithesis of the machine most serious cyclists would consider taking abroad by air or rail for a cycling holiday. The growing popularity of Continental cyclo-sportifs and training camps means doing just that, often with a favourite lightweight stowed in some gargantuan case. Such a case can be difficult to transport on its own; a group of cyclists trying to transport several can find it almost impossible. Life would, in principle, be a lot easier with one of the three bikes on test here. Each can be bought with its own specific case, which is designed to be both smaller and lighter than those needed for a standard bike.

They represent, as it were, three stages in the progression from full-on folder to conventional cycle. Before putting them through their paces, it is worth a recap of the various procedures for carrying a 'non-demountable'. The budget option is (depending on the airline's policy) to turn up at the airport armed with a pedal spanner and set of allen keys or spanners, remove the pedals, twist the bars and entrust the bike to the goodwill of the baggage handlers. This technique may not work on rail networks that do not allow complete cycles.

Next up is the padded bag, which is generally easy to pack and, given reasonably careful handling, mostly sufficient. More expense buys a more or less sophisticated hard case, the cost of which largely reflects the degree of work needed to get the bike to fit inside. These cases may hit 25kg packed, even when not stuffed with wine or similar. Some travellers swear by simply obtaining a stout cardboard bike delivery box from the local bike shop, although this can quickly lose its protective effect if left on the runway in wet weather.

All offer the possibility of taking any solo cycle, unlike the portable system on test here. In fact, it is possible to fit a conventional cycle into a fairly small space by removing every major part, but the frame and fork still form an irregular shape with awkward protrusions. Not so the Birdy Touring which fits snugly into a compact case leaving just enough room for clothing, shoes and a few spare inner tubes.

Frame 8

Riese and Mueller's well-regarded Birdy has been improved with the introduction this year of a new frame concept. Two half-shells are pressed out of sheet 7005 T6 aluminium alloy metal and welded - beautifully - along their edges to form an oversized tube described by the frame label as a monocoque. The proven construction technique allows the designer great freedom in shaping the frame. The Birdy has an organic appearance that owes much to many hours of CAD work.

This is just as well, for the frame is pierced by a number of openings for the brake and gear control cables, and poor execution could leave these as a major weakness. Instead, their shape and position are carefully considered to avoid any such problem. The swingarm follows the traditional Birdy pattern, with a high pivot and elastomer spring. A locking tab stops the arm dropping down when the rear is lifted.

At the front, the Birdy suspension fork, bouncing on a combined elastomer and coil spring, lives on. A fair match for the old tubular frame, this now looks a bit of a lash-up when compared to the clean, elegant lines of the new design. It did get admiring comments from small boys impressed by the angular, brutalist construction.

Handling 7

The 10.5kg Birdy isn't aimed at fast performance, but should you crank it up, its high speed handling is only saved by the stiffness of the central frame spar. It has a fairly tight front end allied to steep steering geometry and the smallest wheels on test at 18in. Add in the uncertainty of the front suspension pivots, and the machine requires a fair dollop of faith on a fast corner. It twitches at speed, especially when the rider attempts a crouch.

Moving more slowly, though, and the steering is still merely sharp, and might be improved by the fitment of the optional sporting handlebar stem.

The suspension action is, on the other hand, agreeably effective. Watching the front elastomer getting a good pasting is impressive, giving as it does some idea of the roughness not getting through to the rider. The rear is equally plush, and even if the two ends combine to bob and bounce under hard pedalling, the resulting comfort will still satisfy many buyers. In performance terms, the Birdy proved roughly eight per cent slower than the other two over a five-mile rolling route, and should make a good choice for the potterer or the frequent flyer wanting a comfortable city bike.

Equipment 7

Apart from the competent Avid Single Digit 5 V brakes and Shimano transmission, there is little about the Birdy to excite equipment fanatics. The crankset is by Sunrace, the seatpost by Kalloy and the saddle by RM Design. Mudguards are extra, oddly for a tourer, as is the sidestand, and Birdy lists lighting and other optional extras. The touring rack bolts to both the frame and swingarm, so the mounting screws must pivot to compensate for swingarm movement. The rack looks sturdy enough, and is designed to take Ortlieb panniers, but the lack of side rails means that panniers can only be fitted when the Birdy is equipped with mudguards, since the stays are needed to prevent the bags from fouling the wheel.

Wheels 6

Boasting a Shimano Intego 24- ratio transmission, the Birdy rolls on wheels that major on anonymous imperturbability. Their 355-40 format, or 18x1.5in if you prefer, requires a small diameter rim that, with 24 plain gauge radial spokes at the front in a Birdy hub plus 36 of the same at the rear, this time crossing once, should last forever. Not so the Schwalbe tyres, which are rumoured to wear out in under 500 miles despite their Marathon Racer label. The Intego hub gear shifts well enough, despite awful slack in the twist grip, and the same can be said of the derailleur system. Fiddle around with both and there are enough ratios for almost any occasion, although top is too high given the Birdy's highspeed handling.

Foldability 8

Although a cinch to fold, the Birdy ends up like a collapsed gantry crane, with angular bits of metal sticking out everywhere. It needs some sort of retaining strap, since both the front and rear folding sections keep flopping partly open during the process. The same can happen when readying the bike for packing in its case. The Birdy takes up a fair bit of space once folded, but the case is good with excellent clasps and a fold-out portering handle that just places the whole ensemble. Mind you, at a joist straining 22kg, the handle is needed.

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