DIYBIKING.COM Presents Folding Bike Week!

Welcome to Folding Bike Week; a seven day collection of all things having to do with sharks.

Wait. That's Shark Week.

Okay, Folding Bike Week does in fact fall on Shark Week, a seven day collection of shark-related content that is on the Discovery Channel that premiers tonight. In fact, that's an easy way to remember when FBW is scheduled. Like sharks, folding bikes are powerful, mysterious, have been around a long time and can bite if you don't respect them. Like Shark Week, Folding Bike Week is something everyone looks forward to every summer. Or, will look forward to every summer, since this is the first one.

As any regular reader knows, I believe in finding ways to integrate cycling more into day to day life, and folding bikes have been a way to do that. Some can fit under a desk at work. Some can fit in a suitcase and fly to distant lands. Some can fit in the hold of a boat or in a small hall closet. Some just...are.

One thing I've noticed in some countries I've visited is folding bikes are more a part of how people get around. I saw several when I was riding around Lisbon and getting lost on day one and day two of my Portugal trip (part III will be posted after Folding Bike Week) and midway through day one, I saw this:

At that moment, I thought to myself: this is a country that understands what folding bikes can do for the everyday commuter. You don't have to drive all the way to work, you can skip some parts you don't like with a folding bike.

You can too.

If you visit a local bike store, chances are excellent they may have at least one folding bike for you to take a look at. For instance, Tony's Bikes on 108 Broad Street in Milford, Connecticut, is currently carrying this Raleigh: simple, small, an internal hub for gears and less than $600. Think of the wear and tear on the car you can save and the gentle exercise you can have with a bike like this:

If you live near Milford, I urge you to visit Tony's Bikes and tell them that DIYBIKING.COM's Folding Bike Week brought you to the store and made you want to look at folding bikes. In fact, do that at any local bike store. Ask questions. Get answers. Have a discussion. Walk out with an understanding of these special bikes (or, failing that, a new bike and one more bike shop employee who knows about this special seven day period). 

Choose to be touched by Folding Bike Week.

(Follow me on Twitter at @michaelknorris)