Best FOLDING Bike Under £400? Carrera Intercity Folding Bike FULL Review
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- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
- One of the BEST Campervan or motorhome accessories ever! The folding bike - easy to transport, simple to ride and most of all allows you to travel much further than walking when you are camping.
This week we review our recent purchase - the Carrera Intercity Folding Bike from Halfords. What a revelation! Not only a great folding bike but looks stunning too and rides just as well - join us to see our FULL review.
Lets us know in the comments below what type of bike you prefer to take with you when camping.
If you want to skip to selected parts of the video, you can use the links below:
01:40 Introduction
03:36 Transporting the bikes
04:08 The Review
06:56 Specification
11:38 Bike carry bag
12:41 How quick to unfold?
13:01 Any problems?
14:52 Final verdict
Links:
Bike Bag - www.amazon.co.uk/Selighting-F...
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#foldingbike #carrera #halfords #vantasticadventures #autotrail #fiatcampervan #autotrailadventure65 #bordercollie #sheepdog #molliethecollie #vanlife #camping #motorhome #brompton
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This is very wholesome (and helpful) content. Great work!
Thank you, glad you found it useful 😊👍
Massively helpful and enjoyable video. Thank you!
Thank you 🥰
My husband saw the review and got one second hand - he’s delighted with it - thank you.
Aw thank you, hope he is enjoying it, thanks for letting us know 🥰
Trully helpful review, Genuine and honest.
Thank you 🥰
Cracking review that’s my mind made up on what I’m buying two of these should fit nicely in our rear storage under the bed in our van thanks for posting guys 👍
Great video, thank you!
Loved the review Mate.....
Thank you, appreciate you taking the time to comment 😁👍
Great review on the bikes especially after seeing them in full use on your tour. Thanks both 👍
Thanks Tim, we were really impressed 🥰👍
Hi. You mention the Carrera has plenty height & reach for you & doesn't feel too cramped. Can I ask what height you are?
I'm trying to decide between the Carrera & a Decathlon 120 folding bike. I'm 6'3" & 14 stone so on the upper limit height-wise of the Carrera & 2" above the recommended for the Decathlon.
@andrewhamilton8954 6'1" and it doesn't feel too small but 6'3" would be worth trying one first, we were able to try one in Halfords which was very helpful, tried decathlon too but the bike felt smaller and not quite as robust but that was a couple of years ago so may be better. If you can definitely try one 😊👍🏼
Thanks for ur reply. Halfords are out of stock on yours at present but I think I'll hold off & see if they restock soon, then check them out. 😎
Great review. God bless you.
Thank you Michael 🥰
Great review. If I was fitter, I might be tempted👍
Ha ha 🤣 thanks maybe we should get fit together? 👍
super helpful thank you
Thank you, glad you found it useful 🥰
Just bought this for my new commute to train station (fold for train) and then unfold at the other end. Thanks for a lovely review!
Thank you 🥰 glad you found it useful, we love the bikes and they are great for commuting 👍🏼
A great thorough review of the bikes. We were looking forward to hearing Caroline’s review and opinion as we have little knowledge or experience of bikes other than our Tandem. Thought she put it nice and simply which we liked. It was a great rounded video though as for anyone more technical, Iain’s perspective would have been helpful 😊
Aw thank you very much both 🥰 we haven't tried a tandem yet and not sure we would agree which way to turn 😂 But yours looks ace! Glad you enjoyed the review, the bikes are great and very handy for compact traveling, have a lovely weekend 🥰
@@VantasticAdventureshow tall are you? I'm 6"3 so was wondering if the seat comes up high enough
@@snap_drama346 6ft 1 and it doesn’t feel cramped for a folding bike, the seat does go quite high so you should be okay but we did try them in Halfords as they had one on display, worth a test first to make sure if you can 😊👍
Thank you I will purchase this bike to commute to and from the train station.
Thank you Jeevan, glad you found the review useful, it's a great bike and perfect for commuting - it does also have the mounts on the frame if you want to add mudguards too 👍
Thanks for this most comprehensive video. I bought the 9 speed version and it's a hoot to ride. Love the eagerness of this bike, it just wants to go. The thinner tyres help as this is going to reduce rolling resistance. Thanks for the tutorial on the handlebar 'wooble' I tightened the nut slighly and that stopped it. The 9 speed does have the thinner valve which requires getting a pump from Halfords for around £20.
Thank you Alistair, very much appreciated 🥰👍 The 9 speed looks fab especially with the disc brakes, glad you enjoyed the review and hope you like the bike as much as we do 😁
@@VantasticAdventures I am looking at 9 speed only as hydraulic vs 8 speed then upgrade to hydraulic
You saved the best till last ..... loved that bell. As always, loved your video.
Could do with a drinks carrier you say ...... Prosecco carrier for Caroline, and a Spitfire carrier for Iain (single bottle only!)
Great revue ... I would have never considered a bike from Halfords, but you have changed my mind; they are local as well.
Don't tell anybody that you have bought a Carrera (let alone 2), or they could be thinking Porsche.
Ha ha 😂 that's exactly what kept coming up when we were making the video description, Porsche getting lots of free advertising 🤣
Excellent idea with the drinks holders, that could be a new business venture! Pleasantly surprised by Halfords, definitely worth a look Roger 😁👍 Have a lovely weekend 🥰
Great review, nice one. .....and when a bike nerd gives 5/5 it's a recommendation! :) atb
Ha ha 🤣 thank you and that is an excellent compliment, Iain is most pleased 😂🥰👍
Great review, knocked it out of the park. Awesome that French supermarkets accept £ for multi tools ;)
Ha ha 😂 That's exactly what Caroline said when we watched it back after editing 😂 Blame too much choice of beer, distracted Iain 😉 Thanks Daz , glad you liked the review 😁👍
I really like Camera bikes I have had a few and at the moment I have a Carrera Fury mountain bike and its brilliant. We have folding bikes but we got Btwin Tilt 120 from decathlon. 20 inch wheels and love them used them all over and cost £200
Thank you, decathlon have some great bikes, we were in France recently and so many people ride their bikes. That's a great price for folding bikes too 😁👍🏼
Think we'd rather have your saddle Caroline!🌝 Very professional review guy's 👏 👌
Thanks very much Paul 🥰 It was much comfier 😂👍
Another fantastic vlog and bikes 👏 🥰🍾 however, If you continue with the weight gain 😉 we strongly recommend the Fiido D11 as the electric alternative 👍
Ha ha 😂 Yes definitely ate too many croissants in France 😂😂😂 Thanks will take a look at that model, the electric bikes look really cool 😎👍
They look fantastic. Seem very much like the Zizzo folding bikes my wife and I purchased recently. Lots of luck with them for many years to come. The folding bikes seem to be in trend.
Thank you very much, will take a look at those bikes too, appreciate the comment 🥰👍
Thanks for the great review both, they look really good and good value. Fit in the van well, should see how much clobber we manage to easily fit in the back! It is a van after all. Just move stuff about, put outside or put in a pup tent when on site.
just sent before finished! We have a tow bar and bike rack for our 4 bikes If do go that route it works well. I do add a metre to my van size when booking at campsites. 4 bikes and tow bar and bike rack meant had to uprate the van for payload.
Ah that’s a good idea thank you, uprating seems the way to go if adding the tow bar and still wanting to carry passengers etc, That could be our best option too 😁👍
Pup tent is a good idea! We can then take the kayak too 😂👍
Is it safe to ride on gravel or rock path
Just working my way through the vlogs of your France trip. Really enjoying them with lots of good tips. We hope to go in our Broadway Apr/May time. A couple of questions on bikes please. We like the idea of fold up bikes as these would transport inside the van. I’m a similar size to Iain but an older vintage - so I think they would suit us. Did you consider an electrically assisted fold up bike? And why didn’t you chose them (apart from the obvious weight premium). On your French travels did you see plenty of opportunity to hire bikes? We may try that before taking the plunge and buying. Thanks for sharing your experiences - one of the best vlogs out there imho!
Thank you Glyn that's very kind of you and we are pleased you are enjoying the videos 🥰 Yes we did consider electric bikes as they are a great idea for going a bit further but it was mainly due to the cost, we weren't sure we would use folding bikes so for one trip it didn't seem viable but in fact we loved them and have used them since 😁 At each of our campsite stops there was bike hire actually available on site including electric bikes too, we did used to hire them before we took our van so a great alternative to taking your own, prices were quite reasonable too 👍
Loved your review. I bought the 9 speed version a month ago and absolutely love it. Like you I'm experienced and my MTB and road bike are going to gather dust as the Carerra is so much fun, and you can take it anywhere!
Got to say this can be ridden as fast as any bike on the flat. After I took off the kickstand and magnets it lowered the weight to just over 12kg which is respectable.
Before buying I compared the spec with a Brompton and it was an easy decision to make. Got 25% off at Halfords with British Cycling menbership and paid £340. No complaints here! 🙂🙂🙂
Thank you Paul 🥰 Wow that's an amazing deal! Great thinking with the British Cycling Membership, mine has expired but wish I had kept it up now 😂
The 9 speed looks great, seriously tempted by the hydraulic disc but preferred the red colour 😂 it's a shame they don't have a choice of colours on each model but guess that would add to the cost.
Looking forward to many miles cycling, we are taking it away with our Collie this weekend to see how we get on, she normally runs at the side of my MTB quite happily off the lead and on when on quiet areas - can't wait! Thanks for taking the time to comment, very much appreciated 👍
I notice there's some screw holes at the front of the bike where the stem is, will these accept a luggage rack?
Hi James, looking at the other model without the disc brakes you can fit luggage racks but it looks like at the rear, the front holes appear to be for mudguards 👍
@@jamesg5475 On the Intercity 9 speed there is a rack mount on the back and the holes on the front are for mudguards. I fitted some mudguards successfuly without using the metal framework, so effectively they are clip on mudguards. Fitting the framework would be very difficult due to the brake calipers being in the way. They are on nice and solid and work fine, and lighter weight too. 🙂
Hi thanks for the replies. Enquired at halfords. It does take a front rack. There is a special tern kanga rack that plugs into the 2 holes in the head tube. Mentioned in review here road.cc/content/review/carrera-intercity-disc-9-speed-folding-bike-292787
Great review. I asked question on previous video and noted your comments, but I am a bike snob and couldn’t get past the Brompton with the diddy wheels - I shouldn’t look like a fool, I am only 6’3. I have also blagged the missus and got her a cheaper alternative, although she has gone electric- she overtook me on a hill at weekend and I was on my road bike😦
#anybikeisagoodbike
Ha ha that's brilliant Michael 😂 We were overtaken by an elderly couple round lake Annecy on electric bikes and then spent the next 20 minutes trying to catch them 😂 finally managed when they stopped for a picture! Hope you are enjoying the Brompton, they make excellent bikes 😁👍
A great review. Looking at how these fasteners work they don't seem very reliable. It seems that you don't have to apply any force to release the clasp securing the frame. Don't worry it will open during the ride?
Hello, good spot 😁 There is actually a safety type catch built in so you can't just pull it open without pressing it in first plus it clicks into place so you can check it's fastened 👍
Hi I found this video really helpful and I’m ordering the bike. Could you please tell me which saddle Caroline bought?
Thank you Janice 🥰 it was a Selle Royal saddle, bought from Halfords too, the exact model is in this video around 3.40 into the video, it was very straightforward to fit but also thing Halfords can do that for you if required - czcams.com/video/urqaS5EbPHI/video.html
I have had this bike 7 months now, had to degrease and regrease the gears as I have done 300 + miles. Main problems with these are the folding mechanism, it needs white lithium grease to keep it folding smoothly and stop it creaking. The gears constantly need retuning I have found. The bike needs more frame protection and my paint has chipped off on the frame in several places. It is very fast for a folding bike and you can almost hang with bigger bikes which is nice. I would give it a solid 9.
Ah thank you that's really helpful, we have a chip on one of the bikes where it moved in transit - we have bought some protective stickers since so that's useful to know. Definitely agree on the brakes, that's the main difference between hydraulic and mechanical disc's they need to be regularly adjusted, ours need a tune up now actually. No issues with the folding mechanism yet but will look out for that - thank you very useful feedback 😊👍
For some reason the paint isn't great, I have a specialised mountain bike aly frame that is 9 years old and crashed a few times and paint is fine, it is almost like the carrera needs a laquer over the red. For the price it is incredible value. I have also found both inner tubes deflate fairly fast, I can imagine they are low quality saving money. In the future I plan to upgrade the tyres to schwable and maybe the inner tubes.
Ah yes also had the same with the tyres on that last outing, track pump quickly sorted though 😂 Paint is a Matt type so yes maybe that's why it's not as tough, lacquer would be good idea - yours sounds very well tested, thanks for sharing very useful again 😊👍
@@VantasticAdventures I weigh 90kg and reguarly take another 5-10kg and the wheels and frame have been fine so far. I would like to bike camp on it. With the gear range it can cope with some bigger hills, I wonder if you put some off road tyres on and ran lower psi wether it could do that. I think it takes a brompton luggage mount on the front and can take a paniers.
Were the bikes built correctly? To achieve the specified folded width of 350 mm, the handle bars would need to stow between the wheels, not outboard of the wheels. My campervan layout is like yours, but with the handle bars folded as you show, with the handle bars outboard of the wheels, there is no way the folded bikes would fit between my bench seats. Can the bikes be built with the handle bar stem turned round 180 degrees so that the first step is to fold down the handle bar stem, to the LEFT side of the bike, then fold the bikes at the main frame fold so that the handle bars end up stowed between the two wheels, then lower the seat post?
Just purchased the grey 9 speed version and I’m a little surprised at how wide it is when folded. The entry level version with the rear pannier frame has a different folding mech to the handle bars which means they fold into left hand side and it is allot slimmer it seems. Apart from that nice video and bike so far.
hello. how is the bike now? notice any issues? any observations of note?
@@charliemagnemartinez4341 it’s a great bike. Very happy with my purchase. It’s fast and lightweight. The folding system is a little clunky and it is quite wide when folded but it’s not the deal breaker. I have the 9 speed with hydraulic disc breaks and it’s very well made. I’m very happy with it.
@@Daz86 thank you for your valuable feedback
Nice video - had my heart set on this... but unfortunately my work only does CycleScheme not Cycle2Work -- so can't get this on that offer.
Thinking of getting the Tilt 900 from Decathlon to cut the car out of my commute (and for fun)
Thank you Harvey 😊 Ah that's a shame ref the scheme, one of our viewers suggested there may be a Halfords discount if you are a member of British Cycling, might be worth checking out if it helped with the price / offer.
@@VantasticAdventures Thanks a lot mate! This video makes me want this bike more than the Tilt 900 that's for sure.
Anyone got enough experience to know the BCD of the crank on this bike? Love to know as looking to change the crank or just the cog so has more teeth and also change tyres
They say it for safety even if there is quite a safety margin
You mention at the end that it was possible to increase the reach on this. How do you do that? Thanks
Hello 🙂 There is a quick release lever on the stem which allows adjustment of the handlebar angle and then also another to adjust the reach - it only moves a few centimetres but it does make it more comfortable for a taller rider 👍
Thank you for sharing. Is it pre assembled？Is it suitable for cycling learner？
Hello it is a great bike for a learner as you can lower the seat right down so it's easy to handle 👍 it does require some building if you buy it out of the box, mainly adding the peddles, the seat post and the front folding stem mechanism but it's very simple if you follow the instructions. If you are not confident or not much experience with bikes we would recommend the Halfords build option, for around £10 they will build the bike for you and adjust it, well worth it for peace of mind and ease 👌
@@VantasticAdventures Thank you so much. Your sharing is very useful for me. I will go to Halfords next week and I can be a rider successfully. 😊
Halfords do a karcher oc3 they are awesome for cleaning the bike with a muc off kit 👌
Cheers Stu, we have a Karcher but a different model so will check if it works with the muc off stuff directly 👍😁
Nice bike I got electric one second hand for 325 massive bargain ❤
Wow that's a great price - they are great aren't they 🥰👍
would be nice if i could find mudguards to fit this
Will you guys be doing anymore videos on the carrera bikes I am thinking about doing videos myself but don't know what to do
Hi Stu, probably not directly on the bikes but they will certainly feature in future videos. We have taken them with us this weekend to Wales and will hopefully get chance to use them quite a bit, the first time with our dog 🐶
You should definitely make videos on the bikes, they are very popular and you could feature how good they are on different terrain, how they fold up for use on public transport, fit into a car boot etc. Check out some of the bike review channels for ideas too 😁👍
Fantastic bike. I have the black version with fenders and a rear rack.
This looks great. But a bit wide compared to Brompton (when folded)
Yes you are spot on, definitely a bit wider when folded 👍 Luckily it fits into our van centre walkway perfectly but if a bit thinner would be better for the car too
The mid range bikes from Halfords, carrera, voodoo and boardman are good quality and value, it’s the staff that are hit and miss, some stores have excellent knowledgeable staff and mechanics, others have a load of teenagers and Saturday lads
Ah that's a good shout, we literally bought them without any help but they did carry them out to the car for us which was nice 👍
Agree. I went to their store in Purley and they had some tattooed chav woman. Who didn't have a clue what tyres they had in stock. And she was rude. And had a couldn't be bothered attitude. That said the Carrera intercity range are EXCELLENT value for money. And this one is arguably the best sub £400 folding bike on the planet.
Not straight forward from the Halfords website but do you know what the weight limit on these is?
It's an odd one the weight, we are going to try and contact Halfords to clarify as they have just added a generic weight limit for folding bikes of 15 stone 7 including luggage (or 85kg + 15kg of luggage).
This seems too generic and the bike looks capable of carrying a higher load so trying to clarify, will post back on our video comments if we get a different response 😁👍
Hi both, I'm looking to get this as a commuter bike - Can you let me know (if you know, and don't mind!) if any of the Halfords mudguards actually fit this bike? Their site is really poorly designed to not show you what components can be put onto which bikes ... I've not had a bike since I was about 10 so have absolutely zero clue - thanks for any help
Hello sorry for the delay in replying 🥰 Yes you can fit mudguards to these bikes they have the pre drilled holes so can be added, some of their other bikes have them as standard, if we used over the winter months would definitely add them ourselves as they have little weather protection otherwise 👍
Do you think the bags would fit a 20 inch folding bike with a rear rack ?
Hi Mark, it's quite tight on our bikes, they have to be packed in the right way to fit but there is some space once they are in, the wheels tuck in so probably would be okay so depends on your rack how much it sticks out - we would say it's possible but might need a bit of jiggling 👍
Does it fit folded in an average gym/swimming locker? please.
Hello, it's still quite large when folded so probably not a locker although haven't been to a gym in a while so they might be bigger now 😁 The folded dimensions are on the halfords website if you wanted to check before deciding, it's probably the height that would restrict it for you 👍
May I ask where you put them or secure when your on site? Surely you don’t want them in the motorhome
Hello no we keep them outside the van, normally parked at the rear and locked to the van overnight, always carry some oil for the chain and a microfibre cloth to dry it off next morning if it rained. We also have a drive away awning so can store them in there if required. Some people have covers too for keeping outside which is a good option. 👍
How's it holding up? Thinking to buy one 🤔
Hello, still good thank you although not used much over winter but planning to take them on our next big adventure again this year back to Europe 😁👍
Should you extend the handlebars before you fold them ? so that they don’t hit the bike’s forks when folded.
Hi Jason, the extension isn't huge so it doesn't really make any difference but good idea. We tend to put a piece of the packing foam where it meets the forks so it doesn't scratch the paint etc 👍😁
@@VantasticAdventures That's a good idea as there is nothing worse than scratched paintwork on a nice bike, thanks for sharing this video as I'm looking at buying a folding bike and sadly do not have the funds for a Brompton, I'm also 6 ft 3 so that is another problem 🤔
If you get chance, definitely try one in the shop as it should be okay for your height, it doesn't feel to small for me and feels like it could manage a bit bigger rider 😁👍
Are those pedals black alloy or black plastic?
Hi Richard, good spot and normally first thing I change on a bike but they are actually plastic but as folding have left them on 😂👍
The bicycle is ok, but I got many problem after using it to commute with. I cycle ~60km a week (so not that much), and road only. I got spokes from the rear wheel broken, one of the pedal who broke (replaced with decathlon folding pedals), and one of the thread to screw on the rear mudguard had a default (had to do some homemade fix to have the mudguard still attached).
I would not recommand this bicycle because: it has very uncommon wheel size (20" 455mm, hard to find good tyres) and the new pieces to replace are very hard to find as well.
Thank you for sharing, very interesting to see how the bikes develop over time, no issues for us yet but not as much use - thanks for taking the time to comment and share 👍🏼
@@VantasticAdventures Yes, I started to get some problem after ~3 months, so roughly after ~700 kms
Bro 400 quid is a lot of money you can get good second hand in the UK / EU
Hello, yes understand what you mean, it did seem a lot especially when we already have bikes but when we factored in hiring costs and convenience decided to go for them. Second hand would have been a good idea but we didn't have time to source and collect them sadly, be interesting to see what that sort of money would buy secondhand too, maybe even a Brompton 😁👍
I've just hydraulic brakes put on my folding bike it just keeps getting better
Which brakes did you fit Stu? Considered that too, maybe a mod coming soon 😁👍
The Clarks ones from halfords
Cheers Stu, will check them out 😁👍
Looks a great bike, age stops me getting one nowadays 😂. But what do you think about this proposal for number plates etc? I personally can’t see it coming in. There are so many bikes around and what about children who ride bikes on the road, are they included?
Thanks Bob, never too old for a bike although we may need stabilisers soon 😂 Yes we agree, can't regulate bikes there are too many and how would it be policed, not enough resources either 😬
BOB REEVE age is just a number your only as young as you feel. Number plates for bikes? That would be something
Age is a number. I'm 60 and ride one of these. They are great bikes for the money.
the disk version of the carrera need 451mm size tyres... useless, becauae all the good 20" tyres are 406mm
why they did it?!
They look great but I’ll stick with electric bike. Take care Gill
Thanks Gill 🥰 Don't blame you, we will definitely go electric at some point too, they look very cool 😎
These hinges are crap, especially the frame hinge. Here's general rule: always look for the hinge design first when choosing a non-brompton folding bike. The best quick release hinges I've seen so far were on Tern, Dahon, Langtu and Shulz.
Hello, we liked the Tern and Dahon too but just didn't quite have everything we wanted. We have been impressed with the quality of these bikes so far but guess time will tell how long they last 👍
Did you consider e bikes?
Hi Beverly, we did as they give you an ever bigger range for exploring but we struggled to justify the cost, we liked the Mi Rider bikes but they were £1500 just for 1 so weren't sure if we would like folding bikes that much - maybe one for the future though as they do look very cool 😎👍
These bikes are awesome I have one myself but if you live in the northeast you can NOT get on buses with them
Wow! That isn't good, they fold up to a really good size don't they, similar to a suitcase so that's a real shame they won't allow it. We haven't actually tried to take ours on a bus yet but will test it out and let you know if we get any issues in the North West.
Thanks for the feedback 👍
@@VantasticAdventures
The solution is to have the carry bag. As the saying goes what the eye doesn't see. I've been on a bus several times with mine in the carry bag.
Ah great stuff thank you will try that, in the bag they are a good size for carrying on so that's good to know 🥰
@@VantasticAdventures
Yeah some bus drivers are just funny. And like to punish cyclists. But if someone comes on with a big suitcase they say nothing. So that's the solution. Use the carry bag. Then when you come off wait until they are out of site and unfold the magic. And be on your way
Now I understood why Brompton are expensive than this bike
Definitely get what you pay for with bikes but these are a good compromise 👍
@@VantasticAdventures By all means and thus, consumers need to make a hard decision.
Did you look at ebikes as well? Ps don’t forget your helmets…
Hi Stephen, yes we did and they look fab, just couldn’t justify the price increase at the moment but definitely one for the future 😁👍 Good point on the helmets, we should have added a disclaimer or note somewhere in the video as we are definite advocates, in fact just ordered Caroline a new MIPS helmet for use on both her bikes. Thanks for watching, have a lovely weekend 🥰
@@VantasticAdventures just do a close up on the bike, I bet Halfords put a must wear helmet sticker somewhere or manufacturer did
Jesus. Could you make the lead in any longer?
Hi, we checked with the big man but he suggested making it any longer might switch the viewers off 😁 it's 24 seconds, our channel is mainly about travel with the occasional review chucked in when we buy something decent and it's the intro we had from the beginning but will take a look to see if we can make a new shorter version for reviews as it's a good shout - thank you 😁👍🏼