Reviews 4.4
265 total
John D. Bell
1 reviews ES
Very impressed!
An extremely easy ordering/paying process. I had to contact Bob Forgrave as I live in Spain and had special instructions, and found him to be very helpful and obliging. I also found the delivery time to be unbelievably quick. Very pleased and impressed with the whole process of my purchase. I would 100% recommend Flatbikes!
Date of experience: June 04, 2023
Thanks, John. Glad we've mastered the delivery process to Spain!
Cecelia Rose
1 reviews US
I bought my bike a few years ago and…
I bought my bike a few years ago and the experience was amazing! I love my bike! Bob has fabulous customer service and really goes above and beyond for his customers! I'm training for my first 50 miler and perhaps 100 miler this year.
Date of experience: June 23, 2023
Thanks, Cecelia. Wow--we're honored. A 5-star review years later. Can anything top that? Best of luck on your first 50-miler!
Dan
1 reviews US
Great product
Great product
Date of experience: June 05, 2023
Thanks. Anything we can do better?
Carol Anderson
1 reviews US
Personal service when I was having a…
Personal service when I was having a problem online ordering. Fast delivery.
Date of experience: July 24, 2023
Glad to help!
Rob That
1 reviews US
I ordered 2 of the flat bike kits for 2…
I ordered 2 of the flat bike kits for 2 electric bikes. I needed to flatten them out for moving on a car rack without scratching them up. What great products. And I have to say the guys there are right up on emails. I thought I was having an issue with the pedals coming off, but it was only because I didn't read the instructions all the way through. You've got to push the rubber ring over after connecting the pedal... Great to have, easy to use. Would buy again for sure. Keep up the good work guys...)
Date of experience: July 05, 2023
Glad to help make your e-bikes easier to transport. And thanks for the great review!
William Gordon
1 reviews US
Amazing Bikes!
Amazing bikes. Even the folks at the largest bike retail store in Dallas were impressed when I brought them by to see them! Well-made, shipped professionally, and great customer service.
Date of experience: July 18, 2023
Wow. That one is a really big store, too. Thanks for the positive words!
John
1 reviews US
Great products
Great products
Date of experience: August 23, 2023
Thanks, John!
Munster
1 reviews US
would have given 5 it's just that they…
would have given 5 it's just that they know a kink will be developed in the install with tube ,until inflated and expanded so let us know! THANK YOU LOVE THE PRODUCT!
Date of experience: August 23, 2023
Thanks for the tip. We'll check Tannus' Armour installation instructions to see if they can be improved.
Michael Adams
1 reviews US
The 21” 811 is a Great “Folding” Bike for 6’4” and 340 lb Riders
I’m 340 lbs, 6’4”, live in a condo, and space is a premium as well as bicycle security. I wanted a full-sized bike but didn’t think I could accommodate it until I learned about full-sized folding bikes. During my research I gravitated toward the Change bike because based on the advertising it seemed like the only model I could trust to support my weight and height. However cost of folding bikes deterred me from jumping right in. In the end I didn’t pull the trigger without some lucky timing when I saw the 811 model go on sale. So I bought a 21” 811 model in Arctic Blue. I also responded to a promotional email and received an additional coupon as well as optional mountain bike tires (sign up and pay attention to your emails!). Delivery was quick, Bob was very responsive by email, and his assistance was pleasant and helpful. Overall I’m very pleased with my purchase. Is the bike a perfect fit? No…but not bad for a tall guy’s internet purchase. Actually, I was expecting to be less satisfied as I wasn’t buying a bike optimally sized for my height and wasn’t sure it could handle the weight. Ultimately, it’s easily 95 to 98% everything I wanted it to be. That said I would say it exceeded my overall expectation! I love that it’s very sturdy but light weight and best of all performed like a full sized bike more than capable of handling my weight. After years without a bike and many pounds later…I’m glad I purchased the 811 from Flatbike. I would recommend giving Change bike a try if you want a quality full sized folding bike and great customer service!
Date of experience: August 15, 2023
Thanks so much for taking the time to write up your experiences like this! We're sure this real-life experience is going to help a lot of people zero in on what a full-size folding bike can do for them. Happy riding!
Rick H
1 reviews US
Choose the correct model for you.
I wrote my original review Dec 11, 2022 and promised an update after riding it a while. Still have mostly positive things to say. The convenience factor of keeping this bike in the trunk of my Honda Accord 8 months a year is enough reason to get a folding bike from Flatbike. I wanted to show pics of bike in the trunk but still do not see anything on this review website to download pics. The bike is sturdy and thus has held up well and I have no reason to think it won't in the future. I saw at least one review mention the quick release pedals coming off while riding. They're right about getting acquainted with the directions on this. I went through a spell where I couldn't keep them on while riding. And this leads me to a possible small design flaw. Bob maybe you can test this out. For several months I didn't have a water bottle holder attached. And I was able to keep the pedal on at all times while in my trunk. When I went to fold the bike the first time after installing the holder the pedal kept hitting it. No matter how I manipulated the pedal I couldn't get it past unless I took that pedal off. And that's when the pedal kept coming off every so often while riding because I wasn't sliding that sleeve over. A more intrusive instruction for dummies like me would be helpful Bob. Is it full size? I'm no bike expert to know what constitutes full size. Perhaps in a mtn bike it is. I have an old Raleigh C50. While riding the folding bike I don't feel like I do on that bike. One of the reasons is that the diameter of the rims on my old bike are 25" and the flatbike rims are 23 1/2". I can feel a subtle difference while riding the two. Bigger is better here. But that just might be a concession to folding it smaller. If you plan on riding long distances consider this. And this brings me to the title of my review. Absolutely buy a Flatbike. But choose the correct model for you! And here I have nothing but my own naivety to blame here. If you are riding in parks and places with some gravel and a little dirt and no really really steep hills. The 809 street/mtn is ok but you'd be better served by probably the road warrior. I thought the front suspension would give me noticeable extra comfort. It does not unless you are using it on a mountain which I am not. The gearing, I only use the 4 or 5 highest gears exclusively. And wish I had a few more gears to be able to go faster. Again, naive to gear setup and ratio's and all that to even ask about it. We are basically buying a bike sight unseen. I couldn't find a dealer anywhere here in NJ that carried a Flatbike to see it up close. I would have traveled for 2 hours to a dealer to look at one because they are expensive. Bob, if somehow you could partner with one dealer in big metropolitan areas to carry a floor model of your bikes, I bet people would come to see one if you advertised it. So this is my advice to prospective buyers. Ask a lot of questions. Bob will answer them quickly. And choose the right model!
Date of experience: September 10, 2023
Wow. So much great info in here, Rick--for others and for me too! I hope lots of people read it. You raise 4 important points that I'd like to add depth to: 1) Pedal latches. Yes, even while this is the best system out there, instructions are critical, and sometimes there's a learning curve. Our response has been two-fold: write our own directions and . . . design and manufacture our own pop-off pedal design! This will be available in three months, and will be the best removable pedal system at launch. 2) Wheel size. Yes, we've done some testing here. Your frame can be upgraded to a 700c wheel (approximately 28" on the outside of the tire), and that's what we've put on the Road Warrior and Adventure Bike. Your observation about the Road Warrior for long rides was spot-on. 3) Dealers carrying a floor model. Essentially, this would be a new approach, of dealers having a reference model CHANGE bike, but selling online via Flatbike and getting a commission, again and again---earning profit on no carried inventory. That can work, and we'll look into it, but it will have to be in the dwindling category of independent shops. Question: If a local dealer's floor model had been the 809, would that have given you enough info to look more at the Road Warrior? 4) Product reviews vs service reviews. We have product reviews available now, with product picture upload links. We'll check to see how to make them more widely accessible. And thanks! Bob
Lucas Israel
1 reviews US
The quality of the bike is…the best
The quality of the bike is unparalleled- truly a premium mountain bike- nothing is compromised with the folding design. The customer service years after purchase and much use is just as good as day one. Thank you for the best folding bike and customer service.
Date of experience: August 23, 2023
Thanks, Lucas. What an amazing review. We couldn't ask for better. Here's to more years of happy riding.
Sam Crane
1 reviews US
Flatbike is great!
Flatbike is great! They kept me updated with helpful information on my bike purchase throughout the process and my bike arrived earlier than expected!
Date of experience: August 29, 2023
Woohoo! Glad to make the bike selection and buying process easy and effective. Happy riding!
DW
1 reviews US
Personalized Attention from Bob and Flatbike
Great experience working with Bob on the purchase of my Adventure Bike. Bob replied to emails and and my numerous inquiries very quickly, even on a holiday weekend. I also enjoyed reading the Flatbike blog for all of the various topics. My Adventure Bike was well packed for shipment and included detailed unfolding instructions.
Date of experience: August 23, 2023
Thanks for the excellent feedback! Glad to know we got you to the right bike--and got it to you--as effectively as possible. Happy riding!
Greg
1 reviews AU
Recent purchase of a used DF-6 folding…
Recent purchase of a used DF-6 folding mountain bike. Until now I have been riding 20" folders for touring. This bike fits in the same bag as my 20" so long as I put the front wheel on the wrong side and remove the handlebar, less than 3 minutes (only necessary for long distance trains). No comparison this bike is fantastic quality, and the ride is amazing, nothing like a 20" folder.
Date of experience: September 07, 2023
That's . . . kind of amazing. I had no idea that a folded full-size bike could fit in a bag for a 20" wheel bike under any circumstances. So glad to help you solve the long-distance train problem. Happy riding!
William Ailes
1 reviews US
Boat bike
Received the bike and it was packed well with no damage. Installing the pedals was confusing (until I read the instructions). They work great once you take a couple minutes to understand how they work. Once unfolded it is just like a quality non-folding bike. There are the obvious benefits of having the bike inside the car when traveling, like not dealing with a bike rack, security and it being out of the weather but also we noticed in the past that on long road trips in the car our fuel mileage was greatly reduced with the bike rack and bikes on the car. Not an issue any more. Our main reason for getting the flatbike was for when we travel on our boat. We were not fans of the folding bikes with little wheels and tired full size unfolding. Putting two full size bikes in a dinghy and going to shore was next to impossible. The flatbike stores below deck out of salt spray and is ready to go in minutes. Love the bike and planning on getting one for my wife.
Date of experience: August 03, 2023
What a great description of using these bikes with a boat, William. And I hadn't even thought about gas mileage with the car--great point! Thanks, and happy boating & riding...
customerERROL
1 reviews US
DID A GOOD TURN IN REPORTING A MISTAKE ON YOUR WEB SITEwell i corrected your prsentation on…
well i corrected your prsentation on your web site and could or should receive the right peddal at the same price, but was still charged 20.00 more. i think what i did saved a lot of people the heart ach that i went through. but bein soooo tight you you still added on the 20.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date of experience: September 26, 2023
Errol, I'm glad we were able to catch this mis-order before it got shipped, and swap out for a more expensive pedal option without your having to go through the whole return & reorder process. Sorry we couldn't ship the new set at a loss, even after your website improvement suggestion. Hopefully after all this, the pedals work well for you.
Klaas Focker
1 reviews CA
Good service and product
Good service and product
Date of experience: September 28, 2023
customer
1 reviews US
Hero of the day!
While riding my bike on a trail near the Flatbike office/warehouse I had a flat tire. After googling bike shops near me I was able to walk my bike to the location where owner Bob was so kind and helpful and was able to get me back on the trail - super nice guy! Also learned a lot about his bikes which seem very innovative and a good value.
Date of experience: October 13, 2023
What a cool review. Many thanks, and happy riding!
KRS03
1 reviews US
Great products and great communication
Very quick customer support. Email replies were on-target and fast. Products were delivered quickly as well. Everything was exactly as ordered and delivered in a secure small box.
Date of experience: November 14, 2023
Mlad
1 reviews HR
Excellent product, Top quality manufacturing
Excellent product, top quality! I hope that the black plastic ring will withstand daily use in all weather conditions (rain, snow, salt...) for a long time. Every day I take off the pedals and honestly I'm a little afraid of the weather conditions along with the mud. Thank you very much for your cooperation Greetings from Zagreb, Croatia, Europe
Date of experience: December 02, 2023
Thanks, Mlad. You're in good company. We've got some rather rough riders out there, and nobody's broken a Wellgo lock ring yet. But if you ever do . . . we're there for you then too.
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Full-size bikes are fun and easy to ride, but not so fun and easy to store and transport. Do you buy a bike rack for your car, driving around with the sensors covered and valuables outside your car---or is there a better way? When your bike is inside, how do you keep it conveniently accessible, yet out of the way?
This is what makes Flatbike so popular. Flatbike solves these problems, whether you already have a bike you like or are in the market for one that fits your life better.
Full-size folding bikes, including mountain bikes, hybrids, and gravel bikes, offer a quality riding experience. Then these bikes simply fold in half to fit conveniently in a car trunk, truck cab, RV cubbyhole, or below deck in a boat.
Or, if you already have a bike that you love but it takes up too much space, a Flatten Your Bike kit can make your existing bike fold flat in seconds, fitting easily against walls in small apartments or garages.
Ultimately, these improvements make your bike more compatible with transportation and where you live. Put it all together, and you end up with bikes that are more accessible, more portable, and take you more places to ride and explore. It’s portable adventure!