ALDI Crane 20" Folding Bike

Poor quality gears and free wheel motion – The quality of the bike on the whole was good but was very disappointed with the gears and free wheel inferior quality. We have spent 3 hours on the phone trying to fix the problem with the manufacturer but to no avail. Show details

Perfect for the car – I am so imprest with this bike. It folds easily and rides well. Its comfortable and does not nake.my back sore.its a little heavy to lift into the car but km sure once my fitness is up 14kg will be no problem. I would like to find a carry bag for it so that its sits better in my car. Cant wait to get out with the wind in my hair and get fit.  Show details

Damn good little bike – I just bought one second-hand but it was like brand new. I won't say what I paid except to say I got an absolute bargain. I have had/do have many bikes both stock and many I have built myself from cutting up others and I can say for a foldup bike it is the best of the four I have had. Good brakes,six gears and it is comfortable to ride.  Show details

Great bike – Great study bike. Have Had it for several years . Haven't had a problem with it. I bought it so I could fold it up and store it away in the carry bag. Fits in my boot or back seat if I need to take it anywhere. Makes cycling anywhere easy. Recommended  Show details

Very handy – Bicycle is a little heavy for a mature aged lady to carry. Need good string legs to pedal and definately avoid hills... I have not experienced any problems travelling on Melbourne's Metro trains but taking it onboard a bus would be very difficult as heavy and too bulky for aisle.  Show details ·  1

Love the little Bend-R bikes – I bought a Bend-R about 9 years ago and used it as an occasional back-up bike for short urban commuting or to loan to friends in need. I have not experienced any of the problems other writers have mentioned. I bought a second one recently and my partner and I have discovered the joy of using them during weekends away as they fit into my little car… Read more

so easily. They are sturdy bikes and have taken us along beaches, over mountain tracks and around tourist shopping precincts. The bikes have been brilliant.

bike is alright – two weeks after buying the bike it starts to fall apart. Back brake brakes, the guard around the chain snapped. Got a flat tire because for some reason the tires are paper thin and dirt cheap. The seat is stiff to move up and down. if someone stole this bike I wouldn't really care  Show details

Ideal for me! – I found that this bike is good for smaller people like myself. Ideal for shorter trips. I don't ever use the folding mechanisms so can't comment on that. The bike is great for short trips and for keeping fit because it is harder to push than other bikes. I love the rear rack too and have a pannier bag attached to mine for carrying stuff. If you want to go long distances perhaps use another bike. Overall I am quite satisfied with it

Excellent for short trips – Nice looking, easy to use. Can fold up too, but the bike is heavy so its hard to carry it, and harder to fit it into the bag. Gears are not as slick as other bikes, but does most of what you want a bike to do for short trips where you aren't going too fast, and at a cheap price.

Piece of junk – My parents just bought this bike (Crane Folding Bike) and I have to say, it is the most tiring bicycle I have ever ridden in my life. I own a Brompton M6L and my Mum owns a Dahon Vybe which I have also ridden. Both these bikes are fairly similar in ride, but the Crane is just pretty much unridable. My Dad hasn't ridden a bicycle for many years,… Read more

so when he first rode the Crane he thought he was just unfit. There is a small hill near my house which my Dad tried to ride up on the Crane, but he just could not, and had to walk it up. When he tried riding the Dahon, he could easily go up the hill. When I tried riding the Crane with my Dad on the Vybe, I could barely keep up with him, whereas if I rode the Vybe or Brompton I can easily pass him with minimal effort. At this point in time, I am unsure why the bike is so horrible. When riding the bike, it feels like your pedal strokes are barely moving the bike at all, whereas with the other two folding bikes I mentioned each pedal stroke moves the bike as much as a full sized bike. I would say to anyone considering buying this bike, just buy a Dahon instead. The cheapest Dahon is the Vybe, and although it is a bit over double the cost of the Crane, it is at least 10x better. A Dahon-class folding bicycle is quite comparable to a full size bicycle, and I have ridden over 50kms in a day on one with no problems. With the Crane, I could tell within a few metres that the bike is horrible (also got tired within a few metres), and even if you only want a bike to go down to the shops or something, I would recommend either a used bike or any Target bike.

Good for it's purpose – 20" folding bicycle purchased from Aldi. I am 193 cm tall and have an existing conventional bike with oversize frame. I purchased the folding bike to keep in the car. I didn't expect it to adjust to my size and it didn't. I have made minor mods but it would suit most people up to 180cm - as is - out of the box. I could not find any specs before… Read more

purchase so the following may be of interest to others:

Steel frame, alloy rims, linear brakes, 46 tooth front sprocket , 28-24-21-18-16-14 on the rear, 6 speed revo shifter.

Comes complete with carrier, mudguards, stand, carry bag, and instructions. There were a spanner and allen key included, but the bike was fully assembled - just needed to remove the packaging, unfold and clamp in place.

With 20" wheels and the sprockets fitted, it's gearing is low to mid in comparision to my conventional bike. Thats Ok for intended use. After a local hilly trial ride of about 6 klm, I had a low enough gear for the steep hills and a top speed of about 25 kph pedalling in 6th.

This bike is no where near as comfortable as my conventional bike but suitable for short rides under 10 klm (thats why I bought it). The seat is smallish (but OK) and I found it a bit cramped - shorter people would not.

The linear brakes were suprisingly good, no trouble pulling up even on a steep descent. I had trouble changing from 6th back to 5 th (I'm confident a simple derailleur adjustment will fix that) but otherwise gear changes were OK.

In summary, if you want a bike for weekend rides or regular commutting, buy a conventional bike. If you want a bike to store in the car or caravan for short rides up to 10 klm (and the occassional longer ride) then this fits the bill and provides good functional quality for the affordable price of $150.