Folding bikes

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with a folding bike. I'm looking at buying one as I need something that can be tosed easily in the car at the end of the day. A few years ago I talked to a bike dealer about them and he said they were popular for a while be people found that the small wheels made it more work, particularly around hills so alot of them stopped using them. I had a friend who had a racing one and loved it, was great for being on the road he could take it anywhere, came with its own suitcase. Chris will be taking it to work in the morning and I will pick her up in the car. That and I can no longer run so it would nice to pop the bike in the car to go running somewhere else ( I join the wife for weekend runs she runs and I bike)

The other thing is the Spanish aren't big cyclists (and Cityradders are unheard of) so I'm going to have to order it online. They range in price from 79 euros at ebay.de to over a 1000 pounds in the UK. Obviously the more you spend the better the bike.

thanks

I have owned a Brompton L6 for several years and have nothing but praise for it. The small wheels are compensated for by the gearing. The small wheels are typcially only a problem on rough surfaces, however the convenience of being able to take it with you practically anywhere should compensate. Normal restrictions that apply to carriage of cycles on trains and planes typcially do not apply - mine has been checked in as hold luggage without problems. Sales of folders have grown dramatically in the last few years in places like London due to various anti-car regulations.

See www.foldsoc.co.uk, and these people for on-line ordering www.foldingbikes.co.uk

This one interests me - it is a full size folding bike available in different versions.
Standard one is 450US and weighs 32lbs.
http://www.montaguebikes.com/

The Paratrooper Tactical Mountain Bike looks mean - 695US and weighs 29lbs.
http://www.montaguebikes.com/productpara.html

The fact it can be folded and put in a bag could be good for the S and Ubahn here, I think, unless it is verboten.

I can recommend a shop:

http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/folding_bikes.html

close friend bought hers there (she's local) and I did the prep work over the phone - really nice people.

edit: she loves it, takes it on the bus, bakc of the car. But considers it a second bike to her weekend trecking POS bike.

interesting links, the only bikes I've looked at are bike friday and they are abit on the expensive side starting at 1000 US. I will say the cheap ebay ones aren't worth the money. rob