Not so long ago, the renowned Joe Breeze – inventor of the mountain bike to some – decided to import a line of folding bikes into the States, as part of his Breezer label’s move away from the MTB.Whose products would this giant of the US bicycle world choose as a partner we wondered? Birdy perhaps? Or maybe Brompton – both were looking to improve their US representation at the time.To our enormous surprise, Joe settled on Oyama, a Taiwanese/Chinese manufacturer of crude, toy-like machines from the murky basement world of budget folders.

Not all Oyama products are completely hopeless, and the 20-inch folders look quite presentable, but the real joker was the ‘Micro’ 14-inch bike, which Joe labelled the Itzy and began flogging for $450.We felt compelled to write the following in our web-based Buyer’s Guide:‘The little Itzy has a super-short wheelbase and is not really suitable for carrying a typical North American.’ Fair comment we thought, but it resulted in a flurry of emails from the States, including the sort of Good Cop, Bad Cop stuff outlawed by the Geneva Convention. In the event, we failed to back down (the pocket review is still there for anyone who wants a good laugh), and Breezer went on to withdraw all lines of communication.

…twirling pedals and overly-low seat post… make you feel like a complete plonker…

The Micromaxxi

Actually, if the Itzy had been branded as a $200 trailer park accessory, as it has in the UK, we’d have been kinder, because the bike – sold here as the Micromaxxi for £185 – is a long way from being the worst folder in the world. That said, it does have some rather damning faults, not least of which is that it’s totally unsuitable for the average North American.

The problem here is wheelbase, or at 81cm, the lack of it.That wouldn’t matter if this decidedly small bike was only to be ridden by small people, but the handlebar height is 92cm, and the saddle goes up to 89cm, or even more for those with nerves of steel.

You don’t need to be a mathematician to calculate that when a bicycle is taller than it is long, it’s likely to be a bit unstable, particularly if 68% of the rider’s weight is born by the rear wheel (compare these figures with the Honda on page 27).

The Micro is available in steel and alloy derivatives, the alloy model allegedly weighing a respectable 8.7kg. Unfortunately MaxxiRaxx, the importer, decided against the alloy job, so ours is steel, and it weighs a substantial 11.4kg, which would be acceptable for a folding bike with gears and accessories, but it’s extremely heavy for a tiny single-speed job.

On the positive side, the Micro is well finished.The welds are quite neat, the silver paintwork is lustrous, and the bike feels unusually rigid and stable.The 14-inch alloy wheels (not to be confused with the Bickerton and ‘baby’ Moulton 14×13/8″ size) are unusual in the UK, with a metric size of 40x254mm.You’ll want to look after the Duro tyres, because they’ll be next to impossible to replace. About 13 inches in overall diameter, the tyres may be small, but they’re positively grown-up against the 203mm tyres fitted to the Gekko and other slightly dubious tiny-folders.

The rigid frame and largish wheels combine to give the Micro a surprisingly good ride, with modest pothole hopping capabilities. But get out of the car park onto a proper road and the Micro is blown away by all other two wheelers.The single 43″ gear is totally inadequate, and the twirling pedals and overly-low seat post combine to make you feel (and look) like a complete plonker. So outrageously daft is this machine that scaffolders and the like, who might be expected to have some pithy witticism in store, simply stare open-mouthed.

Acceleration and top speed are so poor that we were unwilling to tackle a roundabout, the general impression being that the bike is something of a danger to shipping, forcing other cyclists to pull out into the traffic to pass.This is strictly not a commuter machine.

Considering the ‘over-square’ dimensions of the bike, it is perhaps just as well that the brakes are atrocious, because decent brakes would have the rider performing involuntary ‘stoppies’. The front manages a barely acceptable stop of .45G, but a convoluted cable run and basement-level caliper conspire to give an emergency stop of .2G at the rear. If you’re having trouble picturing a stopping force of .2G, think of something just noticeable to the rider.

Folding

Much better news here.The bars fold down quite neatly against the front wheel, and the frame hinges in the middle, bringing the rear wheel round to sandwich the bars. Drop the saddle stem in the right place and it fits neatly round one of the brake levers, which helps to hold it all together.The folded package measures 33cm wide by 55cm high and 63cm long.That’s 114 litres or 4 cubic feet, which is almost Brompton-sized, so stowage space shouldn’t be a problem.

The Micromaxxi comes with a rather smart bag that folds away into itself and clips over the bars. it might also morph into a backpack, but we just didn’t have the patience to find out.The problem is, it’s all much too fiddly and time-consuming. Bags are not usually required on trains anyway, so the five minutes needed to unzip it and wrestle the bike in is wasted time.

Conclusion

In the sub-£200 region most of the opposition is quite large and/or heavy, as you might expect, but most of these bicycles can be ridden a realistic distance at a realistic speed. The Micromaxxi is the cheapest super-compact bike around, comparing well – in terms of folded size – with the Brompton ‘C’ type at £375, or the Riese & Müller Frog at £700. But it just isn’t rideable.

The importers suggest that the bike might suit caravanners and other leisure purchasers, but we think it serves little purpose in this market either. A Brompton or Dahon will carry a container of water or fuel, bring home the shopping, and splosh cheerfully along rough towpaths – the Micromaxxi will do none of these things. If you really can’t spare more than £200, buy a budget 20-inch folder. If you want a similarly practical compact folding bike, you will regret not a penny of the £375 Brompton ‘C’ type.

Specification

Micromaxxi £185 . Breezer Itzy $450
Weight 11.4kg (25lb)
Max Saddle height <89cm
Gear Ratio 43″
Folded Dimensions W33cm H55cm L63cm
Folded Volume 114 litres
Manufacturer Oyama Industrial web www.oyama.com
UK distributor Touchstone Designs
tel 01342 844678 mail info@touchstone-design.co.uk web www.touchstone-design.co.uk