Emery P 44

Advantages: Gorgeous piece of kit
Disadvantages: Needs to be looked after to avoid rust

...It's over a year since I wrote this opinion, and I've had the bike since January 2002, so I think it's time for a bit of an update, which appears at the bottom: Steel is dead. Unless you buy a £100 bike from Argos you'd buy an aluminium bike, or even if you were feeling flush, titanium or carbon fibre, right? Steel is so outdated for mountain bikes. Wrong. The Orange P7 is a rare thing these days. A mass produced, fairly posh steel bike. In fact, I've just got rid of an aluminium bike in order to get hold of this one, and I love it dearly. I've never loved a bike the way that I love my P7. The company aren't one of the really big boys. Based in Halifax, they are largely unheard of in many countries. Many Orange bikes are made in the UK, but this tends to be their full suspension bikes, rigid bikes are welded together... Read review

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Advantages: sturdy and solid, great looking, good to ride and very useful
Disadvantages: doesn't quite fold up as small as a Brompton

...I own this bike, and its cool. Its the sort of bike that you can ride on down a cycle path through a bunch of kids on BMX's and Mountain bikes, and they do not mock you. This is a folding bike that isn't to be mocked by children. In fact when mine is unfolded the handle bars and seat post are often higher than my mountain bike, I have always had the problem of never having a bike big enough for my needs, but this one I can actually ride on properley, no more cramped posture, this is a bike that actually fits me, and i'm only 6ft 2. How does this bike compare to something like a Brompton? Well you are in luck, because I used to ride a Brompton to work before I got this bad boy! The Brompton is significantly smaller, roughly about two thirds of the size of the P8 unfolded, but then, its slightly easier to take on trains, I've even... Read review

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Advantages: Steel frame gives a compliant ride with plenty of feel
Disadvantages: not the lightest.

...As I'm an existing owner of a P7 already, many people might think the decision to buy a new one was more than a little strange. And I suppose they might be right. Why spend £1,000 on a new bike, when I could upgrade my existing one? Well, for starters, although my existing bike had some nice kit on it, it was getting a little long in the tooth at six years old. The one thing I did like (or rather LOVE) about it though, was the steel frame. While my existing bike was fully rigid, it still flexed enough to make it comfortable and not at all harsh off road. However, I still felt it was time to get front suspension. And so the quest for a new, steel, front susser began. I looked at many other bikes in the price range, but to be honest, there wasn't a lot of choice. Most other manufacturers are using aluminium at this price... Read review

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