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Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013

$509.09
$599.00^*

REDUCED PRICE You Save 15%

(8)

Item # 843607

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Our Novara FlyBy folding bike folds down fast and compactly, making it perfect for urban transportation, commuting or compact travel.

FlyBy folds in under a minute while magnets hold the folded bike together for a compact, easy-to-handle package; folded dimensions are 33.5 x 25.6 x 13.4 in.
Strong 6061 aluminum frame is designed to minimize flex and deliver a stiff, responsive platform for efficient transfer of your pedaling energy
Frame hinge provides a secure joint that's controlled with a smooth, easy-to-handle lever
Telescoping, folding handlepost offers excellent strength and longevity; when hinge lever is closed, an automatic lock secures the lever shut for extra safety
Shimano Nexus internally geared rear hub is low maintenance compared to conventional cassette systems and provides 7 smooth-shifting gears
Nexus twist shifter is intuitively simple, providing smooth, easy shifting with a flick of the wrist
Linear-pull brakes deliver dependable and easy speed management
20 in. Schwalbe Citizen tires feature a protective Kevlar® layer to deter flats; reflective sidewalls enhance visibility of bike and rider
Chain features a continuous enclosure to keep clothing protected from grease and road grime
Specs on our Novara FlyBy folding bike are subject to change

After its initial break-in period you might notice your bicycle performing less responsively than the day you brought it home. Not to worry, this is typical of all new bicycles and simply reflects that cables have stretched or their housings have seated themselves into final position. To keep running at peak performance, all REI bicycles come with a FREE warranty tune-up, which should be accomplished between the first 100-200 miles of riding or after the first two months if you're accumulating miles less quickly. Contact your nearest REI bike shop for details and an appointment for this important service.

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Item 843607

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Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013 Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013

4.3

(based on 8 reviews)

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Versatile (5)
Lightweight (4)
Compact (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting/city (7)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Commuter (5), Casual/ recreational (3)
- Cycling Style:
- Comfort oriented (8)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (7)

Reviewed by 8 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-8

May

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great ride. Fits in apt & hatchback car.

By Boise swimmer

from Boise, ID

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Easy To Step Over
Fits In Hatchback Folded
Fits In Shoe Bin Folded
Fun To Ride
Internal Chain
Shifts Easily
Unfolds Easily

Cons

A bit heavy
Folding Not Intuitive
Saddle Is Uncomfortable

Best Uses

Commuting/City
Road Biking

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

After years of wanting a folding bike, I finally sold my behemoth comfort bike and bought this one during an REI sale. After a month, I love it. No regrets, just elation that I finally got what I want: something that can be folded to fit inside my hatchback car, and inside my apartment. I live in a city with a high rate of bike thefts, including a former bike of mine locked right outside my front door, so I want my bike inside. The bike is reasonably comfortable, rides relatively smoothly and goes fast enough for commuting or touring. I'd say I average 12-15 mph on this. I've ridden this bike to work and back (5 miles RT) and to the gym (6 miles RT) almost every day since I bought it and I love it. Yesterday I gave it a real haul and rode it 35 miles round trip on a paved mountain road. It exceeded my expectations in terms of speed and hill climbing, though of course it won't match a road or racing bike for speed. You still get your exercise and get to enjoy the views too! When going uphill, I sometimes kept the bike in a higher gear and stood up to climb and it worked fine. The main con for me is that the handlebars & stem do not easily fold between the wheels as shown on the instructions. I've tried this several times with no luck. Something was always in the way from keeping the magnets from sticking together, no matter how much I tried to follow the instructions that came with the bike. It also involves adjusting the handlebars and stem, which is annoying since you have to re-set them when you unfold it. However, I've resolved this by folding the bike in half first, then folding the stem down to one side of the bike. Works much better and is still compact. Plus, it is ready to ride as soon as you unfold, unless you've put the seat down (which you don't have to do all the time depending on your height space available). Also, I find the saddle uncomfortable like a previous reviewer, but I kept the comfort seat from my previous bike (large with thick gel pads and spring suspension underneath) and installed that. I am so glad I did this! It makes the ride much smoother on your rear. Also, it would be nice if it came with a rack and fenders, but I bought a universal rack on clearance when I ordered the bike, and REI staff said it would fit and even installed it for me. Works great. I also know there are fenders that will fit this bike from research I've done on the web. If you want to ride fast and hard, this is not the bike for you, but if you want something that gets you enjoyably and fast enough from point A to point B and can be tucked away in your cubicle at work, your small car, or in your apartment, then this is your bike! Compact living at its best.

Comment on this review

May

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Folder for the Money

By MtHanded

from Missoula, MT

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting/City
Road Biking

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

Got the FlyBy in order to be able to bring all my toys and family members along on a weekend, i.e. spouse, bikes, kayaks, trailer, and husky dogs. It's very easy to fold and takes up very little room (1/2 of the back seat of a 4Runner). The bike isn't a full-sized road bike or mountain bike, but it moves along nicely, and I've taken it up a couple of mountain passes already and on some dirt roads as well, just to see if it could handle it. I am pleased with the bike's performance. I also like how both my petite wife and I can easily size the bike so it works for either of us. Those small wheels take some getting used to. The lack of a front suspension, adds to the rough ride on our Montana roads, but I added a gel seat cover/pad and that helps take away some of the rough ride. I like the handlebars, hand grips and shifters, and the folding pedals.
I had one of the Schwalbe Citizen tires get a slit, and am looking to upgrade to a more durable tire. I freely admit that I am harder on this bike than it is intended to be used for, but it seems to be up to the task so far. I really like the internal hub and chain cover -no grease on the seats or the clothes. Fenders would have been nice, but I found some that work okay.
So, overall, the bike isn't lightweight, has a few compromises, but for the money I'd say it was a bargain, and I did a FlyBy on more than a few full-sized bikes last weekend, so it must be working well enough.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great bike but not without problems

By Hafez

from Brooklyn, NY

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Loud

Best Uses

Commuting/City

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

Great little bike so far. My biggest complaint is the chain guard which makes a lot of noise as I bike. This is the same problem I had with the floor model when I took it for a test ride. I think this might be a flaw with this model.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Makes daily cycling enjoyable

By BikeFan

from Boston, MA

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy Fold
Strong Fold Points

Cons

Needs Fenders

Best Uses

Inter-transport Commuting

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

Picked this up during the annual 20% sale. Been looking at folding bikes for inter-transport commuting (bike-train-bike). Great bike for the price. Strong joints at fold points. Very similar to Tern bikes but unique with the internal hub. Chain cover is possible with the internal hub and saves pants from grease stains. Been stopped at grocery stores and barber shop by admiring folks. Hope to inspire them to start riding their bikes again.

Service and delivery comments:

Delivery was prompt, service was helpful.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Fast folder

By Nishidake

from Seattle. WA

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable
Compact
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Rough Ride

Best Uses

Commuting/City
Multi-modal Transport
Public Transit

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

I used to ride a Motobecane mixte hybrid as my daily driver, which I had outfitted with a rack trunk and Wald pannier baskets. Now I do a lot more multi-modal commuting and regional traveling and wanted a folding bike to better fit into my daily activities.

I picked this up during the last member sale and had it shipped to store where they assembled it for me.

I love how compact it is and that it's reasonably light enough to carry indoors or hoist in and out of a trunk/train/bus. Seeing people's reactions when I pull up to the curb and fold it in half to take inside is priceless.

It's also a lot of fun to ride. The small wheels are strong and stiff, the handling is responsive and it feels light and twitchy.

The included components are all high quality, including the brakes, grips, twist shifter etc. It even has a kickstand, which is a nice extra. Shifting the internally geared hub is nice and smooth and so far the 7 gears have been sufficient for me to handle hills along my routes.

There are only a few faults I can find with it, and some are just the nature of the beast.

First, it rides very rough compared to my old bike and I feel each rattle in the pavement. The saddle it comes with, like most bikes, is similar to the earbuds that come with mp3 players: junk. I replaced it with a Serfas Women's RX, which improved my experience of the ride significantly without adding a lot of weight.

Second, I'd like for the magnet that holds the wheels together when folded to be more robust. They come apart easily depending on how you handle the bike, especially if you leave the handlebars up to roll it while folded.

Finally, I really, really wish this bake came outfitted with a rear rack, or at least fenders. Since these components can be difficult to find off-the-shelf for folding bikes, it means I have to incur some extra cost and hassle to get it set up for basic commuting. At this price, though, and especially having gotten it during the member sale, I really can't complain. Especially looking at comparable folders from, say Dahon (who manufactured this for REI), it's a steal.

If you're looking for a folder, you can't go wrong with the FlyBy at this price.

Service and delivery comments:

The bicycle arrived well before the estimated date and the folks in the bicycle service center did a thorough job with the assembly. I had the c-clip that holds one of that magnets in place go missing and they replaced it for me at no cost. They also let me know that should I order some fenders through REI to fit it, that they would trim the stays to length and install them for free.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

4.0

First Impressions

By gonehikingva

from Richmond, VA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Ease of use

Cons

No True Low Gear

Best Uses

Commuting/City
Take On Travels

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

I purchased a FlyBy from REI two weeks ago. First of all, I like the bike. Having built a couple of bikes, I can tell Novara has outfitted the FlyBy with quality components. Gears shift easily, brakes work well, bike feels solid. ... But I live in a city with hills, and the FlyBy was not meant for that. There is no true low gear for hill-climbing. Other than that, I'm completely satisfied.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

5.0

Loooooove it !

By Jacynthe Hamel

from Las Vegas / Montreal

About Me Commuter

See all my reviews

Pros

Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting/City

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

I'm so happy of my new ride ! I bought it in Las Vegas for 3 months at work and I'm bringing it back to Canada, I love it to much.

It's really great to commute. You can fold it and take it inside your home to avoid the thieves. The internal speed system is great, you never having problem with it.

I make every body at my job and at the hotel jealous !

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

5.0

Neat Bike

By Thelma

from San Antonio, Texas

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting/City

Comments about Novara FlyBy Folding Bike - 2013:

I wanted to buy a bike I could fold easily and take off to a park whenever I wanted. My thought was that I wanted something small but that still functions like a regular size bike. It does that. It's ride is like in the same geometry of a regular bike. It folds very easily. No hassles. It also folds in less than two minutes. It has 7 speeds and it is lightweight. It's a nice commuter bike for the price. I would buy it for a college campus or for a city like New York to commute, or if you just want something small without having to buy a bike rack and hitch and all that. It fits easily in a car.