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While we were not wholly impressed by the original Stowabike folding bike, we will say right from the off that the V2 mountain bike offers considerably more than its counterpart.
This is a much more refined Stowabike mountain bike (MTB) model that has still been designed using relatively cheap components, but unlike the original – you get far better quality with this piece of kit.
Stowabike is becoming an ever-present name within the folding bike community, not necessarily for its prowess, but for its capacity to drive exceptionally large numbers of sales.
STOW A BIKE FOLDING BIKE
Our Rating
PROS
- 18-speed gears
- Durable 26″ wheels/tires
- Cheap folding mountain bike
- Good performance off-road
- Shock absorption functions very well
CONS
- Wider tires have a higher rolling resistance for on-road riding
- Wheels are difficult to release
- Cheaper components
OUR VERDICT
“While this is one of the cheapest folding bikes around, and certainly one of the cheaper folding mountain bikes, it does not disappoint. Not one bit!.”
Stowabike Folding Mountain Bike Review
It’s common to see the Stowabike mountain bike on the streets these days and with this new v2 model, this is only going to become more prevalent.
”If you’re not intending on splashing out on a premium folding mountain bike, then the Stowabike 26″ V2 might be the perfect fit for you!”
Obviously, the stand-out feature of this model is the fact that it consists of a particularly large frame and 26″ durable wheels too.
The first thing that comes to everyone’s mind here is that it is therefore not portable.
This is simply not true.
While it’s certainly far less portable than a smaller 16″ folding bike, it’s still more than possible to carry the Stowabike folding bike around with you – okay, it’s probably not the most pleasant thing to have hanging by your side.
Obviously, this is a hybrid bike, it can be effortlessly ridden off-road as well as on the road too, something that many people search for in a model.
I personally don’t feel like this is a good starting bike for anybody due to the size of it, it may be better to find a bike that is a slightly more manageable size – however, don’t let me put you off if you have your mind set on a folding mountain bike as this is probably one of the best folding mountain bikes around at this current time.
The Stowabike V2 mountain bike comes with a steel folding frame that has a decent suspension set within it. It has 18-speed gears and some durable Wanda 1.95″ x 26″ tires too.
It is essential for a bike of this size to have an ample amount of gears and following our tests, we can reassure you that the bike shifts seamlessly through them with consummate ease.
Off-road we found that the suspension, while certainly not the best that we have tried out, was more than capable of handling a variety of different types of terrain.
So if you’re currently browsing all the top hybrid models, it’s still worth checking out the Stowabike V2 and not being put off by its low price point.
Money doesn’t always correlate to quality, remember that!
One thing that I will say is that, unfortunately, being a 26″ bike – this bike is quite large still when folded down.
It may be slightly too large to comfortably take with you on public transport, however, it’s certainly possible for those that don’t mind a tight squeeze.
For short journeys, it’s more than fine, so long as you are okay with the extra bit of weight attached to these larger folding mountain bikes.
We tested the folding mechanism on the Stowabike V2 and found that it was considerably quicker than its predecessor, it was all folded away within 20 seconds.
Not the quickest by a long shot, but not too bad after all!
Another slight complaint we had about this bike is the fact that it took quite a long time for us to remove the wheels, I’d like to be able to say that it may have been us, but in all honesty – they’re just a real pain!
As we saw with the V1, these wheels are also not quick-release which is pretty standard on most folding bike models these days, however for the price – can we really complain?
Stowabike Folding Bike Price
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Specifications
- Color: White and Black
- Weight: 38.5lbs
- Frame: 26″ Steel Folding Frame
- Fork: 26″ Suspension Steel Fork
- Shock: Spring Shock
- Chain: KMC C30 chain
- Left Shifter: 3 Speed Grip Shifter
- Right Shifter: Run 6 Speed Grip Shifter
- Front Derailleur: Sunrun FD-QD-35
- Rear Derailleur: RD-HG-03
- Freewheel: 6 Speed
- Rims: Single Wall Alloy
- Tires: Wanda 26″—1.95″
- Pedals: NECO WP-391
- Brake: Steel V-Brakes
- Handlebar: Steel Handlebar w/ Steel Stem
- Grips: Black Rubber
- Saddle: V2 MTB saddle
- Kickstand: Steel Kickstand
- Overall Dimensions: 67.3″ x 23.2″ x 55.1″
- Folded Size: 38.2″ x 12.6″ x 29.5″
- Weight: 38.5lbs
- Speeds / Gears: 18
- Wheel Size: 26″
- Max Rider Weight: 280lbs (140kg)
Concluding Remarks
While there are better-performing models out there, I wouldn’t necessarily go against the Stowabike in preference for them.
If I had the money, I likely would, but if my budget was tight – then I believe that the Stowabike V2 is an apt folding mountain bike. The quality isn’t quite there, but it’s certainly good enough both on and off the road.
Mark Plummer
Mark Plummer is an experienced bike mechanic who has built, repaired, and customized thousands of bikes over the years. A former mountain biking athlete, his cycling adventures have taken him all over the globe from the mountains of Scotland to the South Island of New Zealand. These days he enjoys the benefits of commuting to work and touring on his Dahon and Brompton folding bikes.This free buyer's guide shows you how to find the best folding bike for your budget.
