BIKE FRIDAY was born in 1992 in a small garage in Eugene, Oregon, founded by brothers Alan and Hanz Scholz.
The name "Bike Friday" was inspired by the character Man Friday—the beloved best friend and capable companion—from the novel *Robinson Crusoe*. It carries the meaning of being an "indispensable best partner for travelers who want to see the world with their own eyes."
Now, while Bike Friday celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, the truth is that even before I opened Circles, I had fallen in love with their functional beauty, ideas, and philosophy. Having personally owned and cherished a Bike Friday in the past, it was always one of the manufacturers I hoped to carry when I opened the shop.
Back when I was preparing for the opening, I actively reached out to the head office, but it wasn't meant to be at that time. There is a bit of a backstory behind why, after many long years, we are finally able to stock them at Circles in recent years.
Because there are so few retailers in Japan, Bike Friday is still not very well known here.
However, I am confident—no, I personally pride myself on the fact—that these are excellent sports bikes that make perfect sense for a country like Japan. So, to help everyone get to know them a little better, I decided to pick up my pen after a long hiatus and introduce the representative bikes manufactured by Bike Friday one by one. I hope you will join me until the end.
New World Tourist
New World Tourist
Since its debut in the founding year of 1992, the "NEW WORLD TOURIST" has remained a bestseller loved around the world to this day.
Among their many lineups, it is a representative, classic touring bike that has been offered since the earliest days of the brand.
As the name suggests, many enthusiasts use it in various situations as a bicycle for traveling the world.
Furthermore, their products are manufactured using chromoly tubing.
The reason Bike Friday actively adopts chromoly, a material that Circles also specializes in, stems from the founders' philosophy that they want the bikes they build to be the best possible bicycles for traveling the world.
As most of you know, bike frames made with chromoly tubing absorb road vibrations moderately during rides, meaning you won't get as tired on long-distance rides, allowing you to enjoy your ride until the very end.
Additionally, because of the nature of the Bike Friday as a folding bike, the fact that you will repeatedly fold it is very important. Chromoly is the most suitable material for providing high durability. In the worst-case scenario, should it break while traveling, chromoly can even be repaired by welding it locally.
Also, most models are produced after receiving an order based on measurements of the rider's physique. That’s right—Bike Friday is a handmade, custom folding frame. Another important point I should mention is that you receive as much repair support as possible if something were to break.
"Being able to use it forever"—this might run counter to the lifestyle that has become all too common in recent years of "always replacing things when they break." But at Circles, we believe this is the ultimate value, and I think it can be summed up by those very words: being able to use it forever.
The folding function of the frame is basically one-touch using a quick-release lever.
For standard transit, parts that get in the way, like the handlebars or saddle, are either detachable or foldable depending on the model, designed with careful consideration for riding performance, usage, and storage efficiency.
For many folding bikes, the folding mechanism is the first thing to break.
The fact that Bike Friday values their bikes and prioritizes craftsmanship intended for long-term use is clearly evident in the construction of this folding system.
Where does the force go when riding a bike?
What kind of folding method is easy for everyone to use?
What materials make it long-lasting while remaining reasonable?
The answers likely didn't come overnight.
However, I believe that the pursuit of these answers is the reason it has become a touring small-wheel bike loved around the world.
A one-of-a-kind "Small-Wheel Touring Bike"
To be honest, it is difficult to find another existence like Bike Friday when searching globally for the genre of touring bikes with small wheels. They are designed and engineered so that you can transport them anywhere in the world, storing them in dedicated travel cases or bags in a short time without sacrificing ride performance.
Bike Friday offers models with 16-inch wheels and two types of 20-inch wheels. This NEW WORLD TOURIST uses the [406] size 20-inch wheel, a standard that accommodates the thicker tires commonly used on BMX bikes.
20-inch tires in the 406 size range have an incredibly diverse variety, from narrow slick tires to block tires suitable for dirt riding. Although it is billed as a touring bike, it can be used in various situations (from commuting to adventures), and I think its status as a classic Bike Friday model is due to its deep versatility.
＊By the way, as for the other 20-inch size, it is [451]. The difference between [406] and [451] is the rim diameter; simply put, the smaller diameter is [406], and the larger one is [451]. The other classic Bike Friday model I plan to introduce later, the POCKET ROCKET, uses this 451 size to specialize more in speed.
Diverse optional equipment
Bike Friday offers a wide range of options, and the rear and front racks are dedicated designs manufactured by Bike Friday. Naturally, you can equip pannier bags, rack-top bags, and the like, and even with a heavy load, it promises a stable, low-center-of-gravity ride unique to 20-inch wheels.
Beyond the soft travel case that makes carrying it easy when folded, there is a hard-case system called a travel trailer, and you can choose an option set that turns the travel case into a trailer that the bike can pull.
There are also various stem systems. While the base stem is basically determined by the model, upgrading to your preferred style is also possible.
Also, small-wheel bikes, especially folding bikes, often have unique frame designs. Fender installation can require dedicated parts, or can be difficult to begin with. However, Bike Friday is based on the idea that "simple is best," so the frame structure itself is quite standard. Fender eyelets are provided from the start on the front fork and seat stays just like on a regular bicycle, making installation easy. By the way, it is no exaggeration to say that the Micro Turtle Fender manufactured by our original brand, SimWorks, was born with the intent of being mounted on this New World Tourist.
＊The photo below shows a different reference bike. During installation, I added SimWorks By Honjo Dove Stay 50mm to make it look more beautiful.
Because it's a custom order.
Even though the frame size is extremely important for enjoying a bike, almost no folding or small-wheel bikes are available to purchase by selecting a size.
As I mentioned earlier, Bike Friday, starting with this NEW WORLD TOURIST, is basically a custom-made production, with each frame produced according to the user's height and physique.
The applicable height range is roughly 140cm to 200cm, so both short and tall people can ride a Bike Friday in the perfect size.
And with fitting, as well as the part configuration and frame color according to each person's preference, the dedication possible only with a custom order means that everyone from sports bike beginners to veterans who have ridden many bicycles can enjoy their Bike Friday 100%.
I assembled the parts for the Bike Friday New World Tourist introduced this time under the premise of "going on long-term touring," but if you keep a separate set of 20-inch wheels in the 451 size (with disc brakes), you can easily change the character of the bike for situations where you want to go faster just by swapping the wheels.
The Bike Friday New World Tourist is a bicycle that is a versatile, big-hearted companion with small wheels—please take this opportunity to get to know it.
Next time, I will introduce another classic model, the POCKET ROCKET!
