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On this page we are going to be taking a look at the Columba 26 inch Folding Bike with 18 Speed Gears in Black which is a pretty good choice of an affordable, entry level folding bike for city commutes to work or school, leisure riding in parks, and for zipping around campsites.
To help you get the complete picture, in this review we will first walk you through the bikes main features before going into more detail and giving you our recommendation on whether or not we think you should consider buying it.
We will then take a look at its reputation among customers by scrutinizing the customer feedback so that you can get both sides of the story and see exactly how it is performing for real people, in the real world. And finally, we will also tell you where you can pick up this bike at a great price, and get super fast delivery too.
If you would prefer to skip the review until later and just head over to Amazon.com for now and grab a great deal on this Coumba Folding Bike just click here…
Alternatively if you are staying for the full review let’s get started right away…
Columba 26 inch Folding Bike Review…
The main features in brief:
- 26 inch wheels, steel frame.
- 18 speed shifter and derailleur. alloy front and rear V-brake.
- Kenda 26″ tires/Black-26″x1.5″/Monarch-26″x1.95″/Lavender-26″x1.75″.
- quick removable front handle stem. with alloy silver color cap & PVC black bell.
- front/rear steel hub. steel kick stand.
A Closer Look At The Columba 26 inch Folding Bike…
The Columba 26 inch Folding Bike is built around a steel frame as opposed to an aluminum one. Steel frame bikes provide a smoother and more comfortable ride and are more flexible which enhances comfort especially when riding long distances, plus steel is also denser and stronger than aluminum and better at absorbing vibration allowing it to take harder knocks without becoming damaged.
This bikes 26″ inch wheels give better acceleration and make this bike fantastic for climbing short and steep hills, as well as for fast flowing, quick turning trail riding. Bikes with 26″ wheels also perform better over bumps, potholes and curbs than bikes with smaller wheels, however remember that this bike has no suspension or shocks and so not really designed for mountain bike style riding.
The Shimano 18-speed shifter and derailleur give really smooth and accurate changing and are a great help when it come to adapting from smooth and flat to hilly terrain. The Shimano twist grip shifter is easy and comfortable to use, and the gears are smooth shifting and very responsive for a good smooth ride on paved roads and paths as well as on tracks and trails.
With this bike you also get alloy front and rear V-brakes which have the advantage of being very lightweight, as well as being easy and cheap to maintain and replace, even on the go. This type of brakes differ from disc brakes by not putting any stress or strain on the hubs or spokes during braking plus the don’t get in the way of the kickstand. They are strong and responsive and do give you plenty of stopping power when you need it, however they are slightly less effective than disc brakes in wet and muddy conditions. but more than make up for it by being more aerodynamic allowing for faster acceleration and easier cruising.
This Columba folding bike also features a set of Kenda 26″x 1.5″ road tires which give you that all important good traction and make cornering quicker. These tires are also designed to require less effort when pedaling and give you a smoother ride. You will also notice that they give a pretty good ride on rough roads as well as paved streets and are also good for riding in heavy rain and on soft surfaces like snow too. All of this makes these great tires for commuting, trail riding, and handling the odd pothole, and they are pretty durable too, however for serious mountain biking you may need to upgrade to tires designed for harsher terrain types.
For added comfort and control this bike has a quick removable front handlebar stem. this allows you top adjust the height of the handlebar to suit your own individual riding position and save your hands, wrists and forearms from suffering any unnecessary stresses and strains while riding, plus it also gives you the option to change the handlebar altogether for one with different angle or bend and although this may seem like only a small change, it’s easily enough to transform a good bike into a great bike.
And fitted to the handlebar there is a PVC black bell which allows you to let other cyclists, pedestrians and road users know you’re around so they can keep an eye out for you and avoid any unnecessary accidents.
The Columba folding bikes front and rear steel hubs give pretty good strength and durability and allow the wheels to move freely and stably making for a smoother and more comfortable ride, and the steel kickstand allows to to stand the bike stably when there is nothing around to lean it up against while you grab a breather, a coffee, or take some snaps of your journey.
Click here to check it out on Amazon…
Additional Features…
Alloy rims:
You also get alloy rims with this bike which not only look far better than steel ones, they are also lighter and perform better in terms of acceleration and shock absorption meaning you get a faster and more comfortable ride.
Reflectors:
For safety when riding at night or in other low-lit conditions where other road users may be unable to see you, this bike is fitted with reflectors on the pedals, wheels, and on the seat post below the saddle.
Folding pedals:
So that you can store this bike away in the least amount of space possible it features folding pedals which not only reduce the bikes folded footprint but also protect the pedals from becoming damaged during transportation.
Specifications…
- Color: Black
- Weight: 34 lbs
- Folded dimensions: 38″ x 14″ x 29″
- Wheels: 26″
- Frame: Steel
- Drivetrain: Shimano 18-speed shifter and derailleur
- Brakes: alloy V-brakes
- Tires: Kenda 26″x1.5″
- Rims: Alloy
- Pedals: Folding
- Stem: Quick removable front handle stem.
- Hubs: Steel
- Kickstand: Steel
- Accessories: PVC black bell
- Recommended Rider’s Height: 5’3″ – 6’0″
- Maximum User Weight: 200 lbs
- Box dimensions: 52″ x 26″ x 9″
- Shipping weight: 43 lbs
How Does The Columba 26 inch Folding Bike Ride?
We really like how this folding bike rides, it’s smooth and solid and a great ride especially for riders who are new to folding bikes. The bike rides just like a regular mountain bike, the gears and brakes work well-no shuddering or jerking and the hand grips are really comfortable and make riding for long distances really easy on your hands and wrists, however you may not feel the same way about the seat. The seat does begin to get a little hard after 5-6 miles and so you may need to replace the seat with a bigger and more comfortable one, or at least a gel seat cover, if you intend riding on long journeys.
In terms of build and strength, this bike is easily rigid enough for an enjoyable ride whether you are using it around town for commuting to work or school, or riding on mountain trails. If you intend riding on rougher terrain you may want to swap the tires out for rough terrain tires as this bike comes fitted with road tires. You may also want to keep in mind that this bike has no suspension either so you will be in for a bumpy ride on very uneven ground.
As you would probably expect from Shimano, the gear shifting is responsive, accurate and very smooth-no clunking or jerking, and the gears are also great for taking the effort out of riding up hills, plus they also do a great job of helping you pick up speed easily on the flat, which comes in handy for speedy commutes. The gears also make trail riding fun and easy however you will notice the lack of suspension on rougher tracks and trails.
Easy to fold and unfold, takes less than a minute either way, you could probably do it in under 30 seconds with practice. At 35 lbs it is a little heavy to be carrying around for long but having said that we found it to be easy to take on the bus, subway, or train which makes it perfect for commutes.
At the end of the day what you get is a well made and solid folding bike which looks good, is pretty durable, gives a nice smooth, and pretty fast ride and basically does everything it’s supposed to.
Click here to check it out for yourself on Amazon.com…
Pros And Cons…
Pros…
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to fold and store
- Strong and sturdy
- Smooth ride
- Good grips and tires
- Good price
- Smooth shifting
- Great for commutes
Cons…
- Poor assembly instructions
- Seat gets hard on long journeys
Verdict-Should You Buy The Columba 26 inch Folding Bike?
If you’re looking for a decent entry level folding bike for commuting to work or school, riding in parks, on tracks and trails and for zipping around campsites we strongly recommend checking out the Columba 26 inch 18-Speed Folding Bike.
The steel frame and 26″ wheels give a pretty comfortable ride on roads and minor trails even without any suspension, plus it’s also a breeze to ride up hills and can be easily and quickly adjusted to suit just about any size rider.
It folds down easily too in less than 30 seconds for easy carrying and storage and can also be taken on trains, buses, and the subway without any problems, plus it’s also easily stored in the trunk of an average size car.
And even though it’s not included in our Top 10 Folding Bikes For 2020 list, if you’re looking for an affordable and reliable first folding bike we think you will still be pretty impressed by the Columba 26 inch 18-Speed Folding Bike and highly recommend checking it out.
Click here to see the full listing for this bike on Amazon.com…
Here’s what existing customers have to say about it…
Customer Feedback…
At the time of putting this review together the Columba 26 inch Folding Bike is getting some pretty good feedback from people who are buying it right now on Amazon.com. It has an average feedback score of 4.1 out of 5 stars, which is pretty good, and that’s from 137 customer ratings too which shows that a lot of people are buying it, and more importantly they are liking it, in fact 54% of them give it the full 5 out of 5 stars, and another 18% give it 4 out of 5.
The things they seem to be the most impressed with are the bikes quick and easy folding feature which allows it to be stored away in small spaces, the sturdy frame and the smooth ride which make it enjoyable to use, plus how easy it is to take with you in a car trunk or on public transport. They also like the value for money you get, the easy set up and how it is a really good choice for commuting.
Of course there are some people who aren’t as pleased with it and have given it 3 stars or less, and some of the things they have issues with are that the kickstand got caught in the spokes when they bike folded the bike down, a couple of customers needed to replace the seat due to finding it uncomfortable, and some found it a little heavy for them to carry.
It’s only fair to point out that the majority of people buying this folding bike on Amazon seem very happy with it and we recommend checking through the reviews for yourself to get the full story before buying.
Recommended Alternative Choices…
If you like the sound of the Columba 26 inch Folding Bike, you may also be interested in our detailed reviews of the Schwinn Hinge Folding Bike, the Eurobike EURG4 Folding Mountain Bike and the Retrospec Judd Single Speed Folding Bike which are three pretty good alternative choices and well worth comparing to see which one you feel will be the best fit for you.
You may also like our review of our overall top choice of folding bike for 2020 which is the Scwinn Loop.
Here’s A Quick Video Of The Columba Folding Bike…
Click on the video below to see the Columba 26 inch Folding Bike in action before spending any money…
Best Place To Buy Your Columba 26 inch Folding Bike…
This is the easy part. If you’re looking for the best p;rices, speedy delivery and hassle free returns we recommend buying your folding bike on Amazon.com.
However, before you actually buy, we also recommend doing a final price and product comparison to make sure you’re getting the best bike, at the best price, for you.
In this case we recommend checking out the Schwinn Hinge, the Eurobike EURG4 Folding MTB and the Judd Single Speed Folding Bike and comparing them with the Columba to see which is the best bike for you, and don’t forget to check out the latest customer feedback too.
You also have the chance to pick up any accessories you may need while you’re there.