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In this review we are going to be taking a look at the Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike with Coaster Brake which is an ideal choice of folding bike for commuting, zipping across campus, weekend getaways, leisure riding, and days out sightseeing.
In this review we will help you decide if it’s a good fit for you by first taking you briefly through the main features before covering each one in more detail and giving you our recommendation on whether or not we think it is worth buying.
We will then take a look at the latest customer reviews being left by genuine verified buyers so that you get both sides of the story, and see exactly how it is performing in the real world. We will also tell you where you can pick up one of these bikes at the best available price, and get super fast home delivery too.
If you’re pushed for time right now and don’t have the time for the full review and you would prefer to just head straight over to Amazon.com and grab a great deal on one of these just click here…
Alternatively if you do have a few minutes and are staying for the full review let’s get started right away…
Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike Review…
A quick look at the main features:
- Foldable single speed bike with coaster brake, ideal for commuting and quick transportation that is easy to carry and simple to store
- 20 inch wheels with Kenda Kwest commuter tires with smooth rounded tread and large water dispersion grooves
- Lightweight aluminum frame that is 30% lighter than other steel or chrome alloy framed folding bikes
- Quick and easy folding time made possible by folding handlebar tube, top-tube and pedals
- Conveniently folds up to 10″x 30″x 22″, making it easy to stash virtually anywhere
The Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike In More Detail…
The Retrospec Judd Single Speed Folding Bike may look pretty basic, it is, and yet it still has everything you’ll ever need in the ultimate commuter bike.
Firstly it has a hand built, incredibly lightweight aluminum frame, it weighs in a just 26 lbs-the same weight as the Zizzo Via Folding Bike, which not only makes it really easy to take with you on public transport, to carry up and down stairs and on and off elevators, as well as taking it indoors to keep safe and secure from being stolen, it also makes it highly maneuverable and easy to handle too.
This bike also folds down easily, in just 3 simple steps, by folding the handlebar stem down, the frame then fold in half, and the pedals also fold into a compact 10″x 30″x 22″ package for convenient and easy storage in a closet, office, under a desk, or any other compact space. When folded down it will also fit easily into the trunk of just about any car meaning there’s no need to worry about buying a bike rack.
The Retrospec Judd Folding Bike is also a single-speed folding bicycle meaning it has no gears no derailleur, no shifter, or anything like that. It works on pedal power alone. This does have a number of advantages.
For a start it keeps the bike very low-maintenance because there aren’t as many moving parts to worry about, it keeps things nice and simple and allows you to focus on enjoying your ride rather than which gear you need to be in, and being single speed makes the bike more affordable in the first place, along with giving you better value for money through reduced maintenance costs.
In addition, this lightweight folding bike also features a single-speed 16T coaster brake. Coaster brakes don’t require you to operate any brake levers in order to stop the bike. Instead all you have to do is pedal backwards which operates a mechanism in the rear hub and stops the bike.
And because there are no levers, there are no cables which can become damaged and get caught up in the folding mechanism. Coaster brakes work just as efficiently in the wet as they do in the dry and require less maintenance than any other type of bicycle brake.
The Judd’s 20″ wheels allow for faster acceleration meaning you don’tr have to pedal as hard to get going or maintain your riding speed, which makes your journey easier and more enjoyable getting to wherever you need to go a breeze.
You also get front and rear Kenda Kwest commuter tires which have a rounded tread and water dispersion grooves. These tires give you a smooth and comfortable ride and they also grip well on wet and dry surfaces, and are ideal for city streets,making them a great choice for a commuter bike.
Click here to check it out on Amazon.com…
Additional Features…
Ergonomic Rubber Grips:
The Judd Folding Bicycle has Kraton rubber ergonomic grips which are specially shaped to be more comfortable on your hands, especially on longer rides, meaning you can ride further and for longer without worrying about hand and wrist pain.
Comfortable Seat:
This bike also comes with a pretty comfortable seat which works well with the hand grips mentioned above to give you a comfortable ride particularly over longer distances.
Rider Adjustable:
The handlebar height and seat height can both be adjusted to give optimum riding comfort to riders up to approximately 6 ft tall. The handlebars also tilt allowing you to tailor this bike to just about any riders individual requirements.
Kickstand:
You also get a center mounted kickstand which are stronger than rear mounted ones and distribute the bikes weight more evenly. Having a kickstand is just like having someone along to hold your bike for you should you need to do any minor repairs or for if you need to get off your bike to take a photo or grab a coffee.
Color Choice:
This bike also come in a range of 7 different colors to choose from; Black, Eggshell, Matte Black, Matte Graphite, Matte Orange, Matte Pine, and Matte Teal.
Specifications…
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Frame: Hand-built Aluminum Folding Frame
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Fork: Hand-Built Aluminum
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Handlebars: Alloy Straight Handlebar, 22.2 clamp
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Rims: 20” Folding Bike Rims
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Hubs: Aluminum Single-Speed 16T Coaster Brake
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Tires: 20” Kenda Kwest Commuter Tires
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Drivetrain: Alloy Crank with 48T chainring
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Chain: KMC 1/8”
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Seatpost: 30.4 Alloy Seatpost
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Brake: Rear Coaster Brake
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Pedals: Hi-impact Resin Folding Pedals
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Saddle: Critical Cycles UrbanComfort Saddle
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Grips: Kraton Rubber Ergonomic Grips
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Assembly: Bike comes fully assembled
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Recommended Weight Limit: 250 LBS
Performance…
You just know you’re onto a winner with this bike before you even go anywhere. For a pretty amazing ride, it has excellent adjust-ability so take a minute or two and adjust the handlebar and seat to exactly where you want them, you can also adjust the handlebar tilt too to make this bike feel like it has been specially designed and built just for you.
Once you’re all set and moving you’ll see just what a smooth and solid ride this bike gives. It may look a little like a basic boneshaker but nothing could be further from the truth. As just mentioned, this bike is solid, no creaks or wobbles here, plus it’s also pretty comfortable and handles very well indeed.
Obviously being a single-speed bike it’s only going to move as fast as you make it, however it’s still pretty nippy and nimble when it comes to beating and weaving in and out of rush hour traffic making it a great choice for commutes.
The tires are pretty good too, they roll really well and grip roads and other paved surfaces well too making it really easy to cover fair distances in otherwise difficult driving conditions quick and easy.
The coaster brake is fantastic and gives you fantastic stopping power right when you need it whether you’re riding on a sunny summers day, or in the middle of a rainstorm. Wet or dry, strong and reliable braking, and all without any of the maintenance hassles of traditional lever pull, or disc brakes.
And once you arrive at your destination, the Judd Folding Bike is a breeze to fold down and store away. Folding bikes don’t really come much more convenient and user friendly than this one and we strongly recommend checking it out for yourself.
Click here to view the full product listing for this bike on Amazon.com…
Pros And Cons…
Pros…
- Quick and easy to fold
- Easy to store
- Easy to ride and handle
- Good price
- Solid and durable
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Quality construction
- Adjusts to fit most riders
- Kickstand
- Quality tires
- Looks good
Cons…
- No actual instructions on how to fold or unfold
- single speed means it’s not good on hills and does not go very fast
- No fenders
- No front brake
Verdict-Should You Buy The Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike?
We really like this bike and if you’re looking for an easily affordable folding single-speed commuter bike that is also incredibly lightweight and easy to store we think you will too, and we strongly recommend checking it out on Amazon.com right away.
Whatever you do, don’t let the fact that this bike didn’t quite make it onto our top 10 list of best folding bikes for 2020 put you off, as, truth be told it only missed out by the skin of its teeth.
What you get when you buy this bike is a folding bike that has been stripped right back to basics and which delivers a smooth and sturdy ride on roads, pathways, and city streets. It’s very low-maintenance, there’s nothing on it that can go wrong-no cables, levers or gears to worry about, and it’s hand built to last too.
It folds down really small, really easily for easy storage in minimal spaces, it is also light enough to carry with you so no need to leave it unattended anywhere, plus it fits easily into the trunk of a car so you won’t need a bike rack, and the coaster break couldn’t be better, wet or dry weather just pedal backwards and you’ll have all the stopping power you need.
Granted, a set of gears, some fenders, and a front brake may improve this bike, but for a traffic busting commuter we think you’ll agree that this one is plenty good enough as it is.
Check it out for yourself on Amazon.com by clicking here…
The customer feedback being left for it is pretty good too…
Customer Feedback…
Customer feedback is a great way of getting a true picture of how a folding bike is actually performing in the real world so we went over to Amazon.com to see what is being said by people who are actually buying this bike right now.
At the time of writing this review the Retrospec Judd Folding Bike has an average customer rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars from 116 customer reviews. An impressive 62% of those reviews are 5 star, and a further 12% are 4 star, which we think indicates that the majority of people buying this folding bike on Amazon.com are very happy with it.
The things they seem to be the most impressed with are the sheer adjustability of this bike and how you can set it exactly to your own requirements. They also comment on how they love the single speed feature, and the coaster brakes for their simplicity and low maintenance.
Being easy to fold and store virtually anywhere is something else they really like as well as the fact that it is very lightweight and easy to carry, and also comfortable to ride while being pretty quick and nimble, and great customer service too.
There are also a number of reviews where people have given this bike 3 stars or less and some of the things they don’t like and which you may wish to take into account are that it doesn’t roll when kit’s folded down so they are ‘having to carry it everywhere’.
They don’t like that there’s no proper instruction manual-only a general manual for all the manufacturers bikes, and some of them are having issues with the tighteners on the handlebar, seat and frame lock. Some customers mention that it’s not good on hills, however it’s not designed to be but there you go!
Alternative Choices…
If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read about the Judd Single Speed Folding Bike, before you go ahead and buy why not take a few minutes and check out our reviews of the Schwinn Hinge Folding Bike, the Vilano Urbana Folding Bike and the Zoyo 20″ Folding Bike see how they compare with this one in terms of features and price etc, to make sure you get the best bike for you.
A Quick Sneak Peek Before Buying…
Click on the video below to see the Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike in action before spending any money…
Best Place To Buy Your Retrospec Judd Single-Speed Folding Bike…
For quick, easy and hassle free buying we recommend heading over to Amazon.com. where you usually find the best prices, often with pretty decent discounts too, so you’ll get a great deal, plus they also deliver pretty quickly too so you won’t be left hanging around waiting for ages.
Another reason to buy on Amazon is that you can carry out price and product comparisons before you buy to make sure you get the best deal for you.
Some pretty good alternatives to the Judd Single Speed Folding Bike which you may like to check out and compare before making your final buying decision are the Schwinn Hinge Folding Bike, the Zoyo 20″ Folding Bike, and the Vilano Urbana Single Speed Folding Bike.
As well as comparing bikes, you can also check out all the latest customer feedback, to make sure you’re getting the best folding bike for you, plus you will also have the chance to pick up any accessories you may need like a set of super-bright headlights and taillights, or a secure combination bike lock.
Amazon only sell the genuine article too, so you’re guaranteed to receive the real thing and not some cheap and nasty, and potentially dangerous fake.
And finally, they also make it really easy and painless to return any item you may not be completely satisfied with.