French connection
The French military also claims to have come up with the first folding bike, in 1896, when Captain Henry Gérard used foldable bikes for military maneuvers.
Folding handlebars
In 1896, an Englishman named William Crowe invented the first folding bike with folding handlebars. Another feature that distinguished the "Faun Folding Cycle": for the first time, inventors integrated brakes into the bike's handlebars.
Military use
Several countries used folding bikes for military purposes. By the turn of the century, manufacturers such as Dursley-Pederson, Faun, Peugeot, Bianchi and Leitne produced bikes for military use. The most prominent company was a British company, BSA (short for Birmingham Small Arms), which produced thousands of bicycles for use in World Wars I and II.
The comeback
After decades of production, folding bikes fell from popularity in the 1950s. But the '60s saw a resurgence in interest with the Moulton bicycle in 1962. While not actually a folding bike, the Mouton's design, with its unusually small wheels, inspired many of the folding bikes of today. New designs continue to make the bikes easier to fold and transport.
Today
Today, there are more than 100 manufacturers of folding bikes, as bicycle riding continues to increase in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. Dahon and Brompton are the most purchased brand, with Dahon alone capturing an estimated 60 percent of the global market.
