Folding E-Bike

The Blackrock X1 folds at two hinges. One sits in the middle of the frame and folds the bike in half, and one sits at the base of the handlebar post and drops the bars down alongside it. Folded, it fits in a car trunk, an RV bay, or the corner of a cottage.

Folding is what turns an e-bike from something you ride from your own driveway into something you can take with you.

How the fold works

Both hinges use a clamp with a safety catch, so neither one can open on its own while you are riding. The order that works best:

1. Put the bike on its kickstand and turn the power off.
2. Release the catch on the handlebar post clamp, open the lever, and fold the bars down beside the frame.
3. Release the catch on the frame clamp, open the lever, and swing the back half of the bike around to meet the front.
4. Drop the seat post down if you need the package shorter still.

Unfolding is the same list backwards. The part worth being fussy about is the levers. Each one should close firmly enough that you feel it seat, and the safety catch should be back in place before you ride. If a lever closes loosely, the clamp tension is adjustable at the nut. Check both hinges when you unfold, every time. It takes two seconds and it is the one habit that matters on a folding bike.

Where it goes

Folded, the X1 is aimed at the places a full sized bike will not go:

• A car trunk. No rack to buy, no rack to mount, and nothing hanging off the back of the vehicle on the highway.
• An RV or trailer bay. This is the classic use. Drive to the site, unfold, and use the bike for everything within a few kilometres.
• A cottage or a cabin. It tucks into a corner or under a deck instead of taking a wall.
• A garage or an apartment. A folded bike takes roughly the floor space of a large suitcase.

Storing it

Store it folded and indoors when you can. If it lives somewhere cold, take the battery out and keep the pack inside at room temperature, which is the single best thing you can do for it over a winter. Fold the bike with the drivetrain facing inward so the derailleur is not the thing taking the knock when the package gets moved.

Lifting it into a trunk is a two handed job. This is a steel framed fat tire bike with a motor and a battery on it, not a lightweight commuter, and that weight is the honest trade for the strength and the tire footprint. Full weights and dimensions are on the specifications table, and the X1 product page covers what is in the box.