clipped from: www.nytimes.com 
TWO million Americans ride their bikes to work, says Transportation Alternatives, a New York City-based advocate for biking, walking and public transit; bike commuting in New York City grew 35 percent from 2007 to 2008.
And with full-size cycles cumbersome (or forbidden) in apartments, office buildings and subways, folding bikes have become the vehicle of choice for many. “In 2000, people would stare at you on a folding bike,” said Hannah Borgeson of Bike New York, which leads the annual Five Boro Bike Tour. “Now, when you’re out riding on the Greenway, practically every third bike is a folding bike.”
Today, prices for folding bikes range from about $200 for basic models to more than $1,000 for designs that fold into tiny packages. Gears, brakes and latching mechanisms vary; racks and fenders may be standard or optional but most models now have folding pedals to save more space.