The ZiZZO Liberte & Urbano Designed with Details in Mind

 

One of the perks of working at ZiZZO Folding Bicycles is the ability to ride all the bikes we have to offer and really get to know each one's characteristics. I have done my best to really put each bike to the test. Sometimes I wonder if I have gone a little overboard like entering a cyclocross race on Halloween with a Campo or trail riding in Sedona, Arizona with the Urbano. Each bike has always been picked for these adventures based on the kind of riding I was doing. When I was speeding around San Francisco my first obvious choice was the Liberte. It is a nimble little machine with its lightweight high-pressure folding tires that were handpicked for this design. The Urbano on the other hand has been taken offroad almost every time because it is the “jack of all trades" and uses a wider all-around tire that is well suited for getting a little dirt or grit between the treads.

When these bikes were designed, there was a lot of thought put into what each bike’s prime use would be. The Liberte was made for speed and being as efficient as possible. In order to maximize its features, narrow high pressure folding tires were one of the top considerations. What is a folding tire? In simple terms a folding tire is just that. It can be folded up easily because of the material that is used in construction. Compared to a tire with the wire bead that allows the tire to stay in its circular shape.  

ZiZZO’s Master Tech Tony says,” The features of the folding tire include a much higher TPI (Thread Per Inch) than non-folding tires which offers better puncture resistance. They are lighter than non-folding tires which translates to lower "moment of inertia". That means it is easier to start and stop (great for commuters and riding on crowded paths). The lower weight also means a lower "angular velocity" making it easier to turn the bike (better handling). Folding tires have a "softer rubber" compound which allows better traction, especially in wet weather. And of course, riders can carry a spare with them for emergencies while out riding.” 

 Even though no tire is truly puncture proof, the width and higher pressure of the Liberte’s folding tire gives you a narrower footprint which means less road surface to pick up thorns and glass in comparison to another bike with wider tires. . The weight of the tire is also a big difference compared to that of the ZiZZO Campo. The Liberte’s tire comes in weighing ½ as much at 354 grams compared to the Campo’s 725 grams. Depending on your needs we hope that when making a decision of which bike you choose it will meet your style of riding.  When the Liberte and Urbano were designed, a great deal of attention was put into picking components and features to optimize their unique riding abilities. The beauty of a ZIZZO is you can customize the bike since it uses industry standard parts. Sometimes it’s fun to experiment with modifications but we hope that our ZiZZO family knows that straight out of the box we have done our best to give you the ride you expected based on the model and its features.