Folding bikes aren’t a Brompton-era invention. Back in the 1980s, Di Blasi already built the R20: a folder that still feels current today. The 4-speed shifter is questionable, the folding pedals a wild bit of in-house engineering, but the folding mechanism itself is the real highlight. It makes the bike incredibly flexible to transport.
The Di Blasi Story
The first Di Blasi folder was called the Avia, soon replaced by the R20 you see here. The R20 has a 4-speed shifter, though really only the top gear gets used, since even gear four runs incredibly light. The R20 is also hard to ride for anyone over 180 cm, the maximum saddle height is just too low. And the tiny 16-inch wheels are obviously useless for longer tours. So it stays what it is: a charming short-distance bike with a serious dose of Italian flair.
Di Blasi was founded in 1973 by Rosario Di Blasi, who is also the sole managing director.
The R20 was followed by the R50 in 1984, the R6 in 1991, the R4 in 1995, then the R5 and R21, the latter also available with 20-inch wheels. In early 2005 the R24 went into production: a bike that folds down even smaller than its predecessors, and the smallest folding bicycle on the market.
