The Di Blasi R20 is an Italian folding bike from the 1980s with 16-inch wheels and a 4-speed shifter. Its folding mechanism makes it very flexible to transport (20 to 30 seconds, no tools), while the gearing is questionable because even the fourth gear is very light. It is heavy, unsuitable for climbs and for riders over 180 cm, but as a short-distance bike for the trunk with Italian flair it works very well. Ours cost around 150 euros used; the only critical spare part is the Di-Blasi-specific saddle.
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 in its gearing, the folding pedals a wild bit of in-house engineering. The folding mechanism itself is the real highlight and makes the bike incredibly flexible to transport. Henri and I own one, bought used, and have been riding it for years. Here is what it can do and what it can’t.
The Di Blasi Story: From the Avia to the R24
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 was considered the smallest folding bicycle on the market at launch.
Our Experience With the Di Blasi R20
The photos were taken in the region around Bolzano, but not because the R20 is a mountain bike. Quite the opposite: it is unsuitable for climbs, it simply lacks the gears. That is how we use it, too: the bike rides along in the car, and we ride it on the flat. Short distances, lots of scenery, no hurry. Four gears, all of them light, plus 16-inch wheels: you ride relaxed, not fast. If you want a quick city bike, you will be disappointed. If you want a bike for the trunk and the evening at your destination, you will be happy.
Folding takes 20 to 30 seconds and no tools, once you have done it twice. That is the real strength of the R20 and the reason it has stayed with us.
Weight and Gears: The Honest Weaknesses
We have never weighed it. It is heavy nonetheless, noticeably heavier than what you would expect from a modern folding bike. Carrying it up two floors is no fun. Lifting it into the trunk is fine. Then there is the shifting: the fourth and hardest gear is still so light that the other three hardly ever get used. And anyone taller than 180 cm still sits too low, even with the saddle fully extended.
Buying Used: Price and What to Check
Our R20 cost around 150 euros used. For that money you get a bike that has not broken anything in all our years with it: frame, folding mechanism, shifter, everything holds. Rock solid. The one thing you should inspect closely before buying is the saddle. It is made specifically for the Di Blasi and cannot simply be replaced with a standard saddle. If it is worn out, things get difficult. We never looked for a new one, so I can’t say anything about that.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Di Blasi R20
We have never weighed it, but it is noticeably heavier than a modern folding bike. Trunk yes, staircase reluctantly.
Ours cost around 150 euros. For that price, a bike on which nothing has broken in years.
20 to 30 seconds, no tools needed.
The saddle. It is made specifically for the Di Blasi and cannot be replaced with a standard saddle. Everything else has held up for us.
For people up to about 180 cm who want a bike for short rides on the flat and for the trunk. It is unsuitable for climbs, and not made for long tours or fast city riding either.
The Verdict
The R20 is not a bike for distance, not a bike for speed, and not one for mountains. It is a bike that sits in the trunk within half a minute and rides the moment you arrive, with plenty of Italian flair. That is exactly why we bought it, and exactly what it has been doing for years. More on our bikes in the category The Bikes.
