Sue, in answer to your questions: "Townleygreen, someone I know who has several bikes including a Brompton says folding bikes are quite unstable and weird to ride, do you not find that? Also, how long does it take you to fold and unfold it?" They are no way unstable at all! thousands of them have been sold by this company which makes them in Britain amazingly and they are great. When I was trying one out (at Evans Cycles in Clapham) the guy serving me folded it in 9 seconds! I can't do it that fast, but it takes less than a minute, and the same to fold it up again. Try one out at Evans or wherever, see for yourself.