Here is my minivelo
I was under the impression I'd posted about this already, but it seems I was just remembering something I'd posted on cohost long ago instead. Here is my minivelo:
A minivelo is a term often used for bicycles with 16-20 inch wheels and fully rigid, non-folding frames. Minivelos are designed with all the variation a full sized bike might have - different tire sizes, different bar types, different space for racks and cargo. The one defining similarity is the tiny wheels.
The minivelo subreddit is great for pictures of them. Minivelos are much more popular in Asia, and Japan in particular has a couple very cool minivelo brands which do not have many or any distribution partnerships in other countries. The minivelo subreddit has an entire project to figure out "all known minivelos" and ascertain whether it is possible to import them to the US or other markets where minivelo fans live. I routinely see posts there from people who are trying to figure out the cheapest way to get a Bruno bike, or a bike from another well-known minivelo manufacturer, from Japan.
I was fascinated by the idea of a minivelo because they look strange, are extremely easy to fit into a relatively compact car, and are easier to take on a crowded subway. I ended up ordering this Mercier Nano from bikesdirect.com for my 2024 birthday. That site looks pretty terrifying, but it is a real way to buy a bike online, and was until recently one of the only ways to directly purchase a minivelo in the United States. It was certainly the cheapest minivelo you could buy new in the country. The bike came with shitty components, but I don't care that much, haha. I replaced the saddle and tires and gave it a weird custom stem I'd spraypainted. It's been a delightful little machine, though I mostly only use it when my main bicycle is getting repaired or otherwise nonfunctional. Because it cost me only $400, I also sometimes use it when I am biking to a place where I am worried my bike might be damaged or stolen.
Anyway, I rode this bike to Ciclavia this past Sunday because my main bike was in the shop. It was great! The bike is so much lighter than my main bike because the wheels are smaller. It takes less energy to accelerate with smaller wheels, too. This makes it very zippy and very good for short climbs in an urban environment. The Ciclavia route had a couple of these short climbs between Koreatown and Hollywood.
Anyway, I have no idea what the tariffs will do to minivelo importing in the US, but it's likely that the days of a $400 minivelo are far behind us. I do think these bikes will get more popular over time - they are definitely uniquely useful for an urban environment in particular, and the small wheels allow them to carry cargo very low to the ground with the correct racks and bags. Many cargo-oriented, "car replacement" ebikes come with smaller wheels because of this.