Urban commuting was revolutionized when Andrew Ritchie introduced the Brompton folding bike in 1975. The bicycle was no longer just a steel steed you pedaled on the road. It could be folded down to the size of a suitcase and carried around like luggage.

Similar to the Porsche 911, the Brompton has stayed relatively the same ever since its inception. However, the British folding bike appears to be stuck in the past as more competitors are surfacing.

It’s one thing to copy an age-old design, especially now that the patents have expired; it’s another to break the mold. And that’s what the Java Neo 3 did.

I only heard about the Java Neo 3 last November through social media, but none of the local businesses had stocks on-hand when I inquired. And after the shipment arrived, the units sold out quickly.

Clearly, this trifold is special. Here are three reasons why:

• The bike is lightweight;
• The design is modern; and
• The product is competitively priced.

Because of this, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Neo 3. I even went out of my way to visit The Bike Atrium and Kaicycles in Singapore just to try it out. Thankfully, HK Folding Bikes PH lent us a demo unit to review. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes!

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, here are the basic specs of the Java Neo 3. The frame and the fork are made of aluminum, allowing the bike to achieve a light weight of only 9.8kg. For reference, the Brompton C Line weighs around 12kg.

The bike rolls on 16-inch-by-1-and-3/8-inch tires, just like a Brompton. But the similarity ends there. The drivetrain consists of a 50T crank, a nine-speed 11-32T cassette, and a Shimano Sora rear derailleur (RD) mated to a Shimano Alivio shifter. It’s no substitute for a proper road bike, but this folding bike can take off pretty quickly. It can stop on a dime, too, with the hydraulic disc brakes.

Don’t be fooled by the small wheels as the ride is stable thanks to the long wheelbase. The tires are serviceable for Metro Manila’s roads. Just don’t expect the plush ride of a gravel bike or mountain bike. If you encounter bumps or potholes, avoid them or slow down. They say that steel is more comfortable than aluminum, but I didn’t notice a difference on the road.

With the Neo 3, you essentially get the performance of a modern bike in the form factor of a trifold.

After you’ve skipped traffic and arrived early at your destination, what’s next is to fold the Neo 3. It has hinges at the rear triangle, the frame, and the stem. There’s a bit of a learning curve at the start, but it eventually becomes muscle memory.

Since the bike doesn’t come with a rear rack, it rolls on its rear wheel even when folded. This shouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the obnoxiously loud tunog–mayaman hub. I don’t need to announce my trifold to everyone in the room.

Weight isn’t the be-all and end-all of a bicycle. But you’ll really appreciate the Neo 3’s lightness when folding it and carrying it up and down stairs, especially at MRT and LRT stations. Also, the left pedal is quick-release, so it doesn’t get in the way.

What distinguishes the Java Neo 3 is that it was designed from the ground up. The biggest change is that the hinge of the rear triangle is concentric with the bottom bracket (BB).

This makes things simpler. The chain no longer goes slack when folding, eliminating the need for a special tensioner. You can use an ordinary RD, as long as it has enough ground clearance.

One thing I appreciate about the new design is that the chainstay is long enough so that the pedal doesn’t strike the frame when folded (unlike my Cranston). And the routing is neat so that the cables don’t get tangled with all the moving parts.

The rear wheel has a 142mm-by-10mm thru-axle hub that can be upgraded up to 12-speed. Interestingly, the front thru-axle hub has a width of 74mm (instead of 100mm). According to the distributor, this is to keep the fold compact.

Although the Java Neo 3 doesn’t have any major issues, it has its fair share of quirks. When folding the frame, you have to make sure the gear is shifted to the largest cog so that the front wheel doesn’t hit the RD.

Another observation I noticed was that the bike seems to sit lower to the ground. If you point your foot down while pedaling, your shoe could easily scrape the floor.

Since the folded bike rolls on the rear wheel, you shouldn’t pull it backwards or else the pedal will backpedal and hit the rear wheel. The bike is also not that stable when folded, so it can easily be toppled.

This could be solved with a rear rack and roller wheels. Sadly, Java doesn’t offer these for the Neo 3. Neither does the manufacturer offer accessories such as a front carrier block to hold a bag, a kickstand to keep the bike upright, and fenders to protect you from splashes.

The lack of accessories won’t matter for weight weenies, but it can be a big deal for commuters. It’s a missed opportunity since these parts make using a trifold so much more convenient. At least there are options from third-party brands. However, you will have to do some searching on Shopee or Lazada to find the right parts.

During the week I spent testing the Neo 3, I put it through the wringer. The most grueling day started with a bimodal trip to Rizal Park, via the MRT-3 from Shaw to Taft, and then the LRT-1 from EDSA to UN Avenue.

After the morning event, I went home the same way and joined a community ride in the afternoon from Barangay Kapitolyo to Marikina, passing through EDSA and Bonny Serrano Avenue. Going home was different as I made my way through the bike paths of Marikina to get to the LRT-2 station before transferring to the MRT-3 in Cubao.

As hard as I tried to find a fatal flaw, there wasn’t any. The Java Neo 3 handled the rough roads as expected, and the brakes gave me much confidence when navigating through traffic and going on steep descents. I easily carried the bike up and down the stairs (although that doesn’t excuse the lack of accessibility of our stations).

It’s not every day that a new bicycle shakes things up in the cycling market, especially here in the Philippines. The hype is real with the Neo 3 because it offers a lot for a very attractive price.

The Java Neo 3 has a starting SRP of P34,995 (and a cash price of P31,995) from HK Folding Bikes PH. Its price is comparable to other Brompton clones such as 3Sixty, Cranston, and Banian. However, it is far lighter with modern specs.

The Java Neo 3 is not perfect, but the benefits outweigh the cons. The shortcomings are minor, and they can be worked around with third-party accessories for those who don’t mind tinkering around.

Whether you want a fast folding bike for recreational rides, or a light trifold for the daily commute, the Java Neo 3 is a friend that won’t weigh you down.