Like almost everything in the world of pedal cycles, the first folding bikes were seen at the end of the nineteenth century. Initially an attempt to make the Ordinary (Penny Farthing) more compact for storage, the first documented attempt to make the bike more portable was probably for the military to be able to carry a bike with them in the field. Certainly by the early 20th century there were a number of manufacturers with folding bikes in their catalogues. As with the whole bike industry, there was little significant development during the middle years of the twentieth century, although the first small wheeled folder was seen. However, as the car has become increasingly dominant, and city centres increasingly inaccessible, the latter part of the 20th century has seen a burgeoning of interest, and proliferation of new designs, in the folding sector. The 21st century wtih its pressure on personal space, congested urban areas and potential for mixed mode transportation could see the folding bike become more ubiquitous than ever imagined.