I would not recommend starting with a lower cost folding bike. When I was shopping for a folding bike 8ish years ago I tried out a bunch of different bikes. Mos

I would not recommend starting with a lower cost folding bike. When I was shopping for a folding bike 8ish years ago I tried out a bunch of different bikes. Most folding bikes feel pretty squirrely and harder to ride than a typical bicycle. Larger wheels help but then the extra size cuts down on the benefits of having a folding bike. Bromptons were the only folding bikes I tried that felt good to ride as soon as I tried them. If you start with a cheaper bike, you might get used to it but you might hate how it handles and avoid using it as a result.