Folding bikes - Brompton, Dahon, Mezzo etc - recommendations and chat

[Biddlybee]

editor knows.
I reckon he should write a review of his folding bike and put it on Urban75

It is a pretty cool bike: http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=4923326&postcount=44

 

[suzee blue cheese]

Ah yes, a Dahon. I've been reading reviews etc to get an idea of which might be the best for what I want and their bikes do sound interesting. The Brompton is another contender but I'm not sure which to go for...

*vacillates*

 

[fjydj]

i've a dahon speed 7 which for £279 is pretty well equipped... but its probably a bit too heavy for a train commute and the 20" wheels make it bigger than the bromptons folded. but it rides very well. there's a dahon forum at:
http://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php
they have a very wide range, and there's supposed to be a closer brompton rival for 2007. the bromptons are much more expensive, seem to have less gears but are smaller when folded.
There's also a site devoted to folders here:
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/

 

[Strumpet]

Cool, ty

 

[sir.clip]

These are lovely, but cost a lot.

 

[editor]

Dahon Cadenza folding street bike. Mmmmm!

I'm very much liking the look of this £600 folding bike.

Here's the specs:
SPECIFICATION
COLOUR Obsidian Black
SPEEDS 16
FRAME SIZES S (16")
GEAR INCHES 33" - 118"
FOLDED SIZE 39 x 81 x 94 cm (15.4" x 31.9" x 37")
WEIGHT 12.4 kg (27.3 lbs.)
FOLDING TIME 30 seconds
SUGGESTED RIDER HEIGHT M Frame (167 cm - 183 cm/5'6" - 6');
MAX RIDER WEIGHT 105 kg. (230 lbs.)
FRAME OA Series, 7005 aluminium, patented LockJaw hinges, replaceable derailleur hanger, integrated head tube
FORK Straight, chromoly, integrated design
HANDLEBAR Ritchey, 6061-T6 aluminium, straight
STEM NVO, patented InfiniteAdjust technology, 6061-T6 aluminium
HEADSET Dahon Fusion, Zero stack, cartridge, sealed, conical spacer
GRIPS Ergon
SADDLE SDG BelAir RL
SEAT POST BioLogic™ PostPump, 31.6mm
BRAKES Kinetix SpeedStop V brakes, mini brake bolts, stainless link and anchor bolt, "SilentGrip" ceramic brake pads
BRAKE LEVER Avid FR5
CABLES AND HOUSING Dahon LiveWire, SIS housing, slick cable
FRONT HUB Formula, aluminium,
QR REAR HUB Kinetix, Labyrinth water seal, 8spd. cassette, aluminium,
QR SPOKES 14G stainless steel, brass nipples
RIMS WTB, DX23, Black anodized, brushed sidewalls
TYRES Continental Sport Contact 26” x 1.3”, 85 psi, 240 tpi, Kevlar anti-puncture protection
SHIFTERS Shimano flat bar, trigger
FRONT DERAILLEUR Microshift, forged aluminium, for flat bar road
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Tiagra SS
CRANKSET FSA Vero Compact, 50-36T
CASSETTE 8 speed, 11-28T
CHAIN KMC Z82
BOTTOM BRACKET Cartridge, sealed bearings
PEDAL Aluminium cage VP-992A, double-sided tread

What do you reckon?

 

[Crispy]

very tasty!

 

[likesfish]

probably more use for flat dwellers than commuting by public transport unless your evil

 

[editor]

probably more use for flat dwellers than commuting by public transport unless your evil

I'd like to see one 'in the flesh' to get a feel for how big it is when it's folded down.

If it's small enough to drag on a bus without sending the driver into fits of apoplexy, I may well start saving up for this puppy.

 

[golightly]

Talk to Beeboo

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

27lbs to carry round. Well at least your arms would get exercise

 

[editor]

27lbs to carry round. Well at least your arms would get exercise

It's not a bike for carrying around. It's a bike for riding around and if you're knackered or have had a skinful, you can fold it up and jump on a bus/train with no bovva.

 

[scifisam]

It's not a bike for carrying around. It's a bike for riding around and if you're knackered or have had a skinful, you can fold it up and jump on a bus/train with no bovva.

And/or to be able to take indoors to a mate's house and most pubs and restaurants, plus some workplaces, where it won't get nicked. Handy things, folding bikes.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Way too much clearance between the tyre and seat tube - steering will be as slow as an oil tanker and that back end will flex to fuck when you stand up on the pedals. Add to that the couplings and you've got a jelly framed bike.

And straight forks are bullshit.

 

[editor]

Well, these people liked it:
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/cadenza.html
http://www.dahon.com/intl/cadenza.htm

I'd still prefer an Airnimal, but they're well out of my price range.

 

[Crispy]

Way too much clearance between the tyre and seat tube - steering will be as slow as an oil tanker and that back end will flex to fuck when you stand up on the pedals. Add to that the couplings and you've got a jelly framed bike.

And straight forks are bullshit.

What were you expecting for a folder?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

I was expectling them not to make a bad situation worse.

 

[editor]

I was expectling them not to make a bad situation worse.

Don't you think you should maybe give it a ride before condemning it out of hand?

 

[Kid_Eternity]

What do you reckon?

At last, a folding bike that actually looks decent!

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Probably - but I've ridden enough bikes that want to go straight on instead of turn and I don't like em thanks.

And this is supposed to be a city bike Can someone please explain that rear traingle and why it is like it is? I can't see why they couldn't have tightened it up a fair bit - there'd be less to fold after all.

Spec sheet is hardly dizzying too - nice chainset but thats about it.

 

[beeboo]

oooh, that's my bike!

I'm still feeling slightly wobbly legged having just rode it to work for the first time

I've got no idea about whether it is a 'good' bike relative to other - heck it's the first bike I've owned since I was 10.

But my more bike-qualified boyfriend rates it, and it feels speedy and comfortable to me.

This really was the only bike for me - I really wanted a folder to fit in my flat, but with a nine-mile commute a small one wasn't going to cut it.

It's not really very portable when folded - it's quite cumbersome and heavy - one thing that doesn't stand out on the picture of it folded is how wide it is - it folds into a V shape.

I haven't attempted it on public transport yet, butI only managed to fit it into my hatchback car with the seats down.

Lugging it upstairs to my first-floor flat is a work-out in itself.

Verdict: great bike if space is at a premium at home, and with the added advantage of being a bit more portable than a standard bike, but not really suitable if you're planning to lug it onto public transport on a regular basis.

 

[editor]

Verdict: great bike if space is at a premium at home, and with the added advantage of being a bit more portable than a standard bike, but not really suitable if you're planning to lug it onto public transport on a regular basis.

Ah - that's a shame because I've regularly wedged my folding Dahon inbetween seats on trains and sometimes even that's been a bit of a squeeze.

Still looks a lovely bike!

 

[Cobbles]

Why not just get a Hummer instead:

http://www.HUMMERSHOP.co.uk

 

[Structaural]

Now, that is well sweet. (To the OP)

 

[beeboo]

Ah - that's a shame because I've regularly wedged my folding Dahon inbetween seats on trains and sometimes even that's been a bit of a squeeze.

This one would definitely be for standing by the doors on a commuter train. I reckon if you folded it down properly (handlebars down and seat off) and smiled sweetly at the bus driver, you *might* be allowed it onto a quiet bus. But I wouldn't want to depend on it.

Still looks a lovely bike!

I'm totally in love with it!

 

[editor]

Why not just get a Hummer instead:
http://www.HUMMERSHOP.co.uk

Perhaps because I don't want to turn into a mobile advertising hoarding for a fuckwit brand?

 

[pinkmonkey]

Perhaps because I don't want to turn into a mobile advertising hoarding for a fuckwit brand?

Umm masking tape? Spray paint? I've disguised all the logos on my mountain bike, sprayed it pink and put disney kitten stickers on it thus rendering it less desirable to thieving scrotes.

 

[Cobbles]

Perhaps because I don't want to turn into a mobile advertising hoarding for a fuckwit brand?

You mean something knocked out by wage slaves in the 3rd world and then sold at two or three times the cost price? (like a Dahon)

 

[untethered]

I've got a Dahon Speed D6. It's pretty good for what it is but the small wheel thing has inevitable compromises.

I might look at getting a larger folder at some point and this would certainly be on the shortlist.

 

[editor]

You mean something knocked out by wage slaves in the 3rd world and then sold at two or three times the cost price? (like a Dahon)

You can back all that "3rd world wage slave" stuff up, of course, yes?

Curious how you think advertising military vehicle manufacturers with a dire environmental record is somehow a positive thing. Still if it shuts you up going on about Edinburgh's buses for a while, it can't be all bad.