Dahon folding bikes

Daydream believer said:
Dylan
I have 2 folding bikes I bought from mailspeed. They are OK but a couple of points to note

1) On cheaper bikes lots of gears tend not to work properly & you end up only getting access to half that many as the gear change is rarely precise enough. So 7 gears is not much of an advantage over 3 as it would be on a better quality bike

2) For taller persons the seats are rarely high enough - regardless of manufacturers claims- so the cyclist ends up struggling to ride properly as he cannot get his/hers legs straight enough. My solution was to buy a longer stem. The standard diameter of which is normally 25mm. I had a devil of a job getting one & even now it is not enough. In addition the frames are not so stiff as a full sized cycle so they flex & this is worse on a folding cycle especially with a longer stem.
So if for taller persons check the stem diameter & availability of longer ones. Some have 30mm stems & this may be an advantage
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3) A padded bag is useful as a cycle can be a devil of a job to get out of a locker. Mine comes out via the heads & whilst it may not worry some, it is very easy to snag or scratch doors etc
 
But he is not buying a cheap bike - the Dahons are pretty much as good as they come in 20" wheel. The frame will be stiff enough (that is why they are pretty heavy)

BTW in case you don't realise - Dahon provide the own-branded bikes sold by Compass - much cheaper than the branded version for the same machine.
 
Daydream believer said:
3) A padded bag is useful as a cycle can be a devil of a job to get out of a locker. Mine comes out via the heads & whilst it may not worry some, it is very easy to snag or scratch doors etc
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my plan is to keep the bikes in the forepeak during the day and then move them to the cockpit at night - so the bags will be good -

as for the compass bikes - do you know which Dahons they are - there are a lot of different Dahons

interesting about the other bikes from Tern

D
 
dylanwinter said:
my plan is to keep the bikes in the forepeak during the day and then move them to the cockpit at night - so the bags will be good -

as for the compass bikes - do you know which Dahons they are - there are a lot of different Dahons

interesting about the other bikes from Tern

D
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I think the Compass ones are custom models - but they are clearly Dahons (that was mentioned in a review of the Compass bikes years ago). They probably have different (cheaper) components so will not be directly compatible.

I don't think there is much to choose between Terns and Dahons - whatever you choose do take it for a test ride first to make sure you like the riding style.
 
bedouin said:
Come off it - you don't need a 12V inflator for a 20" wheel :)

My tern in fact comes with a very clever pump built into the seat post - not entirely sure why :)
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Nah, wrong answer, lol... Pump up four tyres to 90psi ..and breath out!

Though big wheels do offer less rolling resistance at 20 ''just pulled it out of the locker '' psi..

A fiver well spent( Wilkos, Trago mills, quality discount biking emporiums all)
 
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I recently sold two of these which we used on our boat.

IMG_0755.jpg


Not the exact thing you want as it had proper gears (why don't you want them?), but the same frame.

No problem at all for someone weighing 100kg.

The bike is fine downhill, or on flattish roads, but not very pleasant if it is bumpy or on hills over about 4% gradient. If you are prepared to walk those then it's fine. Fully loaded an unfit cyclist would be able to walk just as fast as pedal up that sort of hill anyway.

You might want to consider a BH Ibiza. It's just a branded Dahon, same model, but lower price.
 
Ex-SolentBoy said:
I recently sold two of these which we used on our boat.



Not the exact thing you want as it had proper gears (why don't you want them?), but the same frame.

.
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derailer gears - not for me

spawn of the devil

exposed so can wipe oil onto everything else, hate the feel of the gear change but a nice smooth three speed sturmey lasts forever, am told the 7 speed jobbie is just as good - although that is hard to believe because the sturmey gearbox is as perfect as they come

D
 
dylanwinter said:
derailer gears - not for me

spawn of the devil

exposed so can wipe oil onto everything else, hate the feel of the gear change but a nice smooth three speed sturmey lasts forever, am told the 7 speed jobbie is just as good - although that is hard to believe because the sturmey gearbox is as perfect as they come

D
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The oil is supposed to be on the chain, not the derailleur!

Of course the Sturmey is better. That's why every single professional cyclist in the whole world uses them. Or was I getting confused with derailleurs?
 
I have a Dahon Jetstream EX which is one of the higher end models. I bought it remaindered from Germany and it wasn't all that expensive (about 1000 euros).

I used to do long-distance cycling in my misspent youth decades ago and had a fairly good bike in those days which I built myself. This was before pre-selector shifting etc. But you get used to good bicycles with stiff frames and gear which transmit the power to the ground rather than absorbing it in flexing and flopping around.

I was completely amazed at how well the folding Dahon rides. It feels so damned good that I bought myself a pair of cleats and suitable pedals and had a couple of delightful 50+ mile rides around the Isle of Wight. Then later some 50+ mile rides around North and South Brittany on last year's cruise. Despite the folding frame, it really feels comparable to a good racing bike from the '70's.

The only big difference is that the smaller wheels don't provide the gyroscopic stability of normal wheels, so over 30 mph starts to get terrifying fast. So you simply can't do the downhill runs you can do on a normal bike, but otherwise it is quite comparable.

Mine has a 7-speed derailleur plus 3-speed internal hub for 21 gears total. My middle-aged body sometimes desire a still lower gear than the bottom gear of that setup. Especially if you are hauling stuff, go for more and lower gears.

It also has a full hydraulic suspension which compensates for the lesser resiliency of the smaller tires. More than compensates actually -- it has a marvelous ride and rough roads are no trouble. Also very nice when you jump off curbs.

Also echo the comment above about 20" wheels -- don't look at anything smaller.
 
If you need to haul fuel or weighty supplies I would consider a small folding two wheeled trailer this will keep centre of effort close to the ground. Some trailers can also be used as hand trollies for carting water or heavy gear. You can easily alter the ratio of gear hubs by changing the rear sprocket to another ratio thus you can lower the gear ratios if you are hauling loads but the top gear will also be lowered and on some bikes the sprockets may be a dished design to keep the chain clear of the stay.
 
Hi there Dylan - we did some shopping around and - after looking at 20" versions - we bought two Dahon Curve (red) 16" wheels, 3 speed (not derailleur), with luggage racks about 6 years ago for use in our Beneteau 285. I'm 6 ft, 12.5 stone, my wife is rather less!
From Essex they sailed to France, Belgium and the south coast to Devon and back. Really compact - both lived in the forrard cabin at sea. Great to ride (on road) - not designed for off-piste. We brought supplies back onboard with them (using the rack and also a backpack); and they were great for sightseeing.
No parts broke; maintenance was by WD40 - what else?
As I am currently working in NZ and no immediate plans for returning home, the bikes are in store in Essex and not being used. As it happens, I am due back in Blighty for a holiday next week - let me know if you'd like me to check them over and update you on condition, send phots etc. If they seem useful you could make me an offer for them. Just email if interested.
Roy
 
Ex-SolentBoy said:
The oil is supposed to be on the chain, not the derailleur!

Of course the Sturmey is better. That's why every single professional cyclist in the whole world uses them. Or was I getting confused with derailleurs?
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you make a good point - well expressed

however,



I am not a professional cyclist .... yet..... however at 59 surely there is time for a second career - then I will abandon the epicyclic gear box

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicyclic_gearing

I am not a professional driver - so I tend to avoid the formula one hybrid cars and plump instead for a Micra

I am not a professional sailor so I tend to avoid the foiling cats in favour of a floating caravan

I am just that sort of plodding bloke -

although when distance is the aim then complexity is not always the best
 
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In my opinion too much emphasis has been put on 20" wheels rather than 16" wheels. In my experience, unless you plan to race off-road for prolonged periods, any advantage is slight. Three fold up bikes are going to take up a lot of room on a Centaur (We carry 2 Bromptons in a Leisure 23 with just 2 of us onboard) . A far bigger consideration in my view would be the space needed to store them.

Edit: I was told (not sure how true, but believable enough for me to write here) is that you can ride a bike with up to 16" wheels on public footpath without fear of getting collared.
 
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colhel said:
In my opinion too much emphasis has been put on 20" wheels rather than 16" wheels. In my experience, unless you plan to race off-road for prolonged periods, any advantage is slight. Three fold up bikes are going to take up a lot of room on a Centaur (We carry 2 Bromptons in a Leisure 23 with just 2 of us onboard) . A far bigger consideration in my view would be the space needed to store them.
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the plan is to have just two

my son is a daily commuter in london on a big road bike - he is one of those blokes who annoys drivers by travelling faster by bike than anyone could ever achieve by car - and yes he has been known to jump red lights - so a bhike that travels easily will be a great advantage

we will certainly be pressed for space when five of us are aboard (and dog) but I think that will only be for two weeks - the rest of the time there will be four, three or two (and the bloomin dog). The plan is to keep the bikes in the forward berth during the day - along with all the other bags, sleepings bags, pillows etc etc and shut the door on it all

and then shift them into the cockpit at night

while sailing on passage on Katie L I usually take the vicars bike with me

that is a big man's non folder with a basket on the front. To get it into the cabin during the day I have to remove the saddle and it takes up almost every ounce of space below

but I can live with the inconvenience

two folders will, I hope, more than earn their keep over the three months

D
 
dylanwinter said:
you make a good point - well expressed

however,



I am not a professional cyclist .... yet..... however at 59 surely there is time for a second career - then I will abandon the epicyclic gear box

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicyclic_gearing

I am not a professional driver - so I tend to avoid the formula one hybrid cars and plump instead for a Micra

I am not a professional sailor so I tend to avoid the foiling cats in favour of a floating caravan

I am just that sort of plodding bloke -

although when distance is the aim then complexity is not always the best
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Yes, but your Micra has electronic ignition and synchromesh, your floating caravan has a modern Diesel engine, and is navigated by satellites.

If you are going to really plod you must rid yourself of these modern frivolities and then buy yourself one of these Dahons.

Fixed single gear and back pedal brakes.

A real plodders machine.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...productId_1031869_langId_-1_categoryId_165577
 
A N Other suggestion:
I carried two full size bikes happily on a 28 footer by lashing them to the guardrails outside of the lifelines, and aft of the genoa sheets and winches..
I thought they would be a nuisance, unsightly, rusty. All only true to a surprisingly small degree...

Two new mountain bikes from the back of the Sunday supplements. Clearly there is more funding available for the whole project than was indicated at the outset so.... Why not also go borrow a Brompton from, say, Evans bikes with C/C and a 5pence deposit or whatever they are ' not' charging these days...for an hour... Just for research purposes, like?
 
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