Folding Bycycles

I agree that Dahon and Tern are a good choice but it is not correct to say that all the parts are outsourced branded components, My wifes Dawes is a rebadged Dahon even down to the pump hidden in the seat tube, as are Claude Butler and a load of others, on hers the gearset and wheels are made by (or badged) Dahon and there is some distinct detail differences with Shimano, even the wheels and tyres on some of these bikes are branded 'Dahon' rather than Scwhalbe etc.
However having spent a bit of time researching 20" folders after deciding we needed something that could be stowed in a big locker and having used our final choices all summer in a variety of conditions I agree with the advice that Glenn G gives. The resale value of the Brompton is a red herring, you will get big discounts on last years Dahon or derivatives (they mainly just change the colour) and lose a lot less when you go to sell as there are plenty of people who understand them. Try Evans or J. E. James, straightforward honest advice and service, but avoid 'Discount Bicycles' in London if you are not prepared to wait months for them to complete your order. Oyama is well made (in Taiwan like Dahon) with higher spec. components currently at big (50%) discounts as the Dutch distributor is struggling to establish the brand.
 
We have a couple of Dahon Curves, really nice fold up easily, keep them in the carry bags, easy to move and store.

Dahon spares are readily available and like all bikes (and your boat) they need a bit of maintenance occasionally.

If we leave the boat for an extended period I give them a spray of WD40, never had any issues with corrosion.
 
I have a Brompton and a DiBlasi.. both bought second hand off a fellow boater in Lagos. Both are fine to ride and we've done quite a lot on them whilst away- but as I'm planning to do other things, I ill shortly be putting them up for sale when they have had a bit of tlc. They have done fine on my boat, but I do have fairly dry lockers.

I'm currently doing other things (bikes not top priority) but I'll put them in the for sale section here in due course before putting them on ebay.
 
Chrissie said:
Timely thread for me, someone stole my bike while I was away, and I wondered about a folding bike that I can take with me or stow in the back of my car, rather than wheeling a larger bike through the house, I've googled Halfords Tesco and Argos who all do cheap folding bikes, anyone experience of those?
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Yes. I bought an aluminium framed folding bike from Halfords 6 years ago. Use it throughout the season an find it's brilliant. 6 gears.
I think the badge is Apollo.
And it folds up very cleverly
 
Halfords and Evans Cycles in Glasgow are close to each other so I went to both, I recommend you do the same if possible, compare the wheels, brakes, gears, pedal, tyres and seats on the models on display, add the cost of replacing any low quality stuff before deciding which gives value. See how quickly and compactly you can fold and unfold them, test the weight and examine the hinge mechanisms. If the bike is going to be out in daylight very rarely the Halfords tyres will last for a couple of years before they starts to doze and crack but on my Apollo mountain bike kept in the garage where there is daylight, but not a lot, they were gone in a year.
 
We have 2 Dahons aboard- 20'' wheels, 7 speed, aluminium frame, with mudgaurds, bought unused on ebay for £230 each.
Friends with Bromptons have tried them and say they ride much better than the Brompton, though of course the Brompton folds into a much smaller package.
 
Question for you, Glenn...

You use your bike loads... does the same advice (ie about quality of components etc) hold true for someone who wants to throw the bike in a locker and will use it, in reality, once or twice a season?
 
A cheap bike with cheap components is better than nothing.

However, a bike with better quality components will be easier to ride, will be more comfortable, more reliable, and safer (e.g. stop quicker!).

As with all things, buying a tool that's cheap may get the job done, but at what cost? I've always believed in buying "reasonable" quality; not the top, but definitely not the bottom/cheapest. The same with a bike; a second-hand, or old stock, better quality bike will be much better than a cheap & nasty bike.

I'm not advocating spending many hundreds, just more than the £150-£200 boat locker specials.
 
It would cost at least £2000 to equip boat with bromptons, or £500 for lesser makes.

Save the money, walk, bus, or in extremis take a taxi.

Unless of course you cycle for pleasure, when a Brompton makes some sense. (sold my 10 year old one for what I paid for it and bought a proper city bike).
 
We have two fantastic Dahons Bright Red bought in the chandlers in Cherbourg. They have 20" wheels and a rear carrier, they look fantastic. This is the one :here.

2010__unfold_eco3.jpg


They are not showing the carrier, perhaps it is now an optional extra, but it did come with a bag.
 
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Brompton do not do discounts but you can buy them in Guernsey so if you have visit on your yacht you can save 20%!

We have one each, brilliant and delighted with them (got three speeds)
 
Pete7 said:
Even the second hand e bay price is frightening.

We bought a Dahon which was rebadged Land-Rover, part of their outdoor lifestyle accessories range for a fraction of the Brompton price. Doesn't have a rack or mudguards and stand etc, but that just cuts down the weight and cost.

http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=142489

Pete
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Just bought a 'Land Rover' City Lite bike as well. Yes, rebadged Dahon from all appearances and the 'Lite' version is 12.1 Kg, includes rack, mudguards and a decent carry/stowage bag. Maybe not as small folded as the really expensive bikes, but managed to get one from a Land Rover dealer for £254. (same price as an Apollo from Halfords when you add a carry bag). This one here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rove...0879940748?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item232125308c although advertised on EBay, I went to the dealer who sold it to me at the same price in the garage. Nice bike and very stable. Note that the instruction booklet seems to be from a previous model and you will need some bungee cord to hold the collapsed together (I could not see and clip arrangement). I understand that Landrover are establishing service centres near their dealerships.
 
If it a rebadged Dahon it will have a magnet on the rear hub and a plate on the fork which it holds on to. I thought it was a rather optimistic device but surprisingly it holds well. Problem is sometimes the cables can get in the way when you clip it back so you have to move them. But the bungee on the carrier will stretch in a week or two of use so a hooked replacement can supplement the magnet.
 
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Giant Halfway

we use one of these
_R4P6324-Halfway.jpg


http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-IN/bikes/model/halfway/7541/46896/#geometry

2 have live in bags in the fore-peak for 10 years Fantastic. IMO much better than the Bromptons. They have bigger wheels - IMO better ride and easier to find spares in normal bike shops - the Brompton wheels are an unusual size so Tyre and inner-tube need to be ordered form Bromption.

I rinse them with freshwater every now and then and also spray generously then wipe down with WD40 about once a season.
 
I've just been through this exercise.

I used to race bicycles and cycle tour in my misspent youth. That was decades and several stone of body mass ago, but I wanted at least one pretty good bike on board, if I was going to have them at all.

I looked at Bromptons, Terns, Birdies, and Dahons. I eventually rejected the Bromptons and Birdies for having too small wheels (16" and 17" respectively) -- too unstable at speed, too harsh on rough roads. I finally settled on a Dahon Jetstream EX -- a full suspension 20" road bike with high quality components. 24 speeds. Would have been way out of my budget, even used, but I found a remaindered 2009 model in Germany for very little money.

I was very surprised to find out that 20" folding bikes can ride almost like the high-end road bikes of my day -- stiff and efficient and amazingly fast. I have no doubt that I could ride 100 miles on this (unless I get in better shape, however, I will be walking it up some of the hills :) ).

A full suspension is a good thing on a small wheel bike as the smaller wheels aren't as resilient (a la Moulton bikes). Nevertheless, one drawback of even the best small wheel bikes is that they start to lost their stability over about 25 mph. No more 50 mph long descents like I used to make :)

The drawback of 20" bikes compared to Bromptons and other 16" bikes is the volume they occupy. I still haven't figured out the best place to keep them on board.

But being able to roam around in new places by bicycle while cruising will add a new dimension to cruising -- I'm delighted by the prospect. I had a test run over the weekend -- single-handed to Yarmouth and road all over the island. How many millions of times have I been into Yarmouth or Cowes or up the Medina on my dinghy, but now realize I don't know the IOW at all!
 
I have a alloy framed Dahon, the problem is I'm tall and I like cycling.

Folding bikes are fine for small riders, and though most come equipped with long seat pins to allow for long legs, there is no allowance for moving the handle bars forward to allow for longer body and arms. The result is a cramped, uncomfortable position.

The Strida is just wrong - it looked innovative in the late 70s when it first came out, but the misses the fact that as the saddle goes up it has to move back not forward, again resulting in a cramped position and probably bad for the knees.

If you want to explore away from the marina, you need a comfortable position and really the best solution is the mountain bike that had been sawn in half and joined with the S&S couplings a previous poster linked to.

You could look at a Moulton Stowaway. Full suspension, a comfortable position, the frame splits in two. Downside - 50 years old, and a unique back pedal brake with automatic 2 speed gearing.

Or if you're Dutch just strap your trusty Oma Fiets on the foredeck.
 
Wunja said:
I have a alloy framed Dahon, the problem is I'm tall and I like cycling.

Folding bikes are fine for small riders, and though most come equipped with long seat pins to allow for long legs, there is no allowance for moving the handle bars forward to allow for longer body and arms. The result is a cramped, uncomfortable position.

The Strida is just wrong - it looked innovative in the late 70s when it first came out, but the misses the fact that as the saddle goes up it has to move back not forward, again resulting in a cramped position and probably bad for the knees.

If you want to explore away from the marina, you need a comfortable position and really the best solution is the mountain bike that had been sawn in half and joined with the S&S couplings a previous poster linked to.

You could look at a Moulton Stowaway. Full suspension, a comfortable position, the frame splits in two. Downside - 50 years old, and a unique back pedal brake with automatic 2 speed gearing.

Or if you're Dutch just strap your trusty Oma Fiets on the foredeck.
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Check out the Syntace VRO stem and handlebar system for your Dahon: http://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=389 This does allow moving the bars forward and aft as well as up and down.

My Jetstream EX has it and it is brilliant. Maybe I'm not all that tall (5'11"), but I like to stretch my legs and arms out on my bike (I even bought a special crankset with 175mm arms for the road bike I raced in my youth). With this stem, the little folding bike actually has the best riding position I've ever experienced on any bike.

The Ergon grips help a lot too.
 
skua said:
I have a three gear Brompton, it is not in the least bit bendy ! And I can't say I have ever found it underpowered on hills either.
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We went on a cruise to Devon/Cornwall this year and cycled from Torquay to Hay Tor on Dartmoor using (borrowed) Bromptons laden with tents and (trad) climbing gear. Our daughter was with us on rental bike (no panniers and she was too unfit to pedal anyway) so we were carrying kit for 3 people -two tents, three sleeping bags etc. etc. - if a Brompton was going to bend it would have bent then. I estimate 30-40 kg plus us.

Must admit the climb from Widecombe back to Hay Tor was too much we had to get off and push :o The Brompton wasn't underpowered but I fear we were.

Having said above I am interested in the cheaper options.
 
I have two Bromptons.....if you want the best and the smallest folding bike around then you have to pay for it and the only one to look at is the Brompton....Iconic British engineering at it's best....that said they are very pricey but then again with a 6 week waiting list they are obviously doing something right.

My main bitch about the Brompton is the cheap and nasty plastic gear shifter and the cheap nasty foam handle grips. I changed mine for hi quality rubber one's but at the moment stuck with the plastic shifter until Brompton fit something of better quality which they tell me they are looking at doing.

I have the 3 speed version as I thought that would be the best lugging it on and off the boat as the enclosed hub is protected from any possible knocks and bashes. The gear spacing is good and I can even manage steep inclines OK. On word of warning they are very twitchy steering wise as the handlebars are directly over the front wheel so therefore steer like an F1 car.

Best thing I ever bought and never go away even in the car without them.

My only fear is nickability....at £850 a bike I never like leaving them out of my sight!!
 
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