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Having an argument in which someone is trying to convince me that these are mechanically inferior to Brompton and will break. I appreciate that they don't fold as small or as quickly, but this is not a priority before all you fanbois/girls start telling me how amazing it is.
Price however is a priority, so these bikes are of interest. Also they have non-draggy derailleur gears.
Purchase is not imminent, just window shopping for now, but I'll get a folder one day.
I had a Tern Verge for a while (sold recently and replaced with a Brompton) and also owned a Dahon D7 or something.
They are fine IMO. You do have to keep the hinge QR levers tighted up with a spanner (like adjusting the QR on your wheel with the nut on the other side so the lever enough tension), and I think they are better ridden sat down rather than hoofing out the saddle etc. I had a creak, briefly, from the handlebar, but it turned out to be muck in the hinge joint, so you need to keep them cleaned.
I think a lot of people don't do any of the above.
Neither of mine snapped or had any other problems.
I'd avoid the fancy "high end" ones though, if you're spending Brompton money, get a Brompton.
Have a Dahon D7 and have ridden it for 4 years. It gets hopped on and off kerbs, ridden on towpaths and generally abused.
For a folder it is fairly rigid and bombproof. Have tested Bromptons couple of times and the Dahon is noticeable stiffer/more bombproof just fold bigger. But as a bike I find it better - very comfy with a brookes saddle and an XL seatpost from the US (am 6'4 so standard post bit short)
Brompton's are pretty strong - I rode mine into the back of a van going quite fast and broke my lid, glasses and nose. My Brompton was fine 🙂
Can't really say if the other's are mechanically inferior, but my Brompton is 8ish years old, ridden daily and only needed the usual consumables, pads, tyres, chain etc.
I worked in two shops that sold Dahons, for about 5 years, the second also sold Bromptons and we worked on a few Bromptons in the first.
In my opinion, they're far superior to a Brompton in every way apart from how small they fold. They are easier to work on, use normal parts and with their 20" wheels are nicer to ride. Can't remember ever having one back for anything other than routine repairs - they're excellent quality. And if something does go wrong on them and you're in a bind you can usually fit a normal part from a bike shop as a stand in - something you definitely can't do with, for example, the derailleur on a Brompton.
Anything wrong with the cheaper Dahons like the Vybe D7 that's £450? Just cheaper components?
No, I'd avoid the steel ones (the Speed series) as they're heavy but they all use the same locking system and basically the same bar/stem/seatpost.
I have a Tern Link Uno that I'm looking to sell. Its absolutely bombproof and was bang on for commuting in Leeds and Manchester. There's very little to it so next to nothing that could go wrong.
For Sale Thread - ignore the price I can't change the title.. I'd happily take £125 for it.
Hmmmmmmmm
Is that the Uno with no front brake and a coaster rear?
Folding bike = Brompton
Folding bike = Birdy or Airnimal
@molgrips It's got a front v brake and a coaster rear. To be honest I used just the front 99% of the time and incurred no injuries!
@CaptainFlashheart - all 2-3x the price of what I was looking at...
To tie in with the road disc brakes discussion, I have a Brompton, but If I had to choose again I'd probably go for a Tern Verge P10.
Sadly, Molgrips, there's another truism about folders, cheap ones are universally awful. (Applies to ebikes as well, and infinitely so for folding ebikes!)
Well this thread seems to disagree. But are you saying I should simply take the bus instead if I'm too poor?
No, just buy very wisely!
Have had a Dahon Mu P8 (alu) with telescoping handlepost
Also a Dahon speed d7 (cromo steel) with same handlepost.
Steel was a bit heavier but both rode similarly ie not too bad. If I had another I would go for the one-piece handlepost as the flex on the telescoping one was unnacceptable (ie scary) IME. Bearing in mind I'm 15.5st so ymmv
Agree with just keeping an eye on the hinge/plate servicing, not a big deal. Met a 6' 2" bloke doing lejog on a steel one he seemed happy enough with it.
If I was commuting on the underground with a bike, I'd buy a Brompton for it's instant neat fold.
Anything else and it would be a Dahon.
My first was a basic steel Boardwalk, bit on the heavy side, but rode like a bike. I did a few centuries on it. The later alloy Dahons were much lighter. My son had a Mu SL and it's very light to pick up.
Tern is worth a look too. It's run by the son of Dr Hon (Dahon founder).
Girl at work has a Dahon (dunno which one) and uses it regularly to get from her house in Cambridge to the guided busway and then from the bus stop at the other end to our workplace.
While she acknowledges it's not quite the same as riding her Liv road bike, she really likes it.
It wasn't an expensive model - perhaps £350 or so. It's black with bright green highlights if that helps narrow the model down.
Malvern Rider
...If I had another I would go for the one-piece handlepost as the flex on the telescoping one was unnacceptable (ie scary) IME...
Actually that "feature" improved my pedalling action.
When I learned to not twist the bike into a pretzel I got faster.
But I'd go for a one piece handlepost as well. 🙂
No, just buy very wisely!
How should I pay for it? Credit card? Steal some money?
The idea that we can all afford the best stuff if we just try a little harder does grate, you know.
I had a Tern Verge X10 for about 8 months until the main hinge failed. Frame was junk after that, and following a frankly disastrous warranty experience (2 months of waiting, and a missing bb on return) the shop refunded me and I bought a Brompton instead. The Brompton isn’t as nice to ride, but is better to fold and feels much more reliable.
@AlasdairMc: What was the failure mode, it just gave way all of a sudden?
The advantage of the Brompton system is you basically "adjust" them every time, instead of just when you notice play in the joint (possibly too late).