[Closed] Tern Verge X18

I used to have a Verge X20. I kept having the rear wheel snap on me so eventually Evans took it back and exchanged it for a new Brompton. I have to say I prefer the Brompton in every respect. The Tern just doesn't feel as high quality as the Brompton. And in 3 years all I've had to do to it is replace brake pads and tyres.

The Tern is a bit of a pain to carry folded too.

The brompton is better to ride? They look awful to ride and it seems 50% of their owners agree and the other 50% say make excuses and say 'they're not THAT bad'.

I want something that folds but is as good as possible to ride for actual bike rides, not just to and from the station.

I think so. Got an S3L so it had a longer stem then replaced the bars for cut down mtb risers. Now the riding position is perfect for me. I'd say test one. I bought the Tern as I too was put off by the look and some of the reviews. As soon as I rode a Brompton myself all that changed. It really surprised me. Definitely test one out first. Maybe it might not be for you but I absolutely love mine.

Don't agree. I had a basic Tern singlespeed and then a brompon two speed. The larger wheels on the tern make it a better ride. That said the Brompton did feel stronger and I ended up snapping the hinge bolt on my tern, albeit I'm 100kg and probably went up and down a few too many kerbs. The fold is also not that great on the tern as it relies on a magnet to hold it shut. On and off trains you'd probably want a bungee strap or something to help the magnet.

As an aside if you want a bike that folds, rather than a folding bike, isn't it generally the accepted wisdom that the only one is a Airnimal.

http://airnimal.eu/

Id agree with the Airnimal as a better choice. Mine rode not far off my road bike for ride quality. Plus its very well made, unlike the Terns I have seen.

Yeah, but train companies have restrictions on wheel size for what can be considered a folding bike. The Airnimal ones look great but might fall foul of that rule.

Would you go for a 3 hour ride on a Brompton? Or a Tern? My mate who has a Moulton uses it as a normal bike even when he's not folding it.

No, not a chance, it would do my head in. My Tern used to creak at times from the steerer hinge and if there are any meaningful hills on the route then cranking up there on such a short bike is not a lot of fun. They’re not designed for that though, it would be like taking a DH bike on your commute. There is a guy locally who seems to ride a moulton as his ‘proper’ bike. Looks a lot more stretched out than a Brompton. The Airnimal is a different kettle of fish and I doubt it would fall foul of train rules albeit worth checking. My comments are based on my 6ft 4 frame, someone shorter may find a long ride on a folder more palatable.

Incidentally a guy used to get on the train out of Waterloo in rush hour every day with his Airnimal in 'first fold' mode as per their website.

A Birdy rides a lot better than a brompton - although make sure you get the forward facing sport stem.

Train restrictions are often 18inch wheel, which terns and dahons will fall foul of, but the Birdy is OK with.

Brompton is a bit smaller fold, but the Birdy has a single piece frame with no hinge, so stiffer and no creaking.

Birdy - this thing?

[img] [/img]

Looks good - wonder if I could fit drops?

Birdy - this thing?

that is the older design which you can still get in the cheaper models. The current design is :

[img] [/img]

Full-suspension, and the rear folds up based on the linkage being at a slight angle.

obviously he is not lowering and raising the seatpost there but that would complete the fold. You can hold the bike up off the ground and complete the fold faster.

Looks good - wonder if I could fit drops?

You can as a guy I used to see on the train sometimes did.

The suspension mechanism at the front can make the front a bit twitchier than ideal - it is dependant on the bushings in the fork mechansism for stiffness as the top link is that spring.

Yeah, but train companies have restrictions on wheel size for what can be considered a folding bike. The Airnimal ones look great but might fall foul of that rule.

I did serious mileage on a Rohloff AIrnimal Explore (with drops, of a sort) and had it on the train every day during the week on South Eastern trains.

[img] [/img]

There's 1 Birdy, 1 Tern thing and variously 3-4 Airnimal Chameleon's on the pm trains down from London that I see regularly. There are also a couple of those full-size hybrid bikes that fold in the middle. Train companies seem to be ok as long as they're folded (SE and Southern at least). The Chameleon is much like the Joey to fold IMO. The Rhino has smaller wheels so might be better?

From my experience of folders - in order of how happy I'd be doing 'proper' rides on;

Moulton Spaceframe/AM, AIrnimal Chameleon/Joey, Brompton, Dahon Speed Pro, Strida.

My Moulton splits in two but it's not something I'd want to do twice a day. If I went back to riding to the station again I'd use an Airnimal.

My Moulton splits in two but it's not something I'd want to do twice a day.

That's not part of my requirements. I don't use commuter trains. I travel cross country by train to work for a few days or a week, staying in a nearby hotel, and then when I am there I want to go on bike rides.

I've had a Dahon for 5 years and cracked out a 100+ mile ride on it.
It doesn't creak and the pivot/ lock up is tight.
I look after it - maybe that's the difference ?

Which Dahon?

I travel cross country by train and then when I get there I want to go on bike rides.

Could you maybe get a full sized bike with S+S couplers designed to fit in a suitcase?

My Moulton came with two bags - one for each half. It's the bike I'd prefer to do the higher mileage on.

[img] [/img]

It sits nicely in the boot of the car like that too and 2 x smaller bits makes it easier to fit around everything else if the whole family's going away without fitting the bike rack. I do have the Chameleon suitcase - it's a bit of a pain to get the bike into it comparatively but it's neater. Not really much in it size-wise compared to the Moulton when they're both in bits TBH.

As above, there's always something like:

[img] [/img]

Could you maybe get a full sized bike with S+S couplers designed to fit in a suitcase?

Having to carry the suitcase around would be a major problem. My weeks go like this:

Ride to station, about 6 miles with two panniers
Long distance train journey
Ride short distance to work (usually)
Ride back to hotel, could be anywhere up to 8-10 miles from work, usually not that far though.
Commute to work the rest of the week
A couple of recreational 1-3 hr ride in the evenings
Refitting is the reverse of removal

I do this now with a normal bike, but I have to book bikes everywhere now which is a PITA.

S&S frame would make sense if I were flying somewhere since that's usually taxis at both ends, but not if I am taking the train.

Moulton spaceframe is an option, if it can be stowed away easily enough. I'm thinking it could be broken up and maybe strapped together with straps into a single item.

Pacific Cycles (Birdy) also have this:

[img] [/img]

Oooooh I like that.

There's absolutely no way I'd have got an Airnimal or even a Tern onto the packed London bound trains I used to get. Often it was difficult to get on without any luggage at all. Brompton was just about small enough to fit between seat backs, or under the seat I was sitting on.

I've used to do longer rides on my old Brompton. Sometimes I'd ride into work (13 miles) then get the train somewhere for the weekend and take it with me.

Things that help make it a bit better
- flat bars
- pump the tyres up HARD every week
- get the firmer elastomer
- upgrade the pedals, i used some larger Wellgo QRD flat pedals.

I never found it that great on steeper hills though.

If you buy one 2nd hand you won't lose much if it doesn't work out as they hold their value.

There's absolutely no way I'd have got an Airnimal or even a Tern onto the packed London bound trains I used to get

Like I say - I never do that, so it's not a requirement.

Second hand availability is an interesting point though. But if Bromptons hold their value, that's bad news for a buyer on a budget.

Second hand availability is an interesting point though. But if Bromptons hold their value, that's bad news for a buyer on a budget.

Aside from a couple of models, Moulton bikes look to hold their value well - which is both a good and bad thing. If you can wait to sniff out a bargain then you can make (theoretical) money. If were to sell mine I'd probably realise 100% profit on top of what I paid. They've got a big following and they pop up for sale regularly enough via the owners club. Airnimals are less common - one or two appear on eBay and again, the residuals aren't that bad with some bargains given their price new (my Chameleon had a retail price of something north of £2K and I paid £500). But I'll be able to sell it for that without issue.

My Dahon on the other hand, was an expensive cycle2work purchase and I think I just about scraped 20% back on it after a year. Far easier to find one.

If you're local to me (Sussex) you're welcome to come and have a play with dismantling etc.

I don't want it to hold its value, since if it's right I won't sell it.

If you're local to me (Sussex) you're welcome to come and have a play with dismantling etc.

Ta - my colleague has one too, he's always trying to get me to buy one.