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I am looking into buying a folding bike. My bike got stolen last month and I am thinking if the bike is inside or with me, it can't be stolen. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Dahon bikes.
I use my bike as my sole form of transportation. I travel all over the city with my bike (my friends, work and other interests take me all over the place), I get my groceries on my bike and tend to carry lots of stuff with me. I want something that is low effort to ride (I don't really need to get anywhere fast) and something light, as my apartment is at the top of a very steep and dangerous stairwell and I need one hand for balance and for holding the railing.
I hate having a purchase of such importance rushed upon me. I don't really have the cash to just buy what I want and I haven't had the time to properly reflect on the purchase and do some research. I was thinking about the MU P8 or P24 as they are not so expensive but still are fairly light and compact. I would love to go with the lightest model - but I'm not sure a doubling of the price is worth a 6 pound difference in weight, though I would love some feed back as to whether I would be better off saving up a bit and getting the better model in the long term.
Having a bike stolen is just such a pain in the ass...
I use my bike as my sole form of transportation. I travel all over the city with my bike (my friends, work and other interests take me all over the place), I get my groceries on my bike and tend to carry lots of stuff with me. I want something that is low effort to ride (I don't really need to get anywhere fast) and something light, as my apartment is at the top of a very steep and dangerous stairwell and I need one hand for balance and for holding the railing.
I hate having a purchase of such importance rushed upon me. I don't really have the cash to just buy what I want and I haven't had the time to properly reflect on the purchase and do some research. I was thinking about the MU P8 or P24 as they are not so expensive but still are fairly light and compact. I would love to go with the lightest model - but I'm not sure a doubling of the price is worth a 6 pound difference in weight, though I would love some feed back as to whether I would be better off saving up a bit and getting the better model in the long term.
Having a bike stolen is just such a pain in the ass...
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Vancouver
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Thu, December 18, 2008 - 2:30 PMMy question to you would be is one of these tiny folding bikes going to be able to accommodate you on your grocery shopping trips and other errands? Personally, I would be more inclined to pick up a full size bike. You might want to opt for a light weight road or cafe bike, something that you can fit a full-size rear carrier (and panniers if necessary) to and still be able to sling it over your shoulder and carry it up the stairs cyclocross-style? :)
Something else to keep in mind are the small wheels of a folding bike. I don't have much experience with them, but I know that smaller wheels equal less centrifugal force which amounts to less stability at low speeds. It will also make for a rougher ride over bumps and potholes. I notice that Dahon has a foldie with 26" wheels called the Jack. Kinda big though, not sure how "practical" that would be as a foldie? -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sat, December 20, 2008 - 9:11 AM'Something else to keep in mind are the small wheels of a folding bike. I don't have much experience with them, but I know that smaller wheels equal less centrifugal force which amounts to less stability at low speeds. It will also make for a rougher ride over bumps and potholes. I notice that Dahon has a foldie with 26" wheels called the Jack. Kinda big though, not sure how "practical" that would be as a foldie?'
The stability you are referencing has nothing to do with wheel size but trail. a low trail bike is more stable. They change the trail of the fork based on wheel size, contact patch, intended use- touring- urban- fixed- mtn- carrying loads, etc. Dahon and bike friday has done this for years and know what they are doing.
smaller wheel sizes (16" and 20") are generally stronger, lighter, and accelerate faster. But they tend to get swallowed up in holes. smaller wheels go IN potholes, larger wheels go OVER potholes.
that said, a folsding bike with a short wheel base and small stiff wheels is not a comfy ride over long distances.
I don;t really know why I feel l'm trashing a folding bike. They are good bikes and serve a purpose. I've had friends use em and love em. A few of them went with a non folding city bike/ commuter with a basket or a rack with panniers.All of them had more than one bike- the dahon was always a 3rd of 4th bike in their stable. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sat, December 20, 2008 - 4:39 PM**a low trail bike is more stable.**
How so? Everything that I've read states exactly the opposite. More trail means easier tracking stability for the front wheel, and the two ways to increase the trail are by decreasing the head angle (like a racing bike) or increase the fork rake (like older sport-touring bikes).
Unless I'm just reading this wrong, and it's a different aspect of bike stability you're talking about. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sat, December 20, 2008 - 9:01 PMerr....
yeah, cliff I think you are right.
I get rake and trail mixed up all the time. maybe I'm doing that right now. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sun, December 21, 2008 - 10:37 PMIncreased rake = reduced trail.
(I always end up having to look it up and double check myself.)
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sun, December 21, 2008 - 2:50 PMActually wheel size does in fact have at least some part in the equation. You're right that smaller wheels increase acceleration, which is why motorcycles (and more recently, 69er mountain bikes) typically run smaller wheels in the rear. But larger wheels up front have proven to increase stability, both on motorcycles and bicycles. If you're used to riding a motorcycle, try hopping on a gas scooter with those gawd awful tiny wheels and see how much more effort you have to put into keeping it upright as you come to a stop. Kinda scary, actually.
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Thu, December 18, 2008 - 10:25 PMAmong the LD commuters I've talked to, Bike Friday has a better reputation than Dahon for comfort over any distances over a couple miles. I've even heard of people doing long brevets (600 - 1200km) on BF folders. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Fri, December 19, 2008 - 11:51 AMEven a folding bike has to be locked at the grocery store and other places, unless in BC they let you ride it down the aisles. I'd tend to stick with a full sized bike. When it comes to carrying it up a flight of stairs the weight is probably more of a concern then the size. In any case to add another possible route of action, perhaps you ought to go with a cheap recycled bike so that if it is stolen it won't be such a big concern. If you have room in your apartment, get two. Try garage sales, second hand stores, and FreeCycle. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Fri, December 19, 2008 - 7:50 PMThe dahons fold down small enough to fit in the bottom of a shopping cart, so it really can come into the grocery store. Also, you can buy a carrying bag so that you can bring it in anywhere. The high end bikes are very light and pack down very small. It's the riding that I am really worried about. I travel mostly on streets, and not at a great rate of speed, though usually quite some distance. Pretty lazy dazy riding actually.
I've looked at the Bike Fridays - I have been told great things about them, but they all cost about $1,200 or more Canadian, where as the Dahons have several nice models for $800. That's why I wanted to hear from anyone who has personal experience with them. I also found the BFs a little weirder to pack down and a bit bigger when folded and the carrying handle distributes the weight differently and I find them a little ackward to carry. -
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Re: Opinions needed on the Dahons
Sat, December 20, 2008 - 9:02 AMIn my experience, a folding bike used for commuting never gets folded. It gets locked up. I routinely bring my bike into grocery stores (at least in annapolis). its as unweildy and just as dirty and wet as a shopping cart in most stores.
The lower end of folding bikes are not designed for daily use. They are designed for the occasional trip from the boat or plane and then folded up again. The higher end dahons are much better quality and are engineered for more frequent use.
If you have the room in your apt for a bike alreafy, I'd stick with a non folding bike.
but folding bikes are cool.
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it is what it is..
Mon, December 22, 2008 - 3:54 PMi, besides being a cyclist, am a woodworker. I bought a multipurpose saw/drillpress/lathe,etc and found it did all those things,but not anything well.
Folding bikes are fine for what they are, My experience with both the Dahon and the Bike Friday is that they were convenient for being able to fold and take on a plane, tuck under a table,etc. But they weren't all that great for specific purpose, such as commuting. There are a great number of fenders,racks,lights,skirt guards,bric a brac of all sorts and styles. Most of these were made for standard bikes,not niche bikes such as Dahon and BF. If you find a rack that will fit that Dahon, can you find a small pannier that will fit on the abreviated frame?
Seeing you are a transportation rider, you know the flexibility of a standard bike. To limit that flexibility would,IMHO, limit your enjoyment. Instead of paying a premium for a bike that probably won't fufill all of your needs, consider a standard bike and taking that premium money and apply it to a great lock, perhaps your landlord can provide you more secure parking? Esp if you have many cyclists in the building, it can be an amenity that encourages more loyal tenents, think how great it could be to have a car-free building! -
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Re: it is what it is..
Mon, January 5, 2009 - 7:48 PMI take pub transit and then bike to work and a fellow commuter has a dahon. Its foldable but with 26 inch tires. We chat bikes and he has only folded the bike a few times in a couple years. He uses it to commute and then on some weekends. I'm not sure how much he is benefiting from having a foldable.
I usually get my bikes off craigslist then tweak 'em to my liking for commuting in the urban jungle. The ugly pockmarked frame, scratched up forks, and stickers keep thieves from knowing that the 10+ year old gary fisher is quite a fun ride. I spent 100 on the bike and about another $130 dialing it in, including a mandatory brooks saddle, but now its "perfect"
If tight on funds I would send out an email to everyone I know saying that "I know someone has an older decent bike in their garage that they are not using". Then offer to buy it in payments or whatever. Folks will come through.... really.
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