Folding Bikes and commuting.

RussAlf

Hi, after a bit of advice.

I have commuted from Kent into london on the Train for a good 5 years now. I work shift work with 3 different hours of working times. 2 of the shifts i can part ride part train as i travel into london offpeak so can take my bike onto the train, I have been doing this for a good year. However the early morning shift i have no choice but to get the Tube as i cannot take my bike onto the early train with me, not that it would be physically possible on some mornings. I cant take any more of the tube i am fed up with it, riding is by far the better alternative even in gales and rain.

So i have decided at long last to get a folder, its been on my mind for a long time now but having never ridden one i dont know huge amounts about them.

My commute is this:

Home > Train Station = 3 miles
London Bridge Station > Work = 3 miles

So only a commute of 6 miles each way with a nice break on the train inbetween, but at the end of the day the station to home is up a large hill.

I would like to spend as little as possible, its not a bike i will be riding on my days off, ive got my MTB for that and im not covering huge miles on it.

So far i like the look of the dahon range, the speed p8 in particular. for £330 it seems a good price. With 20" wheels i cant imagine it being to slow

Dahon Speed 8

I like the look of the airnimal Joeys with the larger 24" wheels, however from seeing one folded up it looks difficult to handle having to take the front wheel off. They are also a bit to costly for my budget.

Anybody out there with folders?

Thanks for the help

Russ

Eat My Dust

You'd probably be better off with a Brompton as these fold down to a smaller size. On busy trains expect people still too be pissed off with you!

RussAlf

The Bromptons do look very good and fold down very small from what ive seen, how do they ride? i cant imagine riding up the hill i will be going up on one, the hill i ride up was a "king of the mountains" section in the tour de france (not that its even that big)

I guess i really need to get to a shop and test ride some.

Eat My Dust

RussAlf wrote:

The Bromptons do look very good and fold down very small from what ive seen, how do they ride?

lol, I can;t answer that one. I wouldn't be seen dead on one!!!! Yes I am a roadie snob!!!!

cakewalk

Eat My Dust wrote:

RussAlf wrote:

The Bromptons do look very good and fold down very small from what ive seen, how do they ride?

lol, I can;t answer that one. I wouldn't be seen dead on one!!!! Yes I am a roadie snob!!!!

I've owned a Dahon and now switched to a Brompton with no regrets.
Bromptons are very well made and use parts/servicing is very easily available. In the four months I tried to use the Dahon it had all sorts of problems ; it eventually took six months from brompton to supply a new back wheel!

I've never had a problem with my Brompton. Yes it's not as fast as my TREK 5.2; but for what it's designed to do it's damn near perfect.

marcba

"it eventually took six months from brompton to supply a new back wheel! "
From Brompton or from Dahon ???


I have a Brompton. During 2007, I used it daily to go to work since I took a regional train to go to work (about 16km/day riding). SInce my way back home is clearly uphill, I choose low gear option. Although I don't work at the same place and don't take train, I still use my Brompton from titme to time, alternatly with a non folding bike (about 25 km/day).
Brompton rides very well and is very comfortable, but homes and bumps in pavement are more noticeable than with a big wheel bike. You can fold it in a few seconds and it is very convenient to carry it (but of course, not for long distance because it weights a little more than 12kg).

A friend of mine owns a Dahon (same frame as the model you are looking at, but with lower equiment and only 7 speeds). This bike is clearly less expensive than a Brompton, but it is sensibly less practical to fold and to carry (a bag is welcome); folded size is bigger than a Brompton.
Both folding bikes ride quite well.

Better forget the Airnimal for this use: it is more a dismontable bike than a folding bike.

cakewalk

marcba wrote:

"it eventually took six months from brompton to supply a new back wheel! "
From Brompton or from Dahon ???


I have a Brompton. During 2007, I used it daily to go to work since I took a regional train to go to work (about 16km/day riding). SInce my way back home is clearly uphill, I choose low gear option. Although I don't work at the same place and don't take train, I still use my Brompton from titme to time, alternatly with a non folding bike (about 25 km/day).
Brompton rides very well and is very comfortable, but homes and bumps in pavement are more noticeable than with a big wheel bike. You can fold it in a few seconds and it is very convenient to carry it (but of course, not for long distance because it weights a little more than 12kg).

A friend of mine owns a Dahon (same frame as the model you are looking at, but with lower equiment and only 7 speeds). This bike is clearly less expensive than a Brompton, but it is sensibly less practical to fold and to carry (a bag is welcome); folded size is bigger than a Brompton.
Both folding bikes ride quite well.

Better forget the Airnimal for this use: it is more a dismontable bike than a folding bike.

SORRY - I meant DAHON!

tardington

Have you tried searching eBay for 'ikea bike'? You can get foldy for 50 quid (though generally with postage) - they are the cheapest Raleigh ones (I think) rebranded with an ikea sticker. A couple of years ago ikea gave them to ALL their staff as a christmas bonus, so there are a million out there!

They look pretty nice too. :shock:

TheBoyBilly

Sorry Tardie, I can't agree about the IKEA bikes..they are heavy and cumbersome and build quality isn't all that.
I'd suggest a Brommie too but the OP, RussAlf, seems tobe on a budget. So I'd agree with the Dahon suggestion. They don't fold down all that much larger than a Brompton and are very weel made.

squired

I have the Dahon that you are talking about. I'm very pleased with it. I think it gives a decent ride. OK, it doesn't fold as small as a Brompton, but I want a decent nippy ride, as I think you do. It still folds nicely, and I've not had anyone moan yet.

For a bit over £300 I think it is a good deal. Don't forget that with CTC or LCC membership you might be able to get it with 10% off (which is what I did).

Totalnewbie

I got overtaken by a bloke on a Brompton on Dark Hill in Richmond Park, but perhaps that reflects more on me!

Gilesme

I looked at several folders before I got mine - including bromptons and dahons.

I got a trek (no longer made) which is made by dahon and is similar to the one you link to. Are you going to be adding a rack and guards too ? Lookign at an extra £50 or so.

Edinburgh bicycles have a deal for £230 that is made by dahon, 20" wheels, includes rack, guards and transit bag.

Seems a bit of a bargain to me.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=8992&f%5FFullProductVersion=1&f%5FSupersetQRY=C155&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c003155c003172

bornagainbiker

Try jejames cycles for dahons they have some very good deals on last years bikes

TheBoyBilly

Gilesme, what Trek have you got? I have the F400 which is superb really. I got a great deal from CH Whites in Malmesbury and got Altura Arran panniers and a carry bag free. £359 all-in including delivery...result!

Shame they stopped making them.

Bill

RussAlf

Thanks for the replys, I think im going to go for the dahon i posted or one similar. Going to have a look around to get the best deal.

Ive decided against bromptons as for the extra £300 i will have to spend to get one i dont think they are that much better.I want the Larger wheels then the brompton and im not to fussed it wont fold down as small.

Ill be adding Guards but have no intention of racks at this point, i dont carry much to work.

TheBoyBilly

RussAlf, I bought my Trek from here:

www.foldingbikes.co.uk

Delivery time was excellent and they do some good deals too.

Bill

secretsam

Eat My Dust wrote:

RussAlf wrote:

The Bromptons do look very good and fold down very small from what ive seen, how do they ride?

lol, I can;t answer that one. I wouldn't be seen dead on one!!!! Yes I am a roadie snob!!!!

That goes for me, too

Interstingly, your commutes are similar to mine - but I don't have the hills to contend with

I've a second hand Sirrus for home duty, and living in the smoke is my old 531, which does the job but is rapidly approaching the point where some significant new bits are needed eg wheels, drivetrain,...

vinylmonkey

I had the same quandary as you and bought a second hand ridgeback fold up for £120 of gumtree. its made by Dahon and is pretty good. i cyle a mile to the station and then get off a few stops before to save money (zone 2 in london) and cycle the rest of the 5 miles in. not that much a slower time than my normal bike due to all the traffic lights in the city.

it has 20" wheels so is pretty zippy and have overtaken a few people or full size bikes too.

i did want a brompton but just couldnt justify spending all that money on it. JeJames has some good prices on last year's Dahons

Gilesme

TheBoyBilly, I've got an F400 (non-equipped version).

Got it for £300.

Really like it - surprisingly nippy.

My 9 year old likes messing about on it too - she calls it my "clown bike"....

AdamP

Hi RussAlf,

I've got a Dahon Speed P8 for sale. It's under a year old in great condition with just a few normal light marks from folding / carrying.

It's the Hong Kong market version, so exactly the same as the UK one, but in a rather fetching dark grey / black colour.

Great bike to ride and folds really easy.

I'm only getting rid because just bought an Airnimal Chameleon to do much longer weekend rides with too.

This is for sale at a good price, so if you're interested, PM me and I'll get right back to you

Cheers


Adam

tardington

TheBoyBilly wrote:

Sorry Tardie, I can't agree about the IKEA bikes..they are heavy and cumbersome and build quality isn't all that.
I'd suggest a Brommie too but the OP, RussAlf, seems tobe on a budget. So I'd agree with the Dahon suggestion. They don't fold down all that much larger than a Brompton and are very weel made.

Well, I didn't think it'd be great! There is a nice girlie who cycles past me most mornings on one though, she seems pretty cheerful. 8)

TheBoyBilly

There is a nice girlie who cycles past me most mornings on one though, she seems pretty cheerful. ...........

....that would make even a Halfords bike worth looking at?

orv

I like the look of the airnimal Joeys with the larger 24" wheels, however from seeing one folded up it looks difficult to handle having to take the front wheel off. They are also a bit to costly for my budget.

Just a bit of detail for you you. I have both a Mezzo and an Airnimal Joey and I tend to alternate between then depending on my ride and how I'm feeling.
For example occasionally I do my whole commute on the Airnimal (22miles) rather than take the train, and I can still fold it up for the return journey.
It's very a very civilised and "bike like" ride and the folding isn't too bad at all once you've practised a few times. Yes you have to remove the front wheel, but that just takes a second and it then folds up on itself and is actually narrower when folded than one of the typical "little" folders.

The Mezzo is also a superb little bike you might want to consider too - the solid frame gives a very stable ride - and I use that if I don't want to change clothes and I'm going to be taking it easy, it's all quick release catches so folding and unfolding is just seconds. It folds to a very compact size although (as mentioned above) because it folds diagonally it is actually wider folded than the Airnimal.

RussAlf

Thanks for all the help on this guys! Here she is:



Very impressed wth it so far, working this weekend so have used her on the train both days and had to fold her on all occasions. Keep looking at myself in the windows thinking i look like a plonker but hey its far better than the tube or bus!

Thanks

Russ

Clever Pun

nice one, just ordered a brompton and the cycletowork scheme and I ended up getting lighter frame, higher gearing the lot, looking forward to overtaking people on that tiny little thing