Feb 13
RobertoTern Folding Bikes folding bicycle, folding bike, Tern Bicycles, Tern folding bike, Tern Verge, Verge X30 bike
Tern Verge X30 folding bike
My weekend began by riding a Tern Verge X30h. It was my first commute home from work on a folding bike; Upper East Side of Manhattan to DUMBO, Brooklyn, roughly 10 miles. My first impression was the amazing acceleration this folding bike has! Wow! The Tern Verge X30h made me feel like a pro-cyclist because I wanted to do Time Trails or Sprints instead of “just” commute home. I was imagining myself next to Nick Nuyens riding from Brussels to Compiegne (where the Paris-Roubaix actually starts), though it’s also really easy to take the train with your Tern Vern X30h due to its N-fold Technology instead.
Tern Bike Kinetic Energy, what…
The Tern Verge X30h is nothing less than a speed demon. The frame is incredibly stiff, not just around the bottom bracket (every roady’s concern) but also on the top tube’s main hinge and in the front end. When I was out of the saddle and pulling on the equally stiff stem bar, there was no twist at all, only pure drive. The sprinting and climbing performance of the Tern Verge X30h folding bike, is simply put: awesome!
Another remarkable feature is that the Verge X30h combines stiffness with comfort levels I’ve only found on commuter-specific bikes. Everything from road vibration to bigger potholes is damped before it reaches any of the hinge folding points. It’s proof that in high-end folding bikes with the proper engineering you don’t have to give up smoothness to save weight and stiffness.
Verge X30h folding bike
The Tern Verge X30h folding bike rides on great quality Kinetix Pro rims and Schwalbe Durano tires. This makes for a folding bike that glides at any speed no matter what the road conditions. It’s stiff enough to make it to 30 MPH on flats, super light to be of no hindrance on climbs, and the handling is sharp enough to have fun on downhills without ever feeling nervous or unstable.
“Wanna race?”
Weighing in at a respectable 22.7 lbs, the light and stiff frame was rattle-free even over bumpy New York City roads. The 3×10 SRAM Dualdrive II rear hub paired with the Shimano Ultegra 10 speed rear derailleur meant flawless 30-speed shifting. The Tern Verge X30h is as much at home on easy Sunday morning group rides as it is fighting over the last slot in the gutter of a desperate race echelon. Stop by NYCeWheels to try out the Tern Verge X30h and put Nuyens in second place!
Watch a Tern Verge X30 video review.
Feb 22
#1 folding bikerTern Folding Bikes folding bike, Tern Bicycles, Tern folding bikes
When Josh Hon of Tern Bicycles offered to send me a preproduction Tern Link P7i folding bicycle to review, I was all over it. I had spent most of 2011 reading about the company; this would be my first chance to see what Tern Bicycles was working on all that time.
The Tern Link P7i folding bicycle is one of seven bikes in the 20-inch-wheeled Link family, which Tern describes as “transportation for the human race,” differentiating it from Tern’s racier Verge family of 20-inch-wheeled folding bicycles, which offers “performance to go.”
Link P7i Insight and Overview
Tern Link P7i Folding Bicycle
Visually, the shape of the frame distinguishes the two families. All Link model Tern folding bicycles are straight between the main hinge and the head tube; Verge bikes sport a continuous arched appearance from the rear dropouts all the way to the head tube.
Different alloys are used as well. The Tern Link P7i folding bicycle is built with 6061 aluminum, the same stuff that goes into crankarms, while the Verge family features 7005 aluminum, which is a little bit stronger, but harder to work during manufacturing.
Should you buy based on the frame material? Gosh, no. Base it on the test ride, and whether the bike is equipped for your needs. The Link P7i folding bicycle is rated for a maximum rider weight of 110 kg (240 lbs.), and, sadly for me, I can confirm that it’s more than capable of holding up under that entire load.
Accessories for the Link P7i folding bike
The Link P7i folding bicycle is ready for all-weather, all-hours commuting right out of the box. You get a sturdy rear rack bolted to the frame at four points, fenders, a rear battery-powered light that nestles under the rack for protection against bumps and dings, and a headlight similarly sheltered from damage within the embrace of a double-clamp handlebar stem.
The headlight is powered by a BioLogic Joule II dynamo hub that generates useful light at walking speeds. And a standlight feature provides continuous lighting even when you’re stopped by a traffic signal. A dynamo hub means light on demand, whenever you need it—no worries about dead batteries.
I’d prefer the dynamo also powered the rear light, but I bet that Tern decided a battery-powered rear light on a folding bicycle would be more reliable than one with a long and fragile wire.
Link P7i = Easy fit and setup
You’ll love the Andros handlebar stem on the Link P7i. All you do is slide a switch on the stem’s top plate to one side and lift the rear of the plate. This unlocks both the height and the rotation of the handlebars. Use one hand to move the handlebars to the desired height and rotation and the other hand to push the top plate back down. The locking switch snaps back automatically.
If I worked in the shop, I’d use the stem to sell the entire bike—it’s that great a design. Check out the Tern Link P7i more here.
Jan 31
#1 folding bikerBrompton folding bikes Brompton bike, Brompton folding bike, folding bike, folding travel bike
Those of you that have read any of my other posts know that I have been trying to decide whether my trip around the world for charity would be easier if I was traveling with a folded bike. Full size bike or traveling with a folded bike… one more thought to consider.
I thought I had researched everything, it turns out there is an advantage to traveling with a folding bicycle that I hadn’t considered. As I unpacked my bike and started putting it together there was the obvious fact, I had to reassemble the bike. Of course I knew that had I been traveling with a folding bike I could have saved myself some time and effort. What I hadn’t thought of was something not as obvious.
Brompton folding bicycle travel
I put the kickstand in place, reattached the pedals, handlebars, mirror, racks, fenders, and seat. Front wheel on, I thought let me double check everything and then I should be ready to ride. The initial reassembly took me about 30-40 minutes, I had some problems. I could have been miles away had I been doing my travels with a folded bike.
When a travel folding bike finally dawned on me
I realize that something is loose in the front end of the bike, the brakes were rubbing and the front rack wasn’t completely level. I adjusted the brakes, leveled out the rack, but could not figure out what was wrong with the front end. All bolts were tight, I couldn’t find any parts in the shipping box that may have belonged to it, yet I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t ride, I would need to find a bicycle shop and I would need to find a ride there. Frustration is the best way to describe how I was feeling, I knew I should have been traveling with a folding bike.
Jump ahead to the next day, I find a bike shop, I find a ride. Now I have the joy of fitting this big bike in the back seat of a small car. We had to angle the bike and leave the handlebars sticking out the window. Good thing I am in Florida where it is warm. I hope at this point you are getting a very vivid picture of how much easier this would have been if I had been traveling with a folding bicycle.
Some folding bikes I’m considering
Off we go, 19 miles down the road, to find the bike shop. We barely made it before the shop closed. On a beautiful day when I could have been riding. If only I had that folding travel bike. I took my bike in and the owner looked at it and said well it looks like you might be missing a spacer, he then tells me that he hopes not because he is low on stock and might not have any to fit. He assured me that they are an easy part to lose, not reassuring for any future trips with a full size bike. All I can think is, it is time to start traveling with a folding bike. I now have visions of folding bicycles running through my head.
In all my research into the differences between my full size bike and traveling with a folded bike I had never considered the loss of parts. He checked the bike and it turned out something was just not seated properly. What did I learn, when traveling with a folded bike, no dis-assembly, and no lost parts.
At this point I’m pretty sure I’ll go with a Brompton folding bicycle for my touring adventures. We’ll see…
Jan 27
#1 folding bikerTern Folding Bikes folding bike, Tern Bicycles, Tern folding bikes
This Thanksgiving my room-mate, Peter, invited me to eat dinner with him and his family in Boston. We decided to take a bus the night before and I did the responsible thing, got off work early, caught the subway earlier than I needed to to make the bus with plenty of time.
Riding the Tern Link P9
Peter took the more daring route, jumping on his Tern foldup bike and blasting through 90 Manhattan blocks in under 15 minutes. We barely made the bus but Peter had a big goofy grin on his face— nothing like a mad dash on a folding bike in new york city to get your blood pumping!
Foldup bikes are really portable
The bus came and I looked over at Pete — “dude where are you going to stash the bike?”— he raised his eyebrows, compressing his folding bike to the size of a suitcase in a few deft movements and placing it underneath with the luggage. He always seems just a little smug when he shows off his folding bike, but I’m always impressed. You could never take a normal bike on a bus like that.
Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more of getting a foldup bike. I work just far enough away from my apartment that its too far to walk but too close to pay for the subway without resenting yourself, just a bit more each day. In the past I didn’t even consider biking to work because there isn’t a place big enough to store a bike at my work and I don’t like the idea of locking my bike outside for the day, but after seeing Peter with his foldup bike my mind opened to a whole new world of fold-up-bike related possibilities:
No room in the storage room? No problem! Just fold it up and push it under the desk!!
Don’t feel like biking home at the end of the day? Nothing is easier than taking a foldup bike on the train!
About time I bought my folding bike in new york city
OCL Hinge on Tern Link P9
Peter works at NYCeWheels, a NYC store that sells foldup bikes, and I asked him about what I should get. He launched off on a detailed inventory of specific makes and models— “So… which one folds up the smallest?” “The Brompton Folding Bike, just get the Brompton.”
It’s Thanksgiving now and I haven’t got a folding bike yet, but Christmas is fast approaching and hopefully by then I’ll be able to get a handle on the situation—send enough hints to my friends and family and I’m thinking I might just find a bike, neatly folded underneath the Christmas tree.
Jan 21
#1 folding bikerTern Folding Bikes folding bike, folding travel bike, Tern Bicycles, Tern folding bike
Last week I borrowed my roommate’s Tern Link P9 folding bike and joined him and his father for a 14 mile joy ride around the suburbs of Boston. My roommate, Anthony, and his father are both bike enthusiasts and at first I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the father son duo. I had never ridden a folding bike before and was thinking that it might be hard to keep up with a normal road bike, but nope, the Tern folding bike goes just about as fast as you can peddle it!
Link P9 folding bicycle in Boston
The smaller wheels are great for city riding!
Interestingly, the smaller wheels seemed to offer a few advantages for city riding. I was definitely able to accelerate a bit faster on the Link P9 than on traditional road-bikes I had tried out in the past. I mentioned this to Anthony, demonstrating with a spurt of speed and a failed attempt at a wheely. My friend explained that, on a folding bike, the smaller circumference of the wheels allows for greater torque, and therefore allows you to accelerate a bit faster.
I didn’t exactly understand the physics of his explanation, but I did understand that super awesome extra spurt of speed I got whenever I put my weight into the peddle! Totally awesome!
Can folding bikes handle rough terrain?
During the bike ride we took the Link P9 all over the city and through many different types of terrain. The folding bike performed great on bike paths, roads, sidewalks, (anything paved), but on more “off-road” terrain it began to struggle. At one point, we detoured onto a dirt bike path, and although I was able to keep up with Anthony and his dad, I had to work twice as hard to maintain speed on the squishy surface. Later, when I tried riding over a wet lawn, it was almost impossible to keep going. Folding bikes are not substitutes for mountain bikes, nor are they meant for off road terrain, although I had a great time trying anyway!!
The Link P9 turns on a dime!
The smaller wheels on the Tern Link P9 had other advantages as well. Not only could I go just as fast as the other bikes (and accelerate faster) but I could also turn more easily! Smaller wheels= greater turn radius= more folding bike awesomeness! “They don’t call it the TERN folding bike for nothing!” I yelled to my friend who looked at me like I was an idiot.
Dec 15
#1 folding bikerBrompton folding bikes, Dahon folding bikes Brompton bike, Brompton folding bike, Dahon folding bike, folding bike, folding travel bike
Here I am with my Non-Folding bike
To fold or not to fold, that is the question? I have started an epic journey around the world representing cancer survivors with a full size bike. An epic challenge for a cancer survivor and someone who has repeatedly beat the odds. I am a survivor on a mission, delivering Unlimited Smileage to survivors around the world.
As I travel I am not always sure where the journey may lead. Most recently, I needed to take a side trip, that didn’t involve riding, and much to my dismay my bike could only go along for a portion of that trip. That was when I first started questioning my full size bike and wondering did I need to research a folding bicycle. You see Amtrak is only partially bicycle friendly. I would either need to go partially to my destination and then find someone with a truck to pick me up for the remainder of the trip or find some alternative means of transportation.
On the folding bike hunt
I must be honest, I don’t know much about folding bicycles but I am fast learning. Currently I am in the process of comparing brands and have narrowed down the options to the hand crafted folding bicycles. I think if you are going to fold the bike, quality matters. I looked at mass produced folding bicycles, however I really don’t want a folding bike that was manufactured on an assembly line somewhere. The way I look at it, I have survived many obstacles in life, I am worth the best.
My research into folding bicycles began with the typical google search and at first that was a bit overwhelming. I remembered friends who are traveling with Brompton folding bikes and started reading more on their adventures and knew that the experiences they were having were all relatively positive. I knew that meant Brompton folding bikes needed to be on my list of bikes to research. Unfortunately I don’t know anyone riding the other brands so I needed to search for reviews on folding bikes to get more info.
Traveling would be easier with a folding bicycle
I didn’t really want to inconvenience anyone and don’t know many people with vehicles big enough to transport a full size bike equipped with racks for touring. A folding bicycle would fit in the smallest of cars. I researched Greyhound, just in case there were other immediate solutions, not bicycle friendly at all. Folding bikes were looking better all the time as the only other options were to leave the bike behind or ship it. I really didn’t want to leave it behind so shipping seemed as though it would be the only viable option. So after $120 and quite a bit of hard work, I am in one place and my bike and panniers are at my next destination. This was certainly not what I consider ideal but it was the easiest solution to my dilemma.
I am doing my due diligence here, after all this is an unexpected expense and the journey needs to continue. I do know from the information I have gathered thus far, if I had owned a folding bike when I needed to make this side trip, I would have been able to take it on Amtrak as carry on. My bike and I would currently be in the same place.
Picking the right folding bike
Now this dilemma has brought me here, researching a solution for the future. I know other riders who have had similar dilemmas with transporting a full size bike and I want this trip to be about the cause not about causing me stress. I am clearly at a crossroad, a fork in the road, a bend…hmm, maybe a fold. More on my journey to follow.
I’ve been eying a custom built Brompton folding bike though….
Dec 08
#1 folding bikerBrompton folding bikes Brompton bike, Brompton folding bike, folding bike, travel folding bike
By Turbo Bob
As Barbara and I stepped off the train in Kew Bridge, a suburb of London, England, I could feel we were in for a treat. I had been anticipating this visit for months. Ever since Bert at NYCeWheels had given me my first taste of the Brompton world, I have been wanting to learn more about it and how it came to be. Where better, than the place they are designed and built?
Way back, I mentioned in an article I wrote for the NYCeWheels, about how great it would be to see this place. I was just dreaming then, but the reality was coming to be. I had heard different stories about people getting to tour the factory, but as I investigated it more, it seemed that things had changed after they moved to this bigger and better organized facility. What to do?
Riding the Brompton bike that Bert sent me was a continuous thrill. Showing it off and letting friends and strangers ride it, proved to me how nice a bike it was. The smiles and complements came on every test ride. I took it on many solo runs, night jaunts, and group rides. I rode the trolley with it on many occasions too. The fact that it had the Raw Lacquer finish made it that much better.
Don’t know about Brompton bikes?
A content Brompton employee puts the finishing touches on this great folding bike
If you aren’t familiar with this strong, fast folding bike, do a little investigative work to find out more. It is a rock solid bike to ride. It folds so small you can hardly believe it. It is made with a quality and precision that could qualify it as a work of art. The color palette and combinations of colors allow you to personalize it to your own style. If you travel by bus or train, work or live in a small or multi-floored building, it is ‘the’ bike to have.
Conceived and designed by Andrew Ritchie (who we got to meet, by the way) in 1975, this bike has been molded and refined into the bike it is today. The original prototype and two others are hanging in the entrance hall as you enter the factory. You can easily see the roots that have grown into this wildly popular fold up bike. The bike is still evolving as technology and ideas expand. They are not resting on their successful laurels at this factory. The engineers are as busy as the floor staff.
Our trip to Europe had been in the planning stages for a while. I had web searched the factory to check on tours of the grounds. Not to be, said every avenue I checked. I messaged Bert (at NYCeWheels) about our desires to include the tour as part of our vacation. As the great folding and E-bike ambassador he is, a quest started for him to find me a way in the front door. He to came to many dead-ends, as he worked to fulfill my desires. Finally, he found just the right person to say yes. Hannah Mellow, a PR expert at the firm, oked our visit.
My folding bike connection
She might have been stretching the lines for me, but I am a dealer spokesperson for NYCeWheels. The proof is in the article you are reading right now. So as we rounded the corner of the street, Hannah opened the gates and let us in. I do believe the general public won’t get the same treatment, but just open a copy of their sales brochure for a near-same experience. You can see it online here. Better yet, pick one up at your local dealer.
What we saw and witnessed in the Brompton Bicycle factory was pure magic. Well organized work stations. Computers checking design and engineering up-dates. Stress testing machines hard at work. Happy employees plying their well understood trade. Raw materials being formed, brazed, and quality checked. Front office personnel busy with the day-to-day numbers and data. Racks of tested bikes ready for delivery. And finally, trucks being loaded with someone’s future dream machine.
Brompton bike factory runs like magic
Like a well oiled bike, the crew at Brompton has things under control. I wanted to stop and talk to every person. Poke my head in every cubbyhole. Run the specially made machines that help create the Bromptons. But it wasn’t my place to interfere. We watched, listened to Hannah, and enjoyed the action without touching and doing. I wasn’t there to build a Brompton folding bike, just watch and learn about the process.
I do think that Hannah could build a compete bike herself. Her knowledge of each process and machine was uncanny. My hat (don’t really wear one) is off to her and the way she treated us. She is just one cog of a big machine that brings the world this loved folding bike. What a great thrill to witness it all in person. Thanks to Bert, Hannah, and the entire staff of Brompton people for a wonderful morning. We finished off with a photo op on two bikes, one a red, white, and blue prototype. As we re-boarded the train, I couldn’t help but feel like we were one with everybody involved with the process of bringing folding bikes to the riding public. And then I thought, I should have asked for a souvenir. I guess a great memory and a load of photos will have to do.
“The bicycle is the common man among vehicles.”—James R. Starrs, The Noiseless Tenor
http://www.nycewheels.com/folding-bike.html
Nov 16
#1 folding bikerBrompton folding bikes
Blue Brompton bike matches my shirt!
I am well aware of the difference between twenty inch wheels and 700c, so I was sure I’d feel a difference when riding the Brompton folding bike. I ride BMX bikes which are small, but have frame dimensions that compensate, as well as riding stance different from typical bikes. I figured this would give me some heads up when jumping on a Brompton.
Brompton bike measures up in all the right places
Head tube angle is something I already knew is very important in BMX, and I was surprised to find was how effectively Brompton uses it to achieve a stable feel from the folding bike. Generally speaking, the steeper the head tube angle, the less stable a bike becomes, but in turn a bike with a steeper head tube will be quicker to turn. Brompton matches English style 16″ wheels for super cornering, with a super mellow head tube angle, and forward sweeping fork, to give the bike an incredibly stable feel, while still maintaining maneuverability. Basically what this means is that the front wheel of a Brompton bike naturally wants to point forward, eliminating the wobbles, but will still turn with the ease of a 16″ wheel.
As a messenger, I had to learn how to “track stand,” which basically means balancing on the bike while standing still, similar to the way a unicyclist will rock back and forth in order to stay balanced. I surprised myself with this Brompton folding bike, not thinking I would be able to track stand, but then coming to stop at lights and balancing with ease.
Folding bikes with suspension? Well…
BMX stands for Brompton Made Xtreme!
I have never been a fan of suspension, except where truly appropriate in downhill or cross country mountain biking, and folding bikes seem like they wouldn’t need it, but the Brompton bike has a suspension block that won me over. It has significantly less travel than typical suspension, but puts just enough padding between you and the road, without making it feel like your riding on the moon. Plus, Brompton suspension blocks come in regular and firm, to accommodate all kinds of riding styles and rider weights.
I guess what I’m getting to is: the Brompton folding bike is the complete package. They thought of everything. It folds up the smallest and with the most ease, it performs well beyond expectations, and it comes in tons of cool colors. This folding bike is the ultimate in saving space without sacrificing performance.
And even better, you can build you own Brompton bike and pick the options you like best! Personalization is sweeeet!
Oct 20
Harrison-LDahon folding bikes dahon dash p18, dash P18 folding bike
Harrison all bundled up for his ride on the Dahon Dash P18
This week we’ ve had the Dahon Dash P18 folding bike here in the shop, part of the sneak-peak we’ ve been getting of the 2011 Dahon folding bikes. It just so happens this is also the week that winter has clamped down on New York tight as a LockJaw hinge. But with this sweet looking folding bike scheduled to go back to Dahon this weekend, what choice did I have? I had to bundle up and ride it.
The thermometer registered a chilly 21° F by the time I left work at 5, so I deployed my full war chest of cold weather gear: two layers of cycling jerseys, another fleece-lined long-sleeve layer, a wind-resistant shell (in high-visibility safety neon), thermal cycling tights, thermal shoe covers, glove liners – well, you get the idea. It was cold.
Amazingly though, as I always find on these really cold days, once I was on the bike it really wasn’ t so bad. You get moving and you warm right up. With the right gear, being out in that kind of cold feels a bit like being in a cold ocean wearing a wet suit: you’ re aware of the cold but it isn’ t uncomfortable. It feels nice, actually.
Anyway, about the Dash P18: I left the shop and headed west on 85th, straight over to the park. Entering at 91st Street, I pretty much had the place to myself. I cycled up the east side, along the reservoir, just having fun with the Dash P18: pushing it hard for a hundred yards, then dropping down into a lower gear (among the 18 to choose from!) and spinning, then pushing it again. As mentioned in some of our other reviews of the Dash P18, thanks to its two tube frame geometry, the Dash P18 folding bike has stiffness comparable to a non-folder. And if you’ ve been riding a lot of folding bikes (like I have) you really feel the difference when you hop on the Dash P18.
We haven’ t had the chance yet to review the Dash P18’ s closest relative in Dahon’ s Midtown Mini series – the Dash X20, which promises to truly be the real deal when it comes to folding bikes meant for performance road use – but riding the Dash P18 you are definitely aware of the family resemblance. In addition to its high stiffness, the Dash P18 is also very light and has a gear ratio nearly comparable to the Dash X20. In fact, at 26” – 95” its gear ratio is actually slightly wider – meaning a lower gear at the bottom end, and a slightly higher gear at the top end. Suffice it to say, this folding bike is legitimately fast but also won’ t kill you on a steep uphill.
By the time I reached the north end of the park and started in on the big climb, I began to feel like I was actually working up a sweat. Well, not a sweat but I was definitely breathing hard and getting thirsty. Taking a pull at my camelback, anticipating a nice refreshing gulp of air-chilled H2O – I got nothing. Not a drop. In those fifteen minutes I’ d been out so far the camelback’ s straw had frozen solid. That cut my night ride on the Dash P18 somewhat short. After a lap and a half I headed back down to the bridge and home.
The Dash P18 in the bright morning sunshine on the Queensboro Bridge
I had slightly more agreeable riding conditions the next morning. Riding in to work the bright sunshine felt comparatively warm and I could appreciate the versatility of the Dash P18. Not only is this folding bike fun for night rides in the park or for a longer ride on the weekend, but it also makes a solid and highly practical commuter. It’ d be great for a commute that’ s slightly longer than most, where speed and range of gears are important.
I think among the four bikes in Dahon’ s Midtown Mini series, the Dash P18 is definitely the most well-rounded of the bunch. It has the same straight bar and comfortable riding position as the Dahon Bullhead but is considerably lighter and faster. And it’ s a pretty bike, with clean lines and stylish design, but not such a show-stopper as the downright dapper Dahon Smoothhound. And though it’ s fast, it’ s much more affordably priced and speced than its cousin the Dash X20. If I was looking for one all-around folding bike in the Dahon Midtown Mini series, the Dash P18 folding bike would probably be it.
One last word on the LockJaw hinges on the Dash P18: all the folding bikes in the Midtown Mini series come equipped with these newly designed hinges. Though I have ample bike parking in my Queens apartment I folded the Dash P18 when I got home, just to test them out. The folding process is a bit more involved than a standard Dahon, in that you need an allen key. But otherwise the LockJaw hinges don’ t add to the fold time at all. The special built-in stand which the bike rests on when folded is also well designed. These LockJaw hinges really make sense for the Midtown Mini series. Combined with the two-tube frame design and high stiffness, you forget you’ re on a folding bike at all. Yet – if it makes your boss or spouse happy – it isn’ t too much trouble to fold up when you arrive to work or back home.
Full range of currently available Dahon folding bikes
Sep 02
#1 folding bikerDahon folding bikes, Tern Folding Bikes Dahon folding bike, folding bike, Tern folding bikes
The complete line of Tern folding bicycles have been photographed and documented. The website is up and running. There’s really only one thing left to do: ship bikes to dealers around the world. According to Josh Hon, head of Tern Bicycles, that’s soon to be taken care of as well.
The Tern Castro folding bike
Here’s what he said to me in an early August email exchange: “Bikes are in production as we speak. We just finished a batch of about 150 samples for use at shows and distributor house shows. Bicycles will start shipping next month with arrival in stores in a few markets by the end of October, and larger quantities hitting most markets by November/December.”
Folding bike demand is global
That’s good news for this “instant global” folding bike brand. Hon says his company has distributors in more than 30 countries “chomping at the bit and waiting for bikes.”
One reason: People know Hon from his folding bike career at Dahon. Even though Tern Bicycles didn’t exist as a brand a few months ago, the team behind the brand is a known quantity within the industry.
Another reason for all the enthusiasm: Tern is making all the right noises about durability as well as design.
Building a strong folding bike
Tern Link P24 folding bike
“We’ve submitted all the frames for independent testing,” Hon said. “The EN (European standard) requires a frame to pass 100,000 cycles. We took every frame up to 150,000 cycles before turning off the machines. We didn’t have a single incident.”
You don’t read much about durability testing with traditional road and mountain bikes. That’s because the materials, geometry and construction of traditional bikes are pretty well established. The work is still being done, but durability testing rarely finds expression in a marketing plan.
However, durability testing is extra important in the folding bike business. Folding bikes have joints that traditional bikes don’t have. And a new folding bike brand, even one backed by the experience of the team behind Tern Bicycles, depends on independent testing to add credibility to its durability claims.
Not only was the testing satisfactory, Tern decided to raise its maximum rider weights.
Durability and stiffness combined
“We’ve bumped up the maximum rider weight to 110 kg (242 lbs.) on 20-inch wheel bikes and 115 kg. (253 lbs.) on 24-inch and 26-inch bikes,” Hon said. “People (media and distributors) who have had a chance to test ride the bikes overwhelmingly comment about the stiffness of the ride.”
Keep in mind that stiffness and durability are two different things. You can have a durable folding bike that has a noticeable amount of flex in the frame and in the handlebar/stem combination or what Tern calls “the handlepost.” But eliminating the flex without creating a heavy, unresponsive folding bike is much harder. And yet Tern seems to have avoided that dreaded weight gain in its pursuit of a stiff, responsive bicycle.
Tern Bicycles plus Biologic
That same fashion show is on the floor of Eurobike, the big European bicycle trade show. Tern will also have a presence at Interbike in Las Vegas.
At the shows, Tern folding bikes share space with BioLogic, the company’s sister brand. Many BioLogic accessories first surfaced while Hon was still part of Dahon.
“All the really cool iPhone BioLogic stuff that we announced a few months ago – ReeCharge Bike Mount, Dynamo Kit, Cipher Gloves – will be in stock by early September,” Hon said. “We’ll also be releasing an updated version of BikeBrain, our iPhone app, in a few weeks. It’s got some great new features – and it’ll still be free. Amazingly, its only been out for a few months and we’ve already had more than 40,000 downloads.”
Tern Verge (Dahon Vector anyone?) folded up
In addition to folding bikes and bicycle accessories, Tern Bicycles has a philanthropic side as well. Several months ago, the company donated a week’s worth of all online Biologic revenues, more than $8,000, to the Red Cross in Japan to support earthquake/tsunami victims. Hon says the company is committed to giving at least 1 percent of net profits to environmental or social causes.
For Hon, success is having the right folding bikes, accessories and business model. Now, to win the attention of the folding bike community, it’s time to deliver the main event: the full line of Tern folding bikes. And he’s on it.
“We move ahead with making bikes,” Hon concluded. “In the end, people want good bikes and that’s what we are focusing on.”
Current offering of Tern folding bikes in the US
-Sam Joslin, 16incheswestofpeoria.com
Jul 09
Sam J.Brompton folding bikes, Dahon folding bikes, Other folding bike category bike touring, Dahon folding bike, folding bicycle, folding bike
I have always thought of myself as a road cyclist. And the reason is pretty simple: if you want to ride a bicycle from your front door to the store, bike shop, work, wherever, you use a road to get there. And since I didn’t own a car until I was 29, I spent a lot of time pedaling on the road, developing favorite routes and hoping for better street design and maintenance.
It would have been nice to have a Midtown Mini folding bike like the Dahon Bullhead back then: a bike with a wide tire but a responsive ride, a bike easily stashed inside a friend’s Subaru DL at the end of a long day, a bike that would have fit behind the couch I slept on during those magic days when Don Johnson’s two-day stubble was in style.
Folding bikes make riding a bike so much more convenient
Folding bike on the MKT trail
If the this folding bike had existed 30 years ago, it would have been a great bicycle for transportation riding. It certainly is today. Relatively lightweight yet wide-tired, it’s perfect for spending more time watching traffic and less time actively negotiating the road surface. And because the Dahon bikes fold, you can easily park one in the best parking spot there is: your living quarters.
So it surprised me how much I liked riding the Dahon Bullhead on the MKT Trail in Columbia, Missouri. After all, the crushed limestone surface would seem to reward somewhat taller wheels. Until you take those 20-inchers out for a spin and find, surprise, that they spin quite well.
Before pedaling off, I raised the my folding bicycle‘s handlebars. This was, after all, a pleasure cruise, not a fight through high headwinds. A 5mm wrench lets you angle the quill of the Bullhead’s stem upwards; a 4mm lets you rotate the handlebars within the stem so the brake levers and shifters are at the proper angle. Takes just a few seconds.
A beautiful trail to cruise on my folding bike
The city maintains the first 4.7 miles of the MKT; Boone County takes care of an additional 4.2 miles before the MKT meets the state’s crown jewel, the KATY Trail, which follows the Missouri River through the center of the state, from St. Charles (near St. Louis) to Sedalia in the west. I read recently that the trail may, after 30 years, finally be extended to nearly reach Kansas City.
Unlike many recreational trails, you can actually use the KATY to get to towns dozens of miles away, as long as your destination is somewhere along the Missouri River. In both width and length, it is a superhighway of a trail and, because of geography, relatively free of road intersections. I especially like the eastern part of the KATY, in part due to its proximity to several wineries, including my favorite, Montelle. I didn’t have any time for the big trail during my visit, but I’ve ridden it many times in the past, usually on a tandem. Despite its shorter length, the MKT looks and feels just like the KATY.
Short rides are easy with a folding bicycle
Dahon Bullhead, folding bike meets falling rocks
But this weekend the folding bicycle wasn’t the focus of the trip, and so I was riding solo. One reason I went for a short ride was simply because the Dahon Bullhead made it so convenient to do so. No rack on the car, no taking wheels on and off—I didn’t even feel like I had to dress the part, except for a helmet. The nice thing about a solo ride, on a folding bike or any transportation-oriented bicycle, is being able to start and stop whenever you want to.
And I stopped quite often to take pictures. And said hello to every rider who apologized for riding into the shot of them I intended to take. Which was virtually every other picture I took.
Friendly folks. Nice trail. Great day. And no need to hitch a ride in that old Subaru. I headed back into town under my own power, smiling.
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