Advice on Dahon folding bikes

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space at
work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there is a dealer within
100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Horace

Dear Horace,

You may want to test ride any folding bike rather thoroughly.

Whatever the Dahon's wheels and frame, many folding bikes use much smaller wheels than normal, which
(as a number of posts have pointed out) give a much harsher ride.

So harsh, in fact, that Jobst Brandt has remarked that the small-wheeled (and sometimes two-piece)
Moulton bicycle's suspension is a necessity, not a luxury.

That is, some posts suggest that some of those darn little clown bicycles may break themselves as
they chatter along on their tiny wheels.

(Let's hope that this provokes some responses from people who actually ride folding bikes to work
and have something useful to say--I've never ridden one and expect to die in this state of
ignorant purity.)

Good luck,

Carl Fogel

"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space
at work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there

is a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dealer within 100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Horace

Dear Horace,

You may want to test ride any folding bike rather thoroughly.

Whatever the Dahon's wheels and frame, many folding bikes use much smaller wheels than normal,
which (as a number of posts have pointed out) give a much harsher ride.

So harsh, in fact, that Jobst Brandt has remarked that the small-wheeled (and sometimes two-piece)
Moulton bicycle's suspension is a necessity, not a luxury.

That is, some posts suggest that some of those darn little clown bicycles may break themselves as
they chatter along on their tiny wheels.

(Let's hope that this provokes some responses from people who actually ride folding bikes to work
and have something useful to say--I've never ridden one and expect to die in this state of
ignorant purity.)

Good luck,

Carl Fogel

Thanks for your honest response! I would not really consider a folding bike if storage space weren't
a premium, and I *may* not purchase one in the end, anyway.

My limited research so far indicates these bikes have 20" alloy wheels with
1.5" tires rated at 65 psi. That should be low enough pressure to absorb some of the bumps. The
frames are 4130 CroMo, just like my Nishiki road bike (of which I'm terribly fond). The model I'm
considering has a hi-ten fork, though, so I might have to go up a price level. There is a dealer
in Raleigh, NC, where I hope to arrange a test ride before Turkey day.

FWIW, I did a Google search on "folding bike" in the rec.bicycle NGs, but did not turn up much
useful information (or perhaps I was just in a hurry). Perhaps I'll revisit and dig a little deeper,
or include "harsh ride" in my search.

Some comments I've read on the Moulton poo-poo the suspension system. Those cyclists tend to favor
the Bike Friday brand.

Still, it's hard not to think of Barnum & Bailey (or Bozo) when looking at some of these
bikes... ;-)

Horace

Quoted message said:

Thanks for your honest response! I would not really consider a folding bike if storage space
weren't a premium, and I *may* not purchase one in the end, anyway.

My limited research so far indicates these bikes have 20" alloy wheels with
1.5" tires rated at 65 psi. That should be low enough pressure to absorb some of the bumps. The
frames are 4130 CroMo, just like my Nishiki road bike (of which I'm terribly fond). The model I'm
considering has a hi-ten fork, though, so I might have to go up a price level. There is a dealer
in Raleigh, NC, where I hope to arrange a test ride before Turkey day.

FWIW, I did a Google search on "folding bike" in the rec.bicycle NGs, but did not turn up much
useful information (or perhaps I was just in a hurry). Perhaps I'll revisit and dig a little
deeper, or include "harsh ride" in my search.

Some comments I've read on the Moulton poo-poo the suspension system. Those cyclists tend to favor
the Bike Friday brand.

I have no experience with foldups, but I do know of a very good shop in Raleigh that does a lot of
work with them. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the shop. They are located off Glenwood on
W. North street. Small shop and they are not open "normal" hours, but worth your time to visit if
you like these kinds of bikes.

If I figure out the name of the place, I'll post it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in

message

Quoted message said:

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space at
work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle. I'm leaning
toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there is a dealer within 100 miles.

Quoted message said:

"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You may want to test ride any folding bike rather thoroughly.

Whatever the Dahon's wheels and frame, many folding bikes use much smaller wheels than normal,
which (as a number of posts have pointed out) give a much harsher ride.

So harsh, in fact, that Jobst Brandt has remarked that the small-wheeled (and sometimes two-piece)
Moulton bicycle's suspension is a necessity, not a luxury.

That is, some posts suggest that some of those darn little clown bicycles may break themselves as
they chatter along on their tiny wheels.

(Let's hope that this provokes some responses from people who actually ride folding bikes to work
and have something useful to say--I've never ridden one and expect to die in this state of
ignorant purity.)

Horace said:

Thanks for your honest response! I would not really consider a folding bike if storage space
weren't a premium, and I *may* not purchase one in the end, anyway.

My limited research so far indicates these bikes have 20" alloy wheels with
1.5" tires rated at 65 psi. That should be low enough pressure to absorb some of the bumps. The
frames are 4130 CroMo, just like my Nishiki road bike (of which I'm terribly fond). The model
I'm considering has a hi-ten fork, though, so I might have to go up a price level. There is a
dealer in Raleigh, NC, where I hope to arrange a test ride before Turkey day.

FWIW, I did a Google search on "folding bike" in the rec.bicycle NGs, but did not turn up much
useful information (or perhaps I was just in a hurry). Perhaps I'll revisit and dig a little
deeper, or include "harsh ride" in my search.

Some comments I've read on the Moulton poo-poo the suspension system. Those cyclists tend to favor
the Bike Friday brand.

Still, it's hard not to think of Barnum & Bailey (or Bozo) when looking at some of these bikes...

I bought mine (20" folder) one summer when I had a sublet on the lake a short walk from work. And it
fit in my MGB easily. For short errands it's great. But, as other have noted, uncomfortable for any
real distance.

yellowjersey.orgaq.htmlOpen ↗

We sell Dahons primarily to: -pilots, who are both short of space and abandoned on the other side of
the airport -boaters and RV ownwrs for much the same reasons -people who need compact short-distance
errand bikes for events such as auto races; entertainment road crews.

If you require a vehicle that's small, any bike incorporating S+S couplers will retain that bike's
handling and feel while adding the option of compact storage/transport. That's a $400 option over
and above whatever bike you choose.

apart: yellowjersey.orgGUNNSS.JPGOpen ↗ together: yellowjersey.orgSSGUNCAS.JPGOpen ↗

Overall in my opinon, you'd be better off negotiating an indoor parking place at work. Then you
could concentrate on the bike's other requirements/features without distraction.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Horace
"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space
at work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there

is a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dealer within 100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Horace

Dear Horace,

You may want to test ride any folding bike rather thoroughly.

Whatever the Dahon's wheels and frame, many folding bikes use much smaller wheels than normal,
which (as a number of posts have pointed out) give a much harsher ride.

So harsh, in fact, that Jobst Brandt has remarked that the small-wheeled (and sometimes two-piece)
Moulton bicycle's suspension is a necessity, not a luxury.

That is, some posts suggest that some of those darn little clown bicycles may break themselves as
they chatter along on their tiny wheels.

(Let's hope that this provokes some responses from people who actually ride folding bikes to work
and have something useful to say--I've never ridden one and expect to die in this state of
ignorant purity.)

Good luck,

Carl Fogel

Thanks for your honest response! I would not really consider a folding bike if storage space weren't
a premium, and I *may* not purchase one in the end, anyway.

My limited research so far indicates these bikes have 20" alloy wheels with
1.5" tires rated at 65 psi. That should be low enough pressure to absorb some of the bumps. The
frames are 4130 CroMo, just like my Nishiki road bike (of which I'm terribly fond). The model I'm
considering has a hi-ten fork, though, so I might have to go up a price level. There is a dealer
in Raleigh, NC, where I hope to arrange a test ride before Turkey day.

FWIW, I did a Google search on "folding bike" in the rec.bicycle NGs, but did not turn up much
useful information (or perhaps I was just in a hurry). Perhaps I'll revisit and dig a little deeper,
or include "harsh ride" in my search.

Some comments I've read on the Moulton poo-poo the suspension system. Those cyclists tend to favor
the Bike Friday brand.

Still, it's hard not to think of Barnum & Bailey (or Bozo) when looking at some of these
bikes... ;-)

Horace

Two folder directory sites:

http://www.nordicgroup.us/fold/

http://www.totalbike.com/directory/.../Folding_Bikes/

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space at
work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

Does it really have to fit in your cubicle? Isn't there anywhere else you could park your bike?

Quoted message said:

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there is a dealer within
100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

I've ridden a friend's Dahon quite a bit. They're very popular with sailors, and great for running
errands. They're not something I'd want to ride for more than 5 miles or so, but other than that,
they're great. The ride *is not* harsh, and they're very sturdy (unlike some idiot just suggested).
The Dahon's biggest advantage (over other folders sold in the US) is that it is truly, instantly
foldable -- very convenient.

Folders are more popular in the UK and Japan. Over there they have many more models, some of them
better than the Dahon. A popular English brand is Brompton. They fold smaller, are lighter, and
handle a little better than a Dahon (though they ride more harshly). However, they're quite a bit
more expensive.

The other popular brand in the US, and one you should really look at, is Montague. It's basically a
typical 26" wheel mountain bike design. It doesn't fold as small as the others, but it's probably
small enough for your office. Basically, you pop the front wheel off, fold the frame in half, and
stuff it all into a big bag. A Montague with slick tires would be an excellent commuter, like any
other mountain/utility bike. They're reasonably priced, about the same as Dahon. They're sold under
other names as well, like Hummer, and several others too.

montagueco.commontagueco.comOpen ↗

Here's a neat folding bike website from England:

foldsoc.co.ukhome.htmlOpen ↗

Finally, S&S couplers are great for travel, but they're really just for that. They let you break the
bike down, to stuff it into a box or suitcase. This is true disassembly, much too involved, and not
useful for a commuter. The new Ritchey BreakAway is similar.

Matt O.

Horace said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space at
work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there is a dealer within
100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

Horace,

I have a Dahon Matrix.

I got it because I was no longer able to store my full-size MTB where I had been storing it, so I
needed a bike I could store in a small place. In my case, my cubicle is very small, so what I did
was raise the work surface on one side so it was a height i could work on while standing and the
Matrix easily fit under it. I would have been able to put a 20-inch wheel model under without
raising the work surface. Currently, I have the old space back and don't commute with the Matrix.

I like it. While I don't use it to commute, I use it to run all my other errands. (If I didn't have
to more the lights and panniers, I'd probably switch between the two bikes more often.) I've never
had any mechanical problems with it.

I only have two complaints regarding the Matrix. One is the lack of areas to attach a water bottle
cage. Since I use one for my battery, I need another for an actual water bottle. I've only been able
to mount one. The other complaint would be that because of the rear disc brake, mounting a rear rack
proved virtually impossible, leaving the only rear rack option to be a seat post mounted rack. I
ended up replacing the rear brake and without the disc brake, a rack mounted with no problems.

Jim Singleton

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

[snip]

Quoted message said:

I've ridden a friend's Dahon quite a bit. They're very popular with sailors, and great for running
errands. They're not something I'd want to ride for more than 5 miles or so, but other than that,
they're great. The ride *is not* harsh, and they're very sturdy (unlike some idiot just
suggested).

Dear Matt,

I'd better jump up like an Oscar winner and claim the "some idiot" credit quick before anyone
mistakenly thinks that you meant Andrew Muzi. In between my post and yours, Andrew posted much
better advice than I had handy. (No hard feelings--if I slip in a dig about "those darn little clown
bicycles," I'm grateful for a flame no bigger than a stove's pilot light.)

As Andrew's post explained, he not only sells Dahons to users like airline pilots, but used one
himself for a short-ride situation and found it darned useful:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I bought mine (20" folder) one summer when I had a sublet on the lake a short walk from work. And
it fit in my MGB easily. For short errands it's great. But, as others have noted, uncomfortable
for any real distance.

But Andrew does caution that this particular foldup small-wheel bike "can be uncomfortable for any
real distance." This might mean nothing more than the seat or the riding position, but the harsher
ride commonly attributed to the physics of small wheels is likely to be involved. (In crudest terms,
the tiny wheels of a shopping-cart give you a much harsher ride across a cattle-guard than the
7-foot wheels of an ox-cart.)

Come to think of it, why wouldn't you want to ride a Dahon more than 5 miles or so? Seriously, do
you find it uncomfortable in some way that might interest the original poster, such as the ride,
seat, general posture, gearing, pedals, weight, or rolling resistance? I'm not criticizing the bike,
just wondering whether any of these things were what prompted your 5-mile remark. I'm pretty sure
that you're not afraid of the bike breaking.

If Dahons weren't sturdy, I'd be astonished to find Andrew Muzi riding or selling them. My point,
badly put, was that in order to be sturdy, small-wheel bikes need either heavier, more elaborate
frames (like the intricate Moulton), heavier suspension frames (again, like the Moulton), or just
plain beefy frames (like various less sophisticated fold-ups) to withstand the harsher ride inherent
to smaller wheels. When Jobst Brandt remarks that suspension is a necessity, not an option, for a
small-wheel bike like the Moulton, I take it as a serious engineering observation on frame
requirements and a good explanation for why small-wheel bikes seem so--well, sturdy, to use an
inoffensive word. Otherwise, they'd break under the kind of riding often expected in
rec.bicycles.tech.

Still, I think that you're right and I was wrong. Some folding bikes have had bad reputations for
durability, so I suggested that folding small-wheel bikes might break--but Andrew Muzi's post
settles the reliability matter for me as far as Dahons are concerned. If he rode one and sells them,
they're not likely to break.

It was also rude of me to drag in the tired old clown-bicycle reference. In the future, I'll refer
to small-wheel folk as the anti-penny-farthing crowd.

Carl Fogel

P.S. Is Dahon supposed to be an anagram for Honda? A Honda motorcycle dealer lost his
distributorship years ago in Canon City, Colorado, and instead of taking down his sign,
rearranged its letters in a fit of pique worthy of the pettiest rec.bicycles.tech poster.

C.F.

"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

I've ridden a friend's Dahon quite a bit. They're very popular with

sailors,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and great for running errands. They're not something I'd want to ride for more than 5 miles or
so, but other than that, they're great. The ride *is not* harsh, and they're very sturdy (unlike
some idiot just suggested).

Dear Matt,

I'd better jump up like an Oscar winner and claim the "some idiot" credit quick before anyone
mistakenly thinks that you meant Andrew Muzi. In between my post and yours, Andrew posted much
better advice than I had handy. (No hard feelings--if I slip in a dig about "those darn little
clown bicycles," I'm grateful for a flame no bigger than a stove's pilot light.)

As Andrew's post explained, he not only sells Dahons to users like airline pilots, but used one
himself for a short-ride situation and found it darned useful:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I bought mine (20" folder) one summer when I had a sublet on the lake a short walk from work.
And it fit in my MGB easily. For short errands it's great. But, as others have noted,
uncomfortable for any real distance.

But Andrew does caution that this particular foldup small-wheel bike "can be uncomfortable for any
real distance." This might mean nothing more than the seat or the riding position, but the harsher
ride commonly attributed to the physics of small wheels is likely to be involved. (In crudest
terms, the tiny wheels of a shopping-cart give you a much harsher ride across a cattle-guard than
the 7-foot wheels of an ox-cart.)

Come to think of it, why wouldn't you want to ride a Dahon more than 5 miles or so? Seriously, do
you find it uncomfortable in some way that might interest the original poster, such as the ride,
seat, general posture, gearing, pedals, weight, or rolling resistance? I'm not criticizing the
bike, just wondering whether any of these things were what prompted your 5-mile remark.

To be specific -- it has little to do with the small wheels, but the setup of a stock Dahon. A more
serious cyclist (one who rides further than 5 miles regularly) would probably want a different
saddle, handlebars, riding position, and gearing. Of course these parts could be substituted, but
only with much experimentation and expense.

Now, if a Dahon were so equipped, it would probably ride like a Bike Friday, but it would cost as
much too. And while a Bike Friday is still not as comfortable as a 700c bike for long rides, it's
comfortable enough.

Quoted message said:

I'm pretty sure that you're not afraid of the bike breaking.

Of course not.

Quoted message said:

If Dahons weren't sturdy, I'd be astonished to find Andrew Muzi riding or selling them. My point,
badly put, was that in order to be sturdy, small-wheel bikes need either heavier, more elaborate
frames (like the intricate Moulton), heavier suspension frames (again, like the Moulton), or just
plain beefy frames (like various less sophisticated fold-ups)

It's true, and the Dahon is no lightweight. Of course this is a compromise -- cheaper folders like
the Raleigh Twenty weigh more, while lightweight ones, presumably made of stronger materials and
with better quality components, cost a bundle. These bikes are built to a price, and since the
folding mechanism adds cost, it has to come out somewhere else. Heavier materials and cheaper
components have to be used, thus the weight.

Quoted message said:

to withstand the harsher ride inherent to smaller wheels. When Jobst Brandt remarks that
suspension is a necessity, not an option, for a small-wheel bike like the Moulton, I take it as a
serious engineering observation on frame requirements and a good explanation for why small-wheel
bikes seem so--well, sturdy, to use an inoffensive word. Otherwise, they'd break under the kind of
riding often expected in rec.bicycles.tech.

Well, even Moulton thought along those lines, which is why he chose suspension. It didn't occur to
him that fatter tires with low rolling resistance could have been developed, and might have been a
better compromise.

Whatever the diameter of the wheels, frame stiffness *is not* the issue. Practically speaking,
all non-suspension frames are completely rigid. So the folders' extra "sturdiness" is not to
blame for the ride.

Quoted message said:

Still, I think that you're right and I was wrong. Some folding bikes have had bad reputations for
durability, so I suggested that folding small-wheel bikes might break--but Andrew Muzi's post
settles the reliability matter for me as far as Dahons are concerned. If he rode one and sells
them, they're not likely to break.

It was also rude of me to drag in the tired old clown-bicycle reference. In the future, I'll refer
to small-wheel folk as the anti-penny-farthing crowd.

Rudeness isn't a problem here, it's perpetuating the idea that small wheels and a stiff frame
necessarily make for a harsh, unpleasant ride. An acceptable ride can be had once the most pressing
issues are addressed -- poor quality tires, and a too-upright, non-dynamic riding position. A
Walmart Mongoose suffers from the same problems, so you wouldn't choose it for a 50 mile ride either
-- even though it has 26" wheels.

My friend Burt's Dahon does ride better than my sister's Walgoose.

Quoted message said:

P.S. Is Dahon supposed to be an anagram for Honda? A Honda motorcycle dealer lost his
distributorship years ago in Canon City, Colorado, and instead of taking down his sign,
rearranged its letters in a fit of pique worthy of the pettiest rec.bicycles.tech poster.

I like that one!

Matt O.

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space at
work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there is a dealer within
100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

If you happen to live in the vicinity of NYC, you might want to consider making a trip into the
city. Because of our shoe-box-sized apartments, folding bikes are very popular here. I can probably
direct you to shops that have them on hand.

Also, tomorrow:

FOLDING BIKE RIDE AND FESTIVAL SAT., OCT. 11, 2003 WHAT: A leisurely 10-mile ride through Manhattan
and Brooklyn showcasing folding bicycles. (But all types of bikes are welcome!) WHERE: Starts at 2
p.m. Astor Place Cube (Astor Place and Lafayette, Manhattan. MAP. Ends at Stuyvesant Cove Park (23rd
Street at the East River) WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday, October 11, 2003. (Rain date Sunday, October
12.)

There's a run-down of some different models here: transalt.orgfoldingbike.htmlOpen ↗

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip>

Quoted message said:

There is a dealer in Raleigh, NC, where I hope to arrange a test ride before Turkey day.

<snip>

So much for my NY-centric advise.

You might want to take a look at foldsoc.co.ukfoldsoc.co.ukOpen ↗. Though based in England, the Folding
Society has readership in the U.S. Years ago, when I wanted to buy a Brompton, I put a classified
there and also learned about a Brompton listserv (from which I ultimately learned of a used Brompton
for sale). Good folders tend to be expensive, so going used might be a good bet. I think that
folding bikes, because they're fairly rare and the people who want them really want them, hold their
resale value much more than other bikes. I bought my used Brompton for about $600 (probably paid too
much) and sold it a couple of years later for $450 or $500.

Here in NYC, the Swift Folder is highly thought of (partly because its made in Brooklyn, but for
other reasons as well). It's not cheap, but you can buy the frameset alone. I know that some people
set them up as fixed-gears, and that brings the total price down quite a bit.
swiftfolder.comswiftfolder.comOpen ↗

"Gary Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If you happen to live in the vicinity of NYC, you might want to consider making a trip into the
city. Because of our shoe-box-sized apartments, folding bikes are very popular here. I can
probably direct you to shops that have them on hand.

Also, tomorrow:

FOLDING BIKE RIDE AND FESTIVAL SAT., OCT. 11, 2003 WHAT: A leisurely 10-mile ride through
Manhattan and Brooklyn showcasing folding bicycles. (But all types of bikes are welcome!) WHERE:
Starts at 2 p.m. Astor Place Cube (Astor Place and Lafayette, Manhattan. MAP. Ends at Stuyvesant
Cove Park (23rd Street at the East River) WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday, October 11, 2003. (Rain date
Sunday, October
12.)

There's a run-down of some different models here:
transalt.orgfoldingbike.htmlOpen ↗

Great links, Gary. Thanks.

So, why are bikes such a problem with NYC building managers?

Matt O.

"Carl Fogel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

P.S. Is Dahon supposed to be an anagram for Honda? A Honda motorcycle dealer lost his
distributorship years ago in Canon City, Colorado, and instead of taking down his sign,
rearranged its letters in a fit of pique worthy of the pettiest rec.bicycles.tech poster.

Dahon is taken from the name of the founder/creator, David Hon. He's a college friend of my
parents's and I was best friends with his kids growing up until 2nd grade when my family moved
away from southern CA. There's an interesting bio on him in the Dahon website I think. Growing up,
I was impressed most that he took kung fu lessons from Bruce Lee... One time ~20+ years ago, he
brought an orange color prototype folder along when he visited my family in northern CA. I got to
ride it around in my backyard. I haven't ridden one since, but I do see them from time to time.
They seem to be great for situations like riding a couple blocks to the bus because they fold and
unfold so quickly.

Carl Fogel wrote:

=good but a bit long-

Quoted message said:

It was also rude of me to drag in the tired old clown-bicycle reference. In the future, I'll refer
to small-wheel folk as the anti-penny-farthing crowd.

Carl Fogel

P.S. Is Dahon supposed to be an anagram for Honda? A Honda motorcycle dealer lost his
distributorship years ago in Canon City, Colorado, and instead of taking down his sign,
rearranged its letters in a fit of pique worthy of the pettiest rec.bicycles.tech poster.

C.F.

When you wrote "clown bicycles" I think you didn't know that's a specific term for a bicycle with
four inch wheels. I don't sell those but we've been asked for them (???) this year.

George Hon ran into a conflict with Hon Office Equipment when his company was named the same, ergo
the change.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote:
: yellowjersey.orgSSGUNCAS.JPGOpen ↗

i've been meaning to ask you this for a long time. is that a pedestrian mall in front of your shop
or do you haul those bikes into the middle of the street dodging traffic to get those shots?
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

[snip]

Quoted message said:

When you wrote "clown bicycles" I think you didn't know that's a specific term for a bicycle with
four inch wheels. I don't sell those but we've been asked for them (???) this year.

Dear Andrew,

I certainly didn't, but I'm glad that I do now.

Any Simpsons fan could explain the surge in demand. You could make a fortune stocking Krusty's
Kwality Klown Kycles!

Off now to Sheldon Brown's site to see if his gear-inch calculator handles 4-inch wheels.

Thanks,

Carl Fogel

Quoted message said:

A Muzi <[email hidden]> wrote:
: yellowjersey.orgSSGUNCAS.JPGOpen ↗

David Reuteler said:

i've been meaning to ask you this for a long time. is that a pedestrian mall in front of your shop
or do you haul those bikes into the middle of the street dodging traffic to get those shots?

It's a "limited access" street - bicycles, delivery trucks, busses, city maintenance vehicles ( a
_lot_ of those!!) and now a crowd of emergency vehicles. Yes, we dodge to shoot photos. Our State
Capitol makes a nice photo drop.

You gotta wonder about a street designed for busses and bicycles. Together. In the mornings, I ride
between moving busses on a 24 foot wide street. You can brush both with your elbows if you duck for
the mirrors. Exciting.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

[snip]

Dear Andrew,

How nice! Frankly, I didn't expect anyone to know where "Dahon" came from, but I bagged two cheerful
and interesting replies with a single harangue, both from Andrews.

Thanks,

Carl Fogel

As luck would have it, I have a low end Bike Friday for sale over on bicycles.marketplace. I've done
50 miles on it without problems (except it is a little small for me so I'm selling). Mark Atwell
(remove the dashes in .com)

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Horace" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi. I'm planning to commute to work, beginning in January, and have very limited storage space
at work for a road bike. A folding bike would fit nicely in my (very small) cubicle.

Does it really have to fit in your cubicle? Isn't there anywhere else you

could

Quoted message said:

park your bike?

Quoted message said:

I'm leaning toward the Dahon Boardwalk D6 (because of cost) since there

is a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

dealer within 100 miles.

Does anyone have experience with this brand, or with this model in particular? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.

I've ridden a friend's Dahon quite a bit. They're very popular with

sailors,

Quoted message said:

and great for running errands. They're not something I'd want to ride for

more

Quoted message said:

than 5 miles or so, but other than that, they're great. The ride *is not* harsh, and they're very
sturdy (unlike some idiot just suggested). The

Dahon's

Quoted message said:

biggest advantage (over other folders sold in the US) is that it is truly, instantly foldable --
very convenient.

Folders are more popular in the UK and Japan. Over there they have many

more

Quoted message said:

models, some of them better than the Dahon. A popular English brand is Brompton. They fold
smaller, are lighter, and handle a little better than

a

Quoted message said:

Dahon (though they ride more harshly). However, they're quite a bit more expensive.

The other popular brand in the US, and one you should really look at, is Montague. It's basically
a typical 26" wheel mountain bike design. It

doesn't

Quoted message said:

fold as small as the others, but it's probably small enough for your

office.

Quoted message said:

Basically, you pop the front wheel off, fold the frame in half, and stuff

it all

Quoted message said:

into a big bag. A Montague with slick tires would be an excellent

commuter,

Quoted message said:

like any other mountain/utility bike. They're reasonably priced, about

the same

Quoted message said:

as Dahon. They're sold under other names as well, like Hummer, and

several

Quoted message said:

others too.

montagueco.commontagueco.comOpen ↗

Here's a neat folding bike website from England:

foldsoc.co.ukhome.htmlOpen ↗

Finally, S&S couplers are great for travel, but they're really just for

that.

Quoted message said:

They let you break the bike down, to stuff it into a box or suitcase.

This is

Quoted message said:

true disassembly, much too involved, and not useful for a commuter. The

new

Quoted message said:

Ritchey BreakAway is similar.

Matt O.