 Solid Built - love it |
| Review Date: August 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: ndrew73, NYCity |
My Dahon Vitesse was stolen from the station over the 4th July weekend.(don't use Cryptonite Cables - get any cheap U shaped steal horseshoe from BELL - that will hold longer - even that gets cut with the jaws-of-life type of tools)
First off, Foldable bikes even high end are NOT REAL BIKES. So treat them accordingly! They are SLOWWWW!
I bring my bike on the train every weekend after work. This bike is very cute - gets stares from commuters. It has 6 speeds (alhtough i only use 2 - high and low. The spead differential is ..stupid. However, it is actually lighter than most of the bikes here on Amazon, especially without the rack that i dont use.
If you need a foldable bike - dont get an expensive one - trust me.. market is bad - people are desperate... Me and my girlfriend love it. Ive had it for a month and it is (after 2 hours of finetuning and tightening) very solid. |
Happy
|
| Review Date: March 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: David Cole, |
| I got this at the last moment as I was doing a show at a Fairgrounds. I was going to take my full size bike and got this instead. It saved my feet and got me across the grounds fast and I loved it. |
A lot more than you pay for.
|
| Review Date: November 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Michael Benway, Boston, MA |
This cost me a hundred-forty bucks with shipping (shipped instantly and arrived in a few days) and I almost feel guilty knowing that someone probably earned about two bucks manufacturing it in China.
It is well constructed, feels pretty solid, folds/unfolds easily enough and rides comfortably; not a cross country or mountain bike, but a small bike that will fit into a plane or a boat and give you the mobility you need to get groceries or do laundry or go see stuff nearby when you don't have or want to have a car.
Price is up a bit now, and so I'm bummed I didn't buy two of them last week. |
Excellent Value for a folding bike
|
| Review Date: October 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kenton Lee, |
I have owned this bike for a month now. This is my first folding bike, but I do have a lot of experience with biking in general. I bought this bike for 2 reasons: One is the ability to bring it on the subway and the other is that my 3rd grade son can ride it. The quality of the bike is quite impressive for $150. The parts and componentry are a few steps above low end quality. Mostly, the components, rims, and frame are alloy, not steel. The Microshift brand drive system - shifter and derailleurs are all well made. The crankset arms are alumninum while the spider is steel. The folding mechanism works, but will require a few times of practice to fold quickly. Carrying it is cumbersome, as the bike tends to inadvertantly unfold itself. You really need a bungie cord to hold it in the folded position. Also, it initially seemed natural to lift it on the chainring side, but then got greased by the chain. There is no handle once the bike is folded. Like most folding bikes, I would think the frame is less sturdy than a conventional diamond frame bicycle.
The bike weighs in at 25lbs with all original equipment. My son is short, so I install a shorter seatpost with a child seat when he rides. The folding pedals are difficult to use and heavy. I removed the rear rack, the kickstand, and replaced the pedals with conventional plastic ones. With these small modifications and the kid seat, I got the weight down to 22-23 lbs, which is equal to that of a good quality road bike. After lifting it some, you'll realize that even 22 lbs seems kind of heavy, so it really pays to lighten the weight. However, you shouldn't confuse light weight with quickness. This bike is quite slow. I'm on the top gear just about all the time, and people pass me. The reason is that the gear ratios are similar to a mountain bike, but the wheels are 16". So, for the same gear, the bike will be 16/26 = 0.62 of the speed of a typical mountain bike. Other reasons it is slow - the riding position is quite upright compared to a mountain or road bike, the tires are 40 psi, and the cranks are a bit shorter than the typical 170 mm. The smaller wheels also make the steering a tad twitchy compared to a conventional bike.
In conclusion, this bike is not designed for long-distance and speed. It works well for 2-3 mile commutes, where one needs to combine the commute by car or rail. It also accomodates short kids who desire the ability to shift gears. Because of this, it is a versatile, cleverly designed bicycle. For $160, it is high quality and a great value.
Dec 23 update:
I have taken this bike on the subway for a few months now. It works terrific, and I get a lot of compliments. Therefore, I have increased my rating to 5 stars. People cannot believe the price I paid for it. It sounded like they'll get their own. Folding it has gotten quite easy. I fold it without lowering the seat or the handlebar. The handlebar and seat mesh nicely together. Then I wrap the bungle cord around the frame (normally stored around the seatpost.) The whole process takes less than 1 minute. The fellow passenger I demonstrated this to was totally impressed. I carry the bike by using the back of the seat as the handle, when it is stowed. Also, it goes in the trunk of a Honda Accord very easily. The weakness of this bike is the lack of high gears and very short 140 mm crank arms. I have replaced the crankset with one that has 170 mm arms and 50 teeth. This turns out to be a good upgrade. Now, my speed is up ~20%, and its easier to pedal up hills. The pedals are closer to the ground,so I just have to be a bit more careful with I make turns. I recommend this upgrade as it addresses all the shortcomings of this bicycle.
Highly recommended. |
Good for the price!
|
| Review Date: November 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. Estebe, BUE Argentina |
The bike is good for the price you pay! Yes its a little slow and no perfect finish. But you can use it for shorts rides. I think the pedals are the worst thing! but you can change it. The frame is solid and its light. When folded its compact and you can put it in car, plane or boat without problems. I just use the first and the last gear the others are useless! Its really adaptable for different riders sizes.
Advice: inflate the wheels as a rock, if you not do it, you must to do a lot effort to ride just a block!
Good luck! |
|
