Dahon Speed D7 Review
Dahon’s Speed D7 has very quickly garnered a well deserved reputation for providing a lot of bang for your buck; including praise from both online and traditional paper media organizations.
The D7 offers a little bit of everything to would-be buyers. Dahon is marketing this folder in its urban utility bike series and promotes it as an inexpensive yet flexible option for doing your daily shopping errands during your lunch break, commuting from the suburbs to the city in lightweight style and acting as a day tripping exploratory tool to play tourist in your own backyard including checking out local cafes and restaurants, parks and other community sightseeing endeavors. This bike also fits the bill for short weekend excursions/getaways around your district, state or even country if you’re happy to board a bus or train with it in tow and given the ease of folding and compact design why wouldn’t you be.
The D7 is a rarity in the saturated, highly competitive folding bicycle industry; it’s a good bike, a good folder and a good value and what more could you really ask for.
Firstly as a bike it possesses several impressive features based on either innovative technology or materials:
a) The 7 speed Shimano rear cluster and the Dahon Neos rear derailleur provide a super combination of crisp, fast shifting and low gear climbing capability for powering up hills; in fact one folder pundit described the D7’s well spaced gearing as a ‘work of genius’.
b) The Superlite 4130 chromoly frame is strong yet light providing a ride that is stiff yet responsive. The lightweight frame is large enough to give a stable, comfortable ride to someone 6 ft plus and when combined with the adjustable Radius Telescopic handlepost (with highish riding position) and its saddle and seat height adjustment this 7 gear folder offers the ride of a 21 gear ‘large wheel’.
c) The precision ‘V’ braking system further suggests this bike is capable of some light off-road use (although not recommended by the manufacturer).
Secondly as a folder it does its job admirably. It’s light and compact thanks to the chromoly frame and the Dahon patented 3 step folding system that includes the added pleasure of one of the best locking systems on the market; when riding it stays unfolded and when folded the magnetic locking system keeps it that way.
Thirdly and above all else this bike is good value for money. At 279 pounds sterling (UK) it has impressive specifications, an enjoyable ride capable of overcoming hills and occasional trails, stylish looks and to put the icing on the cake a 5 year warranty covering its ‘best in category’ frame. All of these attributes make it extremely competitive in a jam packed marketplace prompting some publications to recommend it as the ‘Best Value’ available.
Dahon Matrix
Folding Mountain Bike Review
Summary:
-Dahon is one of longest serving producers of folding bikes and it shows with this impressive contribution to the hybrid category. Before purchasing this bike think carefully about the two Ps, priorities and purpose. If you’re looking for a folding mountain bike that doubles as a city bike quite admirably it may be for you.
However, if you consistently negotiate busy rush hour traffic and are looking for something ultra slick, quick and stylish then test ride it first before you splash out your hard earned bucks. Before moving on to the rest of this review remember that vantage point is everything and your opinion depends on your perspective. Have you decided upon the most important factor for picking up this folder? Do you know what you will use it for and why? If the answer is yes on both counts you may move on to strengths/weaknesses, if not ponder it over then pass go, collect your $500 and proceed confidently…
Strengths:
Although this is a folding mountain bike by nature it is adaptable to city riding;
I know people who use it under both conditions and are more than satisfied.
- This folder has a mountain bike platform and gear system that is open to urban modification with some creativity. The shock forks, thickish 1.5 tires, mountain bike flip shifters/gearing, and handlebar positioning really have the look and feel of a rugged, powerful climber and off-roader rather than its asphalt hugging cousin. For a folding bicycle in this price range and category the rural performance is tough to beat.
- The disc brakes really are top of the line which makes riding in both wet and dry conditions worry free and you’re encouraged to take advantage of the speed, grip and bounce that the sturdy composition and fun-filled forks supply.
- The frame is simple and easy to fold so as long as you don’t mind removing the front seat it’s convenient for day trips out of the city.
- Also the total foldability means the bicycle in its entirety as well as all your possessions are completely self-contained, secure and safe.
Weaknesses:
- If you work part time as a downtown bike courier you may be expecting a little too much from this folding bike.
- For city riding purposes the bike is relatively clunky and noisy when side by side with true metropolitan folders; it’s fast and durable yet there are lighter, nimbler urban models on the market that have true folding capacity if that’s what you’re looking for.
- The disc brakes are outstanding and provide even more peace of mind to a bike that already offers impressive traction, however, keep in mind they are not industry standard so some people might find them difficult to replace.
Recommended: Absolutely. Modify this bike with your choice of specialized parts and you’ve got the best of both city and country riding experiences. All it took was a quick upgrade to the shocks, a few teaks and the Dahon Matrix became my new favorite folding mountain bike.
Snappy Folding & Happy Riding!
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[tags]dahon matrix review, dahon matrix, folding bike, folding bike review, folding mountain bike[/tags]
Montague SwissBike LX
Folding Bike Review
Summary:
What you need to know right from the start is that this is a great bicycle however it’s all about category and how much you want to spend and for what purpose.
The SwissBike LX is in my opinion a classic hybrid. It’s a fully functional, rugged, performance mountain bike and it’s also a convenient, albeit full size, folding bike.
I must admit I like this bike a lot because it serves my purposes exquisitely.
The last mountain bike I owned was in my twenties and it did the job fine. My lifestyle at the time was work hard, play hard, party hard. That mountain bike had the quick release system typical of its period and to be honest on those days when I was hung-over or tired or both, not being mechanically/technically inclined to begin with, I really struggled to line the wheels up and tighten the levers properly (and either over tightened or vice versa depending on the day). At that time I just thought it was cool to be able to remove the mountain bike tires and throw them in the microscopic back seat of my sports car and do some trail riding. More than 10 yrs on I don’t just want to work hard, I want to work smart. I’m still a sports car kind of guy and I refuse to put a bulky, cumbersome and downright ugly bike rack on my racing coupe (in marked contrast with the stylish look and feel of the SwissBike LX). That being said I still want the performance of a mountain bike yet when you get into your 30s convenience really does matter so what’s the solution?
Strengths:
-Compared with other folding bikes in terms of usability this is a full-size, front fork suspended, high performance mountain bike designed specifically for the US Marines and not simply a folder.
-This mountain bike folder also offers convenience as the half-like Swiss knife design and quick release wheel levers can be put together in 30 seconds and allow for relative ease of transport and storage. It also comes with a removable seat post and optional folding pedals.
-Safety, security and ease of use: this bike provides cutting edge technology as in a razor sharp Swiss knife folding mechanism that swivels horizontally 180 degrees and snaps in place. Both the patented ‘X’ Frame folding system and the ‘CLIX’ wheel retention system are simple to use yet provide secondary safety devices that lock in place to ensure the bike can not/will not unfold during operation and that the tires stay in place even if not properly attached by the rider.
-High quality and strength: Standard Mountain Bike wheels and components used throughout this folder mean quality while the patented ‘seat tube system’ of folding maintains the integral structure and inherent stability of a traditional bike.
The bike comes equipped with a 24 speed Shimano drive train with EZ Fire Plus shifters and heavy duty pedals.
Weaknesses:
If there is a downside to this bike and that’s open to debate it’s a question of labeling.
This bicycle for me is the right bike, in the right place, at the right time; then again I’m not a purist of any kind. I’m not an extreme off-road mountain biker and I’m not a dedicated folding bike enthusiast or regular bus or train commuter. I’m the kind of guy who wants the best of all worlds and will sacrifice something small in the process; yet with the SwissBike LX you will not have to give up much. This is a rare breed, a folding bike that does justice to the Mountain Bike name yet also fits comfortably into a suitcase for long journeys and if you’re fairly fit and not too fussy holds its own (literally if you include one arm for the frame and one for a wheel) as a commuter bike; only diehard daily suburban commuters and competitive mountain racers should proceed with caution.
Recommended?:
Believe! For around $700, weekend warriors get a folding Mountain Bike developed for the American military that provides a whole lot of quality, riding safety, security, convenience and performance to boot.
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