Folding bike on a budget

elvis jones

Hi all,

After some thoughts on different ways to commute from Heuston to the city centre i have decided to look at a folding bike and i have a budget of about 400 euro. Any advice would be great.

penexpers

For that price, you are probably best looking at a Dahon (something like a Speed D7). I would recommend that you get one from an LBS, think Cycleways sell them.

http://www.dahon.com/folding-bicycles

elvis jones

LBS ?

I had a quick look at this one, any thoughts ?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=55562

Tonyandthewhale

LBS = Local Bike Shop. ie as opposed to online.

penexpers

elvis jones wrote: »

LBS ?

I had a quick look at this one, any thoughts ?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=55562

I know someone who owns of those and my own restrained opinion is : don't touch with a bargepole. Very heavy and very poor folding mechanism.

snubbleste

amazon.co.uk ?

Check this beauty out
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002ICXK9Q/

elvis jones

penexpers wrote: »

I know someone who owns of those and my own restrained opinion is : don't touch with a bargepole. Very heavy and very poor folding mechanism.

Thanks for that, i see that wheelworx have a Giant one for 499. I know there are cheaper ones also in halfords but i wouldn't buy an Apollo and that leaves Raleigh ?????

penexpers

elvis jones wrote: »

Thanks for that, i see that wheelworx have a Giant one for 499. I know there are cheaper ones also in halfords but i wouldn't buy an Apollo and that leaves Raleigh ?????

At that price range, Dahon is the best choice. I've researched this fairly extensively and folding bikes in that price range from other manufacturers tend to be not great.

Holyboy

In my opinion Dahon bikes are finished very poorly,I have sold many over the years and have serviced many hundreds, the best folding bike in that price range is definitely the Giant halfway, it looks slightly different this year but still has the cantilever style wheels, which I personally really like, the only issue may be the brakes they seem to have replaced the center pull type with side pull calipers!

penexpers

penexpers wrote: »

I know someone who owns of those and my own restrained opinion is : don't touch with a bargepole. Very heavy and very poor folding mechanism.

I got one awhile back. Is indeed very heavy. It does the job for when I've wanted to use it though.

G-Man

Hi,
I have a Dahon d7 myself. I found it stable solid and nicely complete. That said its for sale. Only used a few times as I found I was not getting the use out and it still takes up space in the house.

View in D8

Sorry to make it like an add, PM me if interested, offers about 250, I get an add up soon.

Kevin

elvis jones

Both the dahon and Giant are about 500...........anyone see them cheaper ??

Oafley Jones

elvis jones wrote: »

Both the dahon and Giant are about 500...........anyone see them cheaper ??

I was looking at a folder myself and was shocked at the difference in price between Dahon in my LBS and on ebay. 300+ euro difference on some Mu models from German sellers. Most of these German sellers have been round for a good few years have 10 or 20k feedback in the 99.9pc positive range but I still feel that the offers to good to be true? Postage is relatively cheap as well. Should I trust these sellers?

penexpers

Ordinarily, I would say you would be ok. But for a folding bike, like a Dahon, they aren't particularly user serviceable so having an LBS to bring it to would be useful. Dahon's in particular use a lot of non-standard parts.

tomasrojo

It's true of Bromptons as well. Three quarters of the 1200 parts on a Brompton are unique to the Brompton and are designed and manufactured in-house.

Morgan

elvis jones wrote: »

Both the dahon and Giant are about 500...........anyone see them cheaper ??

Why yes...

http://www.adverts.ie/bikes/dahon-mu-p8-folding-bike/519925

thebouldwhacker

I was just about to link that ad,

I swear if I end up wanting/buying a folding bike I am quitting boards... I can feel the urge building already..
'but you've no room for any more bikes' she'll say
'exactly why I need a folding bike' I'll say

I'm like a cat lady at the moment, I'm in my sitting room right now in the company of 3 bikes... cant remember where I put the others:o