Originally Posted by
pacificcyclist
Before you start wasting all that money down the drain, I suggest that you seriously evaluate what you really want out of your folder. The Downtube Nova is an OK folder; slightly lower quality than the Dahon mid end folding bikes. And yes, I have ridden A LOT of folders and Downtube isn't even close to the performance category at all. For performance, the frame's stiffness dictates good power transfer and good acceleration on the get go. If it's creaking and squeaking like you said, perhaps the frame is flexing way too much for efficient power transfer. No matter how much money you spent on the bike, you can make a weak frame better just by replacing good components.
There are folding bikes out there made of excellent quality and stiffness. Which is why they cost a lot more than the Downtube!
On your next folder, think the frame first, then fork and then wheels. Components can be anything and when they wear out, you can upgrade to better ones.
I don't think there's any difference in terms of flex between low and high-end Dahons. If the clamps are manufactured poorly then there might be play which will translate as flex in terms of the riding experience. I've ridden ultra-low end folding bikes that are much stiffer than my Brompton due to the clamps and tubing being larger. Assuming the clamps are properly manufactured the main culprit of flex in folding bikes is the (long) stem/handlepost, which is a drawback of most folding designs. The longer the stem/handlepost the greater the flex, so if stiffness is the priority best avoid all long-stem type folders altogether.
I'm guessing the Nova frame is much the same as any Dahon of a similar folding design.