Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 922
Bikes: Wheeler Mtn bike, Strida 5.0, Tern Link Uno, FSIR Spin 2.0, Dahon Mu P8
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For the price in my local area the C7 and D7 are around $550. I was wondering if it would be possible to save up for the Tern link D8 model instead? that's the next level up, I myself own a link Uno cause i love the simplicity but I don't recommend that to anyone unless they have the leg strength to hoof it up some 5 degree inclines and learn to spin fast I made mine even hard to pedal switching to a 14T rear cog and upping the gear inches even more. But back to your choice, here the Tern Link D8 is around $150 more than the C7 but the upgrades are more than worth it.
1) tires are schwalbe citizens which are like $30 a piece instead of the super low end ones they slap on the C7 which i can't even find the specs for. I ran them over 2000km and they still had very good treadlife left on there but I went for schwalbe kojaks after with the mods I did to go faster.
2) a little bigger gear range which can help your climb or downhill pedalling that much more
3) Ability to use the trolley rack, This is very important to frequent commuters in subways and super useful dragging your bike around because the trolley rack fits the link series and not the verge AND the Tern Link C7 is not compatible with it! someone on here once posted that they would like that trolley rack and was out of luck.
4) apparently the D8 is 1/2 lb lighter
5) The biggest upgrade you get is the higher end BEEFY folding latches which are impossible to upgrade on the C7 since it's part of the frame. I've tested a brompton, dahon and tern in my local area (that's all that was available) when I was looking for a new bike and with those latches it made the bike the stiffest of the bunch.
6) Also with a better frame to start with, your upgrades aren't wasted and limited instead by putting really good parts on the lowest end frame that you buy.
Hope that would convince you to maybe thinking about getting the better bike for a little more saving and even Shaunbee's story would probably be good at convincing you. A good bike would last you for YEARS to come so why not make it a good one that you can't wait to ride again??