Originally Posted by
bike_brarian
It looks like I will be getting a folding bike for my upcoming birthday. I've been eyeing the Dahon Speed D7 and Vitesse D7HG. I think my budget is $600 max.
I'm female, 5'5, and plan to use this to bike btwn Manhattan and Brooklyn to commute to work. This means street traffic, bridges, etc.
Would it make sense to get the Speed D7 and maybe upgrade the tires and/or seat or should I go for the Vitesse as is? Or other Dahon suggestions in this price range?
Both Dahon bikes have racks. Good for carrying books and such.
Another Dahon to consider is the Speed P8. It felt very sturdy when I gave it a test ride. It is a little lighter than the Speed P7 and it has Big Apple tires: good for urban riding and if you let out some air, they give a fairly cushy ride.
The Swift which was suggested to you, is inconvenient for carrying packages. The Swift scores high on Fun and low on Utility, IMO. The racks have to be mounted on the Swift seatpost, which has a larger-than-standard diameter, so rack options are limited. Moreover, the seatpost-mounted rack also tends to interfere with the fold on the Swift, or at least complicates things. The Swift fold is quick and easy, but the folded size is really too large for taking onto a crowded train; the fold is enough for putting the bike in a car trunk or packing it up in a large suitcase to take with you on a trip.
The Downtube with Sturmey-Archer hub that you mentioned is bargain priced, but I do not much like the SA 8-speed hub. If the cable-tension isn't just right, the pedaling can slip with near-zero-resistance and you can even lose control of the bike because it can happen all of a sudden and throws your balance off.
Also in your price range, the Cadenza Solo, but only the medium frame is available in the US (despite what the Dahon website says). You might need to get a shorter stem. Also, you might wish you had some gears if you should ever want to ride the bike up a long slope.
Regards
T