Which is more fun to ride? Choice of three

[IWantToGoFaster]

Swift

Dahon Curve SL

Birdy City Premium or Touring

Assume all journeys of less than 10 miles, on road and cycle paths and mostly flat.

[edzo]

bogus

[Loch]

How many people have had a chance to ride all three?

They are also very different types of bikes.

Regardless, my Curve SL is very fun to ride.

[invisiblehand]

They are very different bikes and qualities that compose fun are hard to define.

[jur]

Ooof, out of those I only have a Swift... so can't vote...

Today I installed Thudbusters on my wife's and my bikes, and we are just back from a training ride on a rail trail and are over the moon about the increased comfort and riding enjoyment.

I suspect the Birdy will have a similar effect having stiff roadworthy full suspension so I would have voted for it. The Swift is still the fastest. Sooooo difficult...

Perhaps you can ask forum member rickybails for his opinion, he has a Swift and perhaps he has used it on trains...?

[energyandair]

I test rode a Swift before buying my Birdy.
I liked riding both of them a lot. Both feel quick and I suspect that relative speed would depend on tires. The Birdy is very responsive and can be turned on a dime which I find very useful both in the city and on trails. The Birdy felt better on rough road surfaces.
I've not ridden a Curve. Based on its design, I would be surprised if it was as much fun as the other two but it looks neat and hopefully some people will respond who have ridden a curve and either the Birdy or the Swift.

David

[pm124]

I've owned both a Mu SL and a Birdy. There is no comparison. Unless you are riding on an icy smooth surface, the Birdy is faster and it is a *lot* more comfy. I think the theory is that the suspension reduces rolling resistance, thus overcoming any inefficiency associated with suspension. If you ride the Birdy correctly, the suspension inefficiency isn't an issue b/c the rear triangle is isolated and the front only seems to move if you hit uneven surface.

I did 70 miles on the Mu one day and sold it the next week; it was much harsher than a road bike.

Still, the Mu is a light, fun bike. If you are doing a 10 mile daily commute on smooth surfaces, it's great. It's also easier to learn how to fold than a Birdy. I just wouldn't do any serious riding on the Mu.

Incidentally, I'm running the big thick Greenspeed Scorchers now on 349 wheels (non-Kevlar). I got a flat on the inagural ride, and the Stelvios seem more svelt. It could be that the bike already has suspension, but I'm not sure that they live up to their lower rolling resistance hype. The contact patch is large and the tires make more noise. But if you need to run a thick tire (e.g., on a Brompton), they are great. No reports on wet surfaces yet.