I'm a roadie and I'm considering a folder for commuting to my college classes. I'll be using the bike in combination with public transportation. I want something compact that will fold up quickly and nicely which I can take onto the bus/trolley and in class with me. I'm used to riding rather nicely equipped road bikes so I want a folder with good component specs that will be comfortable riding 10 miles or so some of which will be pretty steep. My total commute to school is about 26 miles (one way) again I'll be using public transportation for some of this distance. I'd like something around 25 lbs. or so with 8 to 9 speeds.

I'm trying to find a local dealer to ride one first but I'm looking at the following brands/models:

Dahon: MU P8
Dahon: Speed P8

Downtube NS 9 speed (non susp)
Downtube 8HN (non susp)

I don't know much about either of the component groups since they're not your typical road bike groups, so which is better? I want a quality bike, not something cheap. Price range is about $500 usd, of course the lower the price the better but I don't want to pay the price with cheap componentry.

Lastly, should I go with an internal hub since I'm sticking with 8-9 speeds? Is there a downside to an internal 8 spd versus 9 speed with a deraleur?
Thanks for your input and advice!

For the money the Downtube 8HN all the way. There is little difference in the 8 speed hub vs 9 speed and the hub gears are far superior for commuting purposes.

Given your budget you have some decisions to make.

Your entire budget may not cover a set of components of the quality you would like to have so you need to decide whether you want the bike with the best components within your budget, the best bike you can get for the same amount of money, or whether you are prepared to find a bit more money to open up options that will be closer to the performance of your road bike.

You also need to address issues such as how well they fit you, whether the fold is good enough to work on the public transport part of your commute, whether the weight is acceptable and whether the ride quality is good enough that you won't always wish that you were on your other bike.

David

For the money the Downtube 8HN all the way. There is little difference in the 8 speed hub vs 9 speed and the hub gears are far superior for commuting purposes.

I agree with this recommendation, with one concern. How tall are you? The Non-Suspension wheelbase is about 39" axle-to-axle as compared to 41 or 42" on a roadie. If you're over 6 ft. and you're used to the road bike feel, it may be a concern, especially if you like to bomb down hills.

The SA8 hub is fantastic. Wide range and no maintenance (mostly). But, you should know that the hub itself weighs about 4 lbs. Only you can decide if that's a problem for you. If you get the derailleur version, you'll probably want to upgrade the stock RD, it'll be worth it.

For the money the Downtube 8HN all the way. There is little difference in the 8 speed hub vs 9 speed and the hub gears are far superior for commuting purposes.

Where do you live/what type of terrain do you commute/ride in?

I agree with this recommendation, with one concern. How tall are you? The Non-Suspension wheelbase is about 39" axle-to-axle as compared to 41 or 42" on a roadie. If you're over 6 ft. and you're used to the road bike feel, it may be a concern, especially if you like to bomb down hills.

The SA8 hub is fantastic. Wide range and no maintenance (mostly). But, you should know that the hub itself weighs about 4 lbs. Only you can decide if that's a problem for you. If you get the derailleur version, you'll probably want to upgrade the stock RD, it'll be worth it.

Height is not an issue I'm only 5'9. I'm not expecting a ride like my road bike in fact I'm looking forward to the more upright position as something better suited for commuting. Thanks for the feedback on the hub, I sure wish more local shops carried folders.

($500) and (not cheap componentry) is getting into the mutually exclusive area of the Venn diagram.

Sheldon Brown's gear calculator (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/index.html) is very useful for getting a feel for internal gears. It's usually possible to get a low gear of 20-30 inches on an internal hub. You may be able to "spin out" the top gear easily on some internal hubs. Others have a wider gear range, so it would be harder. If you poke around and do comparisons, it will give you a feel for what is possible.

I find it's very helpful to know your usual cruising gear and your usual climbing gear(s) since then you can see if the hub offers a good range for you.

($500) and (not cheap componentry) is getting into the mutually exclusive area of the Venn diagram.

Yeah, as I mentioned I don't have much of an idea as to what is or isn't cheap in the realm of folding bicycle componentry. Thanks for your input.

Where do you live/what type of terrain do you commute/ride in?

London on mostly roads. Sometimes off-road on canal-side towpaths (trails).

Just an update to this post... I was able to test ride a Dahon Speed 8 and Curve D3. Wow, these folding bikes are fun and comfy (of course I'm used to riding 700c wheels at 120+ psi). I liked the 20 inch wheels on the speed 8 as they felt more stable but I also enjoyed the SA internal hub on the Curve. Even with only 3 gears I was able to make it up a pretty steep hill without too much effort. I was also impressed with how quickly and easily the bikes fold down. I think a folder will be the perfect solution to my commuting needs.

However, I do plan on going with the Downtube 8HN. The 8 speed SA hub at half the price of a Dahon is hard to turn down.

Perhaps you are unaware of this, but folding bikes/small wheelers are addictive. You already exhibit some of the early signs. Just ride a Swift with some fast wheels on it. Your current love sig line may well change.

Just an update to this post... I was able to test ride a Dahon Speed 8 and Curve D3. Wow, these folding bikes are fun and comfy (of course I'm used to riding 700c wheels at 120+ psi). I liked the 20 inch wheels on the speed 8 as they felt more stable but I also enjoyed the SA internal hub on the Curve. Even with only 3 gears I was able to make it up a pretty steep hill without too much effort. I was also impressed with how quickly and easily the bikes fold down. I think a folder will be the perfect solution to my commuting needs.

However, I do plan on going with the Downtube 8HN. The 8 speed SA hub at half the price of a Dahon is hard to turn down.

Downtubes are particularly a good choice if you enjoy tinkering with bikes. But make sure that you go through the bike re-greasing the BB, headset, and whatever else catches your fancy.

Downtube uses less proprietary parts. That's a big plus, in my opinion.
I think the BB grease problems were on the 07 models, but of course, it won't hurt to check there too.

I think the BB grease problems were on the 07 models, but of course, it won't hurt to check there too.

I recall that Yan has that -- and many of the other suggestions in the Downtube thread -- in the bike setup/tuneup list for Downtube bikes.

Yes, the best thing to do is to go out and try some. I am also shopping now and have found that the 20" wheel folders are pretty comfortable without a suspension, assuming that you are not off-roading. All of the Dahons I have tried have a very solid feel...but ya just have to put your tush on one and try it :)