Jetstream p8 (2008)

[bednarz]

What are peoples opinions on this bike.

My daily commute to work is about 9 miles into london. I want a fold up bike to give me the option of using public transport for part of the journeys if i am feeling lazy, if the weather is really bad etc, also a foldup bike would be useful as i only have a tiny little car.

Just wanted to see what people thought of the jetstream p8, the idea of suspension appeals to me, and i really love the look of the bike.


Anyone know anything about how much servicing/maintenance the suspension elements of the bike will need, and difficulty in doing so.

[CaptainSpalding]

Let me preface by saying that I have no empirical knowledge of the P8 - I have a Jetstream XP, which is a completely different animal. In one way the P8 is similar to the XP - it uses a practically proprietary front suspension, for which information and expertise are scant. I'm heavier than the average Dahon rider, evidently, and the Pantour front suspension would bottom out under my weight alone. I decided to replace the elastomer with a stiffer one. Dahon was of no help, and ultimately, after a lengthy correspondence with the engineers at Pantour I was able to accomplish the feat. It involved getting a durometer, removing the elastomer from the hub, testing it to find out its hardness, and then going through a few trials with other elastomers to get it right. Getting the hub apart without special tools and without beating it up was part of the challenge as well. I'm a bit of a masochist in the way that I enjoy that type of exploration and am not daunted by two-steps-forwards/one-step-back projects. If you are, you had better be in a position to take a thorough test ride before you commit to the P8.

The P8 is a very cool design, unique and semi-exotic. If I were in your position though, I'd be considering the Dahon Speed TR. It's not suspended, but it does have some features that make it a good choice for the commute you're suggesting It already comes fitted with racks, so carrying clothes and other amenities that you need at the office is easier. It also has mudguards, which are essential I'd think in London. It also has a dynamo front hub which, if your commute is after dusk, will save you a fortune in batteries over time. It also has a wider gear range. It comes with Schwalbe Big Apple tires, which will mitigate somewhat the lack of suspension. It lacks the WOW factor of the P8's parallelogram suspension fork, but as I said, that comes with some caveats.

Good luck, and whatever you get, please post about your mixed commuting experiences, good or bad.

[principe azul]

I have the 2007 model P8. It's a good ride, could be higher geared (for my cadence), but the suspension doesn't slow the bike down so much as smooth out bumps and 20 inch wheels, making it feel pretty close in handling to my old rigid 700cc hybrid. I can lean into corners with it in a way that petrified me when I test rode a cheap mountain bike with spongy forks. It handles kerbs no problem and most potholes.

Didn't want the suspension to begin with, but the handlepost seems to be in two pieces on the less expensive, rigid Dahons, and they didn't feel as sturdy, so I was landed with it. I only notice the front sus move when I brake, and I've never noticed the rear sus move at all. There's a thread somewhere here about swapping the rear sus for a Cane Creek, CaptainSpalding's is the first I've read of someone tackling the front.

20 inch wheels and a Dahon fold don't make the most compact package. If I had to go on the tube every day in rush hour I'd have thought twice about it. But I got it because I too wanted something I could take with me if I was tired or not concentrating or stopped at a pub for a few - plus I can keep it under my desk or inside the house. I see it as a nice do-anything urban bike that has the advantage of folding rather than as a super-compact machine. Enough to fold and carry under your arm into a shop, but not for carrying around all day while you shop (if any of them are).

I liked the look of the Speed TT, but it's £300 more expensive - has the SRAM dual drive, though, which promises 33% higher gearing. But riding through central London doesn't let you keep up speed for long, what with watching out for hazards, negotiating lanes, lights every 200yds and all the rest.

Certainly worth a test ride. Evans didn't have it in stock near me but got one in for me to ride, and I walked out with it twenty minutes later.

edit - don't know the spec on the 2008, but I swapped out the stock parts for Ergon R2 grips and a SRAM triggershifter for relatively little cost and am happier. Wouldn't be cost-effective to retrofit a dual drive.