owenfinn

Noticed it while cleaning my bike today. AAAAARGH!

It's only a 2 year old bike!

vmaniqui

this is an aluminum frame, right. not good. not really good. glad you weren't riding it otherwise it could have been worst. imagine you were riding your bike and after a mile or two suddenly the frame snaps into 2 pieces. how was your ride with this bike ? had you been mountain biking with this or just normal flat biking ? you should let dahon know since this is pretty much a new bike. you should email them and complain about their quality. they need to know this potential big issues with their frame design.

tedi k wardhana

WOW.
is that at the seattube?
are you sure you did not over extend your seatpost, all this time??

owenfinn

Yeah at the seattube. It was never overextended - I kept it between the 4 and 5 marks on the seattube. I'm 6'0, 153 lbs and I rode the bike a lot, and 99.9% of time on very nicely paved streets.

I'm gonna bring it to the dealer I bought it from on Monday and see what he suggests.

simsles

The Curve SL frame is guaranteed for five years, so you should be in line for a replacement.
I have checked my own Curve SL frame and see no signs of cracking, but the weld at this point does not blend so smothly into the parent metal of the frame as it does elsewhere. Due to the acute angle formed by the two tubes perhaps it is more difficult to get the welding equipment in, but that is no excuse of course.
I am about the same weight as you but not as tall, so my seat tube is inserted by about 220mm, if that is a factor. My Curve is two years old and has done about 4,000 miles.
Let us know how you get on with Dahon.

simsles

More info on a similar problem on a Dahon Mu.
See https://https://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6463&pid=52107&mode=threaded&start=0#entry52107

owenfinn

I sent an email and the photo to the dealer, and he got back almost right away. He spoke to importer (not directly to Dahon) and they offered to replace the ENTIRE BICYCLE with a brand new '09 Capreo edition. I can pick it up Thursday. Since my SA hub was giving me fits lately anyway, this was truly a no-brainer -- I'll take it!

https://www.dahon.jp/products/micro/curve_sl/index.html

Anyone out there riding this bike?

kamtsa

I am glad to see that Dahon stands behind its products. I wonder if this will be escalated to a full frame recall (expensive) or a structural retrofit like the Tikit.

Kam

vmaniqui

that's nice. glad everything turned out ok with you and dahon regarding your frame issue. that is what we call great customer service...

tedi k wardhana

nice happy ending.
curve sL capreo...wow...

owenfinn

My bike dealer is located a couple blocks from Nishi Arai Daishi. The temple, founded in the 9th century, is known for bestowing good fortune upon those who worship there. Thought it would be appropriate, considering how things turned out, to snap a photo with the new bike in front of the entrance.



ooooooh that new bike smell!



I've only ridden it a short distance, but the first thing I noticed was that the wheelbase seems longer than the Curve SL '07. Might be my imagination, because the bike still fit snuggly into the IKEA bag.

Also, the bike seems more solid and stiffer though just as light, if not lighter. It's VERY quiet and shifts beautifully! Can't wait to take it for a long ride!

Joako

Very nice bike. Just be careful with the derailleur.

BWP

the Ikea bag is a revelation

I will not ever again buy a 20" wheel folder

thank you

vmaniqui

sweet.... nice.....did it come with fenders ???

owenfinn

Yeah, a pleasant surprise. Get the feeling this bike would be nice to ride long distance, but for some reason, they've done away with the front lugs, which I liked a lot for carrying stuff in my Rixen Kaul backpack. Need to look into a light-weight rack now. Don't want to attach anything to seatpost for obvious reasons.

Joako

Oh, didn't know they took off the lugs. Get the klickfix caddy horizontal mount, that way you don't need to buy another bag. It fits the handlepost and seatpost in case you want to change it of position.

owenfinn

For me, it's absolutely the best way to carry this bike. With bike in bag and wheels to the front, I put my right arm through the straps and hoist onto shoulder. I then grab a wheel with right hand to support load. This way, it's comfortable and easy to walk and maneuver through crowded stations - much better than the El Bolso. I had to walk a good distance (about 25 minutes) with the bike in the Ikea bag yesterday - no big deal. Also, a bit of cushioning around the bags thin straps(e.g small towel, t-shirt) improves comfort to the shoulder a lot.

Dahon.Steve

WOW! That's a terrible crack. It makes you wonder why they gave up on the Dahon Presto or PIccolo. The Piccolo was a very durable folder and lasted for years. It was indistructable.

chucky

I like it because all the dirty parts are covered and it supports the bulk of the package and, yet, you don't have to worry about jamming every little bit of the bike into it.

I'd like an equivalent bag for my 20" folder.