feijai

This doesn't look good. To make matters worse, BF repaired the frame but didn't replace the disk rotor or rim. The author guessed (wrong) that BF didn't replace them because they weren't part of the warranty. BF didn't replace them because they didn't notice the wheel damage.

Not sure how that could possibly be, but I must report that I had a similar situation. It seems that BF's customer care people are extraordinary; but they have to cover for their service staff, who seem to make a fair number of mistakes.

ChainlessRev

BF is pretty lucky the author is not from here. I would imagine the case would've gone straight to the court.

itsmoot

Hard to imagine how the wheel wasn't checked for trueness after the parts were transferred to the new frame. If true, its sub Xmart grade performance.

Tikit Gareth

Indeed! And absolutely true. It was my bike, and I couldn't believe it. However in fairness to Bike Friday they have now agreed to pay for my local shop to put it right.

Always wear your track mitts folks and safe cycling.

folder fanatic

From the source material:

"....The bike which was intended as a no fuss, low maintenance all weathers ride has already been to Tony’s twice (having been badly set up when it first arrived, and then to have this summer’s seatpost safety upgrade fitted) and I am getting fed up of spending money to sort out Bike Friday’s failings. It wouldn’t be quite so galling if they didn’t make such a play about their great customer service.

That’s it. I started as a fan of the Tikit and with good things to say about Bike Friday. Now I wonder why I didn’t just buy a Dahon....."

The tikit is a new model, barely out of the beta testing stage (IMO, it takes a good several years for a sure test of reliability for any mechanical device, not just bicycles). There were and probably are, still more problems to solve. When I was in the market last for another folder, I had a choice for a Dahon Piccolo (about to be discontinued) or the new at the time Curve (about to arrive). I chose the Piccolo. I rather have an "old fashioned" bike already in production and pretested by others than the latest, greatest, mostly untested one. I wish these bike companies don't use us as paying guinea pigs for their costly mistakes. I do not care what type of "Customer Service" they claim to have.

DFTR

I don't want to pick on the Tikit, but it seems just about every review I've read has a lot of praise for the bike while also mentioning various mechanical issues/breakdowns. One fellow even wrote here that he had no issues but a flat tire in 2 years, and sure enough a week later, I see on his blog he has to send the bike back to repair a crack!

BikeFriday's service and responsibility is recognized as being very commendable, but I have to ask if one should just expect more mechanical issues. Perhaps this is something to do w/ folding bikes and issues how it works? Perhaps the people that write reviews ride their bikes hard and it may be unfair to expect folding bikes to stand up to that use?

randya

so what kind of 'issues' do you think the Curve has (just curious 'cause I just purchased two of them)?

folder fanatic

Probably nothing, maybe everything. Just like the tikit experience shows above, I am always a bit cautious about buying a new model from even a respected bike makers like Dahon or Bike Friday. I don't have much use or time for recreational riding. I use my folding bikes as strictly transportation 24/7 like I would a car. It is not how much I spend for a bike so much as how dependable it is. I don't want to be caught out and about with a bike that has problems or issues in the middle of the night with no public transit running. The Piccolo was in production for 5 years that I know of before it was stopped in favor of the Curve. With the reviews below plus other ones as well, I knew that the problems inherent in all new models already been ironed out of the Piccolo. So the choice was made for the last Piccolo (I purchased mine on November, 2006) made that was new instead of the then unknown to me Curve (started to be offered in early 2007).

You should be fine with your new Curves as most problems should have cropped up by now. I hope you enjoy them!

https://www.roadbikereview.com/mfr/da...x.aspx#reviews

https://www.amazon.com/review/RXISX8KUEFF7P

One was even bought new in 2008!-Probably Sitting Around The Dealer's Floor
https://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5297

randya

actually I bought 2008 models...I couldn't justify the higher price of the '09's for a three speed ($539 was about the lowest price I could fine on the '09s)

I see after the fact that this person is having trouble with theirs. The web site I bought from (BicycleSource.US) said the bike I was buying had a Sturmey hub, but we shall see I guess...looking closer at the pic on the BicycleSource web site it looks like a SRAM hub on the bike pictured. Ah, the joys of internet shopping

Lalato

I think it's important to point out that most people are happy with their bikes and never have any problems whatsoever. That goes for Bike Friday, Dahon, Brompton, etc (ad nauseum).

Seriously, people are quick to jump to conclusions based on a very small self reported sample size. I'm not saying we shouldn't hold a company's customer service and quality control "feet" to the fire when something happens... but it's not like there aren't a lot of bikes that perform just fine.

Randy, I wouldn't be concerned about the Dahon Curves you just bought. They've received good reviews... and unless you plan on going mountain biking with them, you should be just fine. (because nobody should go mountain biking on a folder unless it was specifically designed for it).

--sam

randya

maybe not mountain biking, but I test all my bikes, especially the small ones, on zoobomb

Lalato

yeah... but that's all on streets. You should be fine.

invisiblehand

Looks like it will turn out well. I wouldn't overlook the customer service aspect with custom bikes. Or with standard bikes either.

I think that this was one of the first tikit models with a disc brake. Bike Friday has the additional complication that with so many different variations out there, more "surprises" can happen later.

feijai

This is very true. The statistics are always heavily skewed towards complaints for two reasons. First, people who have no problems have no reason to post a complaint. So you never hear from them. Second, a sizable number of complaint posts are from the, shall we say, anal retentive among us (myself included), who will post almost anything.

This is a fairly rare event. I'm not concerned about the frame failure, that's quite rare. I'm concerned about BF's service shop sloppiness -- that's somewhat common in my experience with BF. They need to work on that.

chucky

So where are the complaints of Brompton mechanical issues? I know you can find some on the net, but you don't hear much around here.

Is PDR going to tell us all "I told you so"?

folder fanatic

When I bought my own Brompton almost 4 years ago, I was waiting for something major to go wrong like it always did with my 2 Dahons. I am still waiting.

randya

not a very flattering position for Dahon to be in, considering that many of their 2009 models are approaching the cost of a Brompton.

brakemeister

the boardwalk she is talking about was less than 200 dlr new. Show me a Brommy for that money and I will buy 20 or 30 right away.

Folder fanatic ... whats always wrong with your Dahons. If there is really always a problem with both of them, why dont you use the brommy instead. ?

thor

invisiblehand

I think that one will find lots of happy people on the Dahon forum.

One will find more people talking about their Bromptons -- and their problems -- on BromptonTalk.

randya

I was referring to models like the '09 XL sport, over $1,000.00 now.

so what are the chances that the '08 Dahons (Curve D3 and MuXL Sport) I just ordered will have recalled handleposts on them?

brakemeister

nill
there is no Dahon dealer who will sell you one which not already has been fixed.
And if yuo bought them from whatever other source than any Dahon dealer will be eager to fix them for you for free.

:-)

thor

randya

thanks, here's hoping! One is coming from BicycleSource.US and the other from safetycycle.

Foldable Two

I don't think we are dealing with the average FOLDER rider on this forum.

The average FOLDER owner is likely an infrequent rider, and with little knowledge on how bikes work or what things are likely to break. Keeping the tires pumped-up is not usually a priority either, and they don't participate in this or other bicycle forums.

I think it's fair to say that the smaller the frame and wheels, and the rougher the treatment it endures, the more problems are likely to develop.

I am 6'3", 200 lbs, but due to advanced age , 66, I am not into jumping curbs, going down stairs, etc.
We do ride our bikes a lot - as a substitute for using our car much of the time - but we have experienced minimal problems with either our original Dahon D7s, my Dahon S1, our Fridays.

I had a set-screw strip on the handle post of my S1 and headsets loosen, but that's been it.

The one problem we did have was with the wife's GIANT Simple 7 cruiser. The one we purchased couldn't be adjusted to shift correctly on a consistent basis (neither the dealer or I could get it to work) so we traded it for another one on the floor, which has worked well.

vmaniqui

yes. i am also waiting for PDR's dahon bashing here. and his endless praises for his made in england brompton...

owenfinn

I noticed Amazon has lowered the price of the 2009 Curve SL from $999 to $769. Although I would recommend buying a Dahon through a trusted LBS whenever possible, that to me sounds like a VERY good deal.