Sudato

Hello all! I have been lurking and searching for the last couple days and I want to make sure I "enter the fold" on a good note. Let me give a little about what I've decided is important and then if anybody has time enough to share any thoughts or concerns on my logic, I would really appreciate it!

I work downtown Milwaukee and am sick of paying ~$100 to park per month. I can park for free, but it would be 1-1.5 miles away. I have a midsized sedan and figure I can get a folder and ride that short distance, especially on nice days in the summer.

I'm an average dude... 6'0" 185 lbs.

I grew up riding a bike but have never really learned how to maintain it, so would like a "low maintenance" bike.

Pretty minimal hills- mostly up one way down the other, but I would like more than one speed -- just in case.

Fenders are a must because it does get soupy out there.

Conclusion: Dahon Curve D3.
Reason: 3-speed, in-hub, "low maintenance" gearing. Fenders (+rack). Small when folded with the 16" wheels. Price seems very reasonable.
Contender: Tern Link D7i, but can't justify increased cost for 4 extra speeds and larger folded size (no rack, either).

Is my logic sound? Should there be other contenders?

If you are reading this, thank you for your time and any comment you can spare!

Ozonation

I don't own a Dahon - and only test rode a Tern - so I'm going to say... sure! Seems logical, especially if you're on a budget.

However, given that you'll theoretically save $100 X 12 = $1200 per year on parking, maybe you should invest in something that is a bit more robust? I suspect if you're like the rest of us on this forum, you will find more and more excuses to use the bike. Heck... I just joined this forum 3 weeks ago, got my Brompton last week, and have already taken it on a day business trip and bombed around bike trails and city roads in the one hour I had free to me. Of course, the Brompton or higher Dahon/Terns models are more expensive, but not out of reach if you really plan on saving that much money.

If there's one thing I learned from buying computers for work and photography equipment for myself, if you can afford it, pay extra to get exactly what you think you need and want. The poor man pays twice after he (or she) realizes what the first purchase does not offer.

Also, are you planning to ride in the winter? If so, maybe you should consider a 20" inch wheel which I gather has more tire options (studded, better tread) than the 16" tires the D3 or the Brompton uses. Food for thought...

Good luck!

BruceMetras

A Dahon Curve D3 is a good riding bike.. I had one for awhile .. sometimes hard to find .. if you have a line on one, you'd probably be pretty happy with it for what you want to do..

feijai

I don't understand what the benefit of a folding bike is for you. Why not just get a decent mountain bike? It'd be more maintenance free and more apropos for winter riding in Milwaukee.

Sudato

I absolutely agree, and I think if I were single and child-free I would totally dive in head first... But for now I have to sell this idea and prove (to me, and others ) that I'm really going to do this.

The winter question is a good point.. I'm not sure if this will be a winter activity yet.

But about tires- another plus it seems on the Dahon is the Big Apples. Kevlar makes everything better!

I guess for now I'm hoping I can get something that will work, prove this is a viable "commuting/parking" strategy and then trade up from there.

Thank you for the reply! I do wish local dealers carried more of these.. It would e awesome to test-ride a Brompton, and anything else really. I can't find anything local, except a baseline Tern at REI to try.

Sudato

A full size mountain bike will not fit in my trunk

Sudato

Thank you! Why did you get rid of it?

Ozonation

I was (and still am) in the same situation. Almost nobody within 100 km has any of the well known folding brands to try out.

I'd say just go for it (something a bit more robust). Convince your significant other that you're saving money in the long run and getting in shape too!

Jiten

I think your finalist, the Curve D3, is a good one given your requirements. But can you find one? If so, at what price?

Sudato

I haven't tried to get one just yet, but i thought it looked like NYCE has them? Now I guess I'm not too sure. It looks like Thor has none.

Sudato

I will try and let you know how the convo goes

Jiten

It looks like NYCE has it for $580 + I-don't-know-how-much shipping. I would buy it at Thor's (out-of-stock) price, but at $580, other bikes start to become more appealing. For example, for about $100 more, there is the Speed P8, which is a really sweet bike. It has a rear derailleur (8 speeds), not an IGH, but a rear derailleur is not hard to maintain anyway. Don't be afraid of it. Plus, with a quick release skewer, it's easier to get the wheel on/off in case you get a flat.

If you really want an IGH bike, then another option is the Citizen Alhambra, which has a 3-speed Nexus hub, and is $400. I don't own a Citizen bike, but people who have given feedback on this forum seem to be generally pleased with them.

https://www.citizenbike.com/catalog.asp

Dynocoaster 

For the short distance his would probably do it.
https://www.thorusa.com/dahon/current/speeduno.htm

plc1fp

I have a Dahon Mariner and have ridden it over 1000 miles since the beginning of January. It is weatherproof and weights 26 lbs so is easy to carry folded. It is available at Defender Marine for $540 and would be an excellent commuter.

Sudato

You don't ever feel like one speed is not enough?

Sudato

Awesome! Thank you!

Ozonation

I am not a purist nor competitive cyclist, so in my opinion, more than one gear is very useful: at least 3, perhaps 5 to 7, depending on the gearing and your needs.

Sudato

Does yours have IGH? I think I ruled it out because it does not have that feature but upon further review... I'm confused. Thor's site says it has the Neos derailleur but NYCE says "The Dahon Mariner has 7 speeds to handle even the biggest grade hills, and because they're contained in the rear hub, you won't have to worry about corrosion on the gears."

Lao

First: Why don't bike the whole way? Second, if biking the whole way is out of the question I think a Dahon Curve might be a really good choice. A competitor would be a Citizen Tokyo but I have never tried a Citizen myself.

Sudato

The whole way would be about 18 miles... Baby steps!!

Ozonation

Well, if your average cycling speed is somewhere between the commonly accepted 14 to 18 mph on the road, it'll only take an hour or so!

BruceMetras

I enjoyed the Curve D3 a lot.. very compact fold and rode very well .. when I had mine, they were in very short supply and someone wanted it more than I did .. and I had a project in the works .. if you are just looking for a simple bike for the trunk and relatively short distances with minimal hills, a single speed would easily fit the bill.. I currently have a Mu Uno which I used as a single speed happily and then converted it to a 2 speed.. coaster brake, no cables to the rear, compact fold with handlebars folding between the frame halves , excellent ride... the bike lives in the small trunk of my Alfa Spider and gets used in hilly Marin county regularly.

plc1fp

The Dahon Mariner is not an internal geared hub, it is a Neos derallier. The Dahon Vitesse has an IGH, but costs $799. The Curve is probably the least expensive IGH Dahon.

Sudato

Awesome feedback - plus bonus pic.. Thank you!!

pacificcyclist

Sudato,

To chime in on Bruce's excellent recommendation, I also own a single speed Dahon and would highly recommend it for the last mile commute. The Speed Uno is cheaper than the Mu Uno and for the kind of riding you'll do for a mile or two, it is fine. I added a cheap Diacompe front brake (for emergency stop in the city), a front luggage rack, PowerGrips pedals, a rear Arclite rack which was on my Dahon Mu SL when it got the Burley trailer hitch and a set of fenders. Despite the fear that you'll need to be either Alberto Contador or Lance Armstrong to ride this bike, the gear inches on both the Mu and the Speed Uno aren't all that super high. The advantage you've got with smaller wheels is that they accelerate a lot better than bigger wheels, giving you a slight plus going up a modest hill. My commute in Vancouver isn't flat and consists of several challenging hills as well as a mile long commute along the water that always blows a headwind on the way to and back! Sigh! Despite that, I really enjoyed this more than my Mu SL especially the coaster brake!