considering a foldo for the first time. It would be to augment my commuting fleet (a beater/mtb and a vintage miyata tourer) and to enable occasional Greyhound trips in which I'd dismount the bus, unfold my bike, and motor, err, pedal around Lubbock, Oakland, Santa Fe, etc. AM considering specifically a Dahon Speed 7. Is this a good entry-level bike ? The sales guy at LBS did not have a clue how to collapse it; can I learn to do this adroitly online ? Or should I wait a few years, sell everything and get a BF ?

The Dahon Speed 7 is a good choice.

yup its a fine bike and will serve you good

thor

If you don't need to pack it for airlines, you might want to consider Dahon's 26" folders, esp. the Cadenza. For another $180 you get a bike that folds, but can handle a significantly wider range of roles, e.g., full panniers for two weeks on the road.

The Dahon manuals (on the Dahon corporate site) will quickly make you more knowledgeable than the LBS guy you've been chatting with.

The Speed 7 is a excellent first choice for a new folder fan. It can be taken most anywhere since it has a very compact fold and can pass as luggage when bagged. It feels very close to a full size (26"+) size bike and rides alot more nimble. The price is low compared to a fancier version that may prove to be overkill and tax your budget too much at this point. And when and if you want to, you can always purchase another more higher end model of Dahon's or some other make's when you want something more upgraded and still keep this one.

Love my Speed 7.

I can fold it with trunk, tail lights and speedo in place.

The headlight has to be removed, so I got one with a quick release.

I visited two shops that had folders. Neither were sure how their bikes folded.

Thanks to my Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, it was easy to figure out.

I'm not sure where you live. I have a hilly commute, and use all seven gears.

Be sure you ride it first. It has a different feel than a traditional bike, but it's very easy to get used to. The Dahon a lot whippier than my Cannondale MTB!

Thanks for the laugh!