I would have to agree in that assessment of the Dahons and I'd say it was the Birdy that did it. Since around 1995, when the Birdy started to make inroads in the US market, it would seem that Dahon saw the need to become competitive with it. These days, Dahon is really hitting stride and now they're turning out some really interesting options that surely eclipse the Birdy of old.
Birdy is also upping the ante on their bikes albeit without a US distribution deal (at least ASFAICT); the Birdy 9.7 is a very cool toy, as is their new titanium ltd. For the most part, all of the other makers of folders (with the exception of the larger Airnimal)are riding out the niches they've carved and waiting for the day the folding market 'catches on'. Bike Friday is doing cool things too, but for the most part, these aren't really folders as I define them and they're priced like a Sachs or a Kellogg would be (at least when they get equipt the way I like them)
It really would be fun to see what the custom builders could do with a folding concept bike and now that I've spent thousands on three folding bikes (a Dahon Jetstream XP, A Birdy green and a Soma ti journey), I suppose I'll probably be the guinea pig. I am really enjoying my Jetstream XP and though it's great as it is, I really wish it were more beautifully made and a little more thoughtfully measured. The Birdy is great fun, but not for me. The Soma isn't built yet, as I wait for a custom fork and decide what I want to build it as: a superlight racer or a Campy C record equipped throwback (I'm leaning towards the C record, mostly because I'm loving the idea of Delta brakes on a folder! A titanium folder natch...)
This longing for a more perfectly made bike was the exact same thing that led me to buy my Kellogg/Spectrum back in the day and I sorely regret having sold that, my only bike that really was a work of art.
I want that feeling back and it's going to cost me a years work to get it I'm afraid.
DG1