Look guys I put "killer" in quotes because that's what some people were calling Dahon's new designs that share some of the Brompton's advantages. I wasn't going to call the Jifo a clone because it's a very innovative design, but the design also clearly combines many of the Brompton's advantages while also solving some of the disadvantages....so IMO it's definitely an improvement over the Bromptom in some respects even if not the "killer" some were expecting.
Originally Posted by
wahoonc
I am 6-2" and Dahon bikes, even the ones rated for someone my height run over an inch small in the leg extension department. Brompton says rider weight limit of 245#, and they offer the extension seat post.
I ride where there are hills, gears are a gotta unless you plan on walking...a lot. FWIW my regular Raleigh 3 speed has a 24t cog on the rear and I still have a couple that I have to walk up.
This bike also has an extension seat post. So maybe you naysayers should give it a try before declaring how inferior it is based on brand name alone.
Not saying it will work for everyone, but the Brompton doesn't work for everyone either. I'm just sharing my impressions that's all.
Thor also claims the Jifo
has a coaster brake, even though it doesn't.
We'd all love to hear your thoughts on how multiple gearing could be added to the Jifo in any practical way.
Just swap out the singlespeed hub for a 3-speed hub just like a Brompton. However, if the rear hub is really only 76mm wide then this obviously won't work, but I'm skeptical about Thor's specs.
Originally Posted by
pacificcyclist
Single speed is not a limitation; it's what people want if they only plan to bike in the city and utilize transit which is what Brompton was conceived to do.
Exactly. The Brompton was conceived for "last mile" multimodal transit and many of Brompton's customers pay thousands of dollars for singlespeed Bromptons for this purpose.
Those are the Bromptons that this bike might "kill" (ie the singlespeed titanium Bromptons that cost twice as much and are more fiddly to fold). As for the other Brompton models, I doubt this will be the only model Dahon is going to release featuring this innovative new folding design.
Originally Posted by
invisiblehand
Although I would include the time to lower the saddle to the frame in its folding time and the time needed to adjust the saddle to the correct height in the unfolding time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDzt8VdGeNQ
I'm not entirely sure that you do really need to lower the saddle separately like you do with the Brompton because the Jifo's seat tube is telescoping and the bottom portion is linked with the rest of the folding mechanism...it might depend on how you achieve the initial fit adjustment. However I agree that this is a major flaw for most folders, including the Brompton (only ones I can think of that don't have this issue are the tikit and carry-me).
But you really have to try folding the Jifo for yourself because it's not like folding other bikes...like I said it's really more like opening a folding door because those rods just guide everything into place without any attention or skill required of the user.
Originally Posted by
chagzuki
16" wheeled Dahons have no stiffness advantage over bromptons, the handlepost, extended as far as it must be with such a low and short head tube, flexes as much as the Brompton does except being aluminium it's not such a lively, springy sort of flex. The felt increase in rigidity of the jifo will originate from the lack of rear suspension, which IMO is a massive disadvantage in a bike with such small wheels and such a short wheelbase.
I never liked the Brompton's rear suspension because it felt mushy and power robbing (not to mention squirmy handling when the entire rear end tries to fold over big bumps). You might be right about handlebar flex, but I'm not so sure about that either because the Brompton depends on the handlebars themselves for extra extension and narrow aluminum handlebar tubing tends to be rather flexy.