Originally Posted by
Elvis Shumaker
If the bike feels sluggish, pump up the tyres rock-hard (and check the pressure every couple of weeks) and try raising your saddle a bit. Goes for any bike. On a folder, tightening up all the folding hinges (frame, bars) made a huge difference too. A half-hour trip will hardly be too challenging for your Dahon.
V-brakes should be one of the easiest fixes, any shop that can't do it is just taking the p***
hmm.. thank you. I'll look for a guide on adjusting the brakes.
Originally Posted by
xlDooM
Please explain what you mean by "the bike feels fragile". Because of the small wheels and the geometry, folding bikes often feel very nervous compared to a full size bicycle. This agility is often perceived as a plus for city driving though, it makes people feel adventurous. If the bike feels fragile to you because there is play in the hinges or the head set, this needs to be adjusted ASAP before you wear something out. You can adjust the hinges yourself, it's not hard to figure out. I tighten the steerer hinge until it needs some effort to close, so I know it has no play whatsoever. My frame hinge never needed adjustment so far.
As for the brakes, anyone can adjust V-brakes, either with the adjusters at the levers or with the clamp bolt. A "problem" with folding bikes is that if you unfold it and the brake cable remains twisted and excessively bendy in some place, the cable is tighter than when you flatten the brake cable housing against the frame with your hand. If the shop adjusted the brakes with a bendy brake line, there will be excessive clearance when the housing is properly routed. Fix this yourself. Now. All you need is an allen key and 20 minutes if it's your first time. If the brake closes asymmetrically, turn the screws near the base of the calipers to adjust spring tension.
Riding uphill is hard. Nothing to do with the bike, unless the gearing doesn't reach to a comfortable ratio for the inclines you need to conquer. My 9-speed is fine up to maybe 6% inclines though, and you can ride up much steeper ones if they're only a few hundred metres long so you can afford to put some lactic acid towards it.
I think
feeling nervous is a good way to put it. I tried riding another Dahon with larger tires and not only felt more in control, but also climbing and accelerating was easier. I don't know if it is how Mu8 disagrees with me, or something about our relationship more so than the bike itself--that makes it feel harder for me when I compare it to other bikes. One thing that keeps me enjoying the bike the fullest, I believe, I cannot decide if this is a sport or a cruiser, you know? I cannot lean in as I want to, mainly because of the flat handlebars, and I cannot just sit on my ass and raise the bars. I am already 5'11. Plus, whenever I tried to ride it more like a cruiser, the climbs feel harder.
Originally Posted by
Call Me Al
I'm in the UK and use my DAHON MU for a 14 mile commute. It feels a lot more solid than a MTB ever did. Infact, you can feel that its more efficient as you push on. I have a lot of confidence in it. I can't say much about brakes other than stretched cables really weaken the braking power. I'm sorry the OP isn't enjoying it. Maybe better to just trade for something else? At least it should have kept its value?
I am trying to identify the problem. Since there are some technical issues, I find it easy to blame the bike. But, I am also thinking of changing the saddle and adjusting the brakes and turning it into a cruiser--rather than a fast commuter as I am trying to use it. My wife is looking for a cruiser to ride with me and she might agree with the bike more than I do, who knows. But riding non-folding, 700c bikes felt better, to be honest, I was able to accelerate faster and climb easier.