Originally Posted by
prathmann
Mine is a pretty early model - I bought it in '94. Ride quality has been good - feels very similar to my 700c road bikes but I have slightly wider tires on the BF. I use mine both for day trips and for loaded tours. Mine did develop a crack in the rear triangle years ago so my experience on durability is mixed. Warranty service was excellent. I called their 800 number on Thanksgiving afternoon expecting to leave a message but they had someone there to answer and I had my bike back with a new rear triangle about a week later (BF paid for FedEx shipping both ways and transferred components over).
Great to hear, but the model I'm looking at is used, and I would not be the original owner, so I wouldn't be eligible for any warranty work.
Originally Posted by
invisiblehand
Just based on anecdotes, most people seem to think that their durability and ride are both pretty good. My experience is that their customer support after purchasing new or used is also quite good.
I have to say... BF was very helpful on the phone when I asked about specs on their older bikes. All you need is the serial number and they can give you a rough idea if the build would meet your needs.
Originally Posted by
invisiblehand
Although it seems to be getting somewhat better, my rough take is the the market is pretty soft at the moment for used bikes. Especially for travel bikes like Bike Fridays which are often second bikes for folks.
Of all the options, I'm considering... the Dahon Silvertip would be about $800, the Dahon Jack or Tern Joe about $800 to $900, and the used BF is over $1000, plus the BF is the only one without any warranty or exchange option.
Right now, I've tried to contact the current owner of the BF to get more information because I want to clarify the size, etc., but I haven't had any response so I might be able to pursue the BF.