Wow this is an old thread
The point is when you spend around £800 on a bike like the Dahon MU SL it ought to be right... you shouldn't have to faff about stripping and lubricating hinges and clamps. I have no doubt if I had kept mine it would have been in the council metal recycling skip by now
By contrast my 2009 Brompton Titanium S-Type which I have had for five years, seven months and used for the daily commute in all weathers all year round, snow, ice the lot is still working perfectly, no rattles, squeaks or bits breaking. Its had new brake shoes and two sets of Kojak tyres .... Its been a wonderful bike and far better than the Dahon rubbish.
I was simply unable to find a Brompton with useable gearing for my commute, and there's not one that doesn't flex horribly when ridden hard.
Dahon provided a bike that solved both issues at half the price of a 3sp Brompton. Way stiffer, 27 well spaced gears and rides like a real bike.
If Dahon is qualified as rubbish, then Brompton could be qualified as overpriced rubbish.