As enthusiastic I had been when seeing the Tern bikes at first, especially for the hinge and latch designs, so distrusting I am now after this whole saga. I can never recommend a Tern again. It isn't just a few 100 bikes. If you believe such a thing you need to check your gullibility score. Both Dahon and Tern ( and many other companies too, see the latest Thermomix saga) did damage control as much as possible to limit their loss. Make no mistake, this has a major effect on the bottom line and as soon as money is involved, you can forget about truth being first. Money is always first. So Tern wants you to believe that is only few 100 bikes, because that limits their loss. They claim it is a manufacturing fault. I think it more likely to be a basic design flaw. A welded joint must not be so iffy that even a small amount of lesser quality welding will virtually guarantee a break. Instead it should be over-designed for safety. They fell down on that very basic issue, and as a result, NO Tern bike should be regarded as safe.