Originally Posted by
mallomar
That’s good to know! I signed up the stock notification alert and emailed them for an update but never heard back. If it’s July though, I think I can wait!
It's a small batch. They intended to open the sales 72 h but it lasted less. 15 h maybe. I pulled the trigger, making a leap of faith at the lunch break. It was closed when I checked again after work.
Originally Posted by
mallomar
Thanks, so the 31-1/2” on your bike is the height? On a luggage rack 15” would be how far it would lay across? Also, I saw you were looking for a smaller bike than the Tern in another thread. Would you advise against the Tern?
After checking with a tape measure, the length is 31.5 and the height is 29.1.
The Tern Verge X11 is amazing. I bought it for commuting, riding around Paris (for business or shopping) and weekend riding on roads and forest bike trails (asphalted or not).
It's a pure joy to ride. I only have to be careful with the GPS navigator because the shortest way can be too rutted or for MTB ("mostly flat" once -> I had to carry the bike down on a very steep forest slope).
Its main inconveniences from my point of view are:
- The price; it's expensive.
- The folding. It's fast and the folded bike is stable (even on a train).
- However, it tends to open because the magnet system is far from perfect. I usually use a strap when I want to be sure it'll stay close (on a crowded train).
- It also rolls poorly because the wheels don't stay attached (the magnet again). But do you have to roll it folded? I had to once to navigate through office corridors. At the moment, I roll my bike in the office on the ground floor and leave it unfolded. That will change in September: I'll be on a 3rd floor with maybe a lot of ground to cover.
- The compactness.
- It's not the most compact bike. When the train is not crowded or only slightly crowded, I keep it unfolded and it's small enough to park it so it doesn't obstruct people's movement. I use the space features of the three different train models/generations my line use.
- If the train is crowded, a more compact bike with especially a reduced width would be useful. Bike brands rarely post photos of their folded bikes on their (smaller) side view, there's a reason.
If I did not use the X11 for commuting, I would not have looked at the Helix.
I sometimes use an old MTB that I leave at the train station in Paris. The train ride is easier (I just have to find a seat, which is very difficult when I get on the train with the X11), but the posture on the MTB is too tilted for riding in a big city. And the X11 made riding this bike a pain. It's like riding a Ferrari and a tank!
I heartily recommend the Tern Verge X11. Or the P10 which is a less expensive version.
In my case, the Helix will make my commute easier.
Tern Verge X11 Satin black / Blue / Magenta folded
Helix folded's Dimensions