Originally Posted by
randplaty
Do you think the Speed TR is the best option or are there other less expensive options?
I own a Dahon Speed D7 and a Bike Friday Tikit. I have tried the Speed TR at my LBS and quite liked the way it rode. I'm attributing that to the Schwalbe Big Apple tires and the longer effective TT on the Speed TR vs. the D7. I'm 6' and like a 59cm TT.
For the price I would also look at the Tikit. The Tikit will fold much easier and faster which will prove a significant advantage if you plan of folding the bike a lot. The Tikit can also be sized to fit you whereas the Speed TR [like most Dahons] is a one size fits all design. You can get a 1 or 2 pannier front rack for the Tikit and a 2 pannier rear rack should be available soon.
The Speed TR is setup for touring so you get a wider gear range and can carry panniers on it stock which the Tikit won't do in the stock specification. The Big Apples and 20" wheels would be nice for rough roads.
If you can fit on the Speed D7 comfortably and the narrower gear range isn't an issue it would do what you need at less than 50% the cost of the TR or Tikit, but as I noted above the folding process is cumbersome.