Originally Posted by yangmusa

Well, I had been avoiding replying to this, under the assumption that pibach is a troll. But since someone else is now considering not buying a Birdy based on pibach's one-ride testimony...

I've not ridden a Dahon Mu Sport, so I can't compare the two bikes. What I can say is that I don't recognize any of the criticisms listed, or at least not to the degree suggested. I find the Birdy to handle great in almost all aspects. I haven't tried riding it hands free, but it is completely stable riding with one hand for signaling, and handles high speed descending with confidence. I'm very happy to have suspension when descending fast on twisty roads with imperfect surfaces! I can tell the suspension is there, but don't find its effect on handling to be a problem in the slightest. That said, this isn't a bike to stand up and hammer sprints on - but I find it very rewarding and comfortable to sit and spin for long fast rides (50-60 miles no problem).

I would highly recommend the Birdy if you're looking for a folding bike that can also be comfortably ridden for long distances at similar speeds to a road bike. It doesn't fold quite a small as the Brompton, but still a fairly small and tidy package. People can and do ride very long distances on Bromptons, but it isn't known primarily for that use. It's too bad you are not able to test ride any of these bikes - it could well be the Dahon Mu is the best for you, but then it could be the Brompton or the Birdy...