I've been a happy Tern Joe D24 owner for about three years, using it as my primary means of transportation to and from the University of Oklahoma's campus and for shorter trips around Norman (as well as long rides for exercise). It's been just great, and being able to just fold it up and take it inside on campus has been invaluable. I've been very happy with the quality, and it's always felt totally solid, even when I was loaded down with stuff in my bag and pushing the bike pretty hard.

Now, I'm expecting to move to the Seattle area (Redmond/Kirkland/Bellevue, to be specific), and I think I want to add a smaller folder that I could take on a bus with me for longer commutes. While I know the Node series won't feel just like my Joe, I think it will be the closest thing. The problem is, much like the Joe when I was buying back then, I can't find many opinions on the Node series online. Is a 24" folder small enough to take onto a bus (I know they advertise it as being able to, but I wonder if that would be the case in practice)? Also, would the internal hub be a big bonus in a rainy area like Seattle, or is it a pretty negligible difference?

I'd love to hear any thoughts on the series, as well as maybe any alternatives you guys might suggest. I'm also open to a 20" folder, I'm just partial to the larger bikes since it's what I'm used to (and I prefer the aesthetics, though I am a function over form kinda guy in the end).

1st passenger at the far end of the route you will have more room..


Fold in half bikes are Wide by nature. bigger wheels wont help..

Front of bus racks for 2 bikes if you are number 3 a big package Folder will be a PIA on a full Bus.

Norman Oklahoma? Did you visit Al's Bicycles? HGR3inOK on this board could probably help you out by showing you various models of folders.. including Bromptons, which would be the highly recommended tool for a bus ride..

Big plus one.

Nothing beats trying them out.

I haven't been back to visit Al's yet for this purchase, this post was mostly brought about by some late-night web browsing and house hunting for the move. I actually bought my current Tern and my wife's Raleigh from Hank, great guy and a great shop. It hadn't occurred to me to go by for this purchase though since I was planning on making it after the move (I'll be going about a month before our duplex's contents gets shipped, so I was only going to fly out with what I can get on a plane). But Al's is definitely the best local resource.

I have way too many folding bikes and among them is a Tern Node D7i. It rides very much like a 26 inch bike and the Big Apple tires it comes with are a great match for urban riding/commuting. I don't have a Joe, but I've test ridden them and the rides are very comparable IMO, but for here in Seattle I much prefer the internal hub and as far as I know the Joe is not offered with one.

I have on several occasions either had to or been asked to by another cyclist fold up and carry the Node onto buses and it is a little unwieldy but not really a problem, but it doesn't fit under a seat, so it depends on the transit system's rules and the bus driver's attitude, as the folded bike is basically going to take up two seats since you can't leave it obstructing the aisle. You could actually hold it in your lap, but again you are going to take up two seats with it, not just one.

Having said that, I also have several 20" folding bikes and have also had to fold them up to get onto a bus with no rack space left, and frankly that's not a picnic either. The only bike that is really convenient to take inside the bus is a Brompton. But the Node with Big Apple tires rolls right over potholes that would eat the Brompton alive.

Really appreciate the comments here. After looking around, it really sounds like the Node is the best option for me, and the internal hub sounds like it might be worth the price premium for the Seattle area.

Thanks all.