Considering a KHS Cappuccino - feedback please!
 

Hi everyone,

I'm new to folding bikes and I'm considering a KHS Cappuccino. It's a 2005 model I believe. Does anyone have any experience with this folder or any folders from KHS? It's retailing for $700 Cdn. right now.

I live in a small apartment and I'm going to be using it for mainly city commuting (riding only, no bus or train). I'm trying to replace my car as much as possible and I live very close to downtown. I may do the odd bike trail a couple of times in the summer but that's it.

The bike has 18"weels. I love the size and look of it and the fact it comes with mudguards, pannier rack, and a bit of suspension.

Any feedback, positive or negative, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

My LBS had one. It seemed OK but there are better values out there. The 18" wheels ahve very limited tire choices as well. Either get something with 16" or 20" wheels and you'll be happier. I'd seriously consider a Dahon, Swift or Brompton over the KHS. If small, folded size is the most important then I'd buy a Brompton.

The rear suspension on the KHS comes mostly through flex of the rear frame. Didn't exactly make me feel very confident about the long-term lifespan of the rear frame arms as they actually flex to allow the "suspension" movement if this is the same model I am thinking of.

I have a khs f20 (i think - 20 inch wheels) and I like it better than my dahon speed 8. It has needed less adjustment and has been generally hardier and more reliable than the dahon. the rack and fenders are nice and it has been used to commute. I also like my nonFS downtube for the same reasons. The dahon does feel faster.

I agree mostly with Wavshrdr but I would like to add some more thoughts on folding bike selection. One of the strongest points by which I made the choice of purchasing my Dahon was being the largest corporation that makes folding bikes today. I felt that the longevity of the corporation's survival in a increasing cutthroart enviroment of disappearing bike makers made me confident that it would be around for a while and I will probably be able to get parts for the bike in the future as needed. Plus it has a more compact fold over the Bike Friday, Downtube and some other 20" folder size makers which is critical for me when I commute and travel. My Brompton was purchased in the same vein even though the maker is a smaller one in volume of numbers of units produced.

Remember to test ride and actually fold it up before you purchase to get a good idea if that bike is good match for you.

Schwinn was a big company too, and they are no more.

I wouldn't make my primary decision on whether or not I'll buy a bike as to how big the corporation is.

Go out and ride the bike- see what it feels like when you ride it. Check for availability of parts in the event something needs to be changed. For instance, is it easy to get the same sized inner tubes? Can it be found commercially in at least 50% of the bike shops in the area? Or is it something that can only come from the bike company itself? For folding, what's your reasoning for needing it? Do you just want to hop a train every now and then? Or do you want to travel a little with it? Or do you want to travel A LOT with it? Do you want something that folds so small you can take it on the plane and chuck it in an overhead bin? Do you want a quick fold bike, or something that takes a bit more effort, but folds more efficiently?

Etc.

Make your choices based on several factors, not just on how big the company is. Because any company, big or small, can go under for a lot of different reasons. That is about the farthest thing from my mind when I buy a bike.

Koffee

http://bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=news.article&ID=105&Category=News

When I was trying to decide my first 20 inch folder a couple of years ago, this alerted me to Bike Friday's biggest weakness-too dependant on marketing it's fine bikes on traveling to exotic places. When that market disappeared, if it wasn't for it's loyal followers, it would be gone no matter what a great bike it is. Dahon appeared to survive better even thrived during this period and afterward. The Dahon North American headquarters and warehouse is located only 15 miles from my house. Most bike shops stock Dahon components, accessories or could create a part from scratch. The Brompton has about 20 bike shops(some are located near my house or my sister's house) in the United States as well as one in Canada and one in Mexico.

This was the real tipping point for me. I am not saying that these 2 bikes I have or their makers are for everyone, but it works for me and that is all that matters in the end since there is no real bike community here in Southern California-just alot of loosely associated bike clubs and mostly solitary independent riders. You learn to be on your own and dependent on no one else's opinion. I was like this way before the internet was in existance in it's present form. Folding bikes are simply an good extention of my bicycling beliefs-the ultimate in independence.

Hi everyone,
I've been testing folding bikes for the past three weeks. I've gone to almost every bike shop in the city that has them and ridden as many as I could. I've made some conclusions.

The Dahon bikes that are in my price range feel to big for me. I'm 5'2". This is because of the fixed handlebar height. The higher end ones with the telescopic handlebars are too expensive.

I was definitley curious about the Downtube but considering how different the "ride" of a bike can be, I just can't bring myself to buy a bike that I can't test ride first. Plus, I didn't find the customer service at Downtube to be overly friendly (I e-mailed them several questions and got very curt, almost shorthand, replies). Please note, this is just my personal experience with them.

A lot of the other low to medium end bikes I rode felt fine, not excellent, but totally acceptable. (Origami, Breezer, Kuwahara, etc.)

When I got on the KHS Cappucino, I felt like someone had made a bike for me. The first thing I noticed was the bike felt smaller. This is what I had been looking for in a bike and partly why I wanted a folding bike. The hadlebars are fixed but at exactly the right height for me and the frame might be smaller, not sure. The wheels definitely are, at 18". This may be a drawback for some but I really like it and my LBS said they can get 18" Marathon tires if I ever need them. Overall, I felt like I had more control of the bike. It also comes with some mudguards and a pannier rack that match the look of the bike nicely.

I would imagine this bike would feel too small for bigger riders.

Thanks to everyone for all your feelback. I decided to get the bike. If anyone has any questions about my experience with the bike, please let me know. I'm not going to write a review because I'm a bike newbie.

Thanks again!

You should definitely write a review about the bike. As a newbie, you may not be as informed about how good/bad certain components are, but you may notice features about the bike that others overlook; maybe which could be improved upon.

If the fit feels right to you, that's what is most important. I'd have been concerned about the odd tire size, but if your LBS can get them in for you, you should be fine. If the tires/tubes are only available on-order, rather than in the shop, make sure to get an extra set of tires, and probably have 2-3 extra tubes available to you at all times. (one packed on the bike/in your pack, 2 at the house).

If you find that you like folding bikes and would purchase another, hang around in the forums. Very likely there's a member in here who lives near to you, and they might let you try out their brompton/dahon/moulton/halfway/whatever.

Good luck with it. Pics and review are requested after you've had it for a week or so. :)

Well, there you are then. It's good to get expert advice, but sometimes you have to go with your own judgement.

You will. Tires wear out. One suggestion, since you've picked an unusual size, keep at least one spare pair of tires, and maybe 3 or 4 spare tubes, on hand. If you rip a sidewall on a tire, or puncture a tube too badly to patch it, you can definitely order replacements through your shop, from Schwalbe, or probably plenty of mail order places. It might be harder to just walk into a shop, though, and replace it the same day.

Have fun! :)

I think you have found "your" bike. If you ever need another one, or have any questions or support now or in the future, feel free to "drop in." As for being new to folding bikes, very soon you will be an "old timer" and will be offering sage advice to other new riders. We at this and other forums were all there once.

Welcome to the world of folders and happiness plus good fortune with your chosen bike.

Hmmm...ok. I wasn't sure I would be able to compare my experiences to anything helpful since the last bike I owned was when I was 12 but I'll try my best. Maybe in a couple of weeks I can get around to it.

Thanks DaFriMon & bookishboy about the tire advice. The bike store said to bring my bike in after I'd ridden about 20 hours on it to tune things up so I'll inquire about getting some spare tubes and an extra pair of tires to keep in my storage. You guys were right about having to order them in since they don't stock them regularly. As for carrying the tubes with me, that will be pretty useles until I learn what to do with it. I'm going to look into some bicycle courses at my community centre that teach you what to do it you have a flat. I guess I can keep a tube with me in case I'm near an LBS when I get a flat.

Thanks for you help everyone. Should I start a new thread when I review the bike?

Start a new thread, or bump this one, no worries either way. Also: Don't underestimate how handy a spare tube or a patch kit would be to you, even if you don't know how to use it. If you blow a tube, you may be within walking distance to a bike shop, or another cyclist may come to your aid. Cyclists often tend to be a friendly lot, and may offer to help you out....but they'll only be able to do something for you if you have the right size tube handy.

For your review, I'm especially interested in hearing how the folding bike fits into your everyday life. Does it go into work with you, or is it easy/hard to carry it into your apartment.... etc etc.

Cheers