brakemeister 

the Curve and the piccolo are completely different bikes ....
the Brommy has 18 inch wheels right ?
versus the 16 for the Curve .....

just sayin ....

thor

bhkyte

I have had a curve and a Brompton . Prefer the ride on the curve and prefer the fold of the Brompton. IMO Choice between the two.
Committing = brommie,
Pleasure ridding = the Curve.

owenfinn

I took a 3 speed Brompton out for a couple laps around Tokyo Stadium at a cycling event in Tokyo last month.

10 minutes on a bike isn`t really enough time, but I came away thinking meh - it was OK but I like the way my Curve SL rides much better.

Of course the Brompton fold is awesome, but the Curve`s isn`t so bad either. Folds up fast and I can easily put it into an IKEA bag for taking on the train.

CSG

On that 18" wheel thing re: Brompton, I was told that by one of the guys at NYCe but every other dealer I've talked to says they are 16" just like the Dahon Curves. I'd love to get a definitive answer as well as an accurate answer regarding the Curve wheelbase compared to the Brompton's.

sudoshift

Go with the Curve SL.

I purchased mine from Thor.



The 8-speed IGH is great. I use it as my lunch hour "exercise" bike around the boardwalks of Pacific Beach. On a straight I've managed to get it up to 22 MPH. The fold is very nice, while it may not be a Brommie. it can hold its own. If you're in a relatively flat area with good roads, I'd go for it. Although it slows to a crawl in bad road conditions due to the natural stiffness of the bike.

I ride mine almost everyday and folds everyday. Its developed a few creaks here and there, but that is to be expected. Consider swapping out the stock Marathon Racers for Big Apples. As soon as I wear out my Marathons, I'll be putting on some 16" BAs.

More things to consider are the adjustable handlebar post. It either has to be all the way down or all the way up in order for the bike to fold properly. I cut my handle bars about 1.5" inches on each side.

kamtsa

Was it a M or S Brompton?

https://www.brompton.co.uk/page.asp?p=3060

chagzuki

I'm not keen on Dahons without a thudbuster (ST), I think the small wheels plus aluminium frame needs something to soften the ride. So factoring that into the price changes the comparison once again. Plus the thudbuster increases the folded size a little and adds to the weight. The Brompton is still way heavier but it's a better shape for carrying.

vmaniqui

+1. i have a Curve SL (8 speed) also and i love it. it's getting more usage than my Dahon Speed TR. that is to be expected as my TR is my weekend bike and my SL is my everyday bike due to it's fold and size.

bhkyte

Brompton =16" 349
Curve =16" 305
Brompton therefore has slightly bigger wheels not smaller

owenfinn

M type. It looked like the Brompton below but was a new model.

kamtsa

M type has more upright position than the S and its stem/handlebar have more flex. S type is stiffer and more sporty. When I got my Brompton few months ago I test rode both and liked the S more.

fietsbob

check the tire width ..the 349 is a 37 tire , a wider tire , like a 60, on a 305 rim .
can bring the conbined outside diameter right up to equal ..

jur

349mm+2*28mm=405mm; 305+2*50=405mm, same.

The old inch sizes were based on approx. outer diameter, not rim diameter. 405mm=16".

Jiten

What folder is the one on the right? It's got a nice handlebar. But that bag on the rear is way up there.

owenfinn

That's the Curve SL with a Rixen & Kaul backpack on the back. Because of the klickfix adapter, I have to keep it up high in order to lower the seatpost. You really don't know it's there once you are moving. I can attach it to the handlebar post up front with a klickfix caddy adapter when I'm carrying more weight than usual.



Those are Ergon GC3 grips on the handlebars.

Jiten

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining that and for another nice photo. I enjoy browsing your Flickr bike photos. Is there a folder brand which is particularly popular in Japan (or more popular than other brands)?

folder fanatic

I always said that it depends on how long you intend to keep the bike in question. For myself at one time I own both a couple of Dahons and a Brompton. The Dahons for the most part were passable-until I started inquiring about purchasing frame, stem, handlebar, and seat post latches to replace the ones on the bikes. I experienced too much hassles and problems and sold off or donated all my Dahons away (and don't regret it). I only buy now or keep bikes that can be upgraded or parts replaced without too much problems-the same Brompton as before and now a Raleigh Twenty.

owenfinn

I'd say amongst the Japanese folding aficionados the BD-1 is considered to be king. You'd be surprised how often you see them on the street. Tyrell also has a great reputation but you don't see them nearly as often.

kamtsa

BD-1 is a Birdy, right?

https://www.mizutanibike.co.jp/bd-1/bike11/bike01.html

owenfinn

Right.

Not scientific at all but maybe interesting - a cycling magazine counted the number of folding bikes that went by in a day along the Tama River cycling path in Tokyo. They counted 5 BD-1's , 4 KHS's, 4 Dahons and 1 Brompton.

2_i 

Sorry to bring that up, but after all Japan deserves it. The most popular music act in Japan, cf. e.g. Akihabara News, is the group AKB48. Now, I did not want to offend Birdy .

kamtsa

Amazing technology BTW, consider that she is virtual but I am regressing ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ji3R...eature=related

Jiten

Thanks, both look like nice bikes.

pacificcyclist

The price of the bike depends upon how much a rider values the bike and its intended function. Brompton is specialty bike much like the Dahon and if you are just looking at the price, you can get an equally capable 700c race bike for almost the same price, rides better and faster and has the best and latest gearing to Brompton's 6 speed. But you know, you can't look at it this way based only on price and features. You should look at buying a bike that suits your needs first and functionality at the price point you can afford. The value of the bike is then amortized through years of usage. Which means, how much would you save by simply commuting every day with the bike? With the Dahon, you can easily pay it off sooner than the Brompton. But people with Bromptons have money and some bragging rights. That's what I notice with people in my town who own them. Some of them are better served with other folders. But you can not stop people from buying the name much like when Lance Armstrong were doing so well on the Tour De France which helped Trek sold many of their race bikes.

LilGadgetGuy

Yeah, the gearing on the Brompton seems weird to me but not a deal killer or a big deal. But you're comparing fixed-framed bikes to folding ones? Yeah, that's def. a moot point w/r/t functionality...it's just like comparing a 7-inch Ka-bar fixed knife w/ a 4-inch tactical folding knife. It doesn't really make too much sense for the intended purpose.

But even w/ plenty of disposable income for a $1k+ bike (before accessories), it doesn't make much sense to recommend a Brompton over a less expensive brand as a first folder. Just as in the same vein as buying a Honda Civic over an Acura NSX--both good cars but you need to be an enthusiast/aficionado to really appreciate the latter. Otherwise, you're just wasting more on gas...

Well, I think there's a sweet spot when it comes to buying some things. And w/ the Dahons, I'm gathering that these bikes have a shorter expiration date compared to Bromptons because of constant changes in design... But it's prob. compensated w/ lower sticker cost. Overall, I think it's close to a coin flip leaning in Brompton's favor.

As for the cult and bragging rights thing: I consider that the last thing on the list of features, it's not a factor for me. I don't care about getting things because they are status symbols--I want to enjoy them myself, not what others think. Besides, I already feel like I'm apart of the folding bike club since people always want to talk about the weird bike you're riding.