They are surprising me by offering what looks like a pretty complete spectrum of bikes: perf, commuter, mountain....

Not that I'm any expert, but I expect they'll have their best initial success with niche folders like the Verge line, since Big D seem to have dropped the ball on that part of the market. I'm keen for one anyway, assuming the price isn't criminal

Verge X30h

Now we wait for pricing and when the bikes will actually show up.

Looks like a Speed Pro TT. Almost bought one the other year,but the brakes were crap. Dahon fixed this by going to V brakes. Wonder if Tern has fixed the caliper brake issue on this model?

I think this is the only color I like, but I like the looks of their Joe model -


https://ternbicycles.com/bikes/joe-p24

That's probably the most normal looking folding bike I've seen. That doesn't require tools to fold/unfold, at least...

Maybe I'm jaded after owning many folding bikes, but I'm just not impressed with another lineup of mid-frame folding bikes. Where's the innovation?




< ducks for cover >

While they may not BE Dahons, they sure look a lot like them. And that is what prospective buyers are going to see. Many buyers won't know the first thing about strong hinges etc. I think Tern are going to have an uphill battle. Of course drawing upon a global Dahon distribution and sales network is going to help lots.

That's why I think specialty-niche buyers will be the first converts. Because they know. Someone buying their latest $1K+ bike has different criteria from someone buying a $300 bike for their dorm room. Both valid customers (and the dorm kids probably outnumber the enthusiasts twenty-to-one, though the margins are slimmer), but different.

They seem to be a fair bit heavier than Dahons. Some of the 20" models with IGH are over 14 kg; that's too heavy IMO.

Telescopic handlepost is only on one model (the cheapo Link) so stiffness is achieved through sacrifice of adjustability.

I am one of those speciality-niche buyers. These bikes look too common to catch my interest.

You can only get so novel and so uncommon before you are out in left field. Folders are a specialty-niche market to start with. When you start breaking that market down into smaller niches, pretty soon you need to be making custom bikes instead of standard models.

I'm seeing what looks like a number of tasty bikes to me. I don't care if they look a lot like Dahons - I liked Dahons just fine.

I also like that I am seeing what looks like two belt driven Alfine 11 speed bikes. (Edit: NOT belt driven. Covered chain driven.) I'm really eager to see the msrp on the Eclipse 11i and the Verge 11i. The Eclipse looks like a 24 inch belt drive Alfine 11 with disc brakes. I only know of one "conventional" 2011 production 700 cm bike that kinda matches that, the Spot Acme. Maybe one of the other folder makers is offering something like this - I don't know. Bike Friday would be my guess, and then as a somewhat custom bike?

Tern Link Uno...Dahon Mu Uno
Tern Joe D24...Dahon Jack D24

The acorn didn't fall very far from the tree!

I tend to agree. There is nothing new there really just more of the same with go faster looking colours and stripes, the only possible exception being the Joe model maybe.

Regards

Jerry

Having built up the Dahon line over some decades, and apparently being the driving force behind much of the current line-up of Dahon bikes, it seems logical and of sound business mind to me that Josh Hon is keeping to the latest stuff he oversaw development of, instead of taking a whole new direction, which would be very risky. He improved on one of the major weaknesses, the hinges and their locks. That would probably have a major impact on the ride quality/ flexiness.

I'm not won over by these either. I don't think they're an aesthetic improvement on Dahon bikes, some of the colour choices seem a bit off to me and black anodizing/powdercoating seems to be on all the bits that tend to scratch (handlepost, seat post, cranks)

One improvement is that the the 180 handlebar rotation gets the folded size a bit smaller though on the Link this appears to result in a chainring that projects slightly further past the frame hinge, not nice in terms of oiliness.

Some of the latest Dahon models already incorporate that in their fold.

Yep. Of course the Tern marketing has said that "Tern" is a pun on "turn" and that Mr. J. Hon wanted to call the new company "180" as in "change course and go in the completely opposite direction". The hardware - which actually seems like a nice evolutionary step - doesn't really match the Tern marketing spiel.

wow ... a daily dose of bickering?
tcs.... chagzuky ....nobody will force you guys to buy one....
whats your beef ?

thor

If Tern bikes would come from a no name Asian manufacturer we would consider them to be Dahon clones.

Hopefully they will have better service and spare part availability.

+1

Dissent should not be tolerated!

No beef, just observations.

Bring on the Dahon Curl.

and yes .... I agree..I want to see the Curl as well.... and hopefully some other bikes I suggested ...

And thats one of the reasons why both companies have a great future... They are different ..different philosophies ... different bikes,,,, different prices .... and and and
there is plenty of room for both brands.....

Earlier comments about the weight and size....
I understand that Tern is concerned about durability ..... if there is durability being gained while weight is sacrified... than Tern will make the bike just a tad heavier for the gain in durability ( Durability also in terms of servicability )
Size versus ride quality ..... ride quality gets the nod over size when folded .....

Adjustability ... the bikes I saw with one piece handlepost/stem have a vastly adjustable ( no tools) stem, which allows pretty big adjustments forward lower and higher closer ... to the rider. Not the lightest but the most adjustable way of doing this.

Spare parts...Tern has put the bar pretty high... lets see.... I mean best would be if no parts would be ever needed, right... lol
But lets see and wait... so far there is no need to have parts before the bikes arrive ...Lets see whats all will be in the first containersdown the road , that will most likely be an indication ...

and now ..lets stop that bickering about theoretical this and that
and rather ride the bikes we have and look forward to the new 2012 Dahons and the new 2012 Terns....

thor

Do you know whether tern handleposts and forks use the same headset and are therefore compatible with Dahons? It'd be handy if there was cross-compatibility.

Handlebars appear to fold to the outside; I wonder how they're held in place. The handlepost latch looks smartly designed so as to lie flat when folded, perhaps some sort of tension in the latch holds the bars in place? The latches do look very good.

Yeah, I was kind of struck by this - Dahon's full size folder is the "Jack"; Tern's full size folder is the "Joe?"

But I am very curious about the new hinges.