tcs

Here:

https://dahonbikes.com/mainnav/foldin...ing-bikes.html

New color schemes, 30th anv. bikes, Mu P11, Vectors, Vybes. When, if ever, these bikes might be @ retailers is known only to Dr. Hon.

chagzuki

The western arm of Dahon isn't looking good IMO, the range of bikes is getting messier and more gimmicky, the graphic design uglier and the website is full of typos and bad translation.

Azreal911

Their range is a bit confusing with sooo many different types of frames and hinge technologies, they are pumping out mass numbers of bikes instead of concentrating on a few and make the few better. oh wait that's his son's company . It's gotta be a nightmare for dealers to even keep track of this! There's at least 9-10 different frames from what I can see here.

but I saw this one had potential:

https://dahonbikes.com/nc/mainnav/fol...%5Bbike%5D=104

a two speed automatic bike but the killer is they made the entire frame of hi tensile steel! don't know why did they move away from aluminum or to cut costs but this two gear bike is a beefy 32lbs! sadly my OLD 21 speed mtn bike with fat tires weigh the same.

another thing that really confused me is this line:

"a SRAM Automatix coaster hub. By simply moving your feet into the back position, the gears will shift up for increased versatility."

isn't what they are describing a sturmey archer kick back hub?? the automatix just changes without anything.

smallwheeler

agreed.

Foldable Two

Only 33 different models - what's the gripe???

Fenway

Check on this one:
https://dahonbikes.com/mainnav/specials/eezz.html

The EEZZ appears to be a Western replacement for the Curl.

JosephLMonti

That looks exactly like their Jifo 16 model:

https://dahonbikes.com/nc/mainnav/fol...ts%5Bbike%5D=9

...its all a bit confusing...

smallwheeler

the jifo is a copy of the japanese bike, bipod mint. i dont know the story behind it, but apparently dahon either bought the mint or licensed the design to produce the jifo. the awkwardly named EEZZ looks like a jifo MKII... the EEZZ looks great, but guaranteed 1000 + price point.

tcs

Only the Visc frame could even charitably be described as new for 2013, and it looks like a reworking of the old Helios. For reference: dividing Dahon's total production by that number of frame designs would suggest each frame is produced in three or four times the volume of Brompton's total production of their single frame design.

Or not. The Vybe City is a two-speed model of the Eco C6, which has always had a hi-ten steel frame (just like Brompton).

smallwheeler

in my opinion, dahon make too many bikes. they jettison and discontinue good bikes without further development. its difficult to see strength on strength development in their designs. there is something schizophrenic or ADD about it all.

mconlonx

Dahon buzz in this thread = complaints of pointy elbows.

smallwheeler

i've always liked elbows. but, why all the endless variation? some elbows are, in fact, too pointy. smoother, more rounded elbows with a consistent radius would be preferable.

tcs

Two years ago they had 47 models in their catalog.


Hmph. The 2013 Jetstream gets disc brakes.

NeoteriX

That Dahon is using the older Mu frame for its Anniversary models -- is that because of patent/IP restrictions on the use of the newer Vector/Verge frame?

Dynocoaster 

I wished they used the Speed Uno frame for a 2 speed.

tcs

Probably. The court injunction only applies in the EU, though, and Dahon sells the Vectors everywhere else in the world. As others have noted, from the outside looking in it seems like Dahon sometimes changes things just to change things, and I've never been clear on what problem the Vector frame was trying to solve vs. the Mu. It was a Mu-based bike that was ridden to victory in the 2012 Nocturne Folding Bike Race.

morphix

Now half the company has split off into Tern, and their bikes take a simpler product line approach with more competitive pricing, I think Dahon is going to have to bring out new designs too.. That said, the Dahon inventory has some very good sellers and classic designs, like the JetStream P8 which I doubt Tern will ever be able to match. The price of Dahon's has been falling a lot in the UK at least, you can pick up Dahon Uno's and Mu's for a lot cheaper now...maybe that is in response to Tern's product pricing? Tern has the benefit of the Dahon reputation and expertise behind it, an unfair advantage for a newcomer ;-) it's naturally going to impact on Dahon I think.

tcs

Dr. Hon claims to have some 1200+ employees; Josh said some 50-60 left to form Tern. Dr. Hon claims a production capacity of over a million and a half bikes a year, Josh said he hoped they could move 50-60,000 in their first year. Hey, I'm not in the industry and I'm not privy to insider numbers, but judging by what Tern themselves has said to the public, I don't think they would claim to be more that 5% of the old Dahon company.

So far as Tern's new designs, they won a Eurobike award in 2012 for their new Swoop bike. Dahon won a Eurobike award for this same design...in 2005.

morphix

Yeah I guess the real test will be how well the Tern company does over the next year or two and whether the brand become established. If people didn't know that the people behind Tern were involved with Dahon, they might not give those bikes much consideration over Dahon which is the undisputed market leader, so I do think they have that in their favour.

Do you think Tern being a much smaller company with a more focused and smaller product line will work in its favour (lower overheads) than the massive Dahon? Or perhaps Dahon's larger production capacity and larger advertising clout/distribution network will mean it stays ahead on pricing. I wonder if these two companies will end up as main rivals, or whether the market will just see Tern as a different bike maker, not a cheaper Dahon bike.

brakemeister

The Tern Swoosh loks similar .. has 20 inch wheels, and a low entry frame.... but thats were the similarities stop if you look any closer. A massive bottom bracket to say the least, great carrier built in... and and and .... cool bike.

Tern is not the cheaper Dahon..... Both companies offer a lot for the buck ... some wildly overpriced models sprinkled in the mix. ( I am not without critique ..... )

And again whats on the worldwide site, doesnt mean it will translate into the US market either, which in most cases is good, but sometimes they have a jewel which is not available over here. No Dahons fault, as their dealers have input in the models they offer in their individual countries. My guess is that they need to plan at least for a 1000 to 3000 bikes of one kind for one market.... If the dealer commit to 100 ...its most likely never happen.... and thats understandable as well, spare part availibility, catalogs, pricelists, marketing efforts etc etc fall short if they only sell a handfull ...

thor

JosephLMonti

Thanks for your insights...it does help to explain some of the reasoning behind Dahon's decision to carry so many models. Nevertheless, I still see a lot of redundancy. For instance, even if we look at a single market like the USA, why does Dahon offer the Eco C7 and the Vibe C7A? What's the difference here? Or even comparing the Mariner with the Speed D7. I know one is aluminum (vs steel), but is this a major factor at the lower-end price point? If the answer is yes, then why not just offer the Boardwalk D8 (instead of Speed D7) since that's definitely going to be offered in other markets? Don't get me wrong, I like Dahon and some amount of variety, but this really seems to be overkill.

brakemeister

I agree .... not with the mariner and the speed .. those are indeed different .... but others not so much ...