Yeah, I thought so too at first but I went through the entire Dahon website - 2004 and 2005, domestic and international - and while similar, it doesn't match any specific Dahon model.
Guess it's another "no-name" type bike. (and at $350CAD for an aluminum frame, I'm guessing this is a Chinese knock off)
OT: not to stir up a hornet's nest, but the "high-end" folders people keep talking about (Birdy, Brompton, Frog??) *seem* to have one thing going for them: folded size. Are they particularly good rides or is their popularity due to their compactness? (let's assume non-suspension models)
On Thu, 26 May 2005 18:04:31 -0400, "C.J.Patten" <cjpatten@KNOWSPAMrogers.com> wrote:
OT: not to stir up a hornet's nest, but the "high-end" folders people keep >talking about (Birdy, Brompton, Frog??) *seem* to have one thing going for >them: folded size. Are they particularly good rides or is their popularity >due to their compactness? (let's assume non-suspension models)
Ah, well. Over on uk.rec.cycling I've been appending "fold-unfold-fold-unfold" to every other post, since I've just taken delivery of a new Brompton L6
The popularity of the Brom is largely down to compactness - although it rides fine, and if it's all you have you'll be reasonably content, if I were going out for a century ride and had to pick one of my bikes, the Brom would not be it.
The Birdy Grey rides better, I'm told.
I have read reviews of the Halfway which claim that it is a genuinely rideable bike; I think it's OK (for a wedgie) but I've not ridden any distance on one. Although Mike Burrows didn't actually design it AFAIK, it does have some Burrows influences.
The popularity of the Brom is largely down to compactness
But not just compactness: speed and ease of compactness are all part and parcel of it. You can get Moultons into smaller spaces by taking them to bits, but not in 15 seconds you can't.
The Birdy Grey rides better, I'm told.
It might well ride better after you've changed the *thing* it comes supplied with for a comfortable saddle. I commented on this to Darth Ben after trying a BGr out at Kinetics and his reply was on the lines of "R&M feel that a high end bike like this should have a sport saddle, but I'd put something like a Brooks on it myself". Well, quite.
The Birdies share a common frame, so they tend to ride much the same though a choice of bar stems is available (the "comfort" is standard on the Green, but can be specified on any Birdy), and of course you can change the saddles to suit. The standard Birdy stem gives the bike a riding position that's rather more stretched out like a "proper" sports bike. I've not tried the comfort stem.
The Birdy frame is quite a bit stiffer than a Brom, the wheels are a little bigger and the front suspension makes an appreciable difference to ride quality. The better gearing options make it a superior "do anything" bike, though of course it does cost a lot more, even in the basic Red flavour, and the Brom does what it excels at better than a Birdy. You choose, you lose...
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
Peter Clinch wrote:> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:>
The popularity of the Brom is largely down to compactness >
But not just compactness: speed and ease of compactness are all part and > parcel of it. You can get Moultons into smaller spaces by taking them > to bits, but not in 15 seconds you can't.>
The Brompton is also supremely nimble for getting through traffic in a way that bigger wheeled bikes are not - partly due to the size of gap you can turn a big wheel into. They also have the supremely useful quickfold which I use all the time to park it temporarily.
-- Tony
"A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought" Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy L. Sayers)
<frkrygow@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1117166414.248673.158980@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...>
C.J.Patten wrote:>>
Was thinking of going to get the Giant tonight but I may have a date (not>> with a bike ;)>>
I'll post back once I give the 'Halfway another test ride or if I get to >> try>> any others.>
Well, tell us the results, and don't spare the details.>
Oh, and let us know about the bike, too!
LOL! Well, I'm having breakfast with her this morning. (called, not nudged ;)
I'm off to Peterborough and London later today so I'll have a look at folding bikes down there while I'm at it. No sense in buying a bike that's going to sit in my bedroom while I'm away - might as well do some bike shopping while I'm out of town. ;)
