Decathlon (or other cheaper folders)?

[jefmcg]

It really does depend on use: I put 8,000km/year on my folder (140-240km/week commuting), take it on crowded trains, have flown across the world with it, put it in the back of a Ka and cycled along the Ruhr valley, ridden London to Brighton 3 times and the Dunwich Dynamo on it. I wouldn't be happy with a cheap, decathlon folder.

My partner has put a few hundred kilometres on his, used it to multimode commute occasionally on the London Overground, which allows non-folded bikes at all times, cycled 15km to the city a few times on summer Sundays, taken on Eurostar once and the longest trip has been a 30km pootle (with me) around the Loire valley. He wanted a folder so it could live in the corner of the room always ready for a half hour coffee-and-cake run. He couldn't be happier with his £250 Hoptown, and I doubt he will ever wear out the frame - mere slip of a boy that he is.

 

[robgul]

It's horses for courses .. as with any bike.

I would suggest that for most casual folder use the Decathlon machines would be fine, and good value ... they do look very much as if they are Dahon manufactured (as are lots of other rebadged brands like Phillips, Raleigh, Dawes* etc)

* my Dawes folder even came with a Dahon branded manual for the folding instructions????

Rob

 

[AKA Bob]

If they don't want to buy a Dahon then tell them to look at the Terns which is a company set up by one of the Original Dahon designers. Just like a Dahon but cheaper!

 

[StuartG]

These occasionally appear on ebay: http://justwilliams.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/the-raleigh-ikea-folding-bike/

 

[The Eco Worrier]

Just as a follow-up to this, my colleague (after expressing surprise that I'd cycled in this morning) announced that today's snow was his fault as he bought a bike for his girlfriend yesterday. They went for the cheapest of the Decathlon folding bikes, the B-fold 3 which is single speed. Apparently the "£40 extra for the one with gears" was too much . He does however seem quite impressed with it so far (though they haven't actually ridden it thanks to snow and ice) and concedes that he will probably borrow it to use himself occasionally.

I followed the link and Decathlon described their bike thus "OCCASIONALLY riding on roads and easy to store. A folding bike, pure and simple! "

It's main function is storage, with riding it an added bonus??

 

[Little My]

If they don't want to buy a Dahon then tell them to look at the Terns which is a company set up by one of the Original Dahon designers. Just like a Dahon but cheaper!

Cheaper?! Have you seen the prices for the top end Terns? I'd say both makes fall into the same price bracket, depending on the model you choose. They are of comparative quality considering they have been designed by the same people who now sue each other over the rights to the design.
Tern are marketing themselves as an improvement on the Dahon designs, as Josh Hon was not happy with the substandard quality of Dahon frames and components knocked out by Dahon China (owned by his dad), so decided to set up his own shop (or rather to keep the most important bit of the business - Dahon Global responsible for innovations, patents and marketing and the Taiwanese factory where they make the higher quality bikes).

 

[AKA Bob]

Little My you are probably right. What would a happy Brompton owner know anyway?

 

[Little My]

Little My you are probably right. What would a happy Brompton owner know anyway?

Ha! I know I'm right !
Seriously, I've been looking into it as my dream bike is a sporty, expensive folder (some of the top end Dahons and Terns are as light as road bikes and have insane range of gears). My goal - ride it through Richmond Park and fly past gaping roadies !

 

[The Jogger]

I was thinking of one of these as the train company (southern) seem to have an over enthusiastic rev inspector lady pulling people about having full size bikes on the train during peak times, also you can't really get past the barrier staff at Victoria with a FS bike in the evening peak.

Any views on them , they had a good review in CA


http://www.decathlon.co.uk/tilt-9-folding-bike-copper-id_8202739.html

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlrQ9JSg8Os

 

[robgul]

I was thinking of one of these as the train company (southern) seem to have an over enthusiastic rev inspector lady pulling people about having full size bikes on the train during peak times, also you can't really get past the barrier staff at Victoria with a FS bike in the evening peak.

Any views on them , they had a good review in CA


http://www.decathlon.co.uk/tilt-9-folding-bike-copper-id_8202739.html

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlrQ9JSg8Os

Can't quite see the advantage for the massively higher price ... belt drive? - heavier frame? - why? - the regular Decathlon folder at £250 would do the same job (and you've only spent half the money if it doesn't ... and it would probably be more saleable)

Rob

 

[Teuchter]

Can't quite see the advantage for the massively higher price ... belt drive? - heavier frame? - why? - the regular Decathlon folder at £250 would do the same job (and you've only spent half the money if it doesn't ... and it would probably be more saleable)

I'd guess you're paying for the belt drive (for cleanliness on busy commuter trains), hub gears and dynamo lighting.

Looks a fairly good spec for the price but in my opinion it does look bloody ugly!

 

[BJH]

They do a single speed for £130 and and a 6 gear version for £179 - I was quite impressed

 

[arallsopp]

I was thinking of one of these as [...] you can't really get past the barrier staff at Victoria with a FS bike in the evening peak.

Ah.. you say that, but after my recent off I had to get a full sus heavyweight recumbent back home from that very station. After a couple of rejections (Bromley trains are very frequent) I twigged that the platforms are all joined up on the other side of the barriers, so picked the friendliest / emptiest looking one, steered towards it, then veered off to the right platform once I was safely past

If it can be done with 8 foot worth of steel, it'll certainly work with a folder

 

[The Jogger]

Ah.. you say that, but after my recent off I had to get a full sus heavyweight recumbent back home from that very station. After a couple of rejections (Bromley trains are very frequent) I twigged that the platforms are all joined up on the other side of the barriers, so picked the friendliest / emptiest looking one, steered towards it, then veered off to the right platform once I was safely past

If it can be done with 8 foot worth of steel, it'll certainly work with a folder

Ha, nice one, folders are allowed it's the full sized bikes that aren't and were I board platforms 15 - 19 doesn't give me the same scope you have hence thinking of a folder next c2w scheme at work.

 

[g4iwo]

I am a regular cyclist but live outside London which means that I can't bring my bike onto any train that arrives before 9.45 and i have to wait until 7pm to get home! This has meant that I have been using the london hire bikes - i have found them a little unreliable. You can't guarantee that there will be abide available not a space at the station when you get back. At worst i had to travel for 10 minutes to find a space and then walk 20 minutes back! This led me to look at folding bikes. I don't have a lot of money- so i looked at the decathlon bikes. I bought the BFold3 for £140. I am 6 ft tall , not slightly built - but this bike is a great ride. Very comfortable.It folds up as required for my morning train ride . Its quite heavy but lifting it on and off the train is as much carrying involved!
It does not have gears. But has anyone here ridden a London hire bike. If so you have almost certainly never used anything than top gear on it. So the Bfold3 - no gears less to go wrong- is perfect for London riding . I have had mine two months now and think its great !