DAHON FOR TOURING

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by horizon »

buryman wrote:Think the lowest gear on a Speed TR is about 21"

Thanks. That's a decent bottom if your not camping.


I think it's because they think you won't be camping. Given the small wheels, I don't see a problem with getting the gears really low on a folder - it's just that they imagine you popping round the block on it.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
simonhill
Posts: 5227
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by simonhill »

Si wrote:WRT luggage, i think the trick is not to go for conventionsl panniers on small wheeled bikes, rather go for, say, a 70l+ rucksack sat on the rear rack with the top attached to the back of the saddle. Plus a brommie style bag attached to the head tube.


Si, the use of a big rucksack solves the off bike carrying stuff problem. How do small wheel bikes handle with it on the back? How do you secure, straps (non elastic) or bungees? For my tent on rack, I found straps with locking buckles to be good.

I have done multi day hikes with full camping gear in a 60+ litre sac, so that's a good size. For non camping I would hope to drop to 40 or less. Unfortunately modern sacks are so over engineered with multitudes of straps and buckles, that ad weight and often just get in the way.
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by Si »

I tend to strap things together with old style toe straps. If putting a big ruck sack on tge rack you may need a bit of wood under it to stop the edges sagging if it isnt stuffed rigid.
malvandy
Posts: 71
Joined: 5 Mar 2017, 7:34pm
Location: Central France

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by malvandy »

This morning I went to the only place I could possibly try out a folding bike "Decathlon". Top of the range folding bike for them is the Tilt 500 B'twin. The store is a huge space, not many customers so they allowed me to ride one. Yes I found it weird at first but as many have mentioned , you get there in the end. The lower end Shimano gear changer & cassette didn't worry me as that's all changeable, so to are the wheels & the linear pull cantilever brakes. However try as hard as I did just couldn't get a comfy bike fit. Bearing in mind I am not a huge bloke, average size & weight. At 5'9" I had the seat back as far as it could go but was still to close to the handlebars , handlebars not height or reach adjustable because of it's folding down ability. I was also allowed to ride it in their huge ware house which had a open door to a pathway. Anything other than hard even surface is just a no goer on this bike. It certainly looks like if this intended tour on a folder is to take place will have to spend a lot more money to get the upper end of this sort of bike. Pleased I didn't just go out & buy one . it would have been a waste of money> It is what it says on the packet, " town bike run around". I haven't given up altogether but will consider what I can do in the spring.
KTHSullivan
Posts: 587
Joined: 4 Aug 2017, 1:15pm
Location: Wind Swept Lincolnshire

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by KTHSullivan »

Malvadny,

Excellent source of info is:

[url]http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/
[/url]
Lots of combined experience of folders in general and a list of subjective reviews from members

KTHS
Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed. :lol:
hoppy58
Posts: 343
Joined: 9 Mar 2011, 3:07pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by hoppy58 »

The Decathlon looks very short in the 'top tube'. Have you had a look at C H White's shop? I realise you are in France, but I would think they could ship to you.They are folder specialists and also stock spares, so if you bought a used one, you could potentially upgrade/repair as required - there are a lot of used Dahon Speed D7s (steel frames) around, which could be used to build up as a tourer.

http://www.foldingbikes.biz/

I managed to get a little used, immaculate Dahon Speed TR 24 speed, on Gumtree, for around the £400 mark and I love it. I have used it for day rides, train journeys and local loaded trips. It's extremely comfortable and really does ride like a real bike..it also has an adjustable 'stem' and ergon bar end grips, so there is a degree of adjustment in reach. Mine came with a klikfix fitting and bar bag, together with the proper full size rear rack. The Joules dyno hub works flawlessly, although I have changed the headlight to B&M cyo LED as the supplied halogen light was inadequate.

I haven't toured on it yet but plan to do so. Here's mine, complete with tent on rear rack for illustration purposes!

[ImageIMG_5552 by hop58, on Flickr*]

[ImageIMG_5554 by hop58, on Flickr*]

[ImageIMG_5555 by hop58, on Flickr*]
drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by drossall »

I'm about the same height as malvandy, but I found my Dahon Vitesse, which looks similar in proportions to hoppy58's bike, quite short. You can get stem extenders - I've got an Aber Hallo one; there's also a Litepro. The only issue is that they can affect the fold because the bars end up nearer the ground than the maker intended.
hoppy58
Posts: 343
Joined: 9 Mar 2011, 3:07pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by hoppy58 »

I'm about the same height as malvandy, but I found my Dahon Vitesse, which looks similar in proportions to hoppy58's bike, quite short.


I had a Vitesse 7 before I bought the Speed TR and I think they are about the same dimensions, although the stem and bar ends on the TR do make quite a difference over a longer ride..The set up in the pics is for me at 5'8". - The stems in the 'links', are more or less the same as the original fitted to the TR.
drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by drossall »

I've got (long) bar ends as well. Of course, the combined effect is to make the bars touch the ground when folded.
malvandy
Posts: 71
Joined: 5 Mar 2017, 7:34pm
Location: Central France

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by malvandy »

I know the OP asks about a Dahon for touring. Well it transpires that a bloke with a camping car was looking to go electric. To cut a long story short I managed to get his nearly new Tilt 500 for 80euros. At that price it brings me into the world of folding bikes. I can decide for myself if it's worth it. What I didn't notice before was the need for different handlebars. So what can be put on without comprising the fold. Wheels & brakes are easy & won't effect anything when it's folded. So any suggestions for handlebars?
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20309
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by mjr »

malvandy wrote:I know the OP asks about a Dahon for touring. Well it transpires that a bloke with a camping car was looking to go electric. To cut a long story short I managed to get his nearly new Tilt 500 for 80euros. At that price it brings me into the world of folding bikes. I can decide for myself if it's worth it. What I didn't notice before was the need for different handlebars. So what can be put on without comprising the fold. Wheels & brakes are easy & won't effect anything when it's folded. So any suggestions for handlebars?

You're probably stuck with fairly unswept riser handlebars. If you need a different height, there are replacement stems on sale for folding bikes, most of which have handlebar clamps with removable front plates and some of which are height-adjustable, but you'll need to take the current stem out of the steerer and measure things to see what might fit. There's probably a bolt head inside the handlebar stem fold which tightens/loosens an old-style quill wedge, so undo it a few turns (enough but not so many the bolt can be pulled out - you want at least 3 or 4 turns of thread still engaged wedge) then if things don't loosen, tap it down cautiously with a rubber hammer or a hammer padded by a block of scrap wood.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
macspud
Posts: 50
Joined: 26 May 2012, 12:51am

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by macspud »

There is a youtube video of a round the world tour on a tern Folding bike. Seems to have a lot of gear and his route was pretty punishing. The bike certainly didn't seem to save any money on his flights.
The video is certainly worth a watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9CP3k1b-Ks
Zanda
Posts: 483
Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 1:07pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by Zanda »

I have an aluminium-framed Dahon MU P8 which it relatively efficient, and a cro-mo Dahon Impulse which is a touch shorter, and soaks up the bumps well.

I'd choose the steel model for cycle touring. I found that the rack it came with doesn't allow me to use my panniers without heel strike, but another rack should. That rack would need to be long to allow the bag hooks to fit further back. I reckon the Tortec Expedition may do that, as it's very long. I'd also fit a front rack of the type recently recommended by mjr.

The frame on the steel-framed Dahon is short which puts me bolt upright. This is fine for journeys under 10 miles, but I'd prefer my spine to be less vertical on longer rides. To try and achieve that, I'm soon to try a different handlebar, to extend the reach. I'm considering bullhorn bars, having seen them on a Bike Friday.
User avatar
Cunobelin
Posts: 10801
Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by Cunobelin »

Depending on how much you wish to carry, the Airnimal could be an option

Fairly compact fold, and with 24" wheels is more like a full size bike in teh way that it rides


... not my bike, just one I used to illustrate:

Image
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: DAHON FOR TOURING

Post by Si »

...to add to that, you can also get a replacement fork that has low rider mounts so can get even more on it.
Post Reply