Read this with interest.
I bought a Dahon matrix on 2008. Old design. The spokes were not sufficient in number or quality to deal with the weight of the bike or the stresses imposed by the disc brakes. After numerous spokes breaking i had both wheels re built with stronger spokes. Problems solved.
Year later the seat tube broke clean through just below the top weld. Result after a bit of haggling was a new 2009 style lockjaw frame. with the best components of both bikes.
The lock jaw mech is fiddly and the bolts tend to need tightening after every trip. Additionally, the components used are of a soft alloy and the eye nut which the cam lock into deforms and breaks. I am on the third set. Of course in breaking this transmits more stress to the frame.
I have just overhauled the drive train and was looking at replacing the bottom bracket. WHich being dahon is not quite the right fit for an octalink spline, and is made of a material thats strips quicker the nitromors. Whilst cleaning the area and degreasing, I notice the Weld of the seat tube to the BB has fratured and a nice crack is working its way up the down tube.
Local shop don't want to know. They have referred me to the distributor Raleigh. Raliegh have no liability for cliams prior to 2012 sales. I am now trying to deal with Taiwan. It doesnot inspire confidence that since 2008, dahon bikes have been distributed by Parker,Zyro, Cyclemotion? and Raleigh. Each distributor exits, and one wonders why. Dahon itself appears gripped by an internal civil war... so get any answer could take months.
So now I have a bike that could collapse. So I investigate a welding solution. Only problem I have is trying to get the bb out. Overall II am fairly disheartened.
I am sure there are dahon owners out there who love their bikes. I use mine for commuting and on FGW, it is ideal for those occasions when the genrous (ha) 5 spaces for bikes are full. Speak to people at Paddington and 90% will relay similar problems - especially the spokes.
Personally, I do not believe a bike should have a lifespan of only 5 years. I have an older Marin back up bike (bolineas Ridge) i bought second hand, and it is bullet proof. If you are thinking of buying a dahon, speak to the shop and ask about the dealer back up. Have a look on google and see the reviews.
For me I will be looking at a Montague or going to a fixed frame. I am saddened that after investing in upgrading Cheap[ components the frame has again let me down. It is not like PAddington to central London is a challenging mountain bike terrain. Interested to hear other views
Dahon Matrix - 2009 model
Re: Dahon Matrix - 2009 model
2018. It’s still going.
Yeah, it creaks a bit when it hasn’t rained in a while or when you take it up the ditchling beacon, but while folk walk their road bikes up that on the London to Brighton, my (slightly) creaky Dahon Matrix (lockjaw genius) heaved it’s way up.
I remember reading this post when I first got it and thought I’d live to regret my purchase. 9 years on, thousands of commuting miles later, hundreds of commuting folds, hills, roads, occasionally off-road, this thing has been my steed. The brakes have been replaced, the tyres on their second generation, but I’m starting to worry, as it ages, surely one day it’ll fail, like the neyseyers claimed, maybe I’m the lucky one.
So I’ve looked for a new one, so that when it does, there’s another ready to carry me 500,000 miles. But then alas, they no longer make the frame, presumably because it ‘creaks’ so much or it’s spokes are too ‘loose’ or whatever.
My feeling is this, after (honestly) hundreds of thousands of miles, of falling asleep on last trains or broken trains etc. with it and it’s got me home in spite of societal infrastructure failings, I’m gutted they don’t make a frame like it any longer. It’s your Chopper, your Grifter, or your Bianchi, it still amazes people that it folds, station staff, cycle enthusiasts, just people, ‘where does it fold?’, they say.
I cycle along happily, comfortably and smugly as I watch rattly bromptons bounce their way along London streets, folding in 7 thousand steps, avoiding potholes as their life depends on it, having surrendered valuable street cred and paid upwards of £1000 for the pleasure, and I can’t help but puff my chest out with pride, that all that time ago, I worried the bloggers were right, that I’d have egg on my face. Perhaps tomorrow I will, but for now, the old heavy mule keeps going, heck I’ve even pimped it a bit.
So I hope it’s he who shouts last, shouts longest or loudest or whatever because this is my love letter to my graphite coloured war horse, heavy, creaky, reliable.
Please bring it back...
Yeah, it creaks a bit when it hasn’t rained in a while or when you take it up the ditchling beacon, but while folk walk their road bikes up that on the London to Brighton, my (slightly) creaky Dahon Matrix (lockjaw genius) heaved it’s way up.
I remember reading this post when I first got it and thought I’d live to regret my purchase. 9 years on, thousands of commuting miles later, hundreds of commuting folds, hills, roads, occasionally off-road, this thing has been my steed. The brakes have been replaced, the tyres on their second generation, but I’m starting to worry, as it ages, surely one day it’ll fail, like the neyseyers claimed, maybe I’m the lucky one.
So I’ve looked for a new one, so that when it does, there’s another ready to carry me 500,000 miles. But then alas, they no longer make the frame, presumably because it ‘creaks’ so much or it’s spokes are too ‘loose’ or whatever.
My feeling is this, after (honestly) hundreds of thousands of miles, of falling asleep on last trains or broken trains etc. with it and it’s got me home in spite of societal infrastructure failings, I’m gutted they don’t make a frame like it any longer. It’s your Chopper, your Grifter, or your Bianchi, it still amazes people that it folds, station staff, cycle enthusiasts, just people, ‘where does it fold?’, they say.
I cycle along happily, comfortably and smugly as I watch rattly bromptons bounce their way along London streets, folding in 7 thousand steps, avoiding potholes as their life depends on it, having surrendered valuable street cred and paid upwards of £1000 for the pleasure, and I can’t help but puff my chest out with pride, that all that time ago, I worried the bloggers were right, that I’d have egg on my face. Perhaps tomorrow I will, but for now, the old heavy mule keeps going, heck I’ve even pimped it a bit.
So I hope it’s he who shouts last, shouts longest or loudest or whatever because this is my love letter to my graphite coloured war horse, heavy, creaky, reliable.
Please bring it back...
-
GideonReade
- Posts: 410
- Joined: 4 Jul 2010, 10:46pm
Re: Dahon Matrix - 2009 model
We have three of these, one each size. We bought a L and a M in 2007 (Evans again), after a bit my better half decided to switch to a small. We got that used, but it was a later model, I believe: Satin rather than gloss paint.
However, we really haven't the space for all of them, and one of the M or L has, or possibly both the L and S have, to go. From Sussex.
They haven't had that much use, for a few years we flew them to Fuertaventura for hols. We didn't fold them to fly, but we did fold them to fit in the small hatchbacks we hired.
They have been pretty much trouble free, once we got the hang of keeping the lockjaws tight. We're both fairly light, although the L has survived offroad loans to hefty son (snapped the chain).
We fitted hideous, heavy, TopPeak racks that clear the rear disks. And click fix bar bags. And stands. And locks. They're pretty porky in this config. And dual use tyres instead of slicks. I suppose usage can be observed from the fact that none of them have worn out their tyres.
Saddles have been changed and handlebars/stems/bar ends to make them more road friendly.
The M got, gets, more use as a shared town hack, and the transmission and brakes feel pretty tired. But it still goes and stops.
I can see that the folding can be quite useful for car transport and public transport. For some tours it could be a game changer.
Yeah, so if anyone's after one, either for a hack or to reuse the frame, get in touch.
However, we really haven't the space for all of them, and one of the M or L has, or possibly both the L and S have, to go. From Sussex.
They haven't had that much use, for a few years we flew them to Fuertaventura for hols. We didn't fold them to fly, but we did fold them to fit in the small hatchbacks we hired.
They have been pretty much trouble free, once we got the hang of keeping the lockjaws tight. We're both fairly light, although the L has survived offroad loans to hefty son (snapped the chain).
We fitted hideous, heavy, TopPeak racks that clear the rear disks. And click fix bar bags. And stands. And locks. They're pretty porky in this config. And dual use tyres instead of slicks. I suppose usage can be observed from the fact that none of them have worn out their tyres.
Saddles have been changed and handlebars/stems/bar ends to make them more road friendly.
The M got, gets, more use as a shared town hack, and the transmission and brakes feel pretty tired. But it still goes and stops.
I can see that the folding can be quite useful for car transport and public transport. For some tours it could be a game changer.
Yeah, so if anyone's after one, either for a hack or to reuse the frame, get in touch.