Dahon speed d7 @£199 good buy?

[borderghost]

After owning a mountain bike for the last 9 "shockwave xt950" which has been a very reliable bike only ever needing 2 new tyres and a rear cassette, worked very hard as it was also used for towing 2 children in a halfords trailer to school everyday for a few years, then at weekends used for asda shop as l could get a weeks shopping in the trailer, must have done at least 1000 miles per year if not more, bike only cost £150 new and would buy another if l could find one. It has now been scrapped as the crank bearings failed damaging the cones etc, I would have repaired but could not remove the fixed cup, also l did abuse the bike the last few months of winter riding it through some very deep puddles mainly for fun etc so it did need scrapping.

So as its time for a new bike I visited halfords today thinking of getting another mountain bike when l noticed they had a dahon speed 7 marked up at half price, now only £199, its a pale blue colour and looks very nice, anyway l had a good look round at all there bikes and nothing I really liked so left the store, now home l am starting to think the dahon speed 7 could actually be quite a good bike to own, and because it was originaly £399 I am assuming it must be of reasonable quality,
I will no longer be going off road and would now only use the trailer for shopping trips as the children are now teenagers, mainly the bike will be used for commuting to work 6 miles per day and leisure riding of weekend along canal tow path etc.

So my question are as follows. Is the dahon speed d7 a good bike to own? Is it reliable?, I had a look over the bike and it just appears to be ex display/discontinued, the display bike is the one l would be buying, its built up but the tyres are almost flat, gears/derailleur were lined up perfect but there was a clicking noise coming from the cassette area, slightly like the sound a bike makes when it wants to change gear, the member of staff said this was because the bike was new and the chain was still stiff and once the bike has done a few miles the noise will go, is this true?

I guess if I decide on this bike I need to get back to the store asap why its still available, Is this the bargain it appears, Tried searching forums etc but most keep saying get a brompton, I am not really looking to spend much more than £200 on a bike so a brompton is out of the question.

Any help or advice before l commit myself gladly appreciated, also sorry if l have gone on a bit.

[Grandad]

I've no experience of this bike but am bothered by the statement that the chain is stiff because it is new. That's the exact opposite of what it should be, if you buy the bike make sure they sort this out before you collect it.

[gaz]

Welcome to the forum.

Most people who choose a folding bike do so for it's ability to fold up small, often to combine with rail travel, sometimes for the boot of the car or even air travel. A proportion of the cost of manufacturing a folding bike goes on all the hinges, brackets, springs, quick releases and other widgets that let it transform. IMO folders are most commonly ridden short distances by commuters and are designed with short distance comfort in mind.

That may just be my perception rather than the reality, I don't own a folder.


IMO Dahon is a respected brand and the price seems good. Your post doesn't really explain why you feel you need a folding bike. A bargain is only a bargain if you are getting something useful.

[colin54]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79354&hilit=dahon+frame

Some poor experiences here.

[borderghost]

Thank you for the reply's help.

This morning l decided to purchase the above bike, I though a folding bike does have many advantages, easily fits in my car boot so l can take it on holidays, easy to store as it compact even when not folded, And even though its not aluminium frame its still fairly light which is good as l live upstairs in a masonette so easy to carry up the stairs, it is also fitted with mudguards front and rear plus a rear rack with pre attached bungge straps, And the main thing is I just really like the look of the bike in general. As it Is not aluminium like some of the dahons im hoping not to get any of the frame stress cracks that have been mentioned on the link. There is still the slight clicking/ratchet type noise from the rear but again was assured this would resolve once l had put a few miles on the bike, if not I was assured it would be resolved under warranty as the bike is to be returned for a free 6 week check. Have had god service it the past from halfords, l lost my reciept and it was nearly 12 months later when my rear cassette broke on my shockwave xt850, l just took in the back wheel and they replaced it there and then with a new cassette.

Is there an easy way to add pics or do I need to use something like photo bucket?

[hondated]

Sounds interesting

To post photos I use this site and reduce them to 75% and attach.

http://www.shrinkpictures.com/create-avatar/resize.php

[borderghost]

Not the best pics as i could not resize them with photobucket, the draper tool bag on the back holds my bike repair bits for when im out riding, single barrel footpump, pucture repair kit, spare tube, small adjustable spanner and a few other small tools.

Just took the bike out for a several mile run and it is a great ride, im told it is the newer version with 11-30t casette rather than the older model which had 12-28 casette, it is quite wizzy and gets upto a good speed. The gears are different to any other bike i have owned, on this bike you tension the cable to move the chain onto the smaller sprockets working against the derraliurs spring, on every other bike i have owned its the other way round as you tension to move upto the bigger sprockets, not a problem but just feels different at first. not sure what make the gears are but they certainly dont appear to be shimano etc. I would give the bike 10 out of 10 if it did not have the slight clicking noise, on further inspection it looks like the chain does not always want to sit onto the rear casette teeth, when you spin the pedals backwards you will see the chain lift slightly every as it starts to wrap around the sprockets, a bit like when you have stiff links but im sure that is not the case, and its not just a certain part of the chain it happens every 5-6 links of chain that meets the sprocket, also i notice the casette sprocket teeth are all slightly misaligned, is that to help with changing gear? never really looked at one close up before but notice all my bikes cassette teeth are slightly missaligned and not perfectly straight to the next. Im just wondering if the chain is not ideal for the casette used but hoping it is something that will run in with time as i would like to keep the bike.

[hondated]

Looks a bargain at that price.

[tyreon]

I don't know what weight you are,or what height. I don't know the terrain you're planning to cycle about. But if it's rolling-bush sorta thing,and you're carrying what is pictured on the back,I don't see any probs for you. Spose it depends on how fast you want to get to your destination etc. You have adjustable seatpost and stem.

Your seatpost seems way set-down tho. I've had x3 Dahons;they were fine.

[foxyrider]

I don't like the sound of that clicking, Halfords might have done you okay in the past but the bike should not have left the store with such a noise. Take it to an independent shop to be assessed, its either poorly set up or something is awry - do not wait 6 weeks to get it sorted!

[borderghost]

Im 5.8ft and weigh in at 70kg or 11 stone. the seatpost stem is about 2cm up from sticking out of the frame, I think you are right about the seatpost being a bit low, but at the same time were it is positioned im about tip toeing, although i would prefer my legs a little straighter when pedaling, find it much harder on the knees if my legs can not go fairly straigh why peddling, as for my riding its a mixture of rural country lanes and a busy A roads one being the A483 that runs between welshpool and Newtown, its hard to say speed wise how it compares to my mountain bike, at first it felt faster but then having just been out again on my mountain bike they seem about the same, I have got strong leg muscles as i have rode bikes for many years including towing trailer with 2 children, the country roads are fairly hilly but manage them fine. my commute is just over 3 miles which i manage in about 15-20 mins, the commute was mainly done on my shockwave moutain bike the last few years but it has now ben scraped, now it will be shared between the dahon above and this cheap mountain bike which i purchased from tesco direct, i took a gamble on this £90 pound bike http://www.tesco.com/direct/terrain-mat ... d=211-5870 but so far so good although it is early days 3 weeks in and about 200 miles.

[borderghost]

This folder was on offer a few weeks ago at £75 pounds, http://www.tesco.com/direct/terrain-i-f ... ing%20bike If it goes to that price again I will get one as a spare back up bike

[Bill Reynolds]

Hello B.G, I too have a Dahon and there are lots of cheapish things you can do to them! I fitted BMX rims to my bike with single butted spokes. 28 spokes on the front wheel and 36 on the back....tandem strength wheels. You also have the luggage block on the head tube like my bike. Lots of bags to go there! Great bikes for touring and every day riding!

[borderghost]

HI Bill, how do you mean luggage block on head tube?, is yours the 7 or 8 speed? was your chain/cassette noisy the first few miles? Love riding the bike as it feels well made, no other problems apart from the chain clicking noise i have mentioned above. Have you any pics of your bike?