If you own a Dahon D3 (or pretty much any other folding bike) you will have strangers talk to you about it at the bus stop. And on the bus. And when you get off the bus. And when you are stopped at stop lights. And at other random places. People you don't know will stop and take pictures. Do not get a Dahon D3 if you are shy.If you buy a Dahon D3 and you are married, your wife will roll her eyes and say "not another bike!" When she sees it, she will say, "well, it is pretty cute" and "at least it doesn't take up much space."
It's almost impossible not to feel like a circus bear when you ride a Dahon D3. It's also almost impossible to keep a silly grin off your face as you ride it.
If you have a folding bike, your buddies will say "so how fast does it fold?", click the stopwatch function on their watches and say "go!" You will get faster with practice. I've had the bike a couple of days and I've got the fold speed down to about thirty seconds. I think 15 seconds is possible.The Dahon D3 is surprisingly zippy. Well, zippy enough for a guy who isn't that zippy. My normal 18 mile each way commute takes me about an hour and half on my green bike. On the Dahon, the commute times have been about an hour twenty six. BTW, I don't have a speedometer on the D3 but I've had it up to plentysix miles per hour on some steep descents.
Yeah...the circus bear thing is pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteSadly, the bike doesn't work as a chick magnet despite the attention one gets from riding it.
Kent...your results may vary. You've got that mini-Magnum PI thing going on. Gordon is kind of like your Higgins, huh?
Tai
So, you're gonna race the Great Divide again next year on that bike, right? Set a new record in the "folding" category? ;)
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about folding bikes, but have 2 questions: do they stand up to everyday riding? Are the crankarm lengths similar to standard bikes or shorter?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the shoe-pedal/saddle situation now Kent. Does it need to change? Bob H
ReplyDeleteLove the new bike Kent...=-) I've had folder fever in the past, but I just can't think of a reason why I need one.
ReplyDeleteHave fun.
BTW - why did you get rid of your old folders?
So Kent, is that lime green shirt you are wearing the shirt I think it is?
ReplyDeleterob
>>If you buy a Dahon D3 and you are married, your wife will roll her eyes and say "not another bike!" When she sees it, she will say, "well, it is pretty cute" and "at least it doesn't take up much space."
ReplyDelete******
One wonders how things might have turned out if you'd brought home another full-sized bike...
Love that Red!
ReplyDeleteNice new wheels!
This brings up another question:
ReplyDeleteWhat do you say when your spouse walks in on you watching bike folding videos on the web (like the Tikit folding videos on YouTube..I can't stop ...)?
Sure, they try to be open minded, but do they really understand?
C'mon fess up, I can't be the only one out there...
Any feedback on the general quality of the bike? You have me thinking that I really want one of these crazy things, but I don't want to pay $400 for a pile of junk. I just can't get a feel for the quality of Dahon bikes.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm on my folder and I pull up next to this guy at an intersection. He starts to grin, so I deadpan:
ReplyDelete"have you seen a VW Beetle with 14 clowns go by?"
Yah, I know the feeling. :-)
I enjoyed this post. I found you through a google search about folding bikes. I never thought of the attention factor... I'm actually gonna consider that among my reasons (negative) for purchase.
ReplyDeleteI have just ordered a Dahon Boardwalk bike :D I can't wait for it to arrive by courier :D I need one for commuting in the city, as for touring I have a tunned mountain bike. and trust me guys a folding bike is a chick magnet, a cyclist-chicks magnet :D:D:D
ReplyDeletehey guys, in fact I am the lucky owner of a Dahon Roo D7... better then Boardwalk and more expensive, not too powerful, it needs straight roads blah blah..
ReplyDeletebut guess what ? IT IS A CYCLIST-CHICK MAGNET :D:D:D
and the circus feeling is great, people are not so used to folding bikes in my country so it's a great show to them.
I already rode my Dahon bike to a Critical Mass ride and a protest called "Green for the bicycles" - for the cyclists' right to have proper cycling lanes, in Timisoara (Romania) :)
Kent, I love your blog, keep it up, and more news about folding bikes are appreciated :) love that post about the Hummer :D
Lovely bike! I totally agree with the article. :) Just bought one. Must assembly tomorrow in my garage! Cheers!
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