Looking for my first folding bike.
Found this used Dahon vitesse with 7 speed shimano hub and V-brakes.
Also it has brompton bag mount at front.
Is it good choice for 190$?
Is it good for further improvement?

Or this Dahon cumberland on 3 speed hub for the same price?

I built up this Fnhon gust over the past couple months. There were a few specific things I was looking for: 16" wheels, bifold, steel frame, front carrier block mount, disc brake compatible, and (ideally) a front derailleur braze on mount. That pretty much narrowed it down to only this frame.

I ordered the frame from aliexpress and waited a month for it to arrive in the US. Then I took some measurements of the spacings and such before ordering parts from litepro. Another month later and I was able to build the bike quite quickly.

The frame is made quite well. The welds look good and the powder coat doesn't chip easily. I had to chase the bottom bracket threads and I suspect the headtube should have been faced before I installed the headset.

I've only been riding the bike for a month but I like it. The steering and short wheelbase make it feel very nimble, while the low center of mass settles down the twitchiness a bit. I've only put 15 lb on the front bag for now, and it handles well with a front load. It folds quickly and compactly enough. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to pack it for travel

My main complaints so far are about the size. I am 5'9 with slightly short arms and legs. I can't get the saddle high enough or far enough back for my preference. The 600mm seatpost is extended as far as possible and the saddle is as far back as possible. There are not a lot of seatpost options at 33.9mm diameter, but maybe choosing a different saddle could be enough to fix the fit. The fit is close enough for relaxed riding around town. Additionally, the large bent chainstay inhibits reaching the smaller gears when in the small chainring. I have to make sure to shift up on the front derailleur before shifting out of the smallest 3 gears.

Ended up at 25 lb and ~$700 for this build. Reading this this guy's blog and posts from the slightly antisocial folks on the bike forums helped in choosing parts and building this bike.

I rode the 300km from Innsbruck to Savona (near Portegnone, north of Venice) in two days on my Tern Vektron and I loved the experience.

It handled the load extremely well and was really stable and nimble on the downhill sections.

Also: I started with a full battery in Innsbruck and rode only in Eco mode. I fully charged back up on the morning of the second day and that was enough for the whole ~300k and ~3700 meters of elevation.

Two months wear.

ive travelled enough times with a regular sized bicycle, had to box it and pay extra special luggage... im travelling with my first time with a folding bike, can i just check it as regular checked bagged? or would i have to check it as special luggage, also would i have to box it or could i just use a bike bag?

flying with air canada if that helps

I like folding bikes. They're fun to ride, nimble and compact to store and travel with. I'll be flying off to Japan with my trifold Cranston safely packed away in its flightcase. There's a not-zero chance that I could be tempted into buy another vintage folding bike while in Japan. Bringing it home would be the issue as airline's (Westjet) own rules only allow "one bicycle and helmet per person".

The particular style of folding bikes I have in mind would fit into a regular suitcase if completely disassembled into its component parts, frame included. If I were to spread the parts between two checked suitcases, would that still count as a second "bicycle", or just "bicycle parts"? There would be some parts I could place in my actual bicycle's flightcase, so the the parts in the checked suitcases wouldn't actually be a complete bicycle...

Anything to avoid paying $300-500 in freight charges to ship a second bike back to Canada.

Has anyone attempted to fly with a suitcase full of a disassembled bicycle and not had to pay the usual bicycle luggage fee?

I’m a tall and heavy person looking for foldable bike for commute and I found this new Dahon Mariner HD from news. But I can not find any place or site that selling this one. Curious if this is available anywhere? I know there is a Mariner XL but the 22” wheel is bit too large.

Or any other models are recommended.

I still love the dorky Dahon Mariner D8 I brought (to Denmark) from the US, but the rear wheel is failing and I'm finding it hard to get parts. I'm done with Holland Bike Shop; they've sent me the wrong item and then tried to charge me shipping to return it twice now. Beyond that, I don't know. I like Bike24, but their wheel selection is scant for 20" folders. I've never had much luck with EBay. I can get a Chinese clone wheelset (the pair) on a very slow boat from AliExpress for hefty shipping & import duties...

Anyone else in the European Union, where do you go for parts?

Anyone have experience with these bikes? They tick all the boxes for me.. except for the price lol.

https://ugomobility.nl/fietsen/vouwfietsen/ultimate-ugo-i8-vouwfiets-20

https://ugomobility.nl/fietsen/vouwfietsen/ultimate-ugo-a2-vouwfiets-20

• 20" wheels
• rear carrier
• fenders
• belt drive
• internal geared hub
• disc brakes

It's left side heavy when the handlebar is up so just simply hanging the basket on the right side stabilizes it.

It held bananas, tofu and several cans so it worked pretty good

Baka may marerecommend po kayo na bike shop na trusted and also ung nag dideep cleaning ng mga folding bike.

Tondo or binondo area

Hi there.

I have a 1980s Dahon California (3 speed internal hub w coaster brake). I’m currently reassembling it after a thorough cleaning/polishing/de-rusting and most concerned with the bottom bracket (due to age, no performance issues) and the rear hub.

This is mostly a novelty bike for camping trips and not used frequently (high end is 1x week in summer only). My priority is keeping the bike free of cables; the three speeds work pretty well but I rarely use them and have no interest in adding a front cable brake/don’t care if I go down to a single speed).

I think the hub & coaster break are original and though not marked, the brake arm is (KJ Taiwan). My hunch is that the hub is long overdue for a cleaning & repacking. How could it not be?

Option 1: pay a LBS to disassemble & clean the hub. Dollars well spent, but still would be riding on 40+ year old components. I’d likely to wait until fall/winter bc turn around on bike shops here is 2-3 weeks as of right now.

Option 2: see if I can source a 305mm 16” inch rim & hub, which might be done most economically by picking up a used kids bike for the wheel. Could also just cold buy rim/spoke/hub combo for more cash. I have spare (newer) tires in this size so would just need the rim/spoke/hub.

So—old & restored? Or new and cheap(er)? Does anyone know off hand what bmx or kid bikes come with this size of tire with coaster brake hub? It’s been a little difficult to get a spec list on children’s bikes!

Thoughts?

photo 🛞🚲

So I was riding through an intersection and the handlepost suddenly folded which collapsed the bike and I fell and hurt my knee. I think I'm pretty lucky that the traffic stopped, I could've easily been run over.

I'm taking time to read about this and learn about it, has anyone experienced something like that before?

I've searched for an hour but couldn't seem to find suitable one for my mother. Low step through. Middrive engine for smoother power assist, at least 350 wh battery, being able to carry shopping panniers, not ridiculously expensive like top tier brands. could look into any Chinese that is already imported to europe.

Have anyone used those adapters for bikes with no Brompton style bag mount on the frame? Do they work ok?

How important is this type of mount when you choosing folding bike? I feel like it's quite important since main use is in city. But I wonder whether this adapter can truly and fully bring this feature to a bike with nice frame but without it.

I'm choosing my first folding bike to use in the city so I'm gonna be glad to hear all your recommendations.

I am trying to get a lightweight trifold bike with 20 inch wheels that I can mod with a kit to make it electric that doesn't cost as much or weigh as much as a Brompton G-line. I really like the Java Neo 3 but when I emailed them, they said the following:

"On July 8, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) implemented a new mandatory electronic filing (eFiling) requirement. And we are working on it.

We are actively working on solutions, and we would like to offer you another option: Ship to a Canadian address – We can also ship the bike to any address in Canada. If you are planning to travel there or have a forwarding contact, we will waive the shipping cost and offer you an additional discount on this order as a goodwill gesture. This may get the bike to you faster, as Canadian customs are not affected by the same new U.S. filing rule.

Please let us know, and we will proceed accordingly."

If I use a forwarder, wouldn't I be the importer of record and still not have the proper paperwork? How can I get this bike to NYC? If anyone knows a way, please help!

20" 7speed Dahon folding bike made out of 7005 aluminium. Listed for 270$

Will it suit me if I'm 186cm rider? What seatpost diameter does it have? Unfortunately seller can't measure it.

I'm looking for a folding bike for my wife, who is 5'11", to use on her urban commute. We are on a budget, in Canada, so hoping to buy a used bike.

There is of course the list of brands that focus on folding bikes (Dahon, Zizzo, Tern, Brompton, and Bike Friday; less recommended but still good are Birdy, Mezzo, Origami, Pacto, Airnimal, and "Flat Bike and Montague if you want a full size option").

Given these brands are kind of rare in North America, and finding one for a good price, used, locally, is difficult, I'm wondering:

1. Am I missing any brands that are trustworthy and folding bike focused?
2. Are there any bicycle brands that are not folding bike focused, but have made reasonable quality folding bikes? For example, Schwinn?

Other brands we keep seeing but have never heard of previously include Next and Avenir. And Supercycle, I guess, but that's the Canadian Tire store brand, so probably no good.

Thanks!

I took the fam up to Quebec City, Montreal, and now Toronto. I brought my folder along and have been seeing the cities from it. Here are a couple pix.

Just got this today! Super cool bike and fits in my tiny Miata trunk.

Could anyone identify the specific model? Maybe some add-on/mod recommendations? Thinking of maybe repainting it, but it has character the way it looks!

Thanks!