Dahon Folding Bicycle Forum: Bike Commuting

Cadenza 8

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:56:45 -0700

Hi all,

After going to work by train for a year, I was in the market for a new folding bike. My Presto Lite was a little too big and I often got the evil eye during rush hours. So I was looking into a Brompton for its small size. But then it struck me: why don't I just bike all the way?

So I started two and a half months ago, 62km a day. I ride a Rohloff equiped fast mountainbike with Marathon Supremes. 2500km down the road I decided I need (?) a new bike. Issues are:
- I can't fit decent mudguards on the bike because it has no eyelets.
- I can't fit a decent rack on the bike because no eyelets. The Topeak seatpost rack broke.
- I never ever leave my expensive bike out of sight. So I can't stop to do groceries if I want to.
- I like to have two bikes because sh*t happens and I can't always fix it immediately. The girlfriend says I have several bikes already, but she just does not understand
- I live and work less than 1 km from the railway station on each end. I still sometimes take the train (one-way only). Taking a bike on the train sets you back �5
- The employers/government actually pay you to bike to work. You can pay off one of the top-end Dahons with it every year, but you have to at least do 80% of your commutes by bike. Whatever the weather is like.

So after a lot of looking around and reading reviews I bought a 2009 Cadenza 8. I was not only considering Dahon but it was the clear choice because it has all the components I want in a commuter:
- NVO stem (I really like them)
- Alfine hub (no more derailleurs for me)
- disc brakes (I did consider drumbrakes, but discs are low maintenance too)
- eyelets (rack and mudguards)
- It does not have front suspension (low maintenance)
- it folds (was not a prerequisite, but it is a nice-to-have).

Only have done a one-way commute on it (31km), will do a write up later. Something to share already though: to my surprise the bike does not make a noise. Not whilst shifting either. Nothing! Utter silence. Weird.

Wim
warning: commuting by bike is addictive

Cycling Gloves

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:04:41 -0600

Hi, I'm just wondering if cycling gloves are different to other gloves in terms of how they size and where they should be about?

How To Be A Better Rider

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:03:45 -0600

Hi All,

I have recently started riding, i need suggestion for how to be a better rider?

Any one help me on this.

Regards
Charlotte

Loose Weight

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:42:05 -0600

I am bit confused! When I ride bike each day to lose weight and burn 150 Calories, but then I also have an energy drink to reload glycogen into muscles which is 150 Calories. Therefore I have lost no weight? So how can I cycle to lose weight if I should be reloading my muscles afterwords?

Regards
Charlotte

Cycling For Fitness

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:08:52 -0600

I'm about 80 kg overweight. I want to start cycling for fitness and pleasure but don't know where to begin. Any suggestion for maintaining fitness.

Regards
Charlotte

Need Help Deciding Which Dahon To Buy

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:50 -0600

I am trying to decide which Dahon to buy - I have read reviews and looked at the Dahon site, but would like advice/feedback from users. I am a 5'3" 110llb woman - will be taking BART during commute hours and then riding approx. 1-5 miles, mostly flat. My main conerns are being able to manuver the bike easily in and out of BART - so I'm thinking a lighter weight bike is better - I test rode the 7 speed and the curve and liked the 20' wheels a little better - but both both bikes seemed a bit heavy and difficult to fold. Any feedback/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Cadenza 8 Racks

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:12:30 -0600

Hi All,
For those of you who have a cadenza (any style) what racks you use? I have just received a cadenza 8 and would like to add some racks. Unfortunately the local bike shop was not much help in sorting this out so going to have to be an online purchase.

Did a search of the forums and someone mentioned topeak explorer disk mount fits but not on the braze ons. Was hoping to find a rack that will let me use the braze ons to make changing the wheel a little easier.

Thanks

First Train-bike Commute This Morning

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:57:14 -0600

So this morning I took my Speed D7 on the train for the first time and then rode it the 3 miles from the train station to work. Overall things went smoothly and I'm really happy with how fast I can get to work on bike now. The main things I need to streamline are:

1. Organizing all my stuff. I had the bike in a Bazooka zip-up bag along with all my other stuff like lunch, clothes, bike tools, helmet, etc. This was all fine until I got off the train to unfold the bike. It took about 10 minutes organizing all of the stuff before I could start riding.

2. Finding a place to consistently put the bike on the train. This morning it was fine. I put it in the "hallway" between cars which wasn't being used and then went back in one of the cars to sit down. The conductor said this was fine since that hallway wasn't being used to let people on/off. If that's how it is everytime, then it will be perfect. If not, it seems like I might have to take up a seat with the bike.

Where Do You Put Your Bike On The Train?

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:07:23 -0600

Hello,
I'm a newbie here, awaiting my first Dahon (Speed D7) which I ordered last week for doing a commute from train to work (~3.5mi ea. way). My daily commute has typically been: Drive to train station (20 minutes.), MARC train to Rockville, MD (45 minutes), Metro to NIH (15 minutes), walk to work (10 minutes). I'm hoping to cut down the time on the last two legs with a bike and also save money without Metro ($110/mo). Plus it will be nice not having a transfer.

I've never seen someone else on the train with a folding bike before. I also haven't seen the bike folded up in person to really size up how much space the bike will take up on the train. I really don't want to have to put it next to me in the seat, since the train can get a bit crowded.

I'm really hoping that the bike will fit in the overhead rack. The Dahon Speed D7 folded is 11.7" x 30" x 25". It seems like the height and length are OK for this, but how far it sticks out from the rack will determine whether this will work or not.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks,
Steve

Help! Which Bike For Brooklyn Bridge Commute?

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:16:58 -0600

Hi all. I am planning to start commuting to work by bicycle and need some help choosing a bike. I have been researching folding bicycle choices for a few weeks but am overwhelmed by the choices and haven't found anyone with questions regarding my same issues. I am a woman, about 5'2", out of shape and overweight (about 170lbs) and about 40 years old. I want to start riding a bicycle to work as daily excersize. I have to get a folder because neither my apartment nor office will allow me to bring a bike through the lobby (using the service elevator at work is a huge hassle due to security concerns and all the construction going on in the building), but I am pretty weak, so it can't be too heavy. My commute is pretty short - only about 3-4 miles - and the biggest hill is probably the Brooklyn Bridge. I don't want to spend too much, because I'm a public employee and don't have a lot of money to spend and the last bike I bought I probably rode about 10 times in 10 years. Ideally, I'd like to spend less than $300, but could budget for more if I really think I need to. (Would it make sense to buy a 2008 model?) I also haven't ridden in a number of years, so I'd like something that I'll feel comfortable on.

Thank you all in advance for any suggestions.

Will 20 X1.75 Tires Fit Mariner D7? Were To Get Them?

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:22:29 -0600

i am a newbie to Dahon. I just got the Mariner D7 and have been looking at the places to replace the tires and tubes in case i needed to down the road. Currently the standard tire is a Kenda Dahon special 20 x 1.5.

I cant seem to find any tires or tubes anywhere! Other than BMX tires, 1.5 tires are rare at the local discount or event some bike shops. Are there any good and low cost online places to buy these tires and tubes? The cheapest i saw was $18 per tire.

Thanks,

Sterling

Hot Tip For Comuting

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:09:40 -0600

How about this equipment for keeping tailgaters at a safe distance?
http://www.cyclelicio.us/2007/11/one-literally-hot-bike.html
Steve

D'oh! Misspelled "Commuting"

Best Model For My Commute?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:43:04 -0600

Hello everyone!

I live in the San Francisco area (hilly areas) and I am thinking of getting a bike to get around places instead of walking/taking the bus.
What are some recommended Dahon models for me? I'm a 5'1, 95 lb female and prefer a lightweight model so it will not be too difficult to carry around. I will be taking the bike with me into lecture halls rather than leaving it locked outside as my college campus has a high report of bike thefts.

Thanks in advance! ^^

edit: oh and my commute is 2-6 miles.

Commuting 20-30 Miles?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:49:42 -0600

Hi all,

I am very new to this and looking to buy a bike for my daily commutes around New York City.

Here's the commute: Mon-Fri from Brooklyn apartment to NYU campus 7 miles (over brooklyn bridge). Many of those days I will go another 3 miles uptown to work, then shoot back to the apartment. 2 days a week over the rest of this summer I will go ALL the way uptown to Columbia campus adding up to a 27 mile total commute broken up into 3 trips.

Because of storage/theft issues at a couple of my destinations, I was thinking about getting a folder and went to my LBS yesterday to test ride some. They feel nice (Dahons) but the salesperson (not on commission) went out of his way to tell me that for my distance/type of commute the folder was not the way to go.

Is he right? Will I regret it and stop riding due to purchasing a folder vs a full size? With the amount of theft in NYC I would much rather have the bike inside with me at all times. I have co-workers who ride beaters and they get stolen regularly with good locks.

I am debating between the D7 and the Eco 3. I am 6'2" and 170lbs.

Thanks in advance!

Nick

A Suggestion For A Network Of Bicycle Aid Kits

Sat, 30 May 2009 18:42:00 -0600

My head has been brimming lately with ideas for simple projects and actions that could make the world a better place.

Here's a simple one that doesn't need anyone to organise it, just people to share the idea and adopt it organically.

I commute to work by bicycle in a rural area. One of the downsides to that (against the many upsides) is if I get punctures, I have to carry tools and a repair kit to mend them. The basic tools I need are small but it does mean I carry extra weight and for one reason or another I don't always have these tools. If I get a puncture on the way to work without my toolkit, I could limp in and borrow our building maintenance person's tools (if I ask really nicely) to fix the flat. Although they have tools, they don't have any patches or cement etc.

But I know in my garage I do have some incomplete sets of spanners and various bike tools and patches and some rubber cement I could spare. I'd bet every cyclist has some.

I could bring these to my work and keep them in a tool box and if anyone visiting my office on a bicycle (I know we get 90,000 visitors by car every year) needed tools to mend a flat tyre or adjust some gears etc., they would be able to use them free of charge. Then, if they felt like repaying this kindness, they could make a small donation or provide anything missing or even set up their own bicycle aid kit somewhere else.

It only needs to be the simplest and cheapest tools. A few weeks ago when taking my bicycle on the train to a meeting in Ipswich, a fellow cyclist in the carriage was having a problem with their derailleur and they were getting advice from two other cyclists while they dismantled the mechanism and rebuilt it again in just a few minutes with a borrowed Swiss Army knife and my Gerber tool. Experienced cyclists become resourceful and you learn that giving assistance is good karma as you could easily find yourself in that predicament too. Most technical problems with bikes can be fixed well enough with basic tools to get you home or to a bike shop for specialist help.

All it would take is some kind of recognised symbol to be displayed that whatever premises are participants in the 'bicycle aid' scheme. The tools and supplies could be provided, replenished and used on an 'honesty-box' basis and their upkeep could be sponsored by individuals, businesses or cycling clubs. Once a common name and symbol is established, people might kindly take the trouble to record their locations on the web such as on Google maps or similar. This way another barrier to cycling could be overcome.

I also reckon it makes a lot of sense for businesses to act as good Samaritans to their visitors.

Many years ago during a coast-to-coast driving holiday in the USA I visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California. After a wonderful day at the "happiest place on earth" I got back to my rental car to find I had a flat tyre. I started the laborious process of unloading the car to get to the spare tyre out when a Disney tow truck pulled up and the driver offered to change the tyre for me. The driver explained that with thousands of visitors a day, such events were likely to happen and the Disney Company didn't want anyone feeling their vacation had been ruined by such events in their park, so it was just good customer relations to provide a free tow-truck service for visitors (it also ensured the parking lot was empty by the required time and limited the chance of me hurting myself by jacking up a car on their property). With the proper tools and jacks, the tyre was changed by the tow truck driver in under a minute. Obviously I have not forgotten this kindness and despite my personal criticisms of the company on other counts, I reckon Disney sets a gold-standard for customer service.

There must be countless other benefits for businesses that engendering a sense of hospitality and promoting the benefits of cycling by providing a simple 'bicycle aid' kit, which would cost them nothing to establish, would result from this.

If someone could create a logo that could be recognised universally and post it on the web, then perhaps we could get this started.

I've put this on my personal blog if you want to to link to it from there.

I don't think this is an original idea but I haven't found any instance yet of someone else advocating it. I can't see any insurmountable downsides to it.

A Puncture Made My Day

Sun, 17 May 2009 22:38:26 -0600

Honestly, my flat tire was a good thing. Friday morning's commute was eventful in a good way from early on. The weather was beautifully clear and cool at 44 degrees F; nice for riding.

About 2 miles from the house, I looked over at something dark in a yard on my right and saw staring back at me, a juvenile turkey vulture standing over a rabbit's carcass. It was cool to see that from only about 25 feet away. Even a young turkey vulture is a LARGE bird.

Later, when I had passed the halfway point in my ride and was starting on the mostly uphill part, I felt some unsteadiness from the rear wheel. Since I've been breaking spokes on the rear hub lately, I was thinking I'd find another one or several loose or broken away from the hub. A flat tire didn't occur to me right away. When it was convenient, I pulled over and inspected the wheel but didn't find the source of the wobble so I started out again. Then the up and down wobble let me know what I really had, a slow leak. I discovered a strand of cable sticking straight out through the tread.

I pulled off at the top of the next hill to replace the inner tube with my spare. Just as I was removing the rear wheel, another bike rider stopped and asked if I needed any help. Until that moment, I hadn't even known there were other bikes on the road near by. When I explained that I had all the tools and parts that I needed, he rode off on his way. Nice of him to check on me.

Then a woman and her daughter walked up with a dog on a leash and asked if I was okay. We chatted for a little while as I made my repairs and her daughter stepped on the school bus.

As I finished putting things away, I noticed another bike rider going past.

It was only when something forced me to stop that I got to know some of the other nice people along the way. If it had happened during a downpour, I'm sure it would have affected me differently, but the rest of that morning I was in a great mood. Ordinarily I wouldn't like having to make repairs on the road but the next time I'll be thinking positively.

Has anybody else found something positive in a breakdown or stopping to help another?

Gps Tracking

Mon, 11 May 2009 07:06:09 -0600

Here are some Google Maps I generated of my route to work, on my 2009 Jetstream P8 using my new GPS enabled mobile phone

Click on the dots to get more stats like my speed, bearing and time of day. For the record it was also dry and reasonably warm.

Help Needed Choosing Bike For Boston Commute

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:36:10 -0600

I'm not sure which forum is the best for this post, but I'll start here.

I've seen a lot of Dahon folders in Boston on my commute and now that the weather's getting nicer here I decided now was the time to research the folder option. I've done a lot of reading on the web and was hoping I could count on a bike shop in the area to provide guidance or advice but that has proven not to be the case, at least not yet-I feel like I know more about Dahon bikes just from what I've read on the web. So here I am-seeking advice from experienced Dahon riders.

My commute begins with a 5 mile drive to a commuter rail station and after the train ride it's 1.5 miles to work. The 5 mile ride has one big hill and is on a 2 lane road that in parts is not very well maintained-a new pothole seems to appear on a daily basis. Also there is no bike lane and little to no shoulder for a majority of the ride and in these parts I will likely ride on a sidewalk that is blacktop and has virtually no pedestrian traffic. The 1.5 mile part of the ride is well maintained roads with a bike lane and pretty flat.

I won't be biking in the rain or snow-just a fair weather biker here.

What I'm looking for in the bike:
-one that folds up quickly/compactly/easily so I can get it on the train (I don't need to keep it folded at work or home)
-isn't too heavy-I may have to lift it to put it on a rack above the seats on the train (I'm a 5'5" female)
-can stand on its own when folded
-I'd prefer to have mudguards and a rack
-I think 7 speeds would be sufficient?

My budget is <$1,000.

Any suggestions or advice as to what models I should try to test ride? Any other features I should consider? Lastly, anyone in the Boston area who has had a good experience with a LSB and can recommend a shop I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

Survey Foldable Bikes

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:38:18 -0600

For my final thesis at the University of Canberra (Australia) in combination with the Delft University of Technology (the Netherlands) I am executing a research on foldable bicycles used for commuting purposes. For this purpose I made a survey with a few questions concerning foldable bicycles. It would be of great help if you could help me by filling in this survey:
http://www.thesistools.com/?qid=73617&ln=eng

Thanks in advance!
Rien Schuurhuis

Our "own" Mr. Brown On Singapore Commuting

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:11:35 -0600

I stumbled over this article by our fellow forumite, Mr. Brown. As always, he does an outstanding job with his prose and subject matter choices. Nice Job Mr. Brown! A must read for new commuters.

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2008/07/mrbrowns-quick.html

Dental Meeting...

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:36:28 -0700

Here are a couple images of me yesterday at the 144th* annual MidWinter Meeting, hosted by the local group, the Chicago Dental Society. Who says you can't attend professional meetings in style? I gave a presentation to about 250 people; this was my ace in the hole, in case some over-zealous security person had tried to stop me. "May I have your name, please, Officer? I will be wanting to explain to the Program Chair why I could not give my talk." Luckily, I have never been hassled at McCormick Place about the bike, possibly because I have it folded before they can figure out what to do. There was only one other bike-riding dentist there, AFAIK, and he had to lock his up outside.

FWIW, I heard that there were about 25,000 dentists in town this year, down from about 35,000 last year. Hard times, I guess.
Steve

*Gross
Left: Arriving; Right: about to leave.

Dressing For The Commute

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:42:52 -0700

I'm wondering how people work the biking to work, and looking professional once they get there.

Thanks!!

Best Dahon For My Commute?

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:03:11 -0700

I know that many people have asked the same question..."what is the best Dahon for my commute?" I'm asking it again because so far I haven't found one that really addresses my specific commute.

First off I'm 5' 6" male,, I weigh 150 pounds. and I'm new to this. My commute is approximately 5.5 miles from my house to work and then the same 5.5 miles back. The commute consists of about 2 miles of city driving (in a very very small town). The rest of the commute is highway driving with some respectable hills.

Ok...so...what dahon would you experienced riders suggest? I was interested in the glide 8 or another model with the internal gears. The dahon website suggested the Cadenza 8, but I would prefer to have a bike that comes with fenders and a rack for possible luggage.

I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks.

Basics Of Winter Cycling

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:56:59 -0700

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVazpYaVJbg

Commuting And The Long Island Railroad

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:19:53 -0700

Hi Everyone,

I just recently got a 2008 Dahon Speed D7. I will be riding to the train station (in Long Island) and then taking the train into NYC.

In the last few days I have asked the train conductors if its ok to bring a folding bike on the train. One conductor told me it is fine as long as it is not during rush hour.

That obviously ruins my plans of commuting (I HOPE he's wrong though). Once or twice I have seen a guy take his folding bike on the train during rush hour so I am still hopeful.

Another train conductor told me it is fine as long as it is foldable and does not take block the aisle or doorways. This answer I can live with...I just hope he is correct!!

Lastly, I posted on the Luggage thread asking if some experienced commuters could let me know what kind of bags they use. I think a bag with a full zipper would be great so no one could see inside. As long as my bike fits neatly in the overhead rack like any other piece of luggage no one needs to know its a bike!

Any one with definitive information on whether or not you can have a folder on (LIRR) trains during rush hour, please let me know. Bag recommendations are also welcome. Thanks again everyone...have a great weekend!

Joe

P.S. Anyone have any feelings regarding this brompton bag...do you think it can hold a Speed D7??
http://nycewheels.com/brompton-cover-and-saddle-bag.html

Dubai Commuting

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:16:28 -0700

So, I'm about to start riding to work. After a month in Dubai I've decided I've had enough of waiting for hours for taxis and buses (they just don't exist, or if they do, are too full to get on), and I can't be arsed to get myself a driving license here because it's too much bureaucracy. I live about 15min from work by taxi so I can definitely cycle the distance.

Problem is, I don't know if you're familiar with Dubai roads. They're good... but... just a bit scary.

Because cars and gas are so cheap here (
But I think I've figured out a route to work that'll get me there in one piece.

Some people seem to think that bike commuting in this city is going to be a death wish with the traffic, roads, and heat (35 deg C/95-100 deg F... 50 C/125F in summer). It's now coming to the end of the year so the weather is going to get better. I also come from a tropical country so I'm used to cycling in the heat

That aside, I AM going to... ride this out, so to speak.

Anyone have any tips on cycling in this bicycle and pedestrian-unfriendly city? (People hardly even walk anywhere... coz... there are just not pavements, most times) -- in mad traffic, heat, et al? I've done alright cycling in Indian towns and cities, but I think there's a difference between cows getting in my way, and a huge Land Cruiser or Lamborghini, as I'm wont to find out...

Regular Maintenance And Upgrades

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:17:31 -0600

I've recently started commuting to work and I LOVE it. About 25 minutes from door to door, a few hills in between. Since i'll be riding most days, what are some things I can do to keep my bike in good condition? What should I be greasing and tightening and checking, and how often? I've never serviced a bike before.

I've got a Speed D7 - any suggestions for a bike rack size that will take about 10kg but not impede folding? At the moment I'm strapping my backpack to the rear rack, it's not ideal.

Should I consider upgrading any parts to make things more efficient? I just got the model as-is off the floor. Is it worth upgrading the saddle?

One problem that has struck me a couple of times on my journey - I have a downhill quickly followed by a sharp uphill. If I change gears at the wrong time, the chain falls off and gets stuck in the derailleur. So stuck I have to wheel home the rest of the way and try and free it when I get back.

Commuter Cycling Century

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:43:57 -0600

This notion came from something I found on BikeJournal.com.

Since I just started commuting by bike last December, I have no prior history for it, but in 2008 I am approaching this mark. Today was my 90th day since the start of the year, so the century is my short-term goal.

My daily round-trip distance to the office and back is just around 20.6 miles.

Is anybody else keeping track?

How To Deal With Snow! Lots Of Snow.

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:45:03 -0600

Okay, so I'm moving North to Prince George with my brother and his wife (transferring to university!) and the problem with Prince George is that... It snows a LOT. 4+ feet of snow. I'm thinking that my Mu wouldn't like that so, with a bit of Googling...

https://www.ktrakcycle.com/index.html

They're still working on the 20" version, though. Here's hoping that they'll have one for next year!

Winter Commuting In Chicago

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:54:17 -0600

I'm looking for some assurance and advice on continuing my commute through the upcoming winter.

My commute starts off with a three mile ride through Chicago to Union Station. There I hop on a Metra train to the suburbs. From the station to the office is a short half mile ride.

I ride a Dahon Mariner D7 that I've converted to single speed.

To prepare the bike I've put on the three-quarter fenders that came with the bike. I plan on getting extra lights and as full a chain guard as possible. I'm thinking of seeing if I can mount the guard upside down so that the lower chain run is covered. Would that be better at protecting the chain from road slush or does it sound plain stupid?

One thing I'm unsure of is tires. All my riding is on arterial roads that are well ploughed and salted through the winter. The tires that came with the bike are slick in the center with some shallow grooving at the side. Should I get studded or knobbly ones... or could I even get by with these existing ones?

One final thing is corrosion. I bought the bike new this summer and don't want it turning into a beater in under a year. With a weekly clean and keeping the bike indoors when I'm not riding, could I expect the bike to remain in good shape?