jasong

Does anyone have a suggestion for the cheapest place to buy Dahon folding bikes? Ie. the Boardwalk D6 retails for $280, but surely there have to be less expensive places.

https://dahon.com/boardwalkd6.htm

Thanks,

Guest

I think it's the same price, whether you go to an authorized dealer or purchase it online. What you should do is check the Dahon site to find an authorized dealer in the area and give them a call. Maybe they'll have other Dahons that are a little cheaper.

Koffee

wpflem

Try searching for online dealers for your best price, but keep in mind the bike should be ideally checked out by a qualified bike mechanic if you have it shipped.

You might also check Camper's World, in early December a friend wrote me to tell me that were selling them for:

"The sale price for non members is $221.11. For club members the sale is $199."

I don't understand how they can market them that low. It was probably promotion.

The Dahon 6 is a very good buy even at full retail price.

Gary Mc

I looked at a Dahon at a local Campers' World. Their bikes evidently had not been prepared by bike mechanics. Tires were almost flat. The bike could only access 4 gears. One brake was dragging and the other did not work. The handle bars were askew. It was a bit laughable.

If you are not a bike mechanic (I'm not) then any savings might be eaten up at the local bike shop making the bike rideable.

Regards,

Gary

royalflash

This is definitely a problem of buying the Dahons online. Dahon have basically said on their forum that the bikes do not come out of the factory properly adjusted and that includes spoke tension. Hence, it you buy one from a cheap online source I seriously doubt whether they have been properly adjusted. If you buy one online and are not good on bike mechanics then you had better get it checked out by a mechanic. Otherwise you are asking for problems.

Dahon also won´t sell you spares directly and as their bikes use many non-standard parts it may be better from this point of view as well to buy from a good LBS.

wpflem

I strongly agree. I've been impressed at the need for expertise in getting a folder ready (much easier than most standard bikes), but still best done by a bike mechanic. Also the cartons come in beat up, occasionally with damaged parts. In theory, it should just be a matter of unfolding, airing up the tires, and riding away happily, but it just doesn't work that way.

I have some Bromptons arriving soon via air from London. I'm curious to see how well they are packed.

eff-J

Ditto here.

Aircraft Spruce, for example, has stupid cheap prices on Dahons, and I once considered getting mine from them. But in the end, I just didn't trust an airplane supply company to know squat about bicycles, much less folding ones. To be fair, I wouldn't buy a vertical speed indicator from my local Schwinn dealer either.

A company like Better Bicycle has what amounts to good prices when you figure that, unless you're in CA, you won't be paying sales tax, and they throw in free shipping. They also claim to give it a legitimate, "real bike store" style tune-up prior to shipping. I wound up getting my Speed P8 from Rapid Transit , who were willing to match Better Bicycle's same deal (and actually had the Speeds in stock at the time).

Then again, there are no LBS's around here that sell folders, so I had to have it shipped anyway. I probably would've bit the bullet and paid the painful Tennessee sales tax to get it from an LBS, were it possible, just to get the support.

Simple Simon

Wow .... aircraft world prices are 'eye wateringly' low.... I think I'd take a chance and assume dahon have good quality control.

james Haury

Check the camping world website . I purchased my boardwalk 6 there this summer for 189 dollars + tax . Look for sales on previous year models.I had a good experience with my bike from camping world but I had it checked out after i upgraded the gearing.

jasong

Thanks for the replies guys. I think Aircraft Spruce has the lowest prices that I've seen. I do all my bike maintenance and have built several from the frame up, so hopefully the state they arrive in won't matter too much, unless damaged. The only folders that are in town are the Trek folder, which I didn't even know existed until they told me. Camping World has a shop in our town, but they have none in stock.

wpflem

Sounds like you will be fine with a drop ship type of order.

I appreciate you introducing this thread. I've been most hesitate to do internet sales because most people need help in getting these bikes ready to ride safely and optimally tuned. It is very expensive to have them shipped in, repack and shipped back out, especially with abuse they often take in shipping.

I've also thought about allowing a discount for local bike shop tune-up, but many bike shops probably don't invite that type of work if they do not sell the bike to begin with.

supcom

Check largoscooters.com and thstore.com. Both of these were pretty competitive on a Speed 8. Don't forget to check shipping charges. I could not determine a shipping charge at aircraftspruce.com.

formulaben

You've got to check out https://foldingbikes.net/ I was able to get a Speed P8 for $429.95 WITH the bag and S&H included when I bought on one of their ebay auctions. Just speak with them directly and you'll probably do better than the website is quoting for a price.

jasong

For those interested, the best price I've been able to find has been $249 shipped at ThorUSA.

I think I will start with this. It sounds like there are some tricks to upgrade this well as needs mandate, for example going to the 7speed megarange that James has suggested to give the same gear range as a Speed 8. That's about a $30-40 upgrade.

I really can't decide weather to go between the Piccolo size or the Boardwalk. It's hard determining when those extra 6" of girth are going to come in handy, versus more difficulties one will encounter with the 16" wheels, ie. more difficult to find tires, less room for panniers, some suggest a harsher ride, and the more limited gearing. I have a high cadence, so having to go to 43" on the Piccolo is going to make hills very hard while sitting if I'm carrying extra weight.

But I'm reminded how easy it was to enjoy a single speed I rented a few weeks back in barcelona, and at times, that smaller size will be the difference between taking it and not.

Tough decisions... At least resale value on these items are quite high given the market type.

TimSpurgin

Hi
I'm in the process of buying one myself and this was the best place:
https://shop.sunrisecyclery.com/item/13516/

if you have a brand in mind go to https://froogle.google.com and see what comes up. I haven't actually ordered mine yet so I don't know if there's any hidden costs.

Can you let me know how you go if you do buy. My email is tim.spurgin@ubs.com
Regards
Tim

pm124

Hi Guys, I bought a Mu SL from Brands Cycle, an online dealer. The bike had a dented fork, and the manager refused to call me back. So, be VERY careful buying online. ThorUSA is known to be reputable. Here is the thread with pics: https://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php...l=brands+cycle. Also, for those of you who aren't bike gurus, but don't have a dealer near you, https://www.gaerlan.com will unpack the bike and true the wheels before sending it out. (But charges full price.)

maunakea

The saddest part of the Dahon operation is the packaging of the bikes for shipment and dealers who won't get Dahon USA to fix problems. An entire corner, top to bottom, of the shipping box of my Cadenza was ripped open. Compare a Trek box to a Dahon box. The left crank tip of my Cadenza had arrived "embedded" in the inflated rear tire, causing a 3 cm deviation from true in the rim. Irreparable.

The best part of the Dahon operation are the dealers, like Thor and Sunshine Cyclery, who will get Dahon USA to ship replacement parts, and the bikes when they work as designed. I promptly got a replacement rear wheel and two new skewers (both skewers were chewed up... with a corner of the box ruptured... the bike was at the mercy of the shipper).

So, if you buy a Dahon online, you MUST check the bike when the shipper delivers it.

dcoli

I got my Downtube Mini shipped in almost great shape, but a trip to the Tread Bike Shop on Dyckman St. (NYC) got my tires inflated properly, the Sturmey-Archer internal hub adjusted, the brakes slightly adjusted, and a little bit of wheel-truing for $10! So now I buy my equipment from them, pay a little more but it keeps a great bike shop open and available for me.

- Colin

gbcb

If you have the chance, get your Dahons in China. I got a really good deal on my Boardwalk (personal connection )and paid US$125 for mine. They usually run about $190, which still seems like a good price.

dcoli

Yeah, i'm such a fool, i had the chance this summer, but bought two tailor-made suits (which I don't wear) instead. Priorities!

gbcb

Especially since there's a good little Dahon store behind the Yaxiu/Yashow market where you probably had your suits made