philips949's Full Review: Dahon 7 Speed Folding Bike
Model and Description: Dahon Speed D-7 20" 7-Speed Folding Bicycle Commuter Class
General Comments Dahon's Speed D-7 is designed to provide full size bicycle performance in a compact folding bike. It is well suited for urban riders where space is a premium and also for travelers/campers/boaters looking to have the enjoyment and freedom that a bicycle can offer but have limited space or need to check it in with baggage for a flight. Dahon makes a full range of folding bikes and is considered the market leader. Key players in the folding bike market include Brompton, Strida, Xootr, and a few others. However when it comes to a variety of models Dahon has the widest and most comprehensive selection of folding bikes. Dahon has a model to meet just about anyone's needs.
This review is focused on selecting a folding bike for most users who need a bike that has reasonable performance and is reasonably compact as described above. Other models and/or makes may offer superior performance or may be more compact. I chose to buy and then this model as it fell somewhere in the middle of the range and is reasonably priced. The D-7 popular Speed is a mainstream folding bike.
I use the Dahon D-7 for my urban daily commute and for short trips on the weekend. I have over 30 years experience with riding, repairing (in a bike shop for a few years) and in my younger days racing bicycles. In my selection process and for this review I personally tried at least 20 different folding bikes and asked questions of current owners of many of those models. My bike has now logged several hundred commuting miles around Manhattan in a variety of conditions. Design The design of a folding bike is essential to your overall riding, carrying and storage experience. Dahon is exclusively a folding bicycle maker so they have a good handle on what features are important. Dahon been refining and updating designs of their bikes since beginning production in 1982 and have sold over 2 million folding bikes. As might be expected the Dahon D-7 Speed, this bike is very well designed for it intended use. The bike comes standard with fenders and a rear rack. These features are very important for a commuter bike.
The D-7 Speed (and most Dahon bikes) are rated for 230lbs riders. I weigh 275 so I am well over the weight limit for this bike. I have been riding this bike extensively and have not had any problems whatsoever. Therefore, I can tell you that Dahon has been conservative in this rating. Keep in mind though this review is for this specific bike and other models with the same weight limit rating may be more of an issue.
The folded size is 11.7"x30"x25. If you need a smaller folded size look into 16" wheel folding bikes, a Brompton or a Strida. Keep in mind that a 16" wheel bike will ride a bit slower and harder than a 20" bike. The Strida is a single speed bike and is pretty much only good for a few blocks.
The Speed D-7 can easily adjust to a broad spectrum of rider heights and inseam size. I have seen riders as tall as 6'5" and as short as 5'0" ride this model Dahon. I suggest you mark the seat post ideal height setting with a sharpie marker so you can quickly set your ideal position for the seat when unfolding the bike.
The bike uses cam levers to fold and unfold which are easy to use. There is a secondary safety latch for these levers to prevent accidental opening of the latches. The bike uses magnets to hold it together in the folded position. These work fairly well but I have found that in order to get the magnets to be close enough requires some fiddling with the pedals and handlebar to get them close enough to connect. Once connected, they stay together quite well. Honestly, an extra bungee would accomplish the same thing.
The company says it takes 15 seconds to fold and unfold. I can assure you that I have never come close to doing it that fast. The primary reason the seat post fits tightly in the frame downtube so I find myself struggling a bit to lower or raise it. I would say I usually take about a minute to fold or unfold the bike. WARNING: do NOT lube the seat post. It may be a bit of work to raise and lower the seat post but putting any lube on the seat post shaft is dangerous.
This model is equipped with a grip shifting 7-speed derailleur that works remarkably well.
The steering post is folded into place and a cam lever slides a flat metal block forward to lock it in place. I did find that this is the one folding part that needed adjustment in order to avoid slop in the column while riding. It was simply a matter of turning a small nut that controls the position of the locking plate. The instructions were NOT clear at all on how this was to be done. But after some tinkering and calling a few bike shops I figured it out.
This model weighs in at 27.6 lbs. which is reasonable for a reasonably priced folding bike. I would love a lighter model but the cost of any make 20" folding bike that is lighter will cost significantly more.
You can go for less expensive models with less gears and smaller wheels. However the trade off will always be in performance. I feel that 7 speeds is perfect for most riders since eventually you will wish you had them if you encounter a hill, headwind, or just need to go a little faster. Qualityand Support The Dahon Speed 7 like all Dahon bikes is made with quality components and workmanship. These bikes are generally built to last with solid frames. The finish in Dahon bikes is very good and with an occasional waxing of the frame and cleaning your bike will keep looking like new. With proper care all the bike should need is routine maintenance and tires. As for colors Dahon is behind other makers as they only offer limited color selection for most models. So if the model you like is available in Green that year.... That is your only choice.
In the event a repair is needed these bikes are not overly complex and most things can be done by someone with basic skills. Dahon really pushes the "go to your dealer" thing. This is ok but I think many folks who want a folding bike may be taking it to locations where "taking it to the dealer" is not a viable option. I think Dahon should at the very least have an exploded parts diagram available on their website so parts can be ordered and described easily. I was once trying to find a simple bolt and had to call 5 or 6 bike shops before I was able explain what I was looking for so they could order it.
Finally, Dahon does not have a contact phone number for support.
Value Dahon bikes are kind of hard to find used except in NYC where there are a lot of these around. I suspect the same applies in other cities as well. If looking for a used one try Craigslist.org. in your local community. If taken care of these bikes will not lose much value and the more you use it the more you get out of it anyway.
Street price for this bike is around $400 new. This price is on par with other brands but again Dahon is really the one by which other folders are measured. At $2.00 a pop for Subway fare here in NYC the bike will pay for itself is about 20 weeks of commuting.
A word about carry bags and cases... Ughhh!!!! Dahon markets something called the El Bolso carry bag. Simple and a great idea where you just put the bike down on the bag and lift by the integrated shoulder strap and away you go. EXCEPT Dahon decided to go with a one size fits all(including the full 26" wheel folders). The result is a carry bag that is way too big for this model Dahon. It would be great if the offered a smaller bag for the smaller bikes. I had a cheap folder called Sto-N-Go that had a great compact bag with integrated roller wheels.
You can also buy a case for air travel that you can check as luggage for flights. This is a semi hard case and has urethane wheels. This is a must for air travel. According to Dahon it slightly exceeds airline standard size luggage but supposedly most airlines do not ask for the oversize fee.
Brompton (competitor) makes a roller assembly that can be attached to their bikes so they can easily be rolled while folded. I think Dahon should consider the same and perhaps invent some kind of integrated handle so the bike can be easily rolled instead of carried while folded.
Performance I bought my Dahon D-7 to commute daily from Penn Station down to the Financial District in New York City and to use on mini-vacations. This bike seems to be perfect for such use. I can take it on the train to NYC and ride the bike path downtown.
This bike is extremely comfortable handles extremely well especially for a folder. I ride this bike and it feels like I could ride it all day and have a great time. Steering is stable and the brakes are responsive and strong(remember I am a big guy so stopping this bike was important). The high pressure tires offer good traction and low rolling resistance. Add in the 7 speed gears and this bike really hums along. I found myself passing other folders on the bike path with ease. There are not many hills where I ride but I do encounter strong headwinds at times. This is where having gears really pays off.
Maintenance Maintenance on the D-7 is much like any other bike. Since it is a folder there are a few areas to make sure you check on a regular basis. These are outlined in the owner's manual.
Bottom Line All Dahon bikes are well made and represent an excellent value in the folding bike market. When compared with other makes Dahon value, quality, performance, and engineering are at least equal if not better than the competition. The D7 Speed is a proven design and I love my bike. If something were to happen I would buy another in a heartbeat.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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