# Touring on a Dahon MU P27 Folder



## Low Roller (21 Sep 2014)

Hello all. I thought I would share my experiences in using a new DAHON MU P27 , a folding bike with 20” wheels kitted out for touring. I have just returned from a short overnight camping trip with interesting results.

I normally use a full sized Galaxy for touring and used the European Bike Express to get to the south of France. I read experiences of others using folders to get flexibility on public transport and thought I would try it. 

The Dahon came with mudguards and a short rear rack so the first thing I did was remove the rack and kit it out with the Tern alloy racks front and back from Evans. The back rack is tall rack that leaves a space between the mudguard and the rack for storing the bike bag. Standard Carradice panniers fit exactly. The front rack fits with the addition of an additional home-made bracket to clear the front brake The Tern, closely related, has brakes behind the forks. Also the Tern rack has attachment points for 20 and 24 inch wheels. I used the latter to get the necessary clearances.The smaller Carradice front panniers fit on this well although the bottoms don’t clip on. The outcome of this was what seemed to be a very well balanced set of wheels with a low centre of gravity.

So I set off - about 30 miles on a fully laden touring bike with small wheels over the edges of the Yorkshire Wolds to Scarborough. I was very pleasantly surprised at the Dahon’s performance. It crawled up and over a few steep hills at 4 miles per hour where previously I have had to get off and push. It cruised comfortably and reached over 20 mph downhill without the slightest wobble or feeling of insecurity. The gears worked impeccably. The upright riding position and standard saddle seemed fine to me. I have previously always used Brookes for thousands of miles. The little prop stand holds up the loaded bike without fuss. I arrived at the campsite unflustered and pleased with myself.

The following morning I packed up and set off along a bumpy cycle track to Scarborough. This is when the snags started. The front rack has tiny welded alloy tabs to secure it. One of these snapped off clean. Not a major snag - a piece of string made a temporary fix. 

The main outcome though was that I decided to cut my journey short and go home on the bus. I got to the bus stop. The driver said he was going in exactly 5 minutes. Panic stations - I bundled the panniers and the tent into a blue IKEA carrier and hastily dismantled the bike and popped it into the bike bag much to the great amusement of the old ladies already sat on the bus. I managed this with two minutes to spare.

At home I found a rack clip, the steel plastic coated “P” type and fixed the rack within seconds. I shall probably fit another two off these to cover the remaining two alloy tabs on the rack.

All in all, I am delighted with this new set-up and look forward to next Spring - Yorkshire to Barcelona by train perhaps?

Hope this helps anyone else thinking of trying this.


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## welsh dragon (21 Sep 2014)

Hello. Welcome to the forum and what a great write up. I look forward to reading of your journey next spring


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## London Female (21 Sep 2014)

Hello and welcome, I enjoyed your write up. I recently purchased a Dahon Vitesse 7, whilst I am really surprised at how comfortable and enjoyable it is to use, I don't find it has a particularly good or easy to fold. I look forward to hearing about your next tour.


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## MarkF (21 Sep 2014)

Great stuff! My cousin visited me from Oz, he brought a D7 Dahon, he is 6' 6" and how I laughed! After he'd left I bought one and was amazed to find that it felt totally "normal" to ride. It's not been used much, I hire bikes on overseas trips but yep, a big trip is in my mind too.

BTW I have ridden one from BCN to Sitges and back up to Girona without issue.


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## raleighnut (21 Sep 2014)

and  nice way to tour though.

LeJoG next.


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## Cycleops (21 Sep 2014)

Hello and welcome. Thanks for your travelogue about touring on the Dahon, very interesting. Bit disappointed that you gave up after a minor mishap and got the bus! I was looking forward to tales of how you scoured the area to find someone with a TIG welder, but never mind.


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## Davidc (21 Sep 2014)

I've been thinking of buying a Dahon (model not completely decided) to replace my runabout mtb. This so I can put it in the car and on trains more easily. Tried out a Dahon D7 and a Brompton a while back. The Brompton won on ease of folding and the Dahon on ease and pleasure of riding, hence the buying intention.

I'll be reading your accounts with great interest.


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## Low Roller (21 Sep 2014)

Cycleops said:


> Hello and welcome. Thanks for your travelogue about touring on the Dahon, very interesting. Bit disappointed that you gave up after a minor mishap and got the bus! I was looking forward to tales of how you scoured the area to find someone with a TIG welder, but never mind.



Thanks for your humorous reply. There were some other things I didn’t mention provoking an early retreat. I only had a pass-out from “her-who-must-be-obeyed” for one night and I was on my way home anyway. The intake of refreshments on the previous evening and resultant inability to take breakfast on that morning also contributed to the need for a bus-trip. I really enjoyed the bumpy ride and the smell of diesel as it meandered back over the Wolds. 

Underneath all this though, it was a brief trip intended to test the concept of mixed bike/ public transport touring and from this point of view the experiment was a resounding success.


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## Low Roller (21 Sep 2014)

Davidc said:


> I've been thinking of buying a Dahon (model not completely decided) to replace my runabout mtb. This so I can put it in the car and on trains more easily. Tried out a Dahon D7 and a Brompton a while back. The Brompton won on ease of folding and the Dahon on ease and pleasure of riding, hence the buying intention.
> 
> I'll be reading your accounts with great interest.


Thanks for that. What persuaded me to get the Dahon was an article I read ( apologies to the author for not giving him credit) which said that if you were mostly a commuter you would buy a Brompton for convenience but if you were a cycle tourist you would buy a Dahon for the comfort and occasional folding ability. Or something like that. Hope that makes sense.


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## Low Roller (21 Sep 2014)

London Female said:


> Hello and welcome, I enjoyed your write up. I recently purchased a Dahon Vitesse 7, whilst I am really surprised at how comfortable and enjoyable it is to use, I don't find it has a particularly good or easy to fold. I look forward to hearing about your next tour.


 I read elsewhere that people found these difficult to fold but it isn't my experience at all. The only slight niggle is that the cables at the back wheel end of the gear changing seem to protrude too much, catch on my size 11's and need pushing back into the frame. I'll get round to it before the Spring.


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## welsh dragon (21 Sep 2014)

Im thinking of getting a tern node next year. I have a cheap folder at the moment. I like the look of the node


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## Cycleops (21 Sep 2014)

Thank you for your informative reply. I'm sorry but I just can't read it without thinking of this:


View: http://youtu.be/y7RRLMh8ang


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## Low Roller (21 Sep 2014)

Cycleops said:


> Thank you for your informative reply. I'm sorry but I just can't read it without thinking of this:
> 
> 
> View: http://youtu.be/y7RRLMh8ang



Brilliant. How did you know I wear glasses like that? Is the sun over the yard arm or something?


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## Low Roller (22 Sep 2014)

welsh dragon said:


> Im thinking of getting a tern node next year. I have a cheap folder at the moment. I like the look of the node


It has larger wheels than an MU. Will it fit the public transport rules on folded size? 85 cm length folded , I think.


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## welsh dragon (22 Sep 2014)

Low Roller said:


> It has larger wheels than an MU. Will it fit the public transport rules on folded size? 85 cm length folded , I think.


Your right. It has 24inch wheels, but Im not going to use it on public transport. It will be kept in the back of my car.


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## Cycleops (22 Sep 2014)

Davidc said:


> I've been thinking of buying a Dahon (model not completely decided) to replace my runabout mtb. This so I can put it in the car and on trains more easily. Tried out a Dahon D7 and a Brompton a while back. The Brompton won on ease of folding and the Dahon on ease and pleasure of riding, hence the buying intention.
> 
> I'll be reading your accounts with great interest.


I recently got rid of a folding MTB with 24" wheels. My brother in law's friend brought a container full of bikes from South Korea for a $1 each and this was in there. I will try and post a picture.


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## Blue Hills (24 Sep 2014)

Interesting post.

I look forward to updates.

I have a Dahon Speed Pro but definitely won't go far from home on that - too delicate and it must be said not as well built as it could be.

But I have the impression that cheaper Dahons may actually be more solid.

Am planning a short trip on the Brompton soon - currently checking bags. I definitely trust the bomb-proof Brommie not to leave me stranded - it has been (unloaded) up Sardinian mountains and whizzed along unmade roads outpacing dogs.


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## TheDoctor (1 Oct 2014)

I've done a weekend on a Brommie, and I've got a week of Bromptonising Provence coming up. I shall report back...


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