Bargain Folders?

[Sustineo]

Hey All
Looking to see if anyone has any experience with either of these two folders:-

The Orange one is a Hachiko HA-01
The Black and Red one is a Crius Spinner

The Hachiko is retailing for £265!
Cant see much on cost for the Crius apart from an American site at $638 (about £400)

For stylish full disc Folders ( I love the look of the Hachiko) these are either great bikes for the price, OR another Japanese technology but built elsewhere cheap heap..

 

[Cyclist33]

No but I hear the prices at Staples are quite good!

 

[summerdays]

I know nothing about them but they look very small, unless there is some strange deception in the photograph angles both bikes don't look like there is very much scope to raise the saddle or handlebars enough, and the bars look quite close to the saddle.

 

[Sustineo]

Hmmm good point I never thought about that, I will see what I can find out and update Thread when I find anything on size etc.

 

[StuAff]

The Crius is a rip-off of the Dahon Jetstream (not currently available in a disc version, but it has been), the Hachiko is a Dahon Mu rip-off.

 

[Sustineo]

Thanks for the Info, having looked further after your post I came across this rather worrying website review.....

http://maxxuminteractive.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/online-foldable-bike-buying-trend-heres.html

Its just as you said about the Dahon rip-offs.

Below is an exert from the text:-

Advance rusting stage (after 12-24 months)
Allow me to share the condition of how hi-tensile steel components will be like after 12-24 months.

(The same handle post - but in full black finishing on Hachiko: Noticed the clamp are all rusting?)



This has made me curious, apart from the usual consumer rights laws are ALL these import bikes checked for minimum quality standards?

 

[Milkfloat]

To be fair - looking at the drivetrain alone - that is one hugely unloved bike that has never seen a drop of oil. It looks like either it is bagged up when wet or left outside with zero maintenance. it could still be a 'bad' bike, but poor ownership cannot have helped.

 

[Sustineo]

I was wondering that, because as others have said it is a rip-off Dahon, but the Cassette, Rear derailleur and Shifters are all Shimano which do at least have a descent reputation. If the other major parts are interchangeable (that crank looks cheap and nasty) with other Dahon models, it would be as you said regular maintenance is the key. But for the £260 asking price maybe a second hand true Dahon would be better?

 

[FrankCrank]

....don't have any experience of the 2 bikes you show, but if I was in the UK and in need of a folder I'd be tempted by the Carrera Transit at Halfords for 300 quid.
It has 3-speed Shimano hub gears, and good reviews, so quite a bargain I think. Derailleurs never seem to suit 20" wheeled folders IMHO, look like they're in danger of dragging along the road

 

[Sustineo]

I'm riding a 3-speed internal now on my Trek F200 Navigator, whilst it's fantastic around the towns and leisurely Weekend rides, my son and I are venturing further on the trains/buses to more hilly parts of the country and I find it struggles (or I do!) on longer climbs with the gear ratios.
I looked at replacing the Rear hub to an Internal 8 or 9 speed but for a new unit it was coming in at around £150 plus, not including new shifters etc.
But yes I found the internal hubs bullet proof and virtually maintenance free.

This is the Trek before I removed the rack, mud-guards and chain protector.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

To be fair - looking at the drivetrain alone - that is one hugely unloved bike that has never seen a drop of oil. It looks like either it is bagged up when wet or left outside with zero maintenance. it could still be a 'bad' bike, but poor ownership cannot have helped.

Agree, I have a 15+ yo Dahon that lived in my mums shed and never got any TLC between my visits to her, it was never ever allowed to get in that poor a condition. I think the owner has unrealistic expectations of care and maintenance of a bike.

No experience of the 2 in the OP but riding cheap folders on holidays or just trial ride browsing has never inspired me with confidence in them as a long time purchase.