Decathlon (or other cheaper folders)?

[Teuchter]

As the "office cyclist", a colleague asked me for recommendations for a cheap bike for his girlfriend. She is looking to cycle to work and currently walks so it's not more than a mile or two each way. They live in a flat with limited storage options so they were planning to lock whatever bike they got to railings across the road from their flat. He also voiced the idea that he'd like to ride the bike too "if it wasn't too girly" and could be easily adjusted.

To me, this sounded like the perfect job for a folding bike. Able to be folded for easy storage in their flat and easily adjusted to fit either him or her.

Now I used to own a Dahon Mu P8 which I thought was a great bike but this sort of thing is outside of their budget (which I get the impression is "as cheap as they can get away with"). I see plenty of positive comments on other Decathlon bikes on these forums (the Triban road bike for instance) so was wondering if anyone had any experience of their folding bikes like this one:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/bfold-5-id_8202740.html

 

[Hacienda71]

Not sure about this model but I think Dahon used to manufacture folders for Decathlon. I am sure someone will know on here though.

 

[fossyant]

There isn't much on the BTwin to go wrong, and it's usually covered by a good g-tee !

 

[robgul]

Yep - I'd go for the Decathlon cheap and cheerful folder, perhaps a slightly more expensive model than the one in the link to improve the component quality - I'm pretty sure they're made by Dahon.

The Hoptown 5 was my alternative option had I not found an "as new" Dahon built Dawes folder at a knockout price.

Rob

 

[Sara_H]

I just bought a hoptown 5. It's my first folder so can't compare, but I'm very happy with it.

It rides perfectly, easy to fold and unfold and all of us in the family from my 10 year old to my 6'2" OH can ride it. Perfect for a few miles, and the gears make moderate hills manageable, though I did get off and walk up a really steep hill!

In short, I love it!

 

[Teuchter]

Thanks for the replies - positive comments passed on.

She's apparently trying to persuade him that they should buy two bikes so they could go for rides together at weekends. My colleague is aghast at this suggestion that a bicycle could be used for recreation as well as transport.

I see I'll need to do more work here.

 

[Andy Davies]

Just a suggestion but I had this very dilemma myself recently. I ended up taking advantage of the Cycle to Work scheme through my employer so I could get a better brand at a small payment each month. When looking through the decathon/tesco folding bike options they didn't cut it against the 'proper' brands. Maybe worth seeing if your friends can take advantage of a similar scheme?

 

[Teuchter]

Just a suggestion but I had this very dilemma myself recently. I ended up taking advantage of the Cycle to Work scheme through my employer so I could get a better brand at a small payment each month. When looking through the decathon/tesco folding bike options they didn't cut it against the 'proper' brands. Maybe worth seeing if your friends can take advantage of a similar scheme?

Don't know why I didn't think of suggesting that as we are signed up to cyclescheme at our work and I used it myself last year.

 

[Andy Davies]

Don't know why I didn't think of suggesting that as we are signed up to cyclescheme at our work and I used it myself last year.

Yep it's a good scheme. I think I pay something like £24/month (works out that you really pay £16/month after taking the tax into account) on an 18 month scheme for my Dahon Vitesse D7 which I am really pleased with. Wasn't worth me getting an expensive Brompton for my use. I have a short commute the other end of a train and haven't managed to use it really yet, it's a 25 min brisk walk so hope todo it in just under 10 mins. But have used it locally quite a bit and will be a godsend for camping next year! I just need to build my confidence on London roads.

I really recommend the bike though!

 

[Brommyboy]

Expect cheap to give a poor ride! Save up to buy something worthwhile that you can enjoy using.

 

[Teuchter]

Expect cheap to give a poor ride! Save up to buy something worthwhile that you can enjoy using.

I agree... but it's persuading non cyclists of the wisdom of this when they don't appreciate the difference between a decent bike and something cheap, shiny and vaguely bike shaped.

 

[jefmcg]

My first bike was a cheap, simple bike. It was a rigid mountain bike made of steel and heavy, about 1/2 the price of similar bikes made of aluminium and lighter. I used that bike for everything, long commutes, triathlons(!!), recreational rides. I kept it for at least 6 years, and only got rid of when I emigrated.

There are good, cheap bikes. I'd happily get that bfold if I wanted a cheap bike, on the basis that my partner's hoptown has worked out very well for him, and spending 3 times (or more) on a Brompton would have made no difference for his usage.

(I've got a reasonably good folder these days, and a Giant road bike. From small acorns ...)

 

[Teuchter]

Just as a follow-up to this, my colleague (after expressing surprise that I'd cycled in this morning) announced that today's snow was his fault as he bought a bike for his girlfriend yesterday. They went for the cheapest of the Decathlon folding bikes, the B-fold 3 which is single speed. Apparently the "£40 extra for the one with gears" was too much . He does however seem quite impressed with it so far (though they haven't actually ridden it thanks to snow and ice) and concedes that he will probably borrow it to use himself occasionally.

 

[joolsybools]

Blimey, I didn't know they did them so cheap, mind you 13.8 and 14kg for a folder isn't to be sniffed at. Let us know how she/they get on with it.

 

[Brommyboy]

When Bromptons first became very popular, they cost about £600. A friend of mine would not pay that much, so bought the Dahon Tideway at half the price. With its weight at almost 35 lbs, he found that it was necessary to modify it. By the time he had reduced it to the same as the Brompton, he had spent another £300. Not much of a deal. I have seen a cheap folder where the long arm derrailleur touched the ground in certain gears, if the tyres were slightly soft. The Brompton copy that was illegally produced at half cost had no bearings for the rear pivot, so the aluminium frame (incidentally much heavier than the normal steel one!) would soon wear out at this point. Some of the more recent cheaper models are actually made from Dahon frames, but it may be impossible ever to obtain replacement frame parts when (not if) required. You pays your money and you takes your choice.