Dahon D7 Folding bike
My company started a government sponsored scheme called “bike to work” which gives a significant discount on bicycles as long as they are used for getting to work. I chose an entry level folding bike and also a large frame mountain-bike.
I have been thinking about how to streamline my commute for a while. Having a bike->coach->bike journey instead of a walk->coach->bus journey improves things enormously. No more waiting at the coach station because the bus and coach don’t synchronise their timetables.
I estimate that it saves me about 30 minutes a day which is fantastic. It should also provide some much needed exercise. It’s takes me about a minute to fold or unfold the bike and put it in it’s carry bag (which the coach company insist on). The procedure is quite fiddly and takes a bit of practice. It’s a bit too heavy but it feels robust, even if I weigh at the maximum end of the suggested weight limit. The 7 gears give a decent range.
I actually wish I had spent more money on it and got a better model because I use it so often and the folding mechanism could be improved on.
Carrera Vulcan 2007
Because I can’t see the delicate folding bike going off-road, I got a huge (22 Inch) chunky solid bike to compensate.
This is the first time I’ve used disk-brakes and so far I’m disappointed because they don’t give any more traction than rim-brakes. Also the suspension is too soggy for my weight (I didn’t know that suspension is designed especially for a weight range).
