Q: What is a Dahon portable bicycle?

A: A Dahon portable bicycle folds quickly, to a very compact size, yet still offers all the riding performance of a traditional bicycle. Almost every Dahon bicycle that we make can be folded in 10-15 seconds, without tools, and is small enough to fit under a bus or train seat. Dahon bicycles come in three wheel sizes 16", 20" and 26".

Q: Why do I need a portable bicycle?

A: The bicycle is one of the greatest inventions ever, but traditional bicycles have some very significant disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is that the traditional bicycle doesn't integrate well with other forms of transportation like trains, buses or cars. It means trips by bicycle are limited to very short distances - which in today's sprawling cities, means that only a very small percentage of total trips are possible by bicycle. Traditional bicycles also don't store well - how long do you think a nice bicycle would last chained outside in NY or Amsterdam while you run errands? And we all know how much space a traditional bicycle takes up if you store it in your apartment or bedroom.

But with our portable bicycles, we've significantly extended the functionality of the bicycle because you can go anywhere you want, and your bike can go with you, whether you ride the entire way or go part of the way by bus, train, car, boat or plane. Following are some examples of how a Dahon can make life easier:

• Hop on your Dahon bicycle and cruise down to the corner cafe for Sunday brunch instead of driving and spending 15 minutes looking for parking. Your Dahon folds and stores away under your table while you eat, so you don't have to worry about whether your bike will still be there when you finish.

• Commute to work. Ride your Dahon to the train or bus station, fold it up, and stash it under your seat. When you reach your stop, unfold your Dahon and ride the rest of the way to work. You get a good workout and save on gas, road tolls, and parking as a bonus. If you head out for drinks after work, your Dahon easily folds to stash away in the trunk of your friend's car.

• Take one on vacation. Many Dahon owners throw a couple of our bikes in the back of their car or RV and head off for a week of camping and touring. Exploring Europe by train and Dahon is a favorite with our customers and is a great way to meet people and visit smaller towns.

• Take one to college. Dahon bicycles are perfect for crowded college campuses. The nimble handling and fast accelerating smaller wheels are ideal for weaving through the busy crowds on their way to class. And if it starts raining, it's easy to fold your Dahon and catch a car ride home with a friend. And because Dahon bicycles fold, you can keep yours safely indoors at night while everybody else worries about their bikes parked outside.

• Hide a Dahon (or two) in your car. Parking can be impossible to find in many cities. With a Dahon, you can park a bit further away and ride the rest of the way to your destination. A Dahon in the trunk also makes excellent emergency transportation if you have car trouble.

• Keep several Dahon's in your RV (camper). When you get to the campsite with the family, everybody will be equipped to explore. By keeping your bicycles inside your RV, you keep your bicycles safe from the weather and thieves.

• Stow a Dahon on your boat. When you arrive in Sausalito or Havana or Majorca on your next port of call, you'll have instant transportation. Dahon's fold to fit easily into the smallest boats and we even have special "Mariner" models designed specially for boaters.

• Stash a Dahon in your private plane - when you touch down at a remote airport, it can be a long walk to the terminal. With a Dahon, cruising to the terminal is a breeze. And in town, you'll be fully mobile.

Q: Why do you refer to your bicycles as portable bicycles instead of folding bicycles?

A: Today, there are many different folding bicycles on the market but not all of them are portable. A truly portable bicycle is one that folds quickly to a compact size, and is light enough to carry for a few hundred yards (for instance in a train station) or up a few flights of stairs. After all, how portable is a bike that weighs over 30 lbs., or takes 20 minutes and several tools to disassemble, or that folds in half but is still too big to fit in a car trunk.

Q: Why should I choose a Dahon bicycle over other available models? I see quite a few bicycles in stores that look very similar to your bikes.

A: The answer is simple really: we make some of the world's best portable bicycles. After all, its no coincidence that we've sold more than 1.4 million portable bicycles and have been the world's leading producer of portable bicycles for 20 years.

Its also a question of commitment, passion and focus. Portable bicycles are all we do and we've been at it with a single-minded purpose for 20 years. And while as a business we need to make a profit, our overarching goal is the promotion of cleaner forms of transportation.

With few exceptions, other producers of folding bicycles are johnny-come-lately types who view the folding bicycle market as the latest trend in the industry. They've jumped into the market with imitation bikes and naturally they've copied from the industry leader, Dahon. It's similar to what we saw in recent years with the once ubiquitous scooter - manufacturers were falling all over themselves to pump out millions of imitation Razor scooters. But the result is that when greedy manufacturers jump into a new product sector without adequate R&D and testing, injuries, shoddy products, and product recalls are the result. Now that the scooter craze is over, those manufacturers have left the market and left consumers holding the bag.

On the other hand, there are a handful of very good folding bicycles made by committed manufacturers like Brompton, Bike Friday, and Birdy. If, after comparing our bicycles, you find that one of these company's bikes suit your requirements better, we won't feel disappointed - it still means one more person on a bicycle.

Q: How does the ride performance of your bicycles compare to traditional bicycles?

A: Very well. Everything starts with the frame and we use patented folding mechanisms and proprietary frame tubing to guarantee a strong and stiff platform. Our frames are among the stiffest in the industry. A patented manufacturing process ensures proper alignment.

Geometry of the frame is also critical for proper handling and stability as well as efficient power transfer from the rider. Our full size bikes all feature standard frame geometry so you can't even tell that you're riding a portable bicycle. Our compact bikes (16" and 20" wheel sizes) feature our BioLogic frame geometry and deliver superb riding comfort and efficiency. Most of our small-wheeled bicycles feature Telescope stems and seat posts that deliver a perfect, custom fit for riders of all sizes.

Finally, parts selection is critical. For instance, to make up for smaller wheel sizes, we either use a smaller rear cog or a larger chainwheel (or a combination of both) so that pedaling a Dahon is the same as pedaling a traditional bike. This seems pretty obvious but you'd be surprised at the number of folding bikes on the market that are geared improperly. And for brakes, we only use the most advanced direct pull (V style) or disc brakes - we've long since retired 19th century technology caliper brakes. This same attention to detail is used on each and every component that we use.

Over the last 20 years, we've concentrated a great deal of our efforts on improving riding performance: we've tinkered with riding position, wheelbase, head angle, fork rake, components, frame materials and construction methods, all to improve the ride of our bicycles. But the proof is in the ride so take a test ride!

Q: Some of your bicycles have small wheels. Doesn't that mean that I'd have to pedal like crazy just to get anywhere?

A: No. We gear every bicycle we make to ride like a traditional bicycle so that you don't have to pedal any harder or faster. To do this, we use special oversized chainrings, smaller rear cogs, or a combination of both.

Q: Are smaller wheels less efficient than large wheels?

A: No. On the contrary, small wheels actually have many performance advantages compared to larger wheels.

First, smaller wheels have a lower moment of inertia that allows significantly faster acceleration and more responsive steering. Second, small wheels have lower aerodynamic drag than larger wheels. Third, small wheels can be built to be lighter than larger wheels. And finally, small wheels are by definition stronger than larger wheels. In fact the world speed record for a bicycle ridden in an upright position was set 20 years ago on a bike with 18" wheels. In fact, the only significant disadvantage of small wheels is when riding on uneven surfaces.

Q: I like the idea of a portable bicycle, but I'm a bit afraid that it might fold up on me while I'm riding. How safe and sturdy are your bicycles?

A: Rock solid. We have an excellent safety record and we build all of our own frames and folding components in our own ISO 9001 factory. All of our bicycles exceed the rigorous strength and safety standards in the U.S., Japan, Germany, the UK and France. That's why we offer a 5 year warranty on our frames and folding mechanisms - upgradeable to lifetime if you send in your warranty card and have it serviced before riding!

All of our designs undergo long hours of testing, redesign and re-testing. We use DoubleLok technology on all folding frames and parts, which makes our latches and locks virtually fail-safe when adjusted and used properly. Most importantly, we've been designing portable bikes for over 20 years, so we have a wealth of experience to draw on.

On the other hand, there are some small factories in Asia that have recently jumped on the folding bicycle bandwagon and are churning out Dahon imitations. You should carefully evaluate bicycles from an unknown producer before electing to buy. Ask the seven following questions when evaluating a folding bicycle for safety:

1. Who made the bicycle? Does the manufacturer have a reputation for quality? Did they make it in their own factory or did they contract it out to someone else? How long have they been building folding bikes?

2. What kind of warranty does the bike come with? The longer the warranty, the more the manufacturer believes in their own product.

3. Is the frame rigid under normal pedaling loads? For a quick test, sit on the saddle, squeeze the brake levers, and twist the seat post and the handlebars in opposite directions to stress the frame. How stiff is the frame? A poorly made folding bike will flex alarmingly.

4. Is there any play in the folding mechanisms when they are locked in the closed position? A poorly made folding bike will wriggle around like a wet noodle even when the locking mechanisms are locked.

5. Are there double locks on the key folding parts? If not, is there a chance that these locks could come accidentally undone while riding?

6. Does the bicycle adjust to give you a comfortable riding position? Many low-cost folding bikes are not sized properly for taller adults. As a result, the handlebars may bang into your knees on tighter turns.

7. How does the bicycle handle - is the bike stable and the steering controlled? Many low cost folding bikes are designed by people who don't even ride bikes. Often there is little if any testing of the product. Remember that folding bike geometries need to be carefully tuned to deliver a stable ride.

If you are buying from Dahon or the other quality producers who have been producing folding bikes for many years, you can buy with confidence; but if you don't know who produces the bike, "caveat emptor."

Q: I'm a big guy; will your bicycles support my weight and offer a proper riding position?

A: All of our 16" and 20" wheel size bicycles are rated for riders up to 230 lbs. (105 kg.) Our 26" bicycles are rated for riders up to 240 lbs. (110 kg.).

In terms of riding position, our compact bicycles (16" and 20") are designed with Telescope seat posts for a customized fit. As a general rule, our 16" models are ideal for riders 4'6" - 6'2" tall, 20" models for riders from 4'10" - 6'4", and 26" models for riders from 5'4" - 6'2". These guidelines may vary slightly depending on your riding style and preferred riding position.

Take a test ride - that is the best way to see if a bike meets your requirements.

Q: How easy is it to fold a Dahon bicycle? Is any disassembly required?

A: Dahon bicycles are well-known for their superior folding convenience. 16" and 20" Dahon bikes fold in only about 10-15 seconds and require no tools or disassembly. Full-sized Dahon bikes are also extremely easy to fold, but take a bit longer at 25 seconds.

Watch out for so-called "folding bicycles" that actually require disassembly, including removal of the front or rear wheels, disassembly of the brakes, or even removal of the mudguards. Disassembly, while not intrinsically bad, is a time-consuming and often dirty job. Imagine how dirty your hands will be after you undo a brake, remove a front fender, and remove a front wheel. A disassembled bicycle is also a hassle to transport because of all of the loose pieces.

Q: How compact is a Dahon bicycle when folded?

A: Pretty compact. In each class (16", 20", 26") Dahon bicycles are among the most compact portable bicycles available. All models fold into a neat box shape without protruding parts, making them easy to transport and store. A Dahon 16" reduces to the size of a shoping bag that can fit under a bus seat or in an airline overhead luggage bin. A Dahon 20" is slightly bigger, but is still very compact. Believe it or not, you can fit two 16" and two 20" Dahon bikes into the trunk of most midsize cars. Dahon 26" models are by far the most compact 26" portable bicycles available - you can fit one with room to spare into the trunk of any standard compact car.

Q: How do Dahon bicycles compare in weight to standard bicycles and other folding bicycles?

A: Very favorably. One of our primary design goals over the last 20 years has been to reduce the weight of our bicycles. After all, what use is a bike that you can fold but is too heavy carry? Our lightest model weighs only 17 lbs. (7.9 kg.) and our best selling bikes weigh about 26 lbs. - 27 lbs. (11 kg. - 12 kg.).

To reduce the weight of our bicycles we use a variety of proprietary frame tubing and patented technologies like our ReBar™ frame technology that results in strong but light frames. We've also carefully studied every component on the bicycle to see where we can reduce weight without sacrificing safety or performance. For example, our proprietary seat posts are a mammoth 34mm in diameter because larger diameter tubes deliver better strength to weight ratios. On some higher end models, we've even gone so far as to use carbon fiber seat posts, titanium rail saddles, special lightweight inner tubes and tires, aluminum spoke nipples, and even lighter weight brake and derailleur cables. Obsessive? Yes. But the end result is a better product.

Q: What happens if I need to service my Dahon bicycle? Are parts difficult to replace?

A: Dahon bikes are generally pretty easy to service. Apart from the frame, most parts are standard and can be found at any bicycle dealer. If you have a problem with a frame or other component that isn't stocked by your dealer, your local Dahon distributor will stock replacement parts.

Q: I like your bicycles, but they look expensive - how much do they cost?

A: Our corporate mission is to promote the growth of clean transportation, so we price most of our bicycles within reach of the average consumer. We do however, also offer a few luxury models made of exotic materials and equipped with state-of-the-art components for our "enthusiast" customers. Parts specifications (and therefore price) will vary depending on the country.

Q: I've compared some of your bikes to those offered by other folding bike manufacturers. In many cases, your bikes have superior specifications but cost much less. What gives?

A: When it comes to business, size does matter, and Dahon is the largest manufacturer of folding bikes in the world. You could take the annual production quantities of the next five largest manufacturers of quality folding bikes and they wouldn't even equal half of our annual production. Since we build 160,000 folding bikes a year, we are able to negotiate very good prices with our suppliers. We also keep our costs down through vertical integration: we manufacture the majority of our own frames and folding components starting from raw tubes and sheets of metal. We also assemble most of our bikes in our own factories. Most other manufacturers buy pre-made frames and components from sub-contractors and also farm out assembly to third-party factories. These middle men drive up costs.

If we can keep our costs down and pass savings on to our customers, fantastic!

Q: You've convinced me. Now where can I buy a Dahon?

A: In the UK our bikes are sold in hundreds of bicycle shops around the country. Visit your local bike shop and check for availability. Dahon bicycles are also sold in a variety of other retailers. Check on our dealers page for listings an links, or contact our sales office for specific dealer directions.

That's it! Now go out and ride!