Return of the Curve..

After a long absence..

There aren't many good-quality 16" folding bikes out there.
Those that are worthy of a mention includes the Dahon Curve D3, XL and SL. 
While the XL and SL has long been discontinued, Dahon maintained the lower-end Curve as one of their main stable bikes in the 16" category.

Dahon improved the 2015 Curve i3 with a Shimano Nexus-3 drivetrain

Be prepared to pay..

Typically, a Dahon Curve D3 back in the early days (introduced in 2008) would cost around RM1,600.

The new Curve i3, now, with Shimano Nexus3 gearing, is priced at RM2,089 (inclusive of GST).

You are paying for a China-frame with basic components. And by today's standards, it's way overpriced compared to the readily available options from other China manufacturers.

The Curve i3, folded

How it handles? 

 

It's a basic bike with a 3-speed hub gear, weighing around 11kgs. It folds neatly into a compact package so that you can bag it during your commute into the city centre in a bus or on the train.

By saying "basic", you don't get all the luxury of high-end components. 

But, that said, the Curve is pretty hardy. 

The earlier models were bundled with a pair of Schwalbe 16x20 Big Apple tires. This gave it a really comfy ride.

Handling-wise, you might the small bike a bit "twitchy", so, for riders with no experience, it's would not ride as well as a large bike. But if you train yourself to ride it, you will overcome all the "shortcomings", well, literally..

Where to buy? 

Johnny Ng from My Bicycle Shop has a few in stock. Quantities are limited because the Malaysian distributor is not really interested to sell this bike. To get a closer look (sorry, no test-rides), give Johnny a call at: 016-632 2599.