2014 Folding Bike Trend

Are we there yet?

With just weeks away, 2013 will draw to an end.
I think it was a really exciting year with a few surprises to boot!
In late November, Malaysians had a taste of the best 24" folding with the introduction of the Tern Eclipse X20.
About a dozen of these bikes found its way to some passionate owners. Whether they see action or end up as a wall-hanger, much is to be said.
But, even with that, the public has a shallow perception of the folding bike.
They still think that it's a toy.
"Why pay so much?", asks a curious onlooker.
Compared to its larger peers such as the Mountain and Road bikes, a folding bike has more moving parts that are secured by a locking latch.
Its expensive to produce them and the good ones are never cheap.
Why? You put your life on it and the least you'll expect is for it to fail on you.

Terning heads: The Eclipse X20

I don't think folding bikes would sell very well due to its reputation and pricing factor.
Many cyclists still scoff at it for its "handling" and "image" issues.
Yet, the top-selling brand in the country is Dahon bicycles and with a solid reputation, its become well-known.
Thanks to the cyclists who have shown what the bike can do by engaging it on long-distance rides.
Some maniacs even went offroad with the bikes.
Second only to Dahon is Tern Bicycles. I don't need to elaborate on the brand as its being accepted by the folding bike community here.

Dahon, back to thrill..

We knew that there was a spat between Dahon's founder and his son.
This issue has been settled.
And Dahon is back for good after the trademark issues where many Dr Hon bikes were sold here.
As consumers, we can expect some interesting bikes like the Dahon Vigor P9.
I've seen the bike up close and its targeted for experienced cyclists with its aggressive styling.
Pound for pound, I'd say that Dahon had cut corners in terms of "giving the best" with good components.
But, nevertheless, you can see that the fit, finish and quality is just average.

The Vigor P9

Tern, leading the pack..

For 2014, we can expect a lot from Tern Bicycles.
There's the Verge P9, a basic ride to complement the Verge platform.
It's a 9-speed bike with no frills.
Speaking of 24" folding bikes, I am very excited with the Eclipse P18, which is a cheaper version compared to the Eclipse X20.
Another bike to lookout for is the Eclipse S18i. I am very excited with this bike as its a touring bike straight out of the box!

Tern's Road Warrior: The Eclipse S18i

I was told by Tern's Joshua Hon that the Eclipse S18i is a heavy machine that is ready to roll on whatever that you will throw on its path.
And its also been extensively tested in Taiwan where it's made...

Pacific Cycles

Fei Lee of GW Cycles had taken over the Birdy brand from a former distributor.
He's been busy marketing the bikes and is now the man about town if you want the best bikes from Pacific Cycles especially the birdy classic. 
This is of course, a niche market product and there aren't many Birdy owners around the country compared to Dahon and Tern bikers.
That said, we can look forward to many cool Pacific Cycle bikes from Lee's showroom!

Birdy redux: the Classic returns!

Raleigh

Popular British brand Raleigh will continue to be a preferred beginner's bike with their Ugo-series folding bike.
It's one of the cheapest bikes around.
The only beef one would have is the weight and poorly designed drivetrain.

Java

China-made Java Fit folding bikes are as good as they get.
It's also a value for money bike with a decent component set-up. Beyond some slight improvements, I don't see much coming out of this manufacturer..

Hasa

Taiwan's Hasa bikes came up with an impressive line-up with their folding bikes.
They had some really good models like the Hasa F-1.
Right now, the only bike that is still being sold here is the M-2. Which is quite a decently-priced folding bike...

Doppleganger

I first saw this bike in an upmarket shop.
Personally speaking, it didn't quite hit the mark even with the "designed in Japan" backing that it has. Some company is aggressively marketing this bike and has a Club to support it's owners. Their first appearance was at the 2013 OCBC Cycle Malaysia.

Brompton

This made in the UK folding bike will remain as one of the most popular "upper crust" bike in the Klang Valley.
Favoured by aristocrats, yuppies and wannabes, it will continue to flourish under a new distributor. 
Personally-speaking, I don't think it will sell that well considering the fact that its an expensive bike.

Moulton

A cut above the rest, this one is show-stealer. But I doubt that many cyclists, especially beginners would go for it. 

Tyrell

An aggressive Japan-made bike and the marketing is just mind-blowing! Sponsor some state riders and win many trophies, this brand is here to stay. At least for the time being.

Bikes from the motherland..

Five years ago, we can hardly experience variety in terms of the brands of folding bikes available in the country.
Today, there are at least a dozen brands from China, fighting for a piece of the action.
The market is accepting China-made folding bikes for its pricing factor.
You can forget about built-quality and reliability with "cheap" as the deciding point in one's acquisition of a new bike.
There's just too many bikes out there from China and right now, we're spoiled in terms of choices.

Bike shops: Love them, hate them, but you can't kill them!

Make or break, dealers are the backbone of the bicycling industry.
You've heard horror stories about brands coming and going. And the dealers have to push their brands to earn their keeps.
Here in Malaysia, I'd say that there are two schools of thoughts. Good dealers who are friendly and only sells you the average bike. These are the people that will become your friend as you stay loyal to the store and their wares.
The other end of the spectrum are high-end bike boutiques that caters to the rich and famous.
So, if you ever step into such a store, be prepared to be looked down upon or pay a premium. Good dealers are far and few in between. Its always the case of landing in a shop that gives you the half-assed service.. 

A word of advise

"Look before you leap..", there are many choices out there, before you commit, learn more about your purchase and if permissable, ask for a test-ride.. 

Folding Bike Trend Watch - 2013

Wither the folding bike? 

The folding bike trend will continue to dominate the urban cycling scene. Well, at least for another year or so before it tapers off and becomes a norm in most major cities in Malaysia.
Since 2008, the folding bike has been steadily making its way to the heart of the urban cyclist and the weekend adventurer.
We've seen the benefits and examples on how these bikes are used.
 So, I guess with the growing number of folding bike users, demand for better bikes will continue to rake-in profits for the retailers.
But, like any other activity, the trend is sustained by promotion and marketing, something that we rarely see these days.
Although there are one or two dealers who go all out to please and paint a glamorous image of the foldie, much needs to be done.

What's new?

Dahon

With 30 years in the business, the 2013 line-up of Dr David Hon's bikes are already in the market.
Noteworthy, is the Dr Hon Vybe, an 8-speed urban folding bike (The Dahon trademark has been replaced by 'Dr Hon') and a couple of Dr Hon's Boardwalk featuring the company's 30th anniversary logo.  

2013 Dahon Vybe

I doubt that we will be able to see the 30th anniversary bikes and replicas in Malaysia due to its limited quantities.
So, as it is and in the year ahead, Dr Hon's bike will continue to enjoy a steady sale in the Klang Valley scene. Spare the QC issues and availability of parts, most beginners would opt for a Hon folding bike.

Tern

I believe that 2013 will be a great year for Tern bicycles.
Their line-up clearly shows some vast improvement to the year-old company.
Its very tough to get out of Dahon's shadow, but I think Tern bikes under the leadership of Joshua Hon will surge further ahead.
Even in its infancy, the company had bagged several awards for their innovation.
My watch-list would be the soon-to-be released Eclipse 'Pirate-Ninja' X-20.
Way I see it, Tern is the way to go if you demand for a better and high-performance folding bike...

Way of the Pirate-Ninja: Tern's Eclipse X-20

Other observations...

Birdy/Pacific Cycles Reach

A touchy-feely subject, I doubt that there are gonna be anything exciting about the Birdy or the Pacific Reach.
Way things are going, there are a lot of potential for the Pacific Reach, but it still needs exposure and a good deal of awareness.
But, with a pricetag of RM6.8k, it would be an uphill task to sell these bikes.
That said, you will continue to see the birdies and Reach at social rides and other cycling events in and around the Klang Valley..

Java 

This bike will continue to surge for its price-point factor. Not sure if any new models are going to be introduced in 2013

Oyama

Perhaps one of the better brands around, Oyama has been in business for a long time. Their flagship Skyline-18 is a value for money bike. Its just too bad that the people who are importing these bikes are not really interested in selling them.

Brompton

From the few that you can count with your fingers, the Brommie community had grown in leaps and bounds. And they will continue to breed like rabbits as demands are flourishing for this brand..

Moulton

Alex Moulton's bikes are here. 
Question is: "How deep is your pocket?"

Bike Friday

Yep, the famous Bike Friday is here. Question is this: With a prices ranging from RM4k - RM11k, will it sell? 
I favour the Bike Friday Pocket Llama. But at RM8.8k, its way too expensive and with inferior components, it needs some tweaking before it could really be 'tropicalised' for the riding conditions here.

New entries: Is already too late and too costly? 

Retailers are continuing to introduce new stuff in the market. The latest folding bike to hit our shores was the Tyrel bikes from Japan.
Claiming to be "Number 1" in the land of the rising sun, it would be a daunting task to move these bikes as the asking price is RM7k a pop. My only hope for the people who brought these bikes in is for them to be humble, not snobbish.