Was just about to commit to Brompton ownership when I came across the Dahon Curl i4 on sale at Rutland Cycles.

It looks to be a very good alternative with several similarities, have any of you good people ridden both and formed a view or preference for either one?

Biscuits at the ready.
3 pages of snobbery ahoy!

I’ve got a brompton, it’s absolutely fine now I’ve got used to the front end being sketchy af and have got a biffer rated suspension block.

Just watched a youtube of the curl fold / unfold – v. similar to the brompton, but with a few less robust looking bits…

youtube.com/watch?v=DbS-G8RXQxY

I used to sell both and the Dahon looks a better bet to me. For a start, if something breaks on it far more of the parts look standard fit, it’s better value and it doesn’t look like it’ll be such a pain in the hoop to fix a flat on it.

Thanks for the replies.

@eddiebaby 😀

@munrobiker Thanks for that, I agree with the value point, the Dahon is about half the price of an equivalent Brompton. The fold looks very similar and I really like that it uses standard components. Good point about the flat fixing, I hadn’t thought of that.

Brompton all the way, it’ll last for years and spares are readily available through brompton dealers. Put puncture resistant tyres on it and you’ll be fine. Cheaper folding bikes are rarely worth it as they go a bit wobbly.

Not a foot in either camp here, I think Brompton’s are outrageously expensive, heavy and steep prices for spare parts too. I have had a few Dahons in the past though with varying success, and discovered that quite a few components in Dahon folding builds are proprietary, ie weird hub sizes, latching mechanisms, chain tensioners etc.

Have look at this review first

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I’d recommend a Brompton from my experience and buy on the cycle scheme to reduce the cost (if you have that option). Don’t know about Dahon build quality but I rely on my Brompton to get to and from work 4 days a week and getting around London when I’m there and it’s never blinked in 2 years. It’s very important to me that it just works reliably but all I’ve had to do is basic maintenance during that time because that’s all it has needed. Resale values are high if you ever don’t need it.

As per devbrix above. Just back from That London’s Famous City of London on mine today. Handles dashing around the city with aplomb, then equally happy on the back lanes from the village station to Flash Towers.

More smiles per mile than any of my other bikes.

Also, as mentioned, get good tyres (Schwalbe Marathon type) and keep them pumped up.

Mine hasn’t missed a beat in about six years of regular use. Lovely thing.

Thanks folks.
My default position was a Brompton on C to W but the curl looked like a good alternative for about half the price. Don’t want to save cash and then find it’s annoying or tricky to use.
I’ll see if i can find a local Dahon stock is and go have a play in store.

Don’t know about Dahon build quality

That’s a bit like saying you don’t trust the build quality of a Giant or Trek – Dahon are probably the biggest folding brand apart from Brompton, they make good stuff.

I’d consider a 20″ folder for the comfort

I’ve got a 20″ folder it is good to ride.

Ridden 35 miles home on it a couple of time when the train has broken.

When I’ve ridden 16″ folders they have felt horrible in comparison
I guess you’d get used to that ?

BUT Im not sure I’d recommend a 20″ folder. The main purpose of a folder is to fold small. The 20″ is pretty big.

Since I’ve got it I’ve had jobs when I dont go to work on the train and it takes up a fair bit of room in the garage.

But having a folding bike is great even if you dont use it much.
love it for MOT’s / car servicing in particular.

Has anyone riden an AC Atto?

OP how far do you need to travel on it? Terrain/surface?

I have a 20” wheeled, cromo framed, Dahon speed TR fitted with big apples and a 3 x 8 sram Dualdrive hub. It rides really nicely. Like a proper bike, very stable, super comfortable and a good useable gear range, but..it is a relatively big fold and it’s not good if you want to frequently nip on and off trains/buses. However if you want a bike for laid back multi modal travel, then it’s great and arguably a bigger wheeled folder is better for this. I quite happily cycle up to 30 miles on the Dahon including rough Sustrans type tracks. I suppose it’s horses for courses. The build quality of my Dahon is excellent and I’d have no hesitation recommending Dahon.

@malvernrider 3 to 4 miles each end of a train journey on fairly flat paved roads/cycle paths. Will be attaching some sort of laptop bag to the rack (appreciate it will need to be removed before folding).

A lot of folding bikes, notably many Dahons now take the Brompton luggage block. This is probably the single best thing about the Brompton. Teh new Dahon has of course been produced now the fold patent has expired. There were a few reports of failing mudguards, but then my Brompton ruined guards pretty regularly.

My folder is a bit different, so we won’t go there, but it’s fixed wheel, light alloy and takes a Brompton fron bag.

Test ride?

Curl one out, then tell us how it was?

3 to 4 miles each end of a train journey on fairly flat paved roads/cycle paths. Will be attaching some sort of laptop bag to the rack (appreciate it will need to be removed before folding).

Only reason I ask is because I easily scooted 3 miles last night on the footbike, and thought about a 16” folding one for so-called ‘last mile(s)’train commuting. Probably a Swifty or something similar like a Kostka Rebel Max fold. But then again they are as much as a used Brompton or new Dahon. I bought a used Kostka for notalot, and amazed how much I enjoy it, and well-made it is. It’s as simple as a simple thing and as one might think requires almost zero maintenance.

Just an option to throw in

I’ve got a 1976 Bickerton.
Don’t get one of those! 😂😂