Claude Butler Nimbus folding bike

Was in a bike shop yesterday and came across the Nimbus. I was keen to compare to a folder I’ve just bought (Kansi) and was shocked…

° paint quality rough

° welds poor and sharp

° folding release handle was sharp to the point if you slid a hand on it could cut. It also had a plastic lock rotator which looked like it wouldn’t last 10 operations

° Rear gear hub was spurious make

° the folding hinge on the handlebar post didn’t work and I had to help a nut thing back in

° what the bike would ride like is anyone’s

Everything about the bike from fit & finish to the components and then the engineering looked extremely poor

I thought most bikes were made in Taiwan and decent quality. Not so

Phew, I thought it was going to be another picture of my bike.

It’s a folder, peoples expectations of what a folder should be is different to a normal bike.

Add to that, it’s a Dahon clone, so is going to be low spec (patents come into issue here), especially for the price, it’s not cheap, but cheaper than a Dahon

For the Taiwan thing, doesn’t matter which country you look at, all can product great or bad products, it’s all down to cost.

Until now…

Any racer, or gravel bike. Same thing really.

Phew, I thought it was going to be another picture of my bike.

Nah, the ops one is shit from the factory, you chose to make yours like it is 😉

At least it’s marketed as a folding bike. Some of the ebay specials that get posted here will fold unannounced mid ride.

Lol at robcolliver !

Cheap folding bike in not very good shocker.

I thought most bikes were made in Taiwan and decent quality

Taiwan is too expensive for building cheap bikes. Most of the world’s best tube welders are there. Cheap bikes are made elsewhere.

Oh, and if that’s the worst bike you’ve ever seen then you’ve lived a very sheltered life.

OP.

Pics of you on your new folder please.🙂

Here ya go Stu

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/20-wheeled-folder/

I don’t think this has surfaced for a few years:

See loads of similar bikes in the workshop. When you ask the owner how much it cost they invariably say £150 with a “I bet you’re impressed on how much I spent” look on their face. I’m not but they always complain that they can’t understand that after spending that much on a bike it doesn’t work/has fallen to bits after 5 minutes

Here ya go Stu

Still not seeing pics of you on it.😁

Come on Nige just get it out in the open. You know it’s the only way.

@ rock dog – I can see a ~£150 bike being naff, but this Claude Butler was up for nearly £500

I’ve seen more expensive folders that no amount of money would have enticed me to ride. Cost isn’t always guarantee of quality