With my Dahon Mu P8, the folded handle post fits in between the two halves of the frame. The cables are therefore routed within the frame itself. They do not stick out and make the folded package quite neat (not Brompton neat, but quite neat).
As you can see from this picture (extracted from my post about intermodal commute), this particular requirement is very important for intermodal transport:
Now, from most pictures I see of 20" terns, the cables seem to stick out from the folded package. This would be quite an inconvenience: any train passenger standing or passig by the folded bike will likely catch into the cables.
I found one picture online where the cables weren't sticking out but I wonder if there is a tecnique to get this particularly neat routing:
One difference I found between the Dahon Vector and the Tern Verge series, is that the Vector's handlepost folds forward: this naturally routes the cables over the handlepost latch in a neat way.
Also, I found that Terns used by most reviewers have had the front brake calipers mounted at the back of the fork; but on their website, Tern shows the front caliper mounted at the front of the fork.
The fundametal questions are
But since I need to plan how to spend my money, in the era of the Internet, one would expect pictures to reflect reality, and information to be available online.
You might consider the issue of the neatness of the package as a minor issue. But in and around London, public transport is essential, and it is very busy: I take a train at 5.56 in the morning and by the time it gets near London (around 6:45AM) it is nearly packed with commuters.
At the moment, the size of a 20" Dahon is just about as big as you can fit without conflict with other passengers.
Yes it does ride better than a Brompton, but that is not to say that a Brompton rides badly. Bromptons are made to be as neat and transportable as possible when folded. They still manage an OK ride and their quality is high. Unfortunately, because of their design, their application is rather limited if compared to bigger wheeled alternatives like Dahon and Tern.
I am currently waiting for an informed reply, with pictures.
Also, I found that Terns used by most reviewers have had the front brake calipers mounted at the back of the fork; but on their website, Tern shows the front caliper mounted at the front of the fork.
The fundametal questions are
- What is the current cable routing like? Are there any pictures clearly showing it?
- Is there a way to achieve the cable routing I found a picture of?
- Do production Terns have a brake caliper mounted in front of or behind the fork? Why the inconsistency between the pictures on the website and what is available in the shops?
I am not yet able to see a Tern in person as they will only be available in April here in the U.K.
But since I need to plan how to spend my money, in the era of the Internet, one would expect pictures to reflect reality, and information to be available online.
You might consider the issue of the neatness of the package as a minor issue. But in and around London, public transport is essential, and it is very busy: I take a train at 5.56 in the morning and by the time it gets near London (around 6:45AM) it is nearly packed with commuters.
At the moment, the size of a 20" Dahon is just about as big as you can fit without conflict with other passengers.
Yes it does ride better than a Brompton, but that is not to say that a Brompton rides badly. Bromptons are made to be as neat and transportable as possible when folded. They still manage an OK ride and their quality is high. Unfortunately, because of their design, their application is rather limited if compared to bigger wheeled alternatives like Dahon and Tern.
I am currently waiting for an informed reply, with pictures.
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