Used Doppelganger and/or b'twin?
 

So, I'm spending two nights of each week in Riyadh for work, and I've got time to ride into the night.

Problem is, I don't have a bike to ride over there. I really don't want to drag any of my bikes in Jeddah out here, because I got no safe place to leave it at for the other four days of the week. (I stay at an affordable hotel, and the manager said he'd keep my bike at the hotel for me - if I let him and his staff use it to run errands! Thanks but no thanks!)

With all this in mind, I've been thinking of getting something used and cheap - something I wouldn't regret just walking away from if I quit or lose my job,or if it gets damaged or stolen.

So I hit the local classifieds, and among the Treks, Trinxes, and Chinese off-brand BSOs, found this guy who has a Doppelganger 200 White Back and a b'twin Hoptown up for sale. He wants SAR400 for both; says the 200 is ready to ride, the Hoptown "needs brakes." I haven't driven over to see the bikes yet, but plan on doing that next week.

There's also this Upland/Totem dealer in the neighborhood that also rents out bikes (I actually rented a basic hybrid for a couple of hours last night, just to feel out what the relatively young neighborhood is like to ride.) But at SAR70 a day (or SAR50 an hour, plus the SAR300 refundable retainer, that's almost as much as the Kia Rio I rent every week!)

So, which one of these two would you walk away from in 30 seconds?

I'd have to inspect both first!

But looking up the specs and frame construction, I'd be much more interested in the DG.

The frame construction looks interesting, like a hydroformed I-beam. The gearing is wider, and I wonder if the ride is better. Plus the fact that it's ready to go instead of needing brakes.

I second the advice of trying them out. You can have a good bike at the start that gets abused to the point of becoming useless especially if you lack tools at the location. Aren't there any Dahons among the classifieds? I have no experience with either of the bikes, but I was helping a friend in Europe to buy a bike and was surprised to find out how klutzy a Decathlon bike could be.

There had been a Dahon Qix up for sale in Jeddah a while back, but that was before I got working in Riyadh (and before I could afford a fifth bike.)

Funny thing is, it was the very same bike I had looked at at the store and ended up deciding it just wasn't for me - not at what was the store's asking price, anyway; though it had the same exact components as my Speed and Mu, I had some doubts about the frame's design and finish. FF a few months later, abs and the guy who ended up buying it had it up for sale!

And life's wheels just keep on turning!

You'rerright about not having tools available with me over there. The bike shop that happens to be located a short walk from where I'm staying will likely come in handy for a spare tube or some quick repairs, even though the staff didn't seem too apt - they gave me some static about adjusting tire pressures and the V-brakes of the bike I rented from them. They got a decent stock of parts and tools, though.

Doppleganger make decent bikes, I had one for a while. Solid frames with cheap parts. I got rid of my aura 219 because it was very heavy and the rear suspension was rock solid. But I regret it, I bought a highend dahon after but I wish I just took the doppleganger frame and replaced the parts. Would have been a cool bike.