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Tern switches to 22-inch wheels in new Verge family of folding bikes | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

Let the spirited discussion begin.

HGR3inOK

The BRAIN article will likely cause some confusion. I believe the wheel size is listed on the Tern web site as 451 (not 22"). And those 451 wheels are going to have tires that, for the most part, have 20" on them.


-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

downtube

Road racing tires are available in 451mm, but not 406mm. We will introduce a 451mm racing folder in 2018. I made a quick video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYHd...ature=youtu.be

Thanks,
Yan

prathmann

Happy to see some more bikes with the 451mm tire size since that might make tire availability better for my BF Pocket Rocket. But the cited article is misleading in labeling them as 22" and the emphasis on higher gearing and/or option for smaller chain rings. The 451 tires are generally narrower than the typical 406 ones so there's only a small difference in outside diameter.

ThorUSA

geez.... lol
yeah let me put some links to my 451 in here as well....

in any way.

yes tires is a small issue.... for me the kicker is that one can use a huge rear sprocket with a long cage derrailleur ... resulting in a very nice spread of gear ratios.
and the shredda tires are big enough to be comfortable as well
I also thing that the frames are a little bigger/longer for these verge models, resulting in an even better ride experience and better fold ( to roll them without balancing) but i need to try that out. It works very well on the bosch ebike

leoho5

I'm a bit surprised about the switch to 451 as the selection of tires is much smaller in 451 compared to 406. In 451 it's difficult to find anything wider than 1 3/8".

I like the switch though to the 11-46 cassettes with long cage derailleurs. The gear range is even wider than an 11-speed Alfine.

cplager

That's an interesting looking bike. I look forward to seeing it in production.

tudorowen1

Dahon already make some models for Asia with 451 tyres/wheels so perhaps they are just following them..And I have seen some companies in Thailand sell 451 shed bikes..Trinx bikes for instance..Also Bike Friday produce a couple of models with 451 wheels....

downtube

Agreed the tire selection is rough. It is also hard to buy tubes. 406mm will not work.

Thanks
Yan

Abu Mahendra

I am not sure the dfference is quite so small even when bigger 406 tires are used. For example, my 42-406 tires present a 49.5cm diameter when mounted on a 14-406 rim. My 37-451 tires present a 53cm diameter. It may not be a huge difference, but it is far from trivial.

Abu Mahendra

I agree with Thor. One of the unmentioned advantages of 451 is that it affords a few centimeters more of ground clearance for the RD. A Medium-cage job with 39T total capacity no longer sits perilously close to the ground.

As for the Shreddas, I too have found light (265 grams measured) folding 37mm 451 tires that, with the increased attack angle of the larger diameter rim, are quite good. I posted about those tires, the Maxxis Torch 37-451, in another thread here.

A separate though related issue is that most 451 bikes are sold, made for caliper brakes which cannot clear wide tires. If bike manufcturers want to move to 451, they will have to eschew calipers in favor of disk, cantis or Vs.

Abu Mahendra

I hear ya. I picked this up two days ago...

Btw, the Medium-cage RD-8000-GS will accomodate 11-46T in 1x config.

Abu Mahendra

Aye. Here's one...

I've become less 451-sceptic over time...

Abu Mahendra

Schwalbe, CST, both of which are made in RI, I believe. CST makes 451 tubes with super tall valves for high profile rims. Continental makes a burly dual purpose 406/451 tube. I have a pair.

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Abu,

Most shops do not stock 451 tubes, so you will need to plan flats in advance. Additionally, the selection refers to the width and tread, both of which seem limited in the USA.

Thanks,
Yan

Abu Mahendra

Maybe I'll open an on-line shop that can ship exotica (e.g. 451 tubes) to those in the Homeland.

prathmann

I've hardly ever had a flat occur right next to a bike shop, so the selection in such a shop won't have any effect on my needing to 'plan flats in advance'. With either size tire I carry a couple spare tubes along and patch them later when convenient so I continue to have spares. In a real pinch other sizes of tube will work as well including 406, 559, and 622/630 which are readily available in a variety of widths and valve types/lengths.

downtube

I tried to use 406mm tubes in 451mm wheels with no success. Are you sure these are interchangeable? My kids tri bikes are 451mm and it was a pain getting tubes this summer.

Thanks,
Yan

Abu Mahendra

They were sold to me as dual 406/451, they have 406/451 stamped on the side, and I can vouch they fit on 406. Have not tried them on 451.

GTizzy

I don't think Tern is ditching 406. The Verge Tour, Link D8, Verge S8i, Verge N8 etc are all in production. As the article says, they're releasing three new 451 Verge bikes, but I think it's in addition to the 406 selection, not in place of...

leoho5

Nice looking cassette, although the jump between the penultimate and final cog seems to be large. Let us know how it works when you get to that point.

leoho5

I think it was understood from the article that the change only affected the Verge series. Tern would alienate a lot of customers if they also changed their recreational line to 451 as no one could use Big Apples or Marathons.

Abu Mahendra

Yes, from 37T to 46T in one jump, or 24%. Though when you are at 37T, and still needing help, you wish for a small or big jump? I say big.

tcs

I've long wondered if the Dahon 451 bikes have a purpose built frame or if they just have the larger wheels under the same frame designed for 406s? And now I wonder the same about these Terns.

Some bikes (of all kinds) have relatively high bottom brackets and some have relatively low bottom brackets. It changes the feel and handling of the bike.

downtube

Thanks for sharing, I did not know about these. My tubes are stamped 406.

Yan