neilfein

The hinge joint on my Curve fell apart, probably die to road vibrations, and I brought it into the shop to get it replaced under warranty. Aforementioend shop ordered the part from Dahon, and they said it'd be there in two weeks.

It's been 18 days, and the part hasn't been delivered to the shop. I'm not sure if it's this shop, or if Dahon is lousy at shipping parts, although the fiasco with the late 2008 Curve SLs earlier this year makes me think the latter.

Rant gripe complain mumble.

Has anyone experienced anything like this with Dahon? Are they generally terrible at filling orders?

Lalato

You think that's bad. I ordered a hinge part for my Giant Halfway a few months ago and I still haven't seen it.

Tommy C

This is pretty much the main reason I am moving back to a traditional full size bike.... I find the folders to be too sensitive and I am not an aggressive rider at all. In two months My Mu P8 had so many problems I have never had with a regular bike.... I returned the Mu although it was a very nice ride and I am aiming towards Marin Novato.

folderster

I my Dahons but I had the same problem with a bad rear wheel, a seam split on the rim after a month. Took four months to get a new one. I was patient for awhile, but by the end I was tired of getting outright lied to over and over with "it was sent" by the Dahon folks (something they told repeatedly to both my shop and to me directly once I started getting involved).

By the third month I had bought my own (better) wheel and when the replacement finally came I named it "Spare."

Still, the bikes have been otherwise really good to me and I consider them a great big bang for buck bargain.

neilfein

Just got off the phoen with the shop - Dahon told them that the part is on backorder, and will be another two weeks.

I'm writing an email to Dahon. Anyone have a phone number i can call as well?

brakemeister

what exactly you need ........ email me offline and I will see what I can help you with
thor

Bacciagalupe

I agree this is kind of a problem with Dahon. Just think how much fun it will be to get a hinge replaced when the bike is 10 years old.

That said, when I needed a warranty wheel replacement, Dahon shipped out the part right away.

jur

Thor has got to be the best port of call when anything at all is needed. Never mind even bothering with a warranty issue - just cough up the (hopefully small) amount and get it from Thor - least problems. You can get going right away, and then at your convenience deal with the guarantee issue.

datako

I think you'll find the wait is pretty much the same with any specialist part on any bike.

Dahon should insist the distributors carry a stock of "unlikely" spares.

neilfein

Do you do warranty work? The bike is under warranty.

neilfein

Oh, but it's a matter of principle in this case. If it goes on more than another couple of weeks, I may reconsider.

gbcb

Ack! That's not the kind of thing I want to hear! The Dahon-friendly LBS is ordering a new handlebar hinge/latch for my Boardwalk and it's already been a week -- they said 2 days max!

wahoonc

One of the reasons Dahon doesn't have my business, the other being that their 16" wheeled bikes and many of the 20" wheeled ones will not fit me.

Aaron

neilfein

Subject: Curve D3 hinge mechanism fails, unable to get replacement from Dahon
To: contact AT dahon DOT com, montier AT dahon DOT com
Date: Oct 30, 2008 8:34 AM

To whom it may concern,

The hinge retention mechanism on my 2008 Dahon Curve D3 recently fell off while riding. Of course, the bike is unusable without a working hinge mechanism. Since
the hinge doesn't lock in this state, I'm surprised it didn't fold up on me while riding in traffic.

I'm surprised something this serious happened a few months into the bike's life, only a few months after I purchased it new from a local dealer.

I called the shop I purchased the bike from and ordered a replacement part. (Planet Bike in East Brunswick, NJ.) I did this on 17 October, and the shop was told that the part would be delivered to them in two weeks. It's now 29 October, and your company told the shop after over two weeks since the initial order that the part was on backorder, and that it'll be another two weeks until they see it. I encountered a similar situation a few months back when the same shop ordered a Curve SL for me, and the bike was delayed for months. I ended up compromising on a Curve D3, in order to have a folding bike at all.

Being without my bike for over a month is an unacceptable situation. While I greatly enjoy the Curve and find it a great value for the money, I've found that Dahon tends to underestimate the time it'll take to fulfill orders. Posts on bikeforums.net substantiate that mine is not an isolated problem. Your company has a reputation in the folding bicycle community as being continually late with orders.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Neil Fein
<mailto:neilfein AT mindspring DOT com>
<https://www.neilfein.com>
Edison, NJ, USA

brakemeister

ok lets do it this way
(as a matter of principle so to speak)
dont bother emailing me
get it solved your way

Thor

datako

Seems to me that if it's a matter of principle and you are turning down the opportunity to get your bike fixed quickly (Thor's offer), then the lack of a hinge can't be that urgent a problem.

The problem is that the cycle trade hasn't caught up with the demand for the for the modern consumer to have it all right now. Luckily for the cycle trade, most cyclists are enthusiasts and prepared to tolerate this, but commuter bikes are a different category.

I'd go for being pragmatic and getting it fixed now AND chasing up the principle by chasing the supplier.

jur

+1

Principles often only end in headaches, blood-shot eyes and a hoarse voice.

neilfein

Sticking to my principles may have paid off. Dahon just emailed me back and offered to send me the part for free.

fricker61

As the head mechanic at a Dahon dealer, I'm often the guy caught between a customer who wants their bike fixed NOW and our rep at Dahon, who may or may not have the parts we need. I can honestly say, most of the time, probably 95 % of the time, they have the part and send it out promptly. Once in a great while, they don't have the part, and then it CAN be a while before I see it, since "not having it" means it's not in the US, but is over in Taiwan or China. In my experience, they have all of the various latches, catches, magnets, etc, that I need, when I need them. The only parts I've had to wait for tend to be more unusual things, like a special wheel (dynohub, or perhaps a wheel for a SpeedPro, that sort of thing). So I'm surprised to hear of the problems some folks seem to have. Perhaps our shop just has a better "connection" with Dahon, due to selling a LOT of bikes. Or maybe it's timing, I don't know. But I have to say, all in all, Dahon has been very good to work with as far as parts supply goes.

Just my 2 cents.

Tim

brakemeister

what fricker says ....
better shops order ( and pay !!) for a couple spare parts , than... if need arises they use these parts as warranty items and replace them for free ..( and fight with Dahon later about getting a credit) ...

Wonder what made Neilfein think that I wanted to charge him .... but thats ok he been taken care off.
( I did not have the latch in stock myself , but was prepared to take my personal Curve apart )

And yes ....not always are all parts available on short notice , usually there are alternatives parts which will keep the bike rollin ....( this is especially the case with older bits and pieces like handlebarposts, instead of an adjustable one, one might go back to a fixed length unit )

Than they are accessories like fenders, lights pedals and what else not... which are not warranty related anyhow.. There it is up to the dealer to order early and enough to fill their customers orders.... And again these are available most of the times, but onece in a while Dahon USA runs out and has to wait for new product.... no problem as long as the dealer has a couple in stock ...

thor

EvilV

WOw!

Now if that isn't the mark of a good chap, I don't know what is. Given that some people who run businesses won't even bother to service the needs of customers who have made profits for them, it is a fine thing to come across a businessman who is prepared to dismantle his own bike for spares to help a person who has never dealt with him in his life.

Kudos to Thor - he is a Nordic god with a hammer after all.

rhm

Well, to be fair, Jur suggested you might:

But we're mixing a bunch of issues that should be kept separate. Cost of the part is a minor issue. More important is that the part broke; it shouldn't have. And then, the replacement was hard to find; it shouldn't have been. Jur's point, I think, was to recommend Neil get the ASAP, and to recommend Thor as the best way to get it, and to recommend Neil be willing to pay for the thing should that be necessary. And I agree; the important thing is to get the bike back on the road ASAP.

Finally, all that said, Thor's initial post rightly suggested this be handled privately. I'm sure we are all interested (and sorry) to hear the part broke; and it's equally interesting that the part has been hard to replace; but beyond that, there's no need for this kind of thing to be aired in public until all private avenues have been exhausted.

neilfein

Yeah, that was more or less it. Thor, thanks, and I'll be emailing you about some tires.

folder fanatic

Folding bikes are a bit different but just as reliable as a regular non folding bike. I have had both. My last regular bike was donated several month ago. I have been using folders exclusively since then. They do require you to check over the folding latches and levers for proper tightness and wear most times you ride. But after 5 years with my Boardwalk, it becomes second nature.

I assume your Curve is new purchased no more than a couple of month ago. Both my Dahons gave me headaches within a month of each of their purchases (2003 & 2006). My Boardwalk's front hub was defective and had it's cones and axle replace. My Piccolo's front stem was defective and had to be replaced. Since it was a 2 piece one, the bottom part was only replaced. After I addressed these problems, each bike preformed flawlessly after and I still use each.


There is tradeoffs for everthing you purchased in life. Dahons are great bikes-except for defective parts issue at the time of purchase or even after with all the innovations (changes) the bikes go through year after year. I am not sure I will be able to get parts when the old ones wear out.

Happy to provide it. It is: (626) 305-5264 Monday to Friday business hours Pacific Standard Time.


Wow! Although I am a bit concerned if a Dahon Pro Shop dealer can't get the requested with ease, who can? Especially after a few years of changes in the Dahon model lines and end of production of the particular model.

noteon 

You're assuming Dahon has them to offer.