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First Rain Commute on the Folder...

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First Rain Commute on the Folder...

Old 07-27-22, 07:14 AM
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BobbyG
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First Rain Commute on the Folder...

It began to drizzle yesterday afternoon as I left my new job on the folding Dahon Boardwalk I bought after the last job ended. As I mentioned previously I had left my commute bag intact since my previous job/commute ended 18 months earlier. A couple of miles into the ride the sky opened up. I pulled over, reached into my bag, pulled out my rain cape, donned it and continued on.

It was then that I realized I hadn't ridden the Dahon in the rain yet. Because the bull-bars give me the same riding position as my other drop-bar bikes, that part was familiar. But the bar-mounted shifter and AIrzound Airhorn button are in slightly different positions, and the cape covers the bars and hides them from sight. Not a big problem, just new.

My other two fendered bikes have long, long front fenders that effectively eliminate all front tire spray. I was worried that the milder fender of the folding bike would let my feet get wet, but that was not the case!

So the ride in the rain was really no different that on my other full-size bikes, except for the brakes. The 20-inch wheel Dahon has V-brakes and I was surprised that in the rain they needed far more pressure to slow and stop. My 26-inch MTB-based commuter has had V-brakes for a few years now and they have the same amazing grip in dry, wet and snow. My 'main' commuter has lower-end-ish disc brakes which also work the same in dry and wet. My old 700c roadbike has cantilever brakes and their effectiveness diminishes in the wet, but sonce it has no fenders, I don't usually ride it in the rain.

So even though the bike was relatively new, the commute (from an office!) in the rain was a familiar experience I hadn't had in at least 18 months, and I enjoyed it very much!
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Old 07-28-22, 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by BobbyG
So the ride in the rain was really no different that on my other full-size bikes, except for the brakes. The 20-inch wheel Dahon has V-brakes and I was surprised that in the rain they needed far more pressure to slow and stop. My 26-inch MTB-based commuter has had V-brakes for a few years now and they have the same amazing grip in dry, wet and snow. My 'main' commuter has lower-end-ish disc brakes which also work the same in dry and wet. My old 700c roadbike has cantilever brakes and their effectiveness diminishes in the wet, but sonce it has no fenders, I don't usually ride it in the rain.
Part of the poor brake performance in folders, particularly in the rear, is due to long and awkward routing of brake cables, as they have to play along with the folding. I got an improvement in the brake performance by swapping the conventional cable housing with bamboo type. The latter tolerates long runs and sharp turns much better than conventional. Also, it is significantly lighter which is of some relevance for folders.
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