Expanded Tern recall
#326
Senior Member
#327
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,600
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1659 Post(s)
Liked 1,806 Times
in
1,052 Posts
Last edited by tcs; 12-31-19 at 11:34 AM.
Likes For tcs:
#329
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 1,403
Bikes: GT Transeo & a half dozen ebike conversions.
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 275 Times
in
192 Posts
Is that really true that Tern is the only vendor with frames breaking? I would expect they are having their bikes built by an OEM, and then there would be other folders that use that supplier..
#330
55+ Club,...
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in New York, NY
Posts: 4,317
Bikes: 9+,...
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1111 Post(s)
Liked 841 Times
in
586 Posts
Show me a company who has tried to hide all their failures by attempting to hide all their customers complaints and claims. There's been issues and recalls with numerous brands, but no other brand has had such a shoddy record. And it's STILL ongoing, with new bicycles. I'm a Tern owner, and I fear riding my folder from them. I'm confident riding my Dahon, Origami, and Downtube bikes. I know I won't experience the same disregard, or coverups, from these brands.
__________________
If it wasn't for you meddling kids,...
Likes For tds101:
#331
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,498
Bikes: Many Downtube Folders :)
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times
in
17 Posts
The fear is a serious problem. I was scared to ride my bikes, after I learned of this stuff. Please understand I have never had one of my frames break in half, nor did I see any other brand with this problem. Regardless I was extremely concerned.
I find this situation sad for the customer, market, and Term....I have no doubt they will face the music on this matter.
Thanks
Yan
I find this situation sad for the customer, market, and Term....I have no doubt they will face the music on this matter.
Thanks
Yan
__________________
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
#332
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,600
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1659 Post(s)
Liked 1,806 Times
in
1,052 Posts
This is not uncommon in the bicycle industry - most of the bikes in your LBS were fabricated by subcontractors, and untold millions of quality bikes fabricated by subcontractors are out there safely providing joy to their owners.
The key is to develop an ongoing relationship with a quality fabricator.
On the other hand, off the top of my head: BikeFriday builds their own stuff. Brompton builds their own stuff. Dahon builds their own stuff. Giant builds their own folders. Ming Cycle builds their Stridas in house. Pacific Cycles builds the Birdy, Reach, CarryMe and IF in their own factory.
Last edited by tcs; 01-02-20 at 12:08 PM.
#333
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 78
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I didn't realise this was still a problem. I bought a Tern Verge x10 about 5 years ago, and although I was aware of the recall on certain frames, my serial number was not affected, and I rode my bike pretty hard for nearly 5 years with no issues. However, around a year ago I had the bike turned over to do some work on it and noticed a crack right along the weld at the fold where a lot of these frame failures are happening. As soon as I saw that I decided it was far too dangerous to ride and contacted Tern to get a new frame (I was literally one month from being out of warranty). Thankfully, Tern accepted liability and allowed me to simply take my bike to a nearby bike shop, who sent the bike to Tern for a new frame. I got it back in a couple of weeks, no problem. However, the new frame has the same design as the old one, not one of the more modern x10 frames, so I'd imagine it will suffer from the same fate as the first one in less than 10 years. At least my frame failure was gradual and I caught it before it actually broke. To be fair, I sometimes rode with 15-20kg in my backpack (and I'm 85kg), and once rode down a mountain path on it, which may have contributed to the failure... but glad I did, because if I didn't, it probably would have cracked once the warranty expired and I'd have been SOL.
The x10 has actually been a nice bike to ride, but the issue of frame failures did weigh on my mind when I was riding from time to time (usually when going fast downhill, or on a road with a lot of traffic) and there were some design flaws that annoyed me a lot. I'll just get the design flaws off my chest here
- The chain cannot be trusted to stay on. Current models might have less problems, but my chain fell of so much it made riding miserable until I had to pay $15 for a plastic chain stay from Tern that more or less solved the problem.
- Folding is quick, but the fold design is awful and less convenient to carry than when not folded - it's very easy to carry unfolded!
- The magnetic fold lock is total crap. The magnets never line up perfectly and don't have enough force to keep the bike reliably shut.
- Brake cables were rubbing on the frame and wore a grove into the front fork before I noticed (I guess I should have paid more attention)
- Officially recommended mud guards from Tern were expensive, poor quality and not properly designed to avoid the brakes. Maybe for newer models?
- Can get quite creaky. I think it's an issue with the seat and length of the post, as putting some oil under the seat reduced squeaking.
Anyway, I wouldn't buy another Tern based on their reported behaviour in this thread, even though they did sort my bike out pretty quickly when I contacted them (this was Tern Japan, btw, which may have better customer service than elsewhere).
The x10 has actually been a nice bike to ride, but the issue of frame failures did weigh on my mind when I was riding from time to time (usually when going fast downhill, or on a road with a lot of traffic) and there were some design flaws that annoyed me a lot. I'll just get the design flaws off my chest here
- The chain cannot be trusted to stay on. Current models might have less problems, but my chain fell of so much it made riding miserable until I had to pay $15 for a plastic chain stay from Tern that more or less solved the problem.
- Folding is quick, but the fold design is awful and less convenient to carry than when not folded - it's very easy to carry unfolded!
- The magnetic fold lock is total crap. The magnets never line up perfectly and don't have enough force to keep the bike reliably shut.
- Brake cables were rubbing on the frame and wore a grove into the front fork before I noticed (I guess I should have paid more attention)
- Officially recommended mud guards from Tern were expensive, poor quality and not properly designed to avoid the brakes. Maybe for newer models?
- Can get quite creaky. I think it's an issue with the seat and length of the post, as putting some oil under the seat reduced squeaking.
Anyway, I wouldn't buy another Tern based on their reported behaviour in this thread, even though they did sort my bike out pretty quickly when I contacted them (this was Tern Japan, btw, which may have better customer service than elsewhere).
#334
Junior Member
Any chance Durban is made by Tern as well? Here's somebody selling one with a snapped frame on CL near me: https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...053431404.html
#335
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,064
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 350 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 122 Times
in
90 Posts
Any chance Durban is made by Tern as well? Here's somebody selling one with a snapped frame on CL near me: https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...053431404.html
#337
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,498
Bikes: Many Downtube Folders :)
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times
in
17 Posts
I thought Durban was made in Brazil....is this incorrect?
Thanks
Yan
Thanks
Yan
__________________
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
#339
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,498
Bikes: Many Downtube Folders :)
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times
in
17 Posts
That bike also has a broken seatpost. Hopefully the rider was ok.
Thanks
Yan
Thanks
Yan
__________________
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
#340
Newbie
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Likes For tds101:
#342
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 1,403
Bikes: GT Transeo & a half dozen ebike conversions.
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 275 Times
in
192 Posts
I ran across this blog where the writer claims some Tyrells and Terns have the aluminum welds ground and painted for aethetics.Well, maybe they all do that now.
https://handsonbike.blogspot.com/201...ium-bikes.html
https://handsonbike.blogspot.com/201...ium-bikes.html
#343
Newbie
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Dear all,
I have found this forum after googling Tern frame failures as I have just experienced one.
On Wednesday 29th January whilst riding my Tern C7 Link (Frame No. AA40517369) which I purchased From Evans Cycles on 17/9/2015, one of the main welds on the frame, the rear weld at the frame hinge, failed catastrophically and the bike ended up in two halves which meant I was thrown on to the road. Thankfully it was a quite road and I was not going fast at the time and I therefore only suffered cuts, grazes and bruises. However, if I had been on in of the busier or faster stretches of my commute it could have been far worse, potentially fatal.
The bike has been used frequently, but has been serviced and no issues with the frame have been reported.
I have never been informed of any recall from either Tern or Evans.
I have found this forum after googling Tern frame failures as I have just experienced one.
On Wednesday 29th January whilst riding my Tern C7 Link (Frame No. AA40517369) which I purchased From Evans Cycles on 17/9/2015, one of the main welds on the frame, the rear weld at the frame hinge, failed catastrophically and the bike ended up in two halves which meant I was thrown on to the road. Thankfully it was a quite road and I was not going fast at the time and I therefore only suffered cuts, grazes and bruises. However, if I had been on in of the busier or faster stretches of my commute it could have been far worse, potentially fatal.
The bike has been used frequently, but has been serviced and no issues with the frame have been reported.
I have never been informed of any recall from either Tern or Evans.
#344
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,498
Bikes: Many Downtube Folders :)
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times
in
17 Posts
Instructions for future customers with failures. FYI recalled bikes are kept secret ( I'm not sure why ).
1. Before you post anything online check to see if your frame was recalled.
2. If it was recalled proceed with the recall. If it was not recalled contact Term about the problem.
3. Check if it was added to the recall list after they found out about the problem.
I am suspicious that some funny stuff is going on...in addition to the failures. Hopefully, I am wrong!
Thanks
Yan
1. Before you post anything online check to see if your frame was recalled.
2. If it was recalled proceed with the recall. If it was not recalled contact Term about the problem.
3. Check if it was added to the recall list after they found out about the problem.
I am suspicious that some funny stuff is going on...in addition to the failures. Hopefully, I am wrong!
Thanks
Yan
__________________
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
#345
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 3,460
Bikes: Trident Spike 2 recumbent trike w/ e-assist
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1321 Post(s)
Liked 374 Times
in
288 Posts
Whatever you do, document everything with pictures BEFORE you take it to a dealer!!!
#346
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 16
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Im very concerned
I bought about 2 years ago a used link d8...
Is there any way to know how old my tern is?
The serial number starts with DZ..
i commute daily with it 😰
Is there any way to know how old my tern is?
The serial number starts with DZ..
i commute daily with it 😰
#347
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Merry Old England
Posts: 772
Bikes: Muddyfox Evolve 200, Bicycles4u Paris Explorer, Raleigh Twenty Stowaway, Bickerton California, Saracen Xile, Kona Hoss Deluxe, Vertigo Carnaby, Exodus Havoc, Kona Lanai, Revolution Cuillin Sport, Dawes Kingpin, Bickerton, NSU & Elswick Cosmopolitan
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 297 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
25 Posts
The industry seems to have a higher failure rate where the brand creates its own frame designs but doesn't manufacture itself. Companies like Brompton, Giant etc seem to have low failure rates because the engineering is inhouse and they are fully tested and certified. You also get importers who buy existing frame designs and can have many 100s of importers around the world or buying the same frames but painted and branded for them again there is safety in numbers and importers feedback issues which yield improvements in the frames, these frame designs can be many years old and have evolved in quality as a learning process. The manufacturer only has to test and certify one frame (only one size for folding bikes) and so there are huge cost savings as well as superior frame quality.
Then you have the companies that like to appear as innovative, constantly bringing out new designs and having those designs made for them. If you are selling at a premium you need the bike to be low weight to attract the weight weenies prepared to pay more. So you have
a new design frame, with the minimum amount of material to save weight and have it made by multiple factories it's a recipe for lower quality and makes testing and certification more complicated. So more is often less in reality.
I had a Giant Revive, it was a rubbish bike to be honest I didn't enjoy riding it but what was amazing was that fantastic frame quality. Despite its innovation it was beautifully made inhouse by Giant. I've seen a Giant Halfway in a showroom and that was also beautifully made
at quite a low price point although admittedly the components fitted to it weren't that amazing but the frame itself was fantastic and incredibly has super high weight limits combined with a lifetime warranty of the frame and forks. I've looked at Dahon's and seen quite poor frame construction despite their high price point and its pretty clear not a frame that reflects its price point and obviously Tern are pretty much the same people who used the logistics model as Dahon but have concentrated far more on driving down bike weight for the Tern brand. Yes I know Dahon does some frame manufacturing now but still a tiny amount of their overall bike sales.
Fuji-ta the world's biggest bike manufacturer by volume do some very good folding bike frames some of which have been used by brands like Dahon but I suspect their existing frame designs are stronger and longer lasting than their prototyping and testing of new frame designs for other companies because not only is there not a long history of quality improvement but such new frame designs have to be sold at the premium end so have to be lighter. However because they are sold at a premium there is more money available to deal with a higher failure rate obviously this hasn't worked for Tern they have pushed low weight too far and the complexity of using multiple cheap factories has complicated issues. In the past on Tern recalls not all factories were effected by the recall but don't know if that is true of later recalls.
Then you have the companies that like to appear as innovative, constantly bringing out new designs and having those designs made for them. If you are selling at a premium you need the bike to be low weight to attract the weight weenies prepared to pay more. So you have
a new design frame, with the minimum amount of material to save weight and have it made by multiple factories it's a recipe for lower quality and makes testing and certification more complicated. So more is often less in reality.
I had a Giant Revive, it was a rubbish bike to be honest I didn't enjoy riding it but what was amazing was that fantastic frame quality. Despite its innovation it was beautifully made inhouse by Giant. I've seen a Giant Halfway in a showroom and that was also beautifully made
at quite a low price point although admittedly the components fitted to it weren't that amazing but the frame itself was fantastic and incredibly has super high weight limits combined with a lifetime warranty of the frame and forks. I've looked at Dahon's and seen quite poor frame construction despite their high price point and its pretty clear not a frame that reflects its price point and obviously Tern are pretty much the same people who used the logistics model as Dahon but have concentrated far more on driving down bike weight for the Tern brand. Yes I know Dahon does some frame manufacturing now but still a tiny amount of their overall bike sales.
Fuji-ta the world's biggest bike manufacturer by volume do some very good folding bike frames some of which have been used by brands like Dahon but I suspect their existing frame designs are stronger and longer lasting than their prototyping and testing of new frame designs for other companies because not only is there not a long history of quality improvement but such new frame designs have to be sold at the premium end so have to be lighter. However because they are sold at a premium there is more money available to deal with a higher failure rate obviously this hasn't worked for Tern they have pushed low weight too far and the complexity of using multiple cheap factories has complicated issues. In the past on Tern recalls not all factories were effected by the recall but don't know if that is true of later recalls.
Likes For Bonzo Banana:
#348
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hello, I have a question: I have a 2017 Link C7i, it's OK but reading about these failures I'm not trusting it anymore. Is buying a frame from another company and transferring the components an option? I just don't like the idea of selling it to someone who may get injured, nor would I throw it away. Could someone post o source for a reliable folding frame I can use? Thanks Marco
#349
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,498
Bikes: Many Downtube Folders :)
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 24 Times
in
17 Posts
I don't know many companies with bare frames. Please contact thorusa.com and bike Friday. I don't think anyone else would have anything.
Thanks
Yan
Thanks
Yan
__________________
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
Designer of Downtube Folding Bike
Ph.D. Temple University ( Math )
Biked across the USA twice
Semi-active chess player ( two time Bahamas National Champion )
Sivananda ( Bahamas ) Trained Yoga instructor ( 2013 ) and ThetaHealer since 2013
Bicycle delivery worker for Jimmy John's. Delivering is the best workout I have ever had.
#350
Senior Member
You can find bare folding frames on Aliexpress. Carbon, even! Whether these are more durable than Tern is another question.