SyPhillips

Hi,

I'm a new forum member and poster (however I do read the posts here ) but I've never really felt the need to post... until now.

I'm a concerned folding bike commuter. I've just sold my D8 and was thinking about getting another Tern.... however...

I've been hearing some VERY alarming things over at the official Tern forum.... a few people have had their bikes fail on them causing them considerable pain and injury. I know Tern make thousands of bikes but the riders bikes are new, so this really shouldnt be happening surely?

Anyway, I thought I'd let you all know just incase you havent heard anything. Please check your welds!!! (but having said that, I gather the riders that have had failed frames did that anyway!

Tern Link D8 frame shearing in two | Tern Folding Bike and Folding Bicycle Accessories | Worldwide

Leisesturm

It is not usually a part of my pre-ride checklist to check the welds on my frames. Even when my Giant Halfway folder started feeling strange I suspected the welds. Nothing appeared to be amiss. So I took it to the dealer they checked the welds and found nothing amiss. We changed the seat-post and called it good. The frame failed soon after that two miles into a ride through unincorporated territory and I had to walk it out. It was now very evident where the bad weld was located! Very annoying at the time. I've got a new bike from Giant for my trouble. New design. You think maybe that was done because others were experiencing frame failures? Count on it. You though, not so much. I'm not seeing that loads of these Tern frames are failing. So.... what is the point of your post? Spit happens you know. There is also a forum specifically for folding bikes and their issues by the way.

H

ThorUSA

somewhere else the op stated that there are thousands of these frames out there, its more like 100 000. that doesnt take away the seriousness obviously, but we should stay within facts.

also somewhere else one owner stated that he jumps curbs etc ( at least in so many words ) .. which is outside the design parameter of any folding bike ( to my best knowledge )


seems that all cases are in London .... must have pretty high curbs or Kerbs as they tend to say over there or ....


I think the frustation is mainly about the communication or lack thereoff .. here the UK Importer :


Hi Everyone,
As far as UK issues are concerned I appologise if I have not got back to anyone when they had expected me to.
The normal process is that the UK Distributor (Evans) customer relations should be the main point of contact.
I was under the impression that these cases had been dealt with properly and effectively by them, and maybe the issue is that Tern have not communicated very well through the distributor/dealer network….again appologies.
Anyone is more than welcome to contact me directly almost any time, and my contact details can be found at www.cyclemotion.co.uk or I can be emailed at the address below.
As Josh has stated the Tern team have investigated the three frames received and are continuing to monitor these very sensitive issues.
It is not for me to outline anything more here, but I can totally assure forum contributors that the whole team are in the case to make sure everything possible that can be done is being done. If anyone feels we are under-performing please do not hesitate to contact us directly and urgently.
Sincerely,
Mark
P.S. I have tried to contact Lee Tibbetts today and spoke to Retern yesterday as mentioned above.

__________________
Mark Bickerton
UK Representation for Tern
mark.bickerton@ternbicycles.com

Terrango1

I am also new to this forum; however I have experience riding a Tern Link D8 and have also read the thread on the Tern website. So I would like to add my views.

Firstly, I am not sure where Thor gets the information that some of the owners with the broken bikes "jump kerbs etc". The riders I have read post from clearly seem to be normal day to day riders. It would also appear that there are now 5 frame failures and are not limited to the UK or indeed just the Link D8, so it would appear to be a more serious problem than first thought. Thor for you information, the kerbs in the UK are not any larger than anywhere else and you clearly seem to be angry about the post. Do you have a business interest in Tern Bikes by any chance? I do think you are correct in stating their frustration lies with having no communication from Tern, but it also appears to be the fact that they are aware of the failures and what is causing them, but have not acted upon it in any way.

My own Tern Link D8 was terrible, the build quality of it was shocking, cheap components parts like the pedals which lasted about 500 miles and the crank made of cheap pressed steel; fortunately I no longer have mine and I now ride a 5 year old Brompton which cost me about the same as a new Tern, but is considerably better in every way.

7up

Five failures out of hundred thousand sold is pretty good.Much better then the auto industry.Out of all the folders sold there are more than five I can assure you.I can also assure you that there are a few Bromptons in the mix at sometime and place.I believe in "Murphy's Law" or as they say nowadays "Spit Happens".Anything mechanical will break eventually.If you know it's not right because it don't feel right don't ride it.Trust your instincts.I don't wish anyone injury or harm.Remember be careful when you ride.

petert1401

"Spit Happens" as you say, but when said spit happens on a well-maintained and gently-ridden bike less than a year old with no warning whatsoever, is caused by a manufacturing fault, and results in a fractured skull as it did in my case, it's pretty hard to just accept it as a case of 'these things just happen sometimes, I was just unlucky'.

In my case, Tern behaved honorably and sorted things out as best they were able. I'm relieved to see that on new bikes the OCL joint has been redesigned with internal bracing - if you see a weld running forwards on the underside of the front tube from the OCL joint, you have the redesigned joint. If you don't I suggest you check the underside of the joint regularly for cracks in the weld area.

petert1401

To add more context to my previous post, my bike was a Verge X20, originally manufactured in Taiwan in November 2012 and sold in the UK in June 2014. The failure was to all intents and purposes instant: the bike didn't 'feel funny'. I had the failing weld analysed professionally twice - both times the fault was diagnosed as a lack of weld penetration, where the weld material is basically deposited on top of the parent metal but does not melt and fuse with it, resulting in a very weak weld.

Tern are well aware of the problems and I believe there may have been more than 5 frame failures. Tern assured me that they were extending the product recall, but to date I have seen no evidence of this - there is certainly no change to the recall information on their website. have any owners here received a product recall notice from Tern recently? No? Thought not.

As for me, Tern replaced my bike but 2 months on I still have problems with double vision and headaches later in the day and am scheduled for facial reconstruction surgery in 3 months time. I get the feeling that Tern do whatever they can do to settle each case out of court and limit the bad publicity, but are not doing enough to recall potentially dangerous bikes caused by poor manufacturing and/or insufficient quality control.

At the very least they should warn people to check the underside of the OCL joint for cracks, it's the most critical and highly-stressed part of the frame.

Jfx

18 months ago, my 6 month old Tern Eclipse sheared in half whilst I was riding it on the road.

Before returning the pieces to Evans, I had the frame inspected by a third party who's opinion was the welding at the point of failure was substandard. Evans were adamant it had failed because I had failed to properly maintain the bicycle and categorically denied there was any manufacturing defect with the frame, despite stating they did not have the necessary knowledge to comment on the quality of the welding.

They obviously didn't update their records as this week (18 months after the frame sheared in two), I received a product recall email from them stating the frame is unsafe, the bike should not be ridden and returned to them immediately.

These failures are not isolated incidents and unless Evans / Tern face up to the facts, the greater the chance of someone dying due to poor build quality.

RubeRad

4 brand-spankin-new members have lots to say about Tern folders? I smell a smear campaign

1nterceptor

Not sure if there's a(ny) conspiracy against Tern; but the company recall is real:

2014 Link/OCL Limited Voluntary Recall | Tern Folding Bikes | Worldwide

"No incidents or injuries reported in the U.S.The firm has received 11 reports of the bicycle frames cracking including five reports of minor scrapes and bruises from outside of the U.S.":
https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Stile-Products-Recalls-Tern-Folding-Bicycles/

Jfx

I'm a "brand spanking new member" as I think it is important for this to be brought to light, especially after being told the frame breaking in half was my fault only for it to be recalled 18 months later.