Ozonation

I've asked this question before, but I'm wondering about alternatives.

Situation: my parents retired to interior BC, and my in-laws live about 3 hours away in the Kootneys. There are both rails-to-trails at both locations, and from replies to my previous post about 2 years ago, some of the trails are rougher than nicely surfaced rails-to-trails.

I would like to bike some of the trails, but each time I visit family in BC, I usually have to rent a car. With a baby now, there's usually lots of luggage, so space is at a premium, but I rather not rent a rack too to add to the expense. My plan was to buy a bike and to either leave it at my parents or ship it out when we visit. Having it fit easily into a car or small cross over vehicle would be nice. So, I figured a folding mountain bike might fit the bill.

It doesn't have to be the toughest bike out there as I doubt I will go beyond single track - and I'm not a particularly experienced MTB rider. Previous suggestions have included:
- Montague Paratrooper
- Dahon Jack

Of course, I'd also like to be able to just ride around roads too. I can't really test ride anything as no one carries anything locally or even within a close drive. And I can't really find a Dahon Jack either.

Other alternatives I'm considering now include:
- ChangeBike MTB or hybrid (can't find much in the way of reviews)
- an older folding Dahon MTB (Mountain Gold?)
- a Dahon Jetstream (is it really suitable for mountain trails?)
- a restored Raleigh 20 with fat tires (can it hold up for trails?)

Given that I have more bikes than I need and because I probably won't be riding it too frequently, I would rather pay less than more. Used, older bikes are an option I'd like to consider seriously.

I'm sort of leaning to the older Dahon MTB (or even an older styled Montague if I can find one), or the Raleigh.

Opinions? Advice? Thanks in advance.

ThorUSA

Interesting ....
The Jack is still available but only in Large or Small no mediums ..The Jack is really a pretty nice bike, it does lack the tripple front making it an 8 speed which is probably not enough ... add a compact crankset and front shifter and it would rock ...

Jetstreams are nice too with big apples they can really shine pretty comfortable ride as well...

But there is another option ... get a regular Tern D8 or Dahon Mu, Speed etc.... add a SUntour SUspension fork and disc brake in front ... a thudbuster and big fat apples.... reason is to seperate rider weight from the shocks the bike will take over rough terrain.... makes for a plush ride on regular roads as well....

of course now you would talk about quite a nice new bike with the attached price tag for it as well ...

My first suggestion is to find a used Jack and modify that ... reasonable light, pretty good burly components and might be more easily found for a good deal cause it only hase 8 gears

thor

Azreal911

I would say with rough trails go for a used montague or dahon jack and get as fat tires as you can get on it. and if you are talking parts that might be single track type with roots and rocks then I would surely stick with 26inch and up wheels! 20" and smaller wheels would be ok for paved roads but once you start getting into more serious stuff you would need suspension for them and 20" folders with "real" suspension aren't exactly cheap, fat tires on a 26" would just "float" over everything. This is from personal experience, my 20" Tern folder has 2" wide big apples and my UNSUSPENDED mtn bike can have 2.35" fat franks.

Going at speed my folder can never beat my personal records with the mtn bike on some short gravel trails that i run through once in awhile with some pretty bumpy parts. I see you are in ontario and you will easily find some cheap 26" folders around here on kijiji.

Actually we don't even know your real budget that might help alot on how far you can go because downtube sells 20" full suspension bikes for $550 USD, but you'd have to go pick it up at the niagara falls border to save on shipping to Canada .

bhkyte

If you want a compact folder that goes off road birdie is a good option. Ita the best off road feom the compact folders available. Ita alot smaller than a 20" folding dahon. Ie I can get 3 birdie eaaily in the boot but 2 downtubes would be very tight.

tds101 

Have you also considered the Tern Joe lineup? Great bikes at a pretty solid price: Joe | Tern Folding Bike and Folding Bicycle Accessories | United States

Ozonation

I'm kind of kicking myself because Amazon.ca had a large Jack on sale for a reasonably good price... but I talked myself out of getting it. Figures.

Yes, I'm leaning towards a 26". I suspect a 20" just wouldn't quite do the job. I might as well enjoy the trail if I'm going to be on it, after all.

I visit Kijiji now and then... I admit I haven't come across many cheap 26" folders. If you see one, PM me please.

The Birdy looks nice and pretty sturdy... not sure it would be the best on trails that are much rougher than just crushed limestone. I'm expecting tree roots and other things on some parts of these trails.

I did consider the Joe, but the impression I get is that it's not really meant for any serious off road riding.

jur

Just how big would you think the gravel is? I tried to ride a trail with my Birdy once, the gravel was about 1" and that was too bad. We took to the roads after just a short while. I think soft Big Apples will do the job on 20" wheels.

Tree roots should be fine actually, as long as they are not too frequent. I would not expect all that much difference over roots. The likelihood of encountering a hole just the size of a 20" wheel is just as likely for a 26" wheel.

Ozonation

Actually, I don't think there's that much gravel per se. It would just be a rougher trail. Not sure about frequency of tree roots. I'm going on the advice of a forum member who said they rode one of the trails locally and commented that it was rougher going than you might think for a rail-to-trail route. He recommended suspension if available and 26" wheels.

Now, whether or not I get to that point in the trail... I don't know... I wanted to rent a bike to try the trail, but as Murphy's Law would have it, the only bike shop in town is closed because the owner is participating in a triathlon, so I couldn't arrange for a rental. Bummer.

Ozonation

What's the difference between a Dahon Jack versus the Espresso? Would an Espresso suffice? They look pretty similar...

Azreal911

the frame is the same just more gears from the looks of it. jack has less gears but is lighter and a bit better on the components.

as for someone suggesting the birdy for off road i think that's only good for light gravel because the shocks are just small travel and good for road bumps. Plus their choice of tires being 18" is very limited compared to 20" sizes. also the lowest end birdy can buy you two brand new jacks, so the price range is really up there.

tds101 

Between the Tern Joe and Dahon Jack I'd actually think the Tern would be the better one for a bit of trail riding.

Tern Joe P24 - Folding commuter bike review - YouTube

Though personally I think the Montague would be more of what your really looking for.

Montague Paratrooper Folding Bike Review - YouTube

BruceMetras

My folding mountain bike is a Dahon Zero G.. if you ever see one, that'd be perfect box stock...

One bike that hasn't been mentioned in 20" that's reasonably priced and capable enough for some trail riding is a full suspension Downtube FS .. I had one for a few years that I used to exercise my dog on fire trails.. I got low gears with a Schlumpf M/D, but if I were doing it all over again I'd run a smaller front chainring and a cluster with a 36 in back ..

I like the Airnimal Rhino in 20", but that's getting very pricey .. there's a blog around where someone was running a Dahon Jetstream EX through some nasty stuff.. but he also had rebuilt and modified most everything on the bike.. finding a good used EX in good shape would be tough.

bhkyte

Used birdies can be reasonable priced and available with kojack marathons, big apple or knobbly like black jacks. What's not to like from those tyre options?!

Its the bst very compact folder for this use. There may be better options in 26", but don't underestimate what a good small wheeled folder can do.
Just done 20 mile in clumber forest on a jokack shod mezzo with few issues in the mud and wet leaves. It can be surprising what a well set up small wheel can cope with. Let alone a big apple or knobbly shod birdie.

+1 on a fs downtube for off road also at a reasonable price in the 20" class

fietsbob

Smaller wheels you just pay more attention to where you are going... look sketchy? stop and walk around it then start again.

Ozonation

Okay... maybe I'll look at little harder at the Downtube FS. What's going on with their website? All the photos are pretty small and low resolution - hard to make out the details. I also recall reading in another thread that there are newer models coming out?