Is The Dahon MU Range Of Folding Bikes Better Than A Brompton?

Choosing a folding bike is not just about the physical bike and the price tag. The Brand and the community that goes with that brand should play a part in your decision. Which tribe of folding bikers are you going to join? Will it be the Dahon tribe the largest of the biking tribes, the Birdy tribe which is less well known but up and coming or the more traditional Brompton tribe which is the most elite of the tribes?

As the folding bike market has exploded over the past few years, so too has the range and appeal of the bikes. In today's world, image is quite important, and there are now bikes to suite every image. The Dahon Mu range of bikes and the new Birdy Folding Bikes are giving the Brompton bikes a good run for their money.What folding bike appeals to you ?

The Brompton tribe see themselves as the elite folding bikers, due mainly to the manufacturers commitment to quality over quantity. All Brampton's are hand built. They have however recently modernised their brand with the introduction of some newer models and different colours. The result is that Brompton have seen the end user changing slightly with 35-40% of Brompton folding bikes are now woman. The average age of Brompton riders is also getting lower.

The debate will continue for sometime as to which is the best folding bike, and with new models, shapes and colours changing all the time, there is no single folding bike that wins hands down. Different folding bikes appeal to different people and so the debate will continue among folding bike enthusiasts for some time to come. When choosing which folding bike is best suited to you, be sure to answer the following questions.

Decide what you will be using your folding bike for. For what purpose do you need a folding bike? Do you need a bike so you can transport it on a train and store under your desk at work? Do you need a bike to fold small and pack on your boat? Are you looking to ride in the country or to cycle in the city?

Obviously you would be buying a folding bike because of its ability to fold, and thus store and park it in a small space. Different models and brands fold into different dimensions. If you want to store the bike on your boat, or under your desk at work, just be sure that the model you select folds into the dimensions that suite your preference.

Comfort: are you going to be doing short journeys on the bike or are you looking for something that is built for comfort where you spend hours in the saddle. You want your riding experience to be a happy one not an experience of pain from the time you get in the saddle till you get out. Your wheel size can make a huge difference on comfort. The bigger the wheel size the more the comfort but then you sacrifice some of your fold size.

Budget: Once you have considered all the above factors the last factor to consider is your budget. What bike meets all your needs and fits into your budget. You can however get that budget to stretch a little further if you take part in the government's bike to work scheme. Check it out before you make your final purchase.

After you have thought about all above and you know more or less what type of bike is best suited to your needs, you then need to decide what brand or tribe you want to belong to...

Dahon is the market leader for folding bikes and has a comprehensive range at different price points so that would be a good place to start. Try the Dahon Mu folding bike range for a start and work from there. If you go into a bike store like Evans cycles with your list of features that you are looking for they will be able to point you in the right direction. You should be able to test drive the bike before you buy it which is a great feature of their service.

The Brompton range of bikes is also highly recommended should you budget allow. Their choice of bike is less varied than Dahon but the Brompton bikes are excellent quality and well worth the investment.

Another brand worth mentioning is the Birdy folding bikes. These are slowly becoming more popular and they have a wide range of great bikes to choose from. If you decide to buy a less reputable brand, then be sure to check that it has a good guarantee to ensure you are covered should the bike not live up to your expectation.

Learn more about the Dahon Mu. Stop by Jack Swift's site where you can find out all about Dahon Bikes and other top folding bikes.

Tags: Cycling, folding bike