An American company founded in 1985, Dahon is an industry leader in foldable bikes and have several hundred registered patents which have revolutionized the bicycle business and in a sense gave a fresh life to bikes.
Dahon Vitesse D7 is one of the company’s successful bike and even though it is a bit old when it comes to the models release date, it is still giving a competition in the market and is popular among folder enthusiasts.
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Rating:
4.60/5.00
Price:
$$$ (Amazon)
Warranty:
1 year warranty provided.
Customers can mail in their warranty registration card to: Dahon 833 Meridian Street Duarte, CA 91010
Pros and Cons:
Easy To Fold & Unfold No Proper Suspension
Low Maintenance Mechanism Poor Warranty
Very Durable
Sturdy Built
First Impression:
This Dahon model is an attention seeker and comes loaded, as far as folders are concerned. If you are into the matte black colour scheme, this one is going to wet your mouth.
Detailed Review:
Dahon Vitesse D7 is available to order online on Amazon and if you are a prime member, you should expect the box to arrive within two days. There is no option of shipping it as a gift which is available for other Dahon bikes. The box is a regular stock box with the bike nicely padded inside. The bike is folded inside the box, however is completely assembled. It comes with the rack and fenders already installed even though the information on the official site doesn’t state it explicitly. You should also find working manuals and touch-up paint in the box.
Note that to activate the long term warranty you need to have the bike reviewed by an authorized bike professional, with the costs varying depending on your shop and I recommend to comply with this requirement.
You should be able to admire the high quality built and thoughtful little features as soon as you unwrap the cover paper off the bike.
The bike has a very compact aluminium alloy and steel body and once you adjust the seat post and handle bars to your fit, you should be able to feel the agility and control of this bike irrespective of your body size, which will allow you to dart around busy streets and traffic jams with ease. Even though it is not among the ultra-light folder collection, the little bit of excess weight feels just about reassuring and secure for the rider and makes it withstand the hardest of falls.
Packed with a smooth and efficient 7 speed gear system, the bike is pretty convenient for urban use- which is what is was marketed as. You won’t find yourself using most of the gear options as you adjust yourself to the bike and will probably swing between 3 and 7. The 7-speed system might prove to be lacking for those who want to really raise up the speed however and is only efficient while on solid asphalt tracks. An amazing aspect of the D7 is that all the seven gears are packed into an internal shifting system placed in the rear hub. This makes the bike require very little maintenance and have a very low probability of malfunctioning.
The portability aspect of this folder is along the lines of its mechanism: brilliant. The bike can be easily folded into a small form within a quarter of a minute and with only 26 lbs to carry, it is very easy to take around the city during your commute.
Among the Dahon amenities are features such as BioLogic Freedrive Chain Cover, Ergo grips, mudguards, support brackets, rear light, luggage socket and racks that make the bike even more useful in terms of safety and running errands.
The only real alarming negative is a poor suspension system, which means the bike is not strong to sustain if you enter a rough and bouncy track. However, this should not be a great problem for you if you are in an urban setting.
Another small but lacking property is the carrying suitcase which should have been included in the box. Still, you can purchase one from Dahon to improve the experience all together.
Ordering spare parts is still a bit of a nuisance when it comes to Dahon, especially when it is not easily accessible online and you have to call the company or contact them via their website and endure a slow response. However, if it is your day you just might get what you needed quickly.
Also Dahon you to register online through a code which the owners are getting from the stores they purchase the bike from. However, Amazon does not ship these codes and you have to specially request them for it.
Specifications:
- Colour: Shadow
- Body: Aluminium
- Wheel Size: 20”
- Folded Size: 11.3 by 31.2 by 25.7 inches
- Weight: 26 lbs
- Seat Post To Handlebar Distance–Minimum: 23.8 inches
- Seat Post To Handlebar Distance–Maximum: 24.8 inches
- Saddle To Pedal Distance–Minimum: 27.1 inches
- Saddle To Pedal Distance–Maximum: 37 inches
- Maximum Rider Weight: 230 pounds
- Suggested Rider Height: 56 to 76 inches
- Gear Inches: 34 to 92
Verdict:
This particular foldable is indeed a remarkable deal considering the value for money of other Dahon bikes. Of course you might get a bike with similar properties a bit cheaper too (a prospect which is highly unlikely as you don’t see that many features on a bike even in this price), but I won’t vouch for its quality and make, which is admirable in the D7.
You can of course get something better if you are willing to splash the cash, but for anyone on a fixed budget, the D7 is a reliable machine to do just about anything you might ask from it. It is ideal for commuting from work to home or keeping in your trunk and using for that distance from the last signal to your office, with tons of stand over clearance, which allows it to be used by people of different sizes with ease.
In simple words it is an all-rounder and is here to stay until Dahon release a newer model to it.
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