I’m looking for a folding bike and the two I’m considering most closely are the Tern Verge D9 and the Link D8.
I like that the Verge D9 has disc brakes and I have a strange attraction to its 451 wheels.
The Link D8 has a wider variety of compatibile tires but I don’t prefer V-brakes.
Do you know a strong reason to choose one over the other? A strong reason I should be looking at something else entirely?
Build quality to your opinion?
Excellent, but I haven’t really had any experience with other folding bikes, either.
The stock Schwalbe Big Apple tires are great. The rims, even after over 5,000 km, are still in perfect condition, and I use kool stop salmon pads. I did put a suspension seatpost for added comfort, and I recently changed the shifter to an older style friction shifter, since it’s my preference. And I also upgraded the cassette recently to a 34 tooth, which slightly benefits climbing ability.
I added a front rack as well as the luggage truss which allows you to attach all kinds of different basket and bag options.
It’s absolutely a head turner, and I get asked about it all the time, pretty much every time I take it out. People ask if it’s electric, and they want to know more about the folding bike and whatnot. It’s awesome.
But when compared to my road bike, or even my 90’s mountain bike, it is the slowest of the three. Which may not be a big deal for some, but it should be noted.