Important Omission on Folding Bikes - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-13-2004, 08:13 AM

I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
agree!

***
The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!

Dear Dahon,

I acquired an Impulse P21 in November and am very pleased with it.

One very important thing, though, is missing on all your bikes: a really

effective anti-theft device. Couldn't you design something that would
somehow
make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
I'm
thinking along the lines of something that would make it impossible to
fix the folding mechanism into riding posture. Without the special key
or lock
the bicycle would refuse to stay rigid in the middle. That way no extra
weight
would be added, as is the case carrying around a monstrous u-lock, and
it
shouldn't interfere with the folding mechanism.

It's just that they're great bikes and quite pricey and way too easy to
steal.
I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
for that
purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!

Yours sincerely,

Elisa Francesca Roselli
Ile de France

12-13-2004, 08:33 AM

I
>I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
>agree!
>
Snip
> Couldn't you design something that would
>somehow
>make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
>I'm
>
Snip
>I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
>for that
>purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>

As a recent purchaser of a Brompton I couldn't agree more. It may not
stop it getting nicked but it would make the bike less of a target.
--
Bob Downie
Downie GeoScience Ltd.
please remove #n0spam# to reply directly

12-13-2004, 08:33 AM

I
>I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
>agree!
>
Snip
> Couldn't you design something that would
>somehow
>make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
>I'm
>
Snip
>I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
>for that
>purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>

As a recent purchaser of a Brompton I couldn't agree more. It may not
stop it getting nicked but it would make the bike less of a target.
--
Bob Downie
Downie GeoScience Ltd.
please remove #n0spam# to reply directly

12-13-2004, 08:33 AM

I
>I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
>agree!
>
Snip
> Couldn't you design something that would
>somehow
>make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
>I'm
>
Snip
>I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
>for that
>purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>

As a recent purchaser of a Brompton I couldn't agree more. It may not
stop it getting nicked but it would make the bike less of a target.
--
Bob Downie
Downie GeoScience Ltd.
please remove #n0spam# to reply directly

12-13-2004, 08:33 AM

I
>I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
>agree!
>
Snip
> Couldn't you design something that would
>somehow
>make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
>I'm
>
Snip
>I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
>for that
>purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>

As a recent purchaser of a Brompton I couldn't agree more. It may not
stop it getting nicked but it would make the bike less of a target.
--
Bob Downie
Downie GeoScience Ltd.
please remove #n0spam# to reply directly

12-13-2004, 08:56 AM

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
> I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
> agree!
>
> ***
> The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!
>
> Dear Dahon,
>
> I acquired an Impulse P21 in November and am very pleased with it.
>
> One very important thing, though, is missing on all your bikes: a really
>
> effective anti-theft device. Couldn't you design something that would
> somehow
> make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
> I'm
> thinking along the lines of something that would make it impossible to
> fix the folding mechanism into riding posture. Without the special key
> or lock
> the bicycle would refuse to stay rigid in the middle. That way no extra
> weight
> would be added, as is the case carrying around a monstrous u-lock, and
> it
> shouldn't interfere with the folding mechanism.
>
> It's just that they're great bikes and quite pricey and way too easy to
> steal.
> I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
> for that
> purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>
> Yours sincerely,

With a folding bike you can often take it with you and either keep watch
on it or leave it somewhere a lot more secure than in the street. That
will not work all the time, so a lock is necessary. There's no doubt it
is frustrating to get a decent lightweight bike and then have to carry a
very heavy lock to secure it.

However, the problem with your idea is that although it might make the
bike unrideable to a casual thief, it does nothing to prevent it being
thrown in the back of a vehicle and taken away to be fixed up later.
It's not really enough to just make the bike not work. It is far better
for it to be anchored to something that prevents it being removed at all.

I've done quite a lot of touring. It's not possible to avoid every risk.
Carrying a lock is a choice, how much you use it is a choice, and
sometimes you just have to choose whether to leave the bike and your
luggage somewhere while you wander off for a while although there is
nothing to which the bike can be attached . In some places I am quite
relaxed about doing that. In other places I would not dream of it.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

12-13-2004, 08:56 AM

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
> I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
> agree!
>
> ***
> The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!
>
> Dear Dahon,
>
> I acquired an Impulse P21 in November and am very pleased with it.
>
> One very important thing, though, is missing on all your bikes: a really
>
> effective anti-theft device. Couldn't you design something that would
> somehow
> make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
> I'm
> thinking along the lines of something that would make it impossible to
> fix the folding mechanism into riding posture. Without the special key
> or lock
> the bicycle would refuse to stay rigid in the middle. That way no extra
> weight
> would be added, as is the case carrying around a monstrous u-lock, and
> it
> shouldn't interfere with the folding mechanism.
>
> It's just that they're great bikes and quite pricey and way too easy to
> steal.
> I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
> for that
> purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>
> Yours sincerely,

With a folding bike you can often take it with you and either keep watch
on it or leave it somewhere a lot more secure than in the street. That
will not work all the time, so a lock is necessary. There's no doubt it
is frustrating to get a decent lightweight bike and then have to carry a
very heavy lock to secure it.

However, the problem with your idea is that although it might make the
bike unrideable to a casual thief, it does nothing to prevent it being
thrown in the back of a vehicle and taken away to be fixed up later.
It's not really enough to just make the bike not work. It is far better
for it to be anchored to something that prevents it being removed at all.

I've done quite a lot of touring. It's not possible to avoid every risk.
Carrying a lock is a choice, how much you use it is a choice, and
sometimes you just have to choose whether to leave the bike and your
luggage somewhere while you wander off for a while although there is
nothing to which the bike can be attached . In some places I am quite
relaxed about doing that. In other places I would not dream of it.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

12-13-2004, 08:56 AM

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
> I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
> agree!
>
> ***
> The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!
>
> Dear Dahon,
>
> I acquired an Impulse P21 in November and am very pleased with it.
>
> One very important thing, though, is missing on all your bikes: a really
>
> effective anti-theft device. Couldn't you design something that would
> somehow
> make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
> I'm
> thinking along the lines of something that would make it impossible to
> fix the folding mechanism into riding posture. Without the special key
> or lock
> the bicycle would refuse to stay rigid in the middle. That way no extra
> weight
> would be added, as is the case carrying around a monstrous u-lock, and
> it
> shouldn't interfere with the folding mechanism.
>
> It's just that they're great bikes and quite pricey and way too easy to
> steal.
> I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
> for that
> purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>
> Yours sincerely,

With a folding bike you can often take it with you and either keep watch
on it or leave it somewhere a lot more secure than in the street. That
will not work all the time, so a lock is necessary. There's no doubt it
is frustrating to get a decent lightweight bike and then have to carry a
very heavy lock to secure it.

However, the problem with your idea is that although it might make the
bike unrideable to a casual thief, it does nothing to prevent it being
thrown in the back of a vehicle and taken away to be fixed up later.
It's not really enough to just make the bike not work. It is far better
for it to be anchored to something that prevents it being removed at all.

I've done quite a lot of touring. It's not possible to avoid every risk.
Carrying a lock is a choice, how much you use it is a choice, and
sometimes you just have to choose whether to leave the bike and your
luggage somewhere while you wander off for a while although there is
nothing to which the bike can be attached . In some places I am quite
relaxed about doing that. In other places I would not dream of it.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

12-13-2004, 08:56 AM

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
> I sent this as customer feedback to Dahon UK today. Support me if you
> agree!
>
> ***
> The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!
>
> Dear Dahon,
>
> I acquired an Impulse P21 in November and am very pleased with it.
>
> One very important thing, though, is missing on all your bikes: a really
>
> effective anti-theft device. Couldn't you design something that would
> somehow
> make it impossible for an unauthorized user to make use of your bikes?
> I'm
> thinking along the lines of something that would make it impossible to
> fix the folding mechanism into riding posture. Without the special key
> or lock
> the bicycle would refuse to stay rigid in the middle. That way no extra
> weight
> would be added, as is the case carrying around a monstrous u-lock, and
> it
> shouldn't interfere with the folding mechanism.
>
> It's just that they're great bikes and quite pricey and way too easy to
> steal.
> I'm reluctant to take my bike on tour with me, even though I bought it
> for that
> purpose, because I don't want to let it out of my sight!
>
> Yours sincerely,

With a folding bike you can often take it with you and either keep watch
on it or leave it somewhere a lot more secure than in the street. That
will not work all the time, so a lock is necessary. There's no doubt it
is frustrating to get a decent lightweight bike and then have to carry a
very heavy lock to secure it.

However, the problem with your idea is that although it might make the
bike unrideable to a casual thief, it does nothing to prevent it being
thrown in the back of a vehicle and taken away to be fixed up later.
It's not really enough to just make the bike not work. It is far better
for it to be anchored to something that prevents it being removed at all.

I've done quite a lot of touring. It's not possible to avoid every risk.
Carrying a lock is a choice, how much you use it is a choice, and
sometimes you just have to choose whether to leave the bike and your
luggage somewhere while you wander off for a while although there is
nothing to which the bike can be attached . In some places I am quite
relaxed about doing that. In other places I would not dream of it.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

12-13-2004, 09:03 AM

> The One Thing that's Missing on your Great Bikes!

Yeah - something incorporated into the frame so that the bike can be folded
around a lampost/sheffield stand and cannot be removed without cutting
through the frame. It would be fairly light because the locking mechanism
is the only thing that needs to be tough - the rest of the lock is the bike
frame so cutting through it would defeat the object.