December 8 - Dahon, it is still time for you to help me believe in Santa!
I have not commuted to work by bike for the past 4 work days because the temperature has been below 27 degrees (farenheight) - i.e. sort of "REALLY COLD" - and I have had some timing issues where I have had to combine my commute with erands making the use of the minivan much more practical (picking up and dropping off children). However! I have 7 more work days this year, and it is my goal to ride at least one, in not more than one, of those days!
Regarding the tire/wheel/hub tape issue.... Dahon was very nice and sent me two new tubes and 4 new rim tapes. I applied them to the wheels - this is a project in and of itself because you just don't slap a tube onto wheels and pump them up - NO! - the tire comes off, the tire gets checked for problems, the tire gets cleaned inside and out, the rim gets inspected [dangerous job because the inspection requires a fine touch to locate burrs or other rim normallities using your fingers' which can lead to (and it has) slash and punture wounds to your digits - Ouch! - but necessary], after everything is found to be o.k. the tire/tube/wheel is assembled and it gets pumped up slowly.....while you work the tire and wheel to make sure everything is seated properly. When done, I let the air out of the tire and allow the tire and tube to get to a "relaxed" pressure. When I am confident everything is seated properly and nothing is crimped or otherwise noticably out of line, I pump up the tire to the maximum specified pressure labeled on the tire's sidewall. Having done all this, I prefer to let the tires sit atleast overnight before riding on them, which I did. Well suprise of suprises! In the morning when I inspected the bike, I had two new flat tires. I took everything apart and found the tubes have once again failed between the tube valve stem and the first spoke nut, this is the same problem I have had since I first recieved the bike.
So did Dahon's fix work? Here, no.
Regarding the bike and Dahon, it is too bad the OEM tire, wheel, etc. choice was placed into production because consumers like me have unfortunatley had to educate ourselves too quickly that it didn't work, for this Dahon should have acted faster and more thoroughtly to correct to problem - I should have never recieved this bike in the condition I did and Dahon should in good faith replace the wheels and pay the labor costs to do so. To Dahon's credit, they acknowledged the problem (in more ways than one...). They also sent me token tubes and rim tape replacements - for this Dahon should be embarassed - new wheels would be more appropriate. To remain positive, I keep remembering Dahon is in the business of making a lot of bikes. I, on the other hand, I am into making sure I have reliable transportation. The Dahon Speed 8 I purchased is not yet a reliable mode of transportation, and throught my persaverance and resources, I will one day make this Speed 8 a "hot commuter" bike, but no credit will be due Dahon.
Dahon, will Santa fix the problems with my Speed 8? Help me believe in Santa, either fix my Speed 8 or give me a new one (at your cost).
Regarding the tire/wheel/hub tape issue.... Dahon was very nice and sent me two new tubes and 4 new rim tapes. I applied them to the wheels - this is a project in and of itself because you just don't slap a tube onto wheels and pump them up - NO! - the tire comes off, the tire gets checked for problems, the tire gets cleaned inside and out, the rim gets inspected [dangerous job because the inspection requires a fine touch to locate burrs or other rim normallities using your fingers' which can lead to (and it has) slash and punture wounds to your digits - Ouch! - but necessary], after everything is found to be o.k. the tire/tube/wheel is assembled and it gets pumped up slowly.....while you work the tire and wheel to make sure everything is seated properly. When done, I let the air out of the tire and allow the tire and tube to get to a "relaxed" pressure. When I am confident everything is seated properly and nothing is crimped or otherwise noticably out of line, I pump up the tire to the maximum specified pressure labeled on the tire's sidewall. Having done all this, I prefer to let the tires sit atleast overnight before riding on them, which I did. Well suprise of suprises! In the morning when I inspected the bike, I had two new flat tires. I took everything apart and found the tubes have once again failed between the tube valve stem and the first spoke nut, this is the same problem I have had since I first recieved the bike.
So did Dahon's fix work? Here, no.
Regarding the bike and Dahon, it is too bad the OEM tire, wheel, etc. choice was placed into production because consumers like me have unfortunatley had to educate ourselves too quickly that it didn't work, for this Dahon should have acted faster and more thoroughtly to correct to problem - I should have never recieved this bike in the condition I did and Dahon should in good faith replace the wheels and pay the labor costs to do so. To Dahon's credit, they acknowledged the problem (in more ways than one...). They also sent me token tubes and rim tape replacements - for this Dahon should be embarassed - new wheels would be more appropriate. To remain positive, I keep remembering Dahon is in the business of making a lot of bikes. I, on the other hand, I am into making sure I have reliable transportation. The Dahon Speed 8 I purchased is not yet a reliable mode of transportation, and throught my persaverance and resources, I will one day make this Speed 8 a "hot commuter" bike, but no credit will be due Dahon.
Dahon, will Santa fix the problems with my Speed 8? Help me believe in Santa, either fix my Speed 8 or give me a new one (at your cost).
posted by Gymswhirled Kilts at 8:00 PM
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