The Dahon Eco 3, the Budget Folding Bike

Can a folder bike be good? The Dahon Eco 3 is Dahon's answer to that question – available in 4 colors, simple design, 7 speed gear and ProMax V aluminum front and rear rim brakes.

Dahon wanted to make the Eco 3 a bike that you could ride comfortable around town. The mission statement for the Eco 3: a folding bicycle that is durable enough to ride every day, in all weather, and light enough to easily carry up and down the stairs of any mass transit system as long as it's folded.

For the most part, Dahon have accomplished that mission with the Dahon Eco 3 Folding Bicycle.

I often ride an more expensive foldable bicycle, made in England. These pricier folding bikes set a high standard for good street handling – stable yet agile. The Dahon Eco 3 didn't feel quite as graceful, but it handled nicely enough in Bangkok traffic. Cornering was quite decent for a folding bicycle. Like all folding bicycles, there's a bit of frame and stem flex, but the Dahon Eco 3 had these in moderation. I still wouldn't recommend this bicycle to anyone over, say, 100kilo.

If your ride includes different road surfaces, you'll be happy; the 20”x1.5” Kenda Kwest high pressure (65psi) tires handle moderately rough surfaces better than the best. These tires are the perfect choice – 65psi, made flat resistant with K-shield, and their size helped even out the harsher ride or small wheels.

The gearing of the Dahon Eco 3 is by a Shimano Revo shifter system which helps keeping the gearing simple. The rear derailleur is the Shimano RDFT30 with super short cage.

Folding bike freaks working for Dahon probably can fold the Dahon Eco 3 in 15 seconds as Dahon specifies. Surely I was not out t beat the record, and it did take me 3 to 6 seconds longer to fold than the specifications state (maybe it is training.) I made a point of bringing the Dahon Eco 3 to all the places I usually visit. After a days or so, I stopped noticing the few extra seconds needed to fold the Dahon Eco 3.

The Dahon Eco 3 is surely not the smallest folding bike and its added size made it just a bit harder to find a place in the MRT (Bangkok subway) and the Bangkok Skytrain. No one complained though. Squeezing down a crowded bus aisle could still be a bit difficult. Carrying balance is decent, not the best, but surely not the worst around, it should be okay for most commuters.