Car Free Day February 2008

Yesterday I had a chance to try my friend's Dahon VD6 for a test ride. Fortunately, that day was a Car Free Day, a one day monthly event where cars and motorcycles are not allow to enter the street of Sudirman, Thamrin all the way to Monas from 6 AM to 2 PM. This event usually held on the last weekend of the month. The uncrowded street then used by pedestrians, cyclists, and families for recrational activities.

There is no special preparation for me, just use my airsoft helm (Protech helm), my Lowepro backpack and of we go. Together with my wife and her Dahon ht661 (see my previous post) we start late around 9 AM, while many people and events are already begun from 6 and 7 AM. After cruising around the street and meet fellow folding bike owners and took some photos we decided to went home and have lunch at Gado-Gado Bu Aam near our home around 12.

The ride with Dahon VD6 is nice, one shortcome is the saddle that is too hard. It really uncomfortable for a long ride or when the road is not that good. And after riding my bike's wife (16" wheel and hi-tens frame) before, you can really feel the difference that come with the 20" wheel and light alumunium frame of Dahon VD6. Next week I'm planning to go to Tamansari where there are some bike stores that sell Oyama folding bike and test ride it.

Folding Bike Fever part 2

I have a habit of doing intense research of something I want before I decided to have it. And internet is a very important source of doing research and it has been for many things I have at this moment. And when I decided to have a folding bike, i go nowhere but digging in the vast resource internet has to offer. Two most important sources for me is Sepedaku (Indonesia bicycles forum) and Id-Foldingbike (Indonesia folding bike mailing list). Both offer important informations for me to choose what folding bike I will have. And right now they are 3 options in front of me, buy one of my friend's Dahon folding bike or buy a new Oyama folding bike. The other option is to buy 2nd hand Hasa F1 folding bike. They all have the same price.

My friend's Dahon actually is a streamlined Chinese Dahon KA062, a version of 2004 Dahon Vitesse D6. The other options is to buy a new Oyama folding bike (a Taiwanese brand) type Skyline Pro that some said it is a copy of Dahon Speed P8 (but with 7 speed). While Hasa F1 is a little bit out of reach because not many people own it and so it is hard find a used one on sale at a reasonable price.