02 Sep DAHON K3 Plus Review in Cycling China Media
DAHON K3 Plus Folding Bike – Easy to carry and fast to fold
DAHON’s K3 Plus folding bike is designed for urban commuting and portable travel. Compared with the old K3, the K3 Plus features a lot of improvements. This model has changed from rim brakes to disc brakes, the wheelbase of the bike has been specially increased in order to improve the stability of braking and riding, the gears have been upgraded to 9-speed, and the chain is a KMC 9-speed. These configurations can be considered luxurious as standard on a city commuter bike, and the price of this DAHON is very reasonable.
This K3 Plus comes with bosses for fender installation so that even on a rainy day, there’s no need to dampen your enthusiasm for riding. It has to be said that the folding bike has a unique advantage in urban commuting, which is not available in a conventional urban bike. For example, I have tested the Specialized Sirrus X. It is very convenient and easy to ride, however, when you ride in busy urban road conditions, the Sirrus X has a wider handlebar and it is prone to bumping in the flow of traffic. The DAHON does not – the width of the handlebars of these two bikes is not at the same level. The DAHON K3 Plus is much narrower. When riding in the city, I can freely shuttle through traffic, especially when facing the busy rush hour. So if I was to choose, I would go for a mini velo or folding bike that could nip through smaller gaps for commuting.
The DAHON K3 Plus’s crankset has been increased to 55t, the wheels are relatively small, and the torque is strong, so the riding speed is actually not very slow, plus there is the bonus of 9-speed transmission, meaning all kinds of urban road conditions can become a stress-free commute.
The biggest advantage of folding bikes is that they can be stowed in various places as the need arises, from the corners of the balcony at home, to the trunk of a car. The K3 Plus is very convenient to fold. After opening it up to ride, there is a safety catch to prevent accidents from loosening at the folding and bending parts. This design is very user-friendly. When folded, the wheels are held together by magnets near the axles, which is enough to stop accidental opening when carried. The weight of the K3 Plus, at 9.6kg, is not too cumbersome when transporting.
The K3 Plus’s disc brake stopping force is really good. Although it is only a normal linear pull disc brake, it is a very good choice for urban commuting. I personally feel that it is not necessary to use hydraulic disc brakes for bikes like the K3 Plus, because excessive braking force will cause excessive pressure on the frame, riders, and fixed wheels. For example, if a hydraulic disc brake with a strong braking force is used, it could cause a front somersault due to the small wheel diameter of the folding bike during emergency braking. The cable-pulled disc brake will have a slight leeway in the braking force to just offset the kinetic energy of riding, so that it is not prone to such accidents. Therefore, in this usage scenario, cable pull disc brakes are better than hydraulic disc brakes.
For folding bikes, DAHON leads the industry, regardless of riding experience or design details, there is almost no rival at this price. For the picky person, the only possibility that it cannot satisfy you is that the stability of the small wheel diameter is not as good as that of the conventional urban commuter bicycle. Secondly, for the heavy person, the quick release tightness needs to be checked frequently. Furthermore, the disc brake force is greater than that of a rim brake, and long-term riding may cause the quick release to become loose.
