I appreciate the great review! While researching, I contacted several bike shops that carried this model and chose one that took the time to answer all my questions. I've found myself using this bike more than my previous one due to its ease of transport, and the ride quality exceeded my expectations. Self-servicing is straightforward, as the parts are easily accessible, although I haven't needed to replace any yet.
The check note is really important, my cousin had his ebike repaired and I don't remember exactly what was loose, but it caused him to fall and have to have his shoulder operated on.
Love the vlog, I have a 24 speed Tern from 2012 and love it , it has a 3 speed internal hub a bit like on a Brompton that's linked to a 8 speed rear cassette, my seatpost was alloy so I just scored the black paint with a Stanley knife and that was perfect. Keep up the good work regards Bob.
Thanks, Bob. I've seen a few of the internal hub and cassette set ups and they're a neat combination. I don't know much about Tern as a company/brand but good to know there's at least one other satisfied customer out there! Happy cycling! 🙂
I have one. Great fun and always puts a smile on my face when out peddling. I did this years London to Southend on it (60 miles) I'm a folding convert. Also have a Rayleigh Stowaway and a Brompton.
Regarding the saddle height, what works for me on all my bikes (but is particularly useful on my folding bike) is to put my arm over the bike (if I'm standing on the right of the bike, my left arm, if on the left my right arm - but I'm not sure this is relevant), touch the crank bolt dustcap with the pad of my middle finger, and raise the saddle into my armpit - it gets the height correct every time, for me at least. Also, when folding the bike and lowering the saddle, turn it back to front - it helps in carrying the bike. I really like my Link C7 (a few years old now) but my gripe with it is that it's still a bit too big and awkward for public transport - otherwise a lovely bike. The bottom gear isn't as low as I like for my local rural hills either but for urban cycling, it is fine. Non cycling friends find the handling a bit "lively" but I love it.
Great piece of kit... But yeah EVERY NEW bike I've bought has had an issue it's disgusting what's not been checked or correctly set up, I'm just glad I can sort em out myself... Anyway I'll stop now cos I could go on and on... Enjoy your new ride fella.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Chris. I really want to support local bike shops (and do, I think) and I know there's some brilliant mechanics and service out there. But there's also some really shoddy practice kicking about too. I suspect like you I tend not to get onto the topic too often as I could go on and on ... 🙂
Good review, tern's are good bikes. The steerer feels really solid compared to the adjustable ones, which being a bit older I fitted 30mm riser bars and sprung saddle made the bike perfect for me. You've put a good rack on your one.
Thanks for the comment. Yes, done a good few miles on it now and really pleased with how well it's riding - to the point where I'm pretty much forgetting I'm on a folding bike at times. Also thinking about a saddle change for a bit of extra comfort. Happy cycling!
At the end of the day a bike is 2 wheels and 3 mounting points for a meat motor, get the motor mounts in the right place and these smaller folding bikes are pretty nippy. I love my Birdy with a Rohloff hub, I wear casual clothes most of the time and I do find it doesn't antagonise other road users compared to riding my racing bike while wearing lycra. Being able to just hop onto a train without having to book a bike space, hop onto a bus or even grab a taxi opens up a whole new range of journeys. Folding bikes are very popular in the Far East and plenty of folk use them for touring, mine has rear rack, two forks mounts for panniers, mudguards, dynamo lighting and a sidestand, with the huge gear range of the Rohloff it will climb anything!
Il est vrai qu'il y a aussi beaucoup de vélos non pliants en Asie, mais avec des roues de 20 pouces. De ce point de vue je trouve les asiatiques très pragmatiques.
Thank you for your review as I am interested in a Link D7i which I believe is the same frame & of course without a Tern Dealer close by that carries them. You covered several of my concerns like will I fit being 175 cm tall, will the bike be wobbly, is it feasible to place in a shopping cart & is it suitable to be used for multi modal transport? So if I can find one, I think Tern has another customer. :)
Appreciate the comment. I tried to cover things I was really unsure about myself (and couldn't easily find info about) so glad I'm not the only one with those types of queries. Enjoy the new bike if you get it! 🙂
I presume the handlebar height is adjustable whereas on the Btwin it’s fixed. I love folders but prefer internal hubs as they don’t get knocked out of true so easily as derailleur gears, which are also closer to the ground. You can take a Folder anywhere- bus,train, car etc, no need to book, and there’s less farther to fall as you get older !! Keep up with the videos - thank you !
Thanks for the comment, Maureen. Yes, great to have a folding option to fully open up integrated travel - something I'll definitely be doing a bit more of now. Tern claim the strongest, stiffest handlebar post available - which is probably another way of them saying it's non-adjustable! I do like the clamp to rotate the bars though, a nice touch and different to the Btwin. Happy cycling!
Merci pour cette vidéo. J'ai un Tern Link D8 qui est assez proche. Ce genre de vélo roule vraiment très bien, aussi vite qu'un vélo de ville classique. Pour le prix je trouve qu'il est très correct, et bien plus facile à ranger et transporter qu'un vélo classique. Je trouve que c'est une bonne idée de pouvoir le mettre dans un chariot de supermarché pour faire de petites courses. Je n'y aurais pas pensé.
Thanks for the review! Love the honest feedback and footage of folding/unfolding. Would this be able to take a child seat at the rear? Been trying to find someone who did it.
Thanks, TRC. I think the small wheels would probably prevent you being able to get a child seat on the back with enough room for the little one to actually occupy it. There might be a solution out there though, you never know. My two are teenagers now, so not something I was looking out for 🙂. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
Using a high speed ⅛" to ¼" steel drill bit, drill into the very front of the seatpost....no deeper than necessary to allow that white paint drop to avoid being scraped off. You can always go deeper but not the other way around. I love your videos here in the Colonies, Indiana.
Thanks, Frank. I suspect my own paranoia about material strength integrity would probably prevent me from drilling the post (freely admitting my engineering ignorance here). Food for thought though and appreciate the comments and support as always! 🙂
Thanks! Nice job! As I'm 184 cm tall, i was considering a Tern bike, instead of a Decathlon folding bike (and for other reasons too...). Did you notice a little bigger frame in the Tern? It's suposed that the maximum rider height in Tern is 190cm, but in Decathlon folding bikes is 185cm... 😅
Thanks, Guillermo. The Decathlon bike felt really similar to ride and I didn't notice the Tern being a bigger frame. I also didn't extend the seatpost beyond my for height (180cm) on the Decathlon bike so not sure how accurate their recommended maximum is. Always worth checking one out in store if that's an option. Happy cycling!
Looks great for shopping and commuting. I'm terrified of leaving my bike outside a shop. It's a bit like watching supermarket sweep when I go shopping 😂 I just scratch a line into my seatpost.
Thanks, Dal. Scratch a line seems to be an emerging common solution. Having lived in and around the Republic of Mancunia for a good few years now I know exactly what you mean about supermarket sweep! I think I'm gonna be pretty comfortable looking like a supermarket wally with a bike in his trolley, knowing that I haven't got two ne'er-do-wells hacking through the lock outside! 🙂
Always dreaming of an epic voyage starting with a flight into an obscure airport with a folder. My children are all on 70's folders and shoppers at the moment, collosal weight, 12kg is great.
Yes, how nice to be able to just land somewhere, unfold and go! Whenever I indulge in a bit of bicycle daydreaming it might be slipping out at first light with the whole street still in slumber, popping keys through the letterbox and heading off on a classic tourer set up - RTW with all the time in the world to do it! Right, back to reality! 🙂
That sounds like a fair assessment, all the more because you've stumped up your own cash to buy it. I rode a folder years ago and found the narrowness of the handlebars made it feel very twitchy. I think they have a place for mixing public transport with a bike use and for those unlucky to have nowhere to store a bike. The Brompton has a huge following and I watch a couple of You tubers who camp and tour for long distances so as people say 'you can tour on any type of bike'. Thanks for the video, they're always interesting
Thanks, Colin. That twitchy handling is the main thing to get used to and it definitely takes a minute when you jump from a 'regular bike'. Once that's dialled in though I'm really surprised how well it handles and feels to ride. Definitely integrated journeys is where it really shines. I really enjoy watching Susanna Thornton's Brompton Bikepacking videos (if that's one you haven't come across?). Happy cycling!
So these measurements wouldn't hold up in court :) ... but there's about 22 inches of post - and you can get about 18 inches outside the frame according to the 'don't extend beyond' safety notch on the post. It's a SuperOversize, 6061-AL apparently - looks about 33 mm on my measure, some websites claim 33.9 or 34mm. Happy cycling!
@onemorecyclist Hey, thank you. I was curious as I've ordered a 500mm post in 28.6 for mine. It may be too short as I'm 6'3" with long legs. I won't know till the ordered bike arrives. It's the cheapest folder on Amazon @ $115 u.S.. There's another one at $50, 600mm long in 27.2, if that doesn't work. I'll insert a shim to make it fit. You're tall so I thought you may have had a similar problem. Thanks again partner.
Oh use a dremmel with one of those small round diamond heads and score a little line on your seatpost if you use a little rest around the tube you get a perfect line.. 😉👍🏻
Is it a threaded BB . so you could fit a hollow tech chainset with maybe a 46 ring. I guess u could also retro fit hollow QR axels to get around the spanner issue.
Would you recommend this for a first bike? I'm looking for a folding bike, probably use it for 30-35 km (in total) twice a week. Thanks for great review.
Hi Ibrahim. It's still relatively early days for me with this bike but I'm still really happy with it and no other concerns than i mentioned in the video. If you need the folding functionality i think it's a good option, although i haven't done more than 6-7km on a single ride as yet. Maybe try and test one or two different options if you can, and see how they feel? Enjoy the new bike when you get it! 🙂
Ibrahim, just a suggestion if you are new to biking, there are several functions that can make or break your initial enthusiasm so I would be sure to check this info out with your local bike shop. #1 - Gearing for most bikes will require you to downshift before stopping. If you forget, you may try & muscle your way on the pedals to get going again. - DON'T as you will bend your drive train. #2 - Most bikes will also come with gearing that won't make it easy to climb hills & will need a change made. #3 - Consider adding or buying a bike with an Internal Gear Hub. You can shift almost any time & they require very little in maintenance or adjustment. #4 - For the best puncture protection ask your bike shop to install Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. They will cost more but will provide many, many miles of flat free riding.
Is it not illegal or at least blasphemous in the UK to own any folding bike that is not a Brompton? 😂😂. The Terns here (🇨🇦) are half to 2/3 cheaper than Bromptons. I do like my B7 but find Bromptons smoother. Seems to be a crankarm length or chainrings size fir me. However Terns are well made, ride well, and are fun, all with regular, shop accessible parts.
No he doesn’t, he rides slowly/carefully, on bike path and is an experienced rider and a free adult. If a cars hits him whether he has a helmet or not won’t change much, look it up. If he was racing that’s a different story because this put you in risks of falling badly at high speed, which is not what happens with this kind of riding, safety firstly comes from behavior here .
I appreciate the great review! While researching, I contacted several bike shops that carried this model and chose one that took the time to answer all my questions. I've found myself using this bike more than my previous one due to its ease of transport, and the ride quality exceeded my expectations. Self-servicing is straightforward, as the parts are easily accessible, although I haven't needed to replace any yet.
It's a surprisingly good ride, isn't it? Fun too, I think. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling! 🙂
Hi - I have an older Tern 7 speed. I use a Gold permanent marker pen to identify my seat post height. All the best with it 👍
Appreciate the comment, thanks. Yes, I think a marker pen will be first port of call (and much better than paint!). Happy cycling!
The check note is really important, my cousin had his ebike repaired and I don't remember exactly what was loose, but it caused him to fall and have to have his shoulder operated on.
Yikes! Big responsibility and consequences working on someone's bike. Thanks for the comment!
Regarding the gear ratios - because of the 20" wheels the gear ratios will feel much lower than the same chainring/cassette sizes on a 700c road bike.
Love the vlog, I have a 24 speed Tern from 2012 and love it , it has a 3 speed internal hub a bit like on a Brompton that's linked to a 8 speed rear cassette, my seatpost was alloy so I just scored the black paint with a Stanley knife and that was perfect. Keep up the good work regards Bob.
Thanks, Bob. I've seen a few of the internal hub and cassette set ups and they're a neat combination. I don't know much about Tern as a company/brand but good to know there's at least one other satisfied customer out there! Happy cycling! 🙂
I have one. Great fun and always puts a smile on my face when out peddling. I did this years London to Southend on it (60 miles)
I'm a folding convert. Also have a Rayleigh Stowaway and a Brompton.
60 miles. Wow ... and just goes to show that they are pretty capable bikes. Thanks for the comment and happy peddling!
Regarding the saddle height, what works for me on all my bikes (but is particularly useful on my folding bike) is to put my arm over the bike (if I'm standing on the right of the bike, my left arm, if on the left my right arm - but I'm not sure this is relevant), touch the crank bolt dustcap with the pad of my middle finger, and raise the saddle into my armpit - it gets the height correct every time, for me at least. Also, when folding the bike and lowering the saddle, turn it back to front - it helps in carrying the bike.
I really like my Link C7 (a few years old now) but my gripe with it is that it's still a bit too big and awkward for public transport - otherwise a lovely bike. The bottom gear isn't as low as I like for my local rural hills either but for urban cycling, it is fine. Non cycling friends find the handling a bit "lively" but I love it.
Great tips, thanks. I'll try your 'armpit hack' next time I'm folding it! Happy cycling! 🙂
Great piece of kit... But yeah EVERY NEW bike I've bought has had an issue it's disgusting what's not been checked or correctly set up, I'm just glad I can sort em out myself... Anyway I'll stop now cos I could go on and on... Enjoy your new ride fella.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Chris. I really want to support local bike shops (and do, I think) and I know there's some brilliant mechanics and service out there. But there's also some really shoddy practice kicking about too. I suspect like you I tend not to get onto the topic too often as I could go on and on ... 🙂
Good review, tern's are good bikes. The steerer feels really solid compared to the adjustable ones, which being a bit older I fitted 30mm riser bars and sprung saddle made the bike perfect for me. You've put a good rack on your one.
Thanks for the comment. Yes, done a good few miles on it now and really pleased with how well it's riding - to the point where I'm pretty much forgetting I'm on a folding bike at times. Also thinking about a saddle change for a bit of extra comfort. Happy cycling!
Get a silver Sharpie permanent marker pen. Used one to mark my black chair at work 😊
Thanks, Simon. I see a trip to the local stationary shop on the horizon!
Or Tippex!
At the end of the day a bike is 2 wheels and 3 mounting points for a meat motor, get the motor mounts in the right place and these smaller folding bikes are pretty nippy. I love my Birdy with a Rohloff hub, I wear casual clothes most of the time and I do find it doesn't antagonise other road users compared to riding my racing bike while wearing lycra. Being able to just hop onto a train without having to book a bike space, hop onto a bus or even grab a taxi opens up a whole new range of journeys. Folding bikes are very popular in the Far East and plenty of folk use them for touring, mine has rear rack, two forks mounts for panniers, mudguards, dynamo lighting and a sidestand, with the huge gear range of the Rohloff it will climb anything!
Love it! Thanks for the comment and happy cycling (in Japan?)!
Il est vrai qu'il y a aussi beaucoup de vélos non pliants en Asie, mais avec des roues de 20 pouces.
De ce point de vue je trouve les asiatiques très pragmatiques.
Thank you for your review as I am interested in a Link D7i which I believe is the same frame & of course without a Tern Dealer close by that carries them. You covered several of my concerns like will I fit being 175 cm tall, will the bike be wobbly, is it feasible to place in a shopping cart & is it suitable to be used for multi modal transport? So if I can find one, I think Tern has another customer. :)
Appreciate the comment. I tried to cover things I was really unsure about myself (and couldn't easily find info about) so glad I'm not the only one with those types of queries. Enjoy the new bike if you get it! 🙂
Great review. Thank you😊
Thanks for watching!
I presume the handlebar height is adjustable whereas on the Btwin it’s fixed. I love folders but prefer internal hubs as they don’t get knocked out of true so easily as derailleur gears, which are also closer to the ground. You can take a Folder anywhere- bus,train, car etc, no need to book, and there’s less farther to fall as you get older !! Keep up with the videos - thank you !
Thanks for the comment, Maureen. Yes, great to have a folding option to fully open up integrated travel - something I'll definitely be doing a bit more of now. Tern claim the strongest, stiffest handlebar post available - which is probably another way of them saying it's non-adjustable! I do like the clamp to rotate the bars though, a nice touch and different to the Btwin. Happy cycling!
Merci pour cette vidéo.
J'ai un Tern Link D8 qui est assez proche.
Ce genre de vélo roule vraiment très bien, aussi vite qu'un vélo de ville classique.
Pour le prix je trouve qu'il est très correct, et bien plus facile à ranger et transporter qu'un vélo classique.
Je trouve que c'est une bonne idée de pouvoir le mettre dans un chariot de supermarché pour faire de petites courses.
Je n'y aurais pas pensé.
Great review, just what I was after... Being 6ft I was also keen on seeing the bike with the seat post fully extended. 👍
Thanks, Daniel.
I bit the bullet and took delivery of one this week... Only had a quick spin out but so far so good 👍
Enjoy the new (small) wheels! 🙂
Thanks for the review! Love the honest feedback and footage of folding/unfolding. Would this be able to take a child seat at the rear? Been trying to find someone who did it.
Thanks, TRC. I think the small wheels would probably prevent you being able to get a child seat on the back with enough room for the little one to actually occupy it. There might be a solution out there though, you never know. My two are teenagers now, so not something I was looking out for 🙂. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
I’ve had the Link C8 for about 4 years now and my only complaint is not being able to adjust the handlebar height.
Is is true you cannot adjust the height?
@@bidoro_12 you can adjust the seat height.
Hello! Good video. From Cucuta city Colombia 🇨🇴 South America
Thanks, Jorge. Appreciate you checking out the video! Happy cycling! 🙂
Using a high speed ⅛" to ¼" steel drill bit, drill into the very front of the seatpost....no deeper than necessary to allow that white paint drop to avoid being scraped off. You can always go deeper but not the other way around.
I love your videos here in the Colonies, Indiana.
Thanks, Frank. I suspect my own paranoia about material strength integrity would probably prevent me from drilling the post (freely admitting my engineering ignorance here). Food for thought though and appreciate the comments and support as always! 🙂
Thanks! Nice job! As I'm 184 cm tall, i was considering a Tern bike, instead of a Decathlon folding bike (and for other reasons too...). Did you notice a little bigger frame in the Tern? It's suposed that the maximum rider height in Tern is 190cm, but in Decathlon folding bikes is 185cm... 😅
Thanks, Guillermo. The Decathlon bike felt really similar to ride and I didn't notice the Tern being a bigger frame. I also didn't extend the seatpost beyond my for height (180cm) on the Decathlon bike so not sure how accurate their recommended maximum is. Always worth checking one out in store if that's an option. Happy cycling!
Looks great for shopping and commuting. I'm terrified of leaving my bike outside a shop. It's a bit like watching supermarket sweep when I go shopping 😂
I just scratch a line into my seatpost.
Thanks, Dal. Scratch a line seems to be an emerging common solution. Having lived in and around the Republic of Mancunia for a good few years now I know exactly what you mean about supermarket sweep! I think I'm gonna be pretty comfortable looking like a supermarket wally with a bike in his trolley, knowing that I haven't got two ne'er-do-wells hacking through the lock outside! 🙂
Just look at where the saddle rests on your body when standing, then you should be able to remember it roughly
Always dreaming of an epic voyage starting with a flight into an obscure airport with a folder.
My children are all on 70's folders and shoppers at the moment, collosal weight, 12kg is great.
Yes, how nice to be able to just land somewhere, unfold and go! Whenever I indulge in a bit of bicycle daydreaming it might be slipping out at first light with the whole street still in slumber, popping keys through the letterbox and heading off on a classic tourer set up - RTW with all the time in the world to do it! Right, back to reality! 🙂
That sounds like a fair assessment, all the more because you've stumped up your own cash to buy it.
I rode a folder years ago and found the narrowness of the handlebars made it feel very twitchy.
I think they have a place for mixing public transport with a bike use and for those unlucky to have nowhere to store a bike.
The Brompton has a huge following and I watch a couple of You tubers who camp and tour for long distances so as people say 'you can tour on any type of bike'.
Thanks for the video, they're always interesting
Thanks, Colin. That twitchy handling is the main thing to get used to and it definitely takes a minute when you jump from a 'regular bike'. Once that's dialled in though I'm really surprised how well it handles and feels to ride. Definitely integrated journeys is where it really shines. I really enjoy watching Susanna Thornton's Brompton Bikepacking videos (if that's one you haven't come across?). Happy cycling!
@@onemorecyclist Yes, I've watched all of Susanna's trips with her Brompton. What a brave lovely person.
Hi from Cape Town, Sunny South Africa..... Thx for sharing..... What is her vlog called on TH-cam?
@@EddyAlexander-vl8jd Susanna Thornton
If I'm changing right of seat post tend 2 mark it with bit of masking tape
Yeah, do the same. I think putting the post down though it will catch - I should try it though and see.
@onemorecyclist yes v true. Or Mark it with a tippex pen......yes, I'm old😅
Excellent review. Love it. Just a shame about your experience with the bike shop and initial setup. Ride safe and take care. Jay
Thanks, Jay. I'm glad to have a bit of bike tinkering experience to sort these things out. Happy cycling!
How long is the seatpost? And it's size? 28.6, 31.8 whatever? We've all got bike shops we're not crazy about.
So these measurements wouldn't hold up in court :) ... but there's about 22 inches of post - and you can get about 18 inches outside the frame according to the 'don't extend beyond' safety notch on the post. It's a SuperOversize, 6061-AL apparently - looks about 33 mm on my measure, some websites claim 33.9 or 34mm. Happy cycling!
@onemorecyclist Hey, thank you. I was curious as I've ordered a 500mm post in 28.6 for mine. It may be too short as I'm 6'3" with long legs. I won't know till the ordered bike arrives. It's the cheapest folder on Amazon @ $115 u.S.. There's another one at $50, 600mm long in 27.2, if that doesn't work. I'll insert a shim to make it fit. You're tall so I thought you may have had a similar problem. Thanks again partner.
@@rainbowhiker no worries, and enjoy the new wheels! 🙂
Oh use a dremmel with one of those small round diamond heads and score a little line on your seatpost if you use a little rest around the tube you get a perfect line.. 😉👍🏻
Is it a threaded BB . so you could fit a hollow tech chainset with maybe a 46 ring. I guess u could also retro fit hollow QR axels to get around the spanner issue.
Would need to take a closer look but, yes I think they could be options in the future. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
Would you recommend this for a first bike? I'm looking for a folding bike, probably use it for 30-35 km (in total) twice a week. Thanks for great review.
Hi Ibrahim. It's still relatively early days for me with this bike but I'm still really happy with it and no other concerns than i mentioned in the video. If you need the folding functionality i think it's a good option, although i haven't done more than 6-7km on a single ride as yet. Maybe try and test one or two different options if you can, and see how they feel? Enjoy the new bike when you get it! 🙂
Ibrahim, just a suggestion if you are new to biking, there are several functions that can make or break your initial enthusiasm so I would be sure to check this info out with your local bike shop. #1 - Gearing for most bikes will require you to downshift before stopping. If you forget, you may try & muscle your way on the pedals to get going again. - DON'T as you will bend your drive train. #2 - Most bikes will also come with gearing that won't make it easy to climb hills & will need a change made. #3 - Consider adding or buying a bike with an Internal Gear Hub. You can shift almost any time & they require very little in maintenance or adjustment. #4 - For the best puncture protection ask your bike shop to install Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. They will cost more but will provide many, many miles of flat free riding.
Lets make a wee film of the Tern at Whinlatter?!
Haha, sounds like some kind of Red Bull challenge! 🙂
Is it not illegal or at least blasphemous in the UK to own any folding bike that is not a Brompton? 😂😂. The Terns here (🇨🇦) are half to 2/3 cheaper than Bromptons. I do like my B7 but find Bromptons smoother. Seems to be a crankarm length or chainrings size fir me. However Terns are well made, ride well, and are fun, all with regular, shop accessible parts.
use electrical tape to mark the seat post height
You need a helmet.
No he doesn’t, he rides slowly/carefully, on bike path and is an experienced rider and a free adult. If a cars hits him whether he has a helmet or not won’t change much, look it up. If he was racing that’s a different story because this put you in risks of falling badly at high speed, which is not what happens with this kind of riding, safety firstly comes from behavior here .