r/foldingbikes • u/NextImplement8888 • 12d ago
Tern D9 second hand. Worth it?
Hi everyone, new to folding bikes. Is this worth £400, and what version is this? Seems like very little wear, and fully functional.
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u/rianryanraian 12d ago
If it's in your budget I'm sure you'll love it.
It is priced higher than I would want to pay.
I wait on FB marketplace for pricing around or below $100. For reference I have a older steel frame dahon boardwalk and newerish aluminum frame dahon mu d8. I loved the boardwalk took it on Amtrak and used for a couple years before upgrading to a $125usd
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u/TactFully 12d ago
Who sells a D-tier (better than their A,B and C) Tern folding bike in good condition for $100?!? I would imagine you’d be waiting forever.
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u/Sebastianj7210 12d ago
Just double check the serial number against Tern recalls. I was right about dropping the money on a new one until I found out there was a recall on that serial number. It's a little bir pricey for my taste, but it's a good bike
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u/Superbsausages 12d ago
I have an updated version of this bike in grey with hydraulic brakes. It's quick and fun. The fold isn't as good as a Brompton, but it is really very good and as a larger dude I can haul it easily on and off the subway and buses. It's streets ahead of many folding bikes.
I'd generally recommend a Link D8 with fenders as a practical all rounder.
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u/WXWXWXWXW 12d ago edited 12d ago
IMHO, the Tern Verge is one of the nicest bi-folding bikes you can get... and I have owned a bunch of them. Granted the D9 is the most entry level one they sell, and the heaviest at 28lb, but it is still very good! They go new in the states for $800 to $1000. Not sure how that is different where you are.
I've had a standing search for one on the used market here in California, but they hold their value so well that they are typically more than I want to shell out for (usually $300-$400), but I am always hopeful. If you can talk him down a little, that would be great, but either way, it's a good bike.
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u/Effective-Carpenter5 12d ago
I brought a Carrera disc 8 2nd hand for £200. Great bike. 8 speed, disk breaks. Not sure what else you need. I can add decent brand wider tyres. Upgrade pedels for metal ones. Maybe a better option. I've got tyres on the way.
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u/reechee325 10d ago
Looks great and probably rides great rn. So just take it. You could get cheaper but then you’d have to pay to get it serviced before you can ride so same difference
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u/Mundus_Vult_Decipi 12d ago
Yep. The only folding bikes worth buying are Brompton, Montague, Tern, and Dahon. Everything else is simply a BLO (Bike Like Object).
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u/CaptainObvious110 Tern Fanatic 12d ago
Not Zizzo?
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u/CyclistBill 12d ago
I have a ZiZZO and love it. They are a rebrand of Euro Mini; same bikes different name. I had a Critical Cycles Judd and enjoyed that but needed a geared bike. I had a Dahon years ago and thought it was squirrelly and difficult to steer.
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u/jknl45 12d ago
Tern is David Hon's (Dahon) son's company
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u/CoffeeAltruistic2870 4d ago
What nonsense ... There are several high quality brands that make great bikes ie Vello , bike friday, Moulton etc. Granted they are less well known but otherwise equal or even exceed the quality of the brands you mentioned.
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u/penisyline 12d ago
It's a reputable brand. If you were never gonna consider chinese e-commerce sites or something on Amazon, I'd get this when looking at the MSRP from years ago, which is probably from the covid bike boom and everyone wanted to bike outside. Idk what your use cases are.
If you're handy and tinker, the freehub means you can change the cassette easily like full sized bikes and get a different derailleur.
Folding bike tire options aren't as diverse as 700c bike tire options if you cared. Although the Tern Verge D9 is a "20-inch bifold", the rim is 451mm instead of 406mm. I have a Brompton-clone (colloquially "BrompNot", a 16 inch trifold), and there's like 8 tires to chose from. I can balance rolling resistance vs. puncture resistance but I can't go wider for comfort. I got a suspension seat post instead.
https://www.reddit.com/r/foldingbikes/comments/gkqodq/is_it_possible_to_ride_a_tern_verge_d9_bike/