Tern Folding Bicycles was at Dirt Demo and Interbike.
Twist grip with ergonomic grips.
Check out how they protected the chain. Not sure if this is an actual production set up. But it certainly is interesting.
They offer traditional geared hub or IGH.
Did you get a chance to ride or play around with the folding of any of their bikes? I am curious to read a review or your thoughts.
I’m surprised that nobody(that I know of) has gone after the Bike Friday market. I know Russ Roca toured on a Brompton, but it seems like BF has the “folding bike that rides like a real bike” market cornered.
i’m not a huge fan of folding bikes (mostly because of how they look), but these look really tasty!
i have to admit, though, that seeing virtually everyone in the promo video riding in traffic without a helmet made me cringe. i’m not a helmet nazi and i don’t really care one way or another if someone else chooses to wear a helmet or not. heck, i don’t even wear one 100% of the time. but to make a promo video which seems to be targeted at the exact demographic that’s notorious for sustaining serious head injuries due to not wearing a helmet seems a little irresponsible.
@kit: I actually got to test ride it. (I’m the guy in the green wearing a hat) It was a very impressive bike. It feels very much like a road bike but all in a small compact form. It’s quick and nimble around corners. The brakes weren’t all that impressive but definitely more than sufficient for the bike. The two that I rode were their “flagship” models and for whatever reason, they didn’t grease the chain. It was odd…
The shifting was fun. The bike had more gears than it needed but the extra gears definitely gave me an impression of, “I’m more than just a folding bike”.
The cockpit was a bit tight for me (I’m 5’10″). But then again, I didn’t get a chance to adjust anything.
The grips, handlebar and seat were good–I didn’t really feel anything on the road for the most part. I’m sure the wheels and frame, factor into the bikes damping qualities but overall…it was a smooth ride.
While I didn’t get to compare it the other folding bikes such as the Brompton (http://www.bikecommuters.com/2012/09/24/interbike-2012-brompton-bicycles-video/) this bike is still worth buying regardless of the other brands. In other words, I felt like I didn’t need to look at others in order to be sold. That said, I wonder if the others were just as good.
Bottom line: I recommend the bike.
@bigbenaugust: Not so much but the owners are related.
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/dahon-v-tern-it-s-now-a-lawsuit/011550
Oh my.
I know Dahon legitimately licensed the frame design out to Citizen (and maybe others), but that is very interesting.
Makes me wish I still had my Xootr Swift. 
