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Gotham City

Gotham City

Gotham City

Dr. David Hon, who founded the company over 17 years ago, sees the Gotham City as a logical development: Weve been interested in suspension for many years. As demonstrated so elegantly by Sir Alex Moulton, suspension allows smaller wheels to reach the efficiency of larger wheels. Another benefit is, he points out, the increased comfort.
Dahon are the worlds largest producer of portable folding bicycles, folding frames, and folding components, and have made well over a million machines, from compact 16" commuters to full-sized 26" mountain bikes. Their Speed, a fast 20 (406)-wheeled folder, was featured in Encycleopedia 99.

The roughest ruts and the deepest potholes hold no fear for the Gotham City, Dahons new flagship folding bike. With a custom Marzocchi-designed front fork and a rear air shock, the bike is designed to take the worst urban environment in its stride.

The riding position is quite high and upright, so that you can see over traffic, and also enjoy a comfortable position with no back-strain. The WTB saddle is particularly comfortable, and was chosen with the riding position in mind.

With full suspension, ride quality is excellent: unsurfaced tracks or cycleways are no problem, and the Ritchey Speedmax tyres can even tackle some light off-roading. Its an adaptable bike: different riding styles and rider tastes are catered for with the height-adjustable stem and pressure-adjustable rear air shock.

The Gotham Citys frame is made from custom-drawn 7005 aluminum tubing, and the bike weighs 13.0kg. Seven-speed SRAM ESP 7.0 twist-grip gearing is always to hand, and the range is just right for city riding a good low for acceleration, and a high gear big enough to keep up with the traffic. Ritchey bar ends give an alternative riding position for longer stretches, and powerful ProMax V-brakes operate smoothly on machined-sidewall 20" (406) rims.

Folding is easy, and uses Dahons patented Lite-Touch system. Large levers open or close easily with little hand force yet lock absolutely solid and play-free. The folding procedure is simple: saddle down, stem up, fold down the handlebars, then fold the main frame. Both frame and handlebar latches are secured with safety catches when the bike is being ridden.

The fold takes just 10 seconds, and the bike then fits into an optional hard case, safe for use on even the most bike-unfriendly of airlines.

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In the USA, the Gotham City costs around $900, and prices will vary worldwide.

Manufacturer

With their headquarters in California, Dahon have factories and offices in Taiwan and China. Dahon have dealers in many countries. In case of difficulty, contact the headquarters in Los Angeles.

Dahon
USA

phone: +1 818 305 5264
fax: +1 818 305 9153
email: dahon@ficnet.net
web: www.dahon.com

Author

The Editors

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