Call me a shill for Tern Bikes if you will, but I like what they’re doing in the world of folding bicycles.
Folding bikes are very practical, but Asian folders in particular are often clunky looking affairs. Tern has taken the ‘clunk’ out of their bikes and replaced it with clean lines and a little elegance.
Take the Tern Verge Duo, for example. It’s a smooth looking, smooth riding bike that folds in 10 seconds, yet retains good torsional stiffness in a 25 pound bike. SRAM Automatix 2 speed hub automatically shifts up and down depending on your speed. Other nifty touches include the BioLogic post pump — a bike pump integrated into the seatpost — and the BioLogic Arx grips with integrated 4-, 5-, 6-mm hex tool.
The clean, cable free design adds to the Verge folding bike’s attractiveness, and a rear rack, light, kickstand, fenders, and BioLogic FreeDrive chain cover make this a great urban commuter.
All of these elements earned Tern the Red Dot Design Award for 2012. 1,800 manufacturers and designers from 58 countries
submitted 4,515 products for consideration for a red dot award by a panel of 30 international experts.