The Tern Verge X18 is the first folding bike we’ve ever looked at and thought, "We have to try this out." And we’re glad we did… The Tern Verge X18 barrels up to speed nicely and has little trouble maintaining its pace. In short, it doesn’t feel like a bike designed for short runs to the station. We put that theory to the test by swapping our road bike for the Tern on our 15-mile commute. The Verge performed admirably and was only a few minutes shy of our ‘big bike’ riding time.
We attribute much of this speed to many factors: its 10.8kg weight; the minimal rotating mass of the 20in wheels; the quick roll of the Schwalbe slick tyres; the road bike position offered up by the Kinetix Pro X drop bars; and the decent range offered by the 18-speed Shimano Capreo drivetrain.
Riding along at a decent lick is also assisted by the Tern’s tig-welded aluminium frame. Despite its hinges, flex isn’t a problem and there’s no disconcerting wiggle in the chassis.
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The wheels deserve a special mention as they’re handbuilt 42mm deep units with twinned Sapim spokes designed by Rolf Dietrich of Rolf wheels fame. They roll really smoothly and fast, even if they do lack some of the inherent stability that comes with full-sized hoops. Riding out of the saddle is a unique sensation; the front wheel feels as if it wants to squirm around under you at first but it soon settles down.
Of course, folding is the Verge’s party piece and fold it does with aplomb. Custom locking hinges at the middle of the frame and base of the stem allow you to collapse the bike quickly into a compact package. It takes less than 30secs to go from ready-to-ride to fully collapsed — and vice versa.
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