Product Review: The Change DF-912 Folding Mountain Bike
As Aberdeenshire establishes itself as the ‘go to’ destination for mountain biking in Scotland, I was facing an insurmountable problem, which I have written about on this blog before. Access. I do not have access to a car, and the bus companies do not take bikes. Fortunately, there is a solution, namely the folding mountain bike. Fold up the bike, put it in a bag, and the bus company will be happy to take it. You can then explore the country’s mountain bike trails completely unhindered. For this reason, I decided to invest in a Change DF-912. Here I give my verdict on the experience, covering purchase, the folding technology, and putting the bike through its paces at Tarland Trails, a trail centre about 35 miles from Aberdeen.
Ready to take the DF-912 for its first ride after completing its assembly
Change is a Taiwanese company that specialises in folding bikes. As the company is based so far away, it was only natural for there to be a waiting time. However, I would have expected it to arrive within two weeks. In fact it took 18 days, but we’ll let that slide. The big question was, did the folding technology and the light weight justify the hefty £1999?
It’s difficult to say whether the lighter weight itself justifies this, as, racing apart, riders have laid more importance on durability than weight. There is no doubt however, that this is constructed using exceptional quality lightweight parts. It therefore tips the scales at 12.8 kg, which is lighter than the average 13.2kg for a mountain bike.
Critical, however, is the folding technology. This was the USP for me. Remove the quick release front wheel, loosen the seat post, hinges at the top and bottom of the seat tube, fold the frame, remove the quick release pedals, and the bike is ready to go in the bag. There is a built in notch in the frame for ease of carrying the front wheel when the bike is folded up, and you can reattach the pedals facing in towards the frame to take up less space. Once in the bag it’s ready to go on the bus. Re-assemble the bike at the other end, and you’re ready to go! So how was it?
The bike is a bit fiddly to fold away, although this does become easier with practice. The only problem was the next step.
The bag is a major disappointment. It zips closed from the bottom up, which means that instead of simply draping the bag over the top of the bike and closing the zip from the top, you have to have the bag on the ground, then try and wriggle the handlebars into the extension designed for them, and then try and zip it up, all while standing up, while using one hand to keep the bike steady, and while both sides of the bag are flapping about.
Worse, once in the bag, it’s completely unsuitable for carrying. The handles are too long to make it portable by hand, as you can’t lift it off the ground. On the other hand, these same straps are too short to be used as shoulder straps, making it a major operation to carry anywhere longer than a few metres. A major black mark!
Putting it back together at the other end was easier however, and I was soon ready for the Trails. So what was the verdict from then on?
I chose the Crowd Surfin’ and Scalextric Trails. Both blue (intermediate), which are demanding enough to give the bike a sufficiently rigorous test. Both featured berms, jumps, tabletops, steep downhills, stony ground, difficult bumps, and awkward tree roots. Both required immense concentration from this relatively new mountain bike rider.
From left to right: the complete bike folded up ready for transport, the top hinge, the quick release pedal, and the carrier bag respectively
The wide ratio gears really came into their own when ascending the hills to start the Trails. For the uninitiated, mountain biking is like skiing, in that there is a path to go up, before the real fun starts on the marked trails coming down. The ascent was long, steep, in some places muddy and stony. This bike really will go up the side of a house if required, and this wide ratio was essential here.
There was no issue concerning the travel in the front forks. At my stage, I would never attempt jumps. However, both trails featured all the other obstacles mentioned above, and were punishing on the frame’s suspension. The bike was comfortable with all these, and I have every confidence it would be perfectly at home on much harsher trails.
The power train was a dream. Both front and rear derailleurs shift the chain across their range in an instant, meaning that when you need to change up or down in response to even the slightest change in gradient, the gears will respond. The chain interacted smoothly with the rear block and front chain rings alike, making it a pleasure to ride.
The brakes were perfectly responsive, which is essential if you want to stay in control. The only issue was that it proved a little fiddly to top up one brake lever with brake fluid. But once filled, it was fine.
The wheels and tyres were likewise fully fit for the task.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the saddle was perfectly comfortable. Even after spending several hours on the bike, wearing shorts with no padding, I had no issues.
So, the final verdict: a fantastic bike. It took to the trails like a duck to water; the folding technology makes it possible to take it on a bus, which makes the difference, in my case, between being able to go mountain biking or not at all; and it’s a joy to ride.
Worth the £1999 price tag? If you need a folding bike, without doubt yes, but for your own sanity, buy another bag! The product spec is listed below.
Item Specification
Speeds Shimano Deore 20 Speeds
Frame Aerospace-Grade Aluminium 7005 Double Butted, Taiwan Made
Front Fork FOX Performance 32 Float 27.5 FIT4, 1.5T Travel: 100mm
Shifter Shimano Deore SL-M6000
Bottom Bracket Shimano Deore
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore FD-M6025 2x10s
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore RD-M6000 10S
Sprockets Shimano CS-HG500 11-42T
Chain Shimano Deore
Crankset Shimano Deore FC-M627 38x24T 170mm
Brake Shimano Deore BL-M615
Wheels Mavic Crossride 27.5
Tyre Kenda 27.5 x 2.1
Handlebar Aluminium, Barbore 31.8mm, Length 580mm
Stem Aluminium, 31.8mm x 55mm, Steerer: 28.6mm
Seat Post Aluminium, 31.6mm x 300mm
Saddle Prologo Scratch Pro
Pedal Wellgo Bearing QRD C-128
Weight 12.8KG
