DAHON Mariner D8 II Tested
‘From Island Getaways to Urban Commutes’ That’s how folding bike company DAHON describe their Mariner model, and after a month of the bike being stowed in a port-side locker of my sailboat, they are spot on.
Writing this review from the main cabin of an Amel Sharki 39 anchored off Great Keppel Island in sunny Queensland, the bike has been a complete game-changer. Sailing and cycling are two of the most addictive and all-encompassing passion sports. The problem is, they both typically take a lot of time and almost as much money.
Growing up around both bikes and boats, combining the two for this winter sojourn has been a dream come true. Without a boat, the trip would obviously be physically impossible; and spending months away from the bike – any bike – well, the thought of that would be mentally impossible.
So, prior to departure, and given that the boat has two enormous storage lockers, I hatched the cunning plan to review a bike along the way. And so far so good; in fact, the folding Mariner II from DAHON has been the most pleasant surprise of this whole daft idea to sail a boat from Sydney to North Queensland for winter.
First to the frame, and thanks to the aluminium tubing, the bike is both light in weight and impervious to corrosion. It’s hinged using DAHON’s famous ‘lattice-forged ViseGrip joint’ – in fact, the whole rig can be opened up and ready to ride in roughly ten seconds. The total weight is around 12.5 kilos. Folded, it’s a tidy 79 × 30 × 64 cm parcel (that’s 31 × 12 × 25 inches in the old money), which slides into that aforementioned cockpit locker or sometimes in the spare forward cabin between rides.
The wheels are 20-inch lightweight aluminium rims wrapped in Schwalbe Citizen 1.6-inch tyres — a classy spec at this price point, and they roll surprisingly fast on the regional Queensland roads and paths I’ve been riding.
Drivetrain wise, the bike is fitted with a Shimano 8-speed setup with a 52-tooth chainring and 11–32 cassette. The gear range sits in the sweet spot for the bike, it spins out around 25 to 30kp/h on flat roads and there’s enough low gearing for the occasional heavy loads I’ve had to carry – gas bottles, spare fuel, 10litres of engine oil, groceries and the like. In fact, during a brief stomping Gladstone the DAHON was used to transport a 20kg fridge/freezer from town back to the boat!
One of the most critical aspects of having a bike in a salt-laden environment is rust. DAHON market the Mariner as a marine-grade bike. Over the past 4 months, that bold claim has proven to be accurate – all I’ve done is kept Inox on the chain, and the bike continues to show no signs of corrosion – it’s really quite remarkable given how everything else on the vessel needs regular fresh water rising and maintenance.
The chain is a KMC rustproof job, the spokes are stainless, the cables are stainless-lined, and hex bolts and components have been treated to take on the salt air.
After use, I’ve kept the brushed silver finish clean of road grime and salt by simply wiping it down with a damp rag. So far so good, it still rides and looks like new.
One issue that has arisen – probably more the unconventional storage style than anything else – is the front mudguard rubbing on the tyre. The remedy has been to simply check and straighten the guard before a ride. The bike ships with full-coverage front and rear mudguards, plus a chainguard, kickstand, and a rear pannier rack as standard.
To the million-dollar question, how does it actually ride? Far more bike-like than I’d ever imagine. Initial thoughts were that the steering was a little twitchy, but the brain quickly rewired, and I became very used to the feel of the bike on the road.
Lowering the handlebars also helped with stability – plus, of course, aerodynamics. I initially rode the Mariner in a more upright position, but soon shifted to a lower bar setup (a simple process that takes around 3 seconds thanks to the quick-release steerer adjuster).
The handlebar/cockpit area is well designed and laid out, brakes and gear selectors are ergonomically placed, the saddle is comfortable enough that I haven’t bothered swapping it, and the V-brakes are surprisingly smooth and effective.
The bike also ships with DAHON’s standard high-density plastic folding pedals. I did consider swapping these out for Shimano clip-in pedals, but soon realised just how compact the Mariner is when the pedals are tucked in and frame folded. Plus, the plastic pedals have been performing perfectly fine – riding with trainers instead of cycling shoes, from a short supermarket run or even a 20 or 30km local loop, riding with sneakers is kind of liberating, and keeps things so much simpler.
The Verdict
In a paragraph, the DAHON Mariner has been a game-changer. It’s solidly built, brilliantly designed, comfortable to ride, and simple to set up. Way more than a boat bike, it’ll be just at home, at home. It’s compact, stylish, and probably the most convenient bike I’d ever had the pleasure of riding, reviewing or writing about.
Mariner D8 II Key Details
Recommended Rider Height: 145 to 190 cm
Max Load: 105 kg
Handlebar width: 560mm
Colour options: Navy Blue or Silver (as tested)
RRP $1,099.00
For further details visit www.au.dahon.com
