Rock & Rolla
Bike review
Don't get mad, get a Verge!
Tern's award-winning Verge X-18 has hit our shores and this one of the fastest folding bikes in the stable after the X-10 and X-20..
Succeeding the Tern Verge X30h folding bike -- is the Verge X-18.
This bike is also a winner of the Taipei Cycle 2015 best Design and Innovation award at the recently-concluded Taipei Cycle Show.
The X-18 is a no-frills design with an 18-speed drivetrain.
It's sleek lines and colour scheme makes it a highly desirable bike -- especially for younger cyclists who wants a bike that can keep up with larger 700cc road bikes.
While the X-18 lacked the high-performance components found on the Verge X-20, it's a formidable machine.
What is apparent, is the award-winning 20" kinetix-X high-profile rims which is a standard feature on Tern's hallmark 20" X-series bikes.
It's also colour-coordinated with the frame which is a metallic-blue and brushed metal finish.
The riding geometry of this mike is more for sports riding position so, better get your lycras rather than slapping on your baggies.
A set of Shimano Sora road bike shifters complements the X-18, giving it the finesse it needs on the road.
I'd say that the overall pre-GST price package of RM7,800 is at par with the older Verge X-30h, which is not popular at all here in Malaysia.
Take out the dual-drive and slap a set of double chainring and cogwheels on the bike, you get a machine that is easy to maintain.
Colour-wise, it has an appeal for those who want something 'different' from what's available off the shelves.
This bike could rock even harder with better components.
I am not a fan of Shimano Sora and the only component that is befitting on a bike of such class would be the basic Shimano 105s. This is apparent on the Dahon Dash X-20 when it was first introduced in 2011.