Tag Archives: Tern Bikes

Tern’s HSD electric-assist bike, out of the box and on the road

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

Every so often, I run across a truly unique bike, and the Tern HSD electric-assist bike is one bike worth checking out. Especially if you are looking for a comfortable ride with options when needing to haul cargo or a child. Looking over some of the latest electric bikes that will be available to test-ride at the E-bike Challenge Minneapolis, I had a chance to take this new Tern cargo e-bike out for a spin

My initial test ride of the Tern HSD electric-assist bike

Using three parallel streets, on a hillside in my neighborhood as my personal test course. I had a chance to experience the pedal-assist-power and comfort of this new e-bike. On my initial ride, with close to 300 pounds of weight between myself and some extra gear, I found the bike had a smooth acceleration with plenty of power to spare. It didn’t matter if I stopped on the flat or on the 12-degree incline of the hill. Each time I started pedaling, which kicked in the motor, there were no irregular jerk movements, it was smooth. Plus, with the Bosch motor set on the Eco mode (the lowest of four e-assist settings) and the 1×9 gear drivetrain, my cadence was comfortable going up all the hills. It was also reassuring that I still had the Tour, Sports, and Turbo motor settings at my fingertips if needed.

About Tern’s HSD electric bike

THE TERN HSD ELECTRIC-ASSIST BIKE IS A COMPACT CARGO BIKE OFFERING A COMFORTABLE RIDE.

The Tern HSD P-9 is a compact cargo bike perfect for commuting, recreational riding, and running errands with some extra space to haul cargo or a child. At 5.5 feet long it is slightly shorter than the average road bike and has a load capacity of 374 pounds.

The HSD P-9 model uses a Bosch Active Line Plus motor and 400Wh battery with a Purion display, with Eco, Tour, Sports, and Turbo power settings. The drivetrain uses a 9-speed Shimano® Alivio Shadow RD cassette/derailleur. So this motor/drivetrain combination was smooth when beginning to accelerate and throughout the ride.

Bonus items that come standard

The HSD comes with a headlight and taillight. A Suntour suspension front fork to help ease bumps, 20″ wheels, an aluminum frame, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and an integrated Abus frame lock in the rear wheel. Plus, the bike can be stored standing on its rear rack and the handlebar stem folds down flat, making it easy to fit a compact space.

THE HSD EASILY STANDS ON THE BACK RACK FOR CONVENIENT STORAGE.

Accessories

You can buy many accessories online, but Tern’s proprietary ones are fit to the bike and add convenience. Specifically, the Go-To bag that attaches to the front of the bike using a Tern Luggage Truss™ adapter. It was easy to fit my laptop inside this bag, and perfect for commuting to work, school or the library.

THE TERN GO-TO BAG COMES WITH A SPECIAL COVER FOR ADDED WEATHER PROTECTION AND VISIBILITY.

On the rear, Tern’s proprietary cargo hold panniers are weather-resistant and pack down flat. Each pannier can hold up to 60 pounds and closes securely with a magnetic clip. I found I could easily slip in two paper grocery bags on each side, nice!

Need more cargo or kid hauling capacity, test ride all the Tern Bikes

Stop by your local Tern dealer or mark your calendar for the E-bike Challenge Minneapolis, March 11-12, 2023. There you can ride all the Tern Bikes including the GSD on the electric bike expos huge indoor test track. Have Fun!

Electric bike expo countdown, 5 days until the E-bike Challenge

This Monday, 5-days until the electric bike expo countdown or E-bike Challenge Minneapolis. Mark your calendar and ride the wide selection of electric-assist bikes, on the mammoth indoor test track.

Thanks for viewing our electric bike expo countdown picture

From a recent article at HaveFunBiking, the E-bike Challenge will again be at the Minneapolis Convention Center, on April 2 & 3. Here consumers can test and compare electric-assist bicycles on the mammoth indoor cycle track. In its inaugural year, 2019, it was deemed a success with attendees of all ages and abilities test riding e-bikes, while having fun.

So, what exactly is a pedal-assist bike or e-bike?

Hint – An e-bike is a bicycle that has a battery and electric motor to allow a cyclist to ride farther and with greater ease. However, the bicycle doesn’t do all the work by itself, it only assists! The bicyclist must be pedaled for the motor to engage, enabling an easier ride.

Start your E-bike Challenge visit with a 2022 Bike Guide and the daily E-bike parade

As you enter the bike expo hall and test track pick up your copy of the HaveFunBiking 2022 Bike/Hike Guide, hot off the press. Then, look at all the latest models of e-bikes you can ride, on the runway. Dozens of bicycle exhibitors, to name a few like Tern Bicycles, Riese & Müller, Yuba, GoCycle, and Serial 1 from Harley Davidson will be there. With more brands signing up each day, you are sure to see the latest and greatest in electric bike innovations.

Find your next adventure in the Hike & Bike Xperience court area

When not test riding all the fun e-bikes, explore the Hike & Bike Camp area in the center of the exhibition hall. Here find information on tourism destinations, trekking, mountain biking, and fun activities.

Plus you will find an interactive Kid’s Area at the bike expo

This family-friendly event will also have an interactive kids’ bike test track for ages 16 and
under, a children’s scavenger hunt daily, a bicycle playground with activities, and more!

Mark your calendar, then go online at E-bike Challenge to register and save!

Folding bikes are easy to use and fun for a ride or commute

Folding bikes are an essential bicycle for anyone with limited space, a multi-mode commute, or the desire to travel with a bike. Many companies make great folders that are easy to transport, featherweight and easy to use. Read ahead for tips on how to choose the right one and for information on all the benefits of a folder.

Types of folding bikes

-Sizes

Wheel size is the major differentiation between folding bikes. They range from 12” wheels, like the wheels you find on a kid’s bike, up to 700c full size adult wheels. Most folding bike frames are sized as one size fits all. The Seat and handlebars can usually be raised and lowered almost infinitely to fit any rider. The most noticeable part of different wheel sizes is comfort and stability.

-Brands

There are many different brands out there. The major players are Dahon, Tern, and Bike Friday. Each have models that are oriented toward road riding, off-road, or touring. Tern and Dahon make their bicycles in Asia out of aluminum or steel. Bike Friday on the other hand, produces all their bicycles in Eugene Oregon out of steel. There are many other brands that make folding bikes as well, but these are the three most readily available in bike shops.

Portability

Folding bikes are great because of their size. For storage, having the ability to fold a bike up into a suitcase sized package offers a lot of options. These bikes can fit under a bed, into a closet, or the trunk of your car.

Commuting

A barrier for many people to enter into bicycle commuting is distance. For some, it is just not possible to ride 25 miles to work. A folding bike can help split up a bicycle commute. By being folding, you can ride the bike from your home to the bus or train, ride public transportation and then finish the trip to work on your bike again.

Wheel size

Most folding bikes use smaller wheels than their non-folding counterparts. Those small wheels are great when it’s time to fold the bike up, but while riding, they can be a bit harsher than a full size wheel.

Unique parts

Folding bikes use proprietary parts in order to fold as small as possible. Most of these parts are specific to each folding bike brand and are designed to make the bike as fold-able as possible while also being very light. The downside to unique parts is getting replacements can be an issue. Overall, these parts aren’t usually wear items, so the instance of replacement is low.

Stiffness

Folding bikes use smaller frames in the pursuit of getting as small and light as possible once folded. The side effect of a small frame is low stiffness. This flex would be appreciated if it were in a vertical plane, as it would absorb road vibration, but sadly the lateral flex of a folding bike only robs the rider of efficiency.

Tips to buying

Trying before you buy can be difficult because most shops don’t stock a large selection of folding bikes. Start by making a few calls to local shops to see what’s available to ride. Because of that scarcity, focus on testing two things – Wheel size and frame material. The wheel size and frame material have the largest effect on the ride quality of the bicycle. If you can solidify the wheel size and frame material you prefer, you can then determine the other features without riding them.

Travel Bikes

Travel bikes are full sized bicycles that can be deconstructed to fit into a suitcase. While they offer the same ride quality as a standard bicycle, they do not disassemble quickly. I would recommend a folding bike over a travel bike if you plan to make frequent short trips with the bike. If you plan to travel longer distances, and ride more miles, a travel bike is great.

Tern Bicycles showcase all their folding bike capabilities in the new GSD

by John Brown, HaveFunBiking.com

Hi all! Day two at Interbike’s dirt demo brought more fun in the sun. It gave me an opportunity to review a load of new folding and E-bikes. It seemed any direction you turned, there was an e-bike waiting for you as Tern showcased its latest folding bike model, the GSD.

Tern Bicycles is a relatively new company who burst onto the cycling scene a few years ago with a clean and hyper functional line of folding bikes. Over the past few years they have built a name for themselves through developing folding bikes that not only look great but ride more like a full size bike. In addition to making great bikes, their forward thinking design team has worked to solve problems that plague cyclist with limited storage space.

The Tern GSD folding bike stands for “Get Stuff Done”

Given Tern’s ability to make revolutionary products, I expected a lot from their new bike the GSD. Why GSD you may ask? Well, it stands for “Get Stuff Done” and given the wide capabilities of this bike, that’s exactly what it can do. You see, the GSD is what’s called a mid-tail e-bike. A Mid-tail bike has an extended rear triangle designed to carry additional cargo, people, or accessories. The typical problem with extending the rear triangle is that it can make the bike handle poorly. In the same vain, adding additional cargo to the bike makes pedaling difficult due to the weight.

How Tern gets around these issues and to keep the overall length low is by using the same 20” wheel size as their other folding bikes. They also add folding features to make storage of the bike easier. On top of that Tern also equips the bike with a robust motor and dual battery capable of powering the bike regardless of how much weight is on board.

The Tern GSD uses folding bike components and a keen rack design for upright storage

Other Tern features

If the GSD were just an Mid-tail ebike, it wouldn’t be that exceptional. However, it isn’t just any old electric assist bike. It seems that Tern has thought of nearly everything. To start, they have custom bags that mount onto the back, but if those don’t tickle your fancy, you can mount waterproof bags from Ortlieb as well. If it’s human cargo you want to carry, there are retractable foot pegs, and a cushioned seat that can mount to the back. As well as carrying people, the GSD also is available with cool stylized front and rear cargo baskets.

Several options for accessories for the GSD folding bike

How the GSD rides

The most impressive thing about the GSD is actually the ride and by that I mean how normal it is. Hop on, pedal away and you will immediately feel at home. The GSD doesn’t suffer from many of the idiosyncrasies typically associated with a mid tail bikes. There is no tiller feeling when you turn the bars. Additionally, the common feeling like you are dragging a trailer behind you is replaced by smooth, quick handling. Overall, the GSD is the most comfortable, maneuverable and capable mid tail bikes I have ridden.

Sizing

The GSD is designed for both the short and tallest of riders. They accommodate all those different sized riders by using a remarkably adjustable bar and seat post setup

The GSD folding bike with the saddle in its lowest and highest (inset) position.

Power

Tern went a step further to make the GSD capable by adding an E-motor from Bosch to the bike. This motor helps riders power through their duties with speed and confidence. Considering that the GSD will most likely be loaded with more weight than a standard bike, Turn accommodates for a second battery on the bike to extend its range.

Conclusion

While the “Get Stuff Done” model might not be for everyone. Although, it’s details, quality, and stunning ride quality speak volumes for the attention to detail, that Tern brings to all their bikes. Stay tuned for additional reviews of the amazingly well thought out Tern bicycles.