Dahon Mu N360 Folding Bike Review – Smooth and Shine

You never can go wrong with a folding bike in the Dahon Mu series. All Mu bikes I’ve reviewed are awesome and I had no doubt about the Dahon Mu N360.

However, what makes the N360 stand out and why is it more expensive than the others? We’re going to find out in the review.

Specifications & Features

• Colors: Indigo Blue, White
• Weight: 28.8 lbs (13.1 kg)
• Folded size: 31.1″ × 26″ x 11.8″
• Speeds: Continuously Variable Transmission
• Gear inches: 32″ – 93″
• Frame: PA Series – Dalloy Aluminum, Lattice forged hinge, custom-drawn Sonus tubing, patented Fusion and V-Clamp technologies.
• Fork: Dahon SlipSteam, Dalloy aluminum, double-butted tubing, patented Fusion technology.
• Tires: Schwalbe Marathon Supremer, Reflex, 85 psi
• Rims: Dahon Comp by WTB
• Handlepost: forged aluminum, Radius adjustable, patented Fusion, Telescope and V-Clamp technologies
• Handlebar: 6061-T6 aluminum Dahon Comp
• Saddle: Dahon by WTB Aon Aria
• Seatpost: Dahon PostPump+, 34 × 580 mm, forged aluminum clamp
• Brakes: Dahon SpeedStop V-brakes, stainless link, anchor and pivot bolts
• Brake levers: Avid FR5
• Front hub: Ultralight 58-gram Dahon Neutron with cartridge bearings
• Rear hub: NuVinci N360 CVP Drivetrain, 32H
• Shifter: NuVinci N360 CVP Drivetrain Nexus Revo
• Crankset: FSA Supra, alloy CNC chain guard, forged 6061 cranks, 6061 chainring
• Cassette: Dahon Special Edition, 18T
• Bottom bracket: Cartridge, sealed bearings
• Pedals: folding, alloy
• Kickstand: aluminum
• Clip system: Magnetix
• Suggested rider height: 4’8″ – 6’4″ (142 – 193 cm)
• Maximum rider weight: 230 lbs (105 kg)
• Distance from seatpost to handlebar: 24″ – 25.4″ (615 – 650 mm)
• Distance from saddle to pedal: 27.1″ – 37″ (695 – 960 mm)

Image Gallery

Performance

The Dahon Mu N-360 features the same frame design as we can see on the Mu Uno or Mu P8. What makes it special is the new NuVinci N360 continuously variable planetary (CVP) transmission. Dahon partnered with Fallbrook Technologies Inc. to equip the drivetrain on this bicycle only. If you haven’t heard about the continuously variable transmission (CVT), it was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing in 1490 and Fallbrook made it widely available in 2006. Basically, this is a planetary gear set delivering step-less shifting that allows you to change gears ultra-smoothly. It is just like when you turn the volume knob on your audio receiver. The whole system is enclosed in the rear hub which is waterproof and requires less maintenance. Besides, the NuVinci N360 also comes with a unique shifter showing an illustration of your current gear, you can see a small cyclist and the road right below. When you twist the shifter, you can see that the road can change from a flat road to a steep hill, so you can adjust the gear more intuitively. Take a look at the shifter in this video. If your bike doesn’t have the system, you still can buy the rear hub with shifter separately for nearly $300.

Thanks to the new gear set, the Dahon Mu N360 has a very clean design without the mess of rear derailleur. On the other hand, it makes the bike a little heavier at over 28 lbs. However, this is not a big issue because it is still lighter than a lot of folding bikes and riders can enjoy a great experience with the new drivetrain. You will get used to it quickly and I’m very surprised how fast I can switch between gears, I can even change from the highest to the lowest gear in 1 second, which is impossible on conventional derailleurs.

The folding mechanism on this bike is similar to other Dahon folding bikes, you should be careful as the frame can easily get scratches when you fold down the handlepost.

Another nice feature of the Mu N360 is the built-in seatpost pump. This is extremely convenient on the road as you no longer need to bring a portable pump.

Conclusion

Pros

• High-performing NuVinci N360 CVT
• Intuitive shifter
• Seatpost pump
• Clean design

Cons

• Heavier
• Some scratches on the body

The Dahon Mu N360 is the most versatile and unique folding bike in the Mu lineup for less than $1,000. I recommend this bike to any cyclist looking for a new experience and doesn’t want to maintain their bike regularly.

Buy Dahon Mu N360 on Amazon