Tern BYB P8 Review – Small Footprint, Solid Ride

Tern made some waves earlier this year when they announced the new BYB line up. These bikes are some of the smallest bikes on the market when folded up, but still offer the solid ride of Tern’s other folding commuter bikes. We had the chance to get a P8 in for a few months, and put some miles on it to see what we thought.

This is the second folding bike I’ve reviewed, the other being the Vektron. While being heavier, the e-Bike Vektron zipped me around town with it’s Bosch Active system. When on its highest setting, it made getting up to 20 mph a breeze. When folded though, it wasn’t always the easiest to move around, and the magnetic method used to hold the wheels together wasn’t the best.

The new BYB line improves in some of these areas, while also reducing the footprint, making it easier to live with at home, in the office, or while using multiple modes of transportation (buses, trains, cars, etc). I’m not going to go too deep into that part, as I’ve already discussed it in our preview article (first link above), so let’s get into more about the bike and the ride.

I targeted the Tern BYB for some city riding and short commutes in the suburb I live in. I did use it for one longer commute to work (8 miles one way of rolling hills), but that is one of the areas I feel like the Vektron was better suited for. More on that later though.

First impressions of the BYB is that it is rock solid. Position wise, I knew I was on a folding bike, but the actual ride seemed more like a traditional frame in a compact form. The TFL Joint and Deadlock designs give the bike a solid feel that inspires as much confidence to go hard as you’d like on a folder. Even the telescoping seatpost and tall steerer tube/stem combination felt free of flex. The Shimano 8-speed drivetrain just works, same with the brakes, wheels, and the rest of the build. I wouldn’t say any of it build kit was overly exceptional, but everything worked as it should and I had no complaints.

The city is where this bike felt most at home. The compact bike handled great and was nice to be able to fold it up and take it with me. As with the Vektron, Tern did a great job making the bike not feel as small as it was. I didn’t have a chance to try it on a transit system, but I did fold it up and bag it a few times in and out of the boot of my car. It slips in and out of the travel bag easily, and helps keep everything tidy.

The suburban rides were 2-4 mile round trips to the post office or to get to local appointments, and the bike did absolutely fine on, I just prefer a full size bike for these since a folder isn’t 100% necessary. It was comfortable to ride around, but the lack of clipless pedals and the weight were some of the drawbacks. For these types of trips, I’d rather jump on my commuter or cross bike with a pair of Giro Republic shoes that are a bit more commuter friendly.

The commute into my office is where I would prefer the Vektron over the BYB. The route consists of rolling hills and a mix of primary and secondary roads. The BYB handled them all well, but with a pannier filled with my lunch, laptop, cloths, and some essentials to clean up with, the BYB’s 31 lb weight base weight was apparent. The Vektron’s boost would have been much appreciated, especially on the final climbs heading into the office, or the twisty climb with no shoulder on the way home. Again, this is another area I’d probably reserve for my trusty commuter bike.

As far as folding goes, I believe we covered it in the preview article, but I did want to mention the Anchor Bolt again. This is the mechanism that holds the bike together at the wheels when folded up. As I mentioned about the Vektron, the magnetic system it uses isn’t the best, and I found it didn’t keep the bike together that well. The Anchor Bolt actually locks the BYB together when folded. To disengage, you have to reach in and pull a lever. When rolling the bike, I had no issues of the bike separating.

I also wanted to mention the rack. It serves it’s purpose well for carrying panniers, but the caster wheels made rolling the bike much more easily. It also provides enough stability that the BYB can be left standing upright on a flat surface. Rolling the bike in and out of the office was a breeze.

Overall, if I lived and worked in a larger city, the BYB would be a great option. Its compact size, yet full size ride feel is a great way to get around a city. When folded, it’s definitely small and convenient enough to make it easy take it with you and store in your office, under your desk, or a small corner at home. At $1,299 for the BYB P8, it’s not a bad price to pay for a folding commuter. The P11, which includes an 11-speed Shimano Ultegra, FSA Gossamer Pro crankset, and upgraded wheels and saddle, retails for almost double at $2,499. Are the upgrades and subsequent 4lb weight loss worth the price? I’m not sure. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything with the 8-speed drivetrain on the P8 and the bike worked, so for me, the P8 is just fine. If commuting is your deal, and the allure of an 11-speed drivetrain is what you are after, then go for the P11.

http://www.ternbicycles.com