“Folding bicycles are slow.”

It’s easy to look down on foldable bikes because of their small wheels. However, bigger is not always better. And in the right hands with the proper setup, they can be surprisingly versatile and capable.

I realized this one Sunday morning. During a spirited commute on Green Meadows Avenue, I was riding my gravel bike when I noticed someone behind me. He was no common “Shimanong.”

Not only was he wearing a long-sleeve dress shirt and pants (just like me), but he was also on a white Tern folding bike. I thought I’d pull away at the descent after Christ the King Parish.

Instead, he caught up, passed me during the climb, and sped off into the distance. I was surprised, just like Keisuke Takahashi during his first encounter with Takumi Fujiwara’s AE86 in Initial D.

I eventually met the person virtually on a Discord server for bike-commuters. And after visiting the bike shop where he works, I befriended him.

Within the lineup of Tern, there are different models for 20-inch folding bikes. My friend started out with the Link, the basic commuter line. However, he wanted something faster. And because of limited space in his condo, he got another folding bicycle—the performance-oriented Verge.

Compared to the Link, the Verge has a stiffer and lighter frame for sporty riding. My friend bought the N8 variant for P35,000 secondhand. He named it Junko, after the Zombie Land Saga character known for her small stature and powerful voice.

Junko was already pretty loaded when my friend got her. But after visiting car-free Ayala Avenue, he decided to put drop bars with TRP brake levers and a compatible Microshift bar-end shifter to further unleash her potential.

As someone who prioritizes comfort and versatility, I thought I was in for a twitchy and uncomfortable ride. However, I was proven wrong as all of the components meshed well, resulting in a speedy urban commuter.

Junko rolls on 20-inch wheels with 28mm Schwalbe One tires. Meanwhile, the drivetrain is a 10-speed Shimano Zee with an 11-32T cassette and a 56T chainring. Combine this with a relatively light weight of 12.2kg and you get a folding bike that’s quick in the city.

Conventionally, people would put a road-bike groupset if they wanted to go fast. My friend didn’t do that for a couple of reasons: Keeping the MTB drivetrain was more cost-effective; the Shimano Zee made his build unique; and the rear-derailleur clutch prevented chain slap.

The wheels accelerate quickly, and this is helpful when climbing, taking off at stoplights, and building momentum on flats. With fast-rolling tires and a large chainring, the bike will get up to speed if you put down the power.

Still, Junko’s no road bike. But that doesn’t matter much in the city since you’ll most likely have to slow down long before reaching your top speed. On the upside, pedaling is less tiring in stop-and-go traffic. And the agile steering makes maneuvering around tight spaces easier.

However, not everything is a bed of roses with Junko. The same benefits can be turned against you the moment things get rough. Small wheels are easy to accelerate and steer. But this also means they don’t hold momentum well, and are easily deflected and tossed around. Rolling over obstacles is difficult, and the thin tires could shoot through gratings.

These don’t make the Verge impossible to ride in Metro Manila. You’ll just have to compensate with some bike-handling skills for the imperfect roads.

Being a folding bike, the Tern Verge has hinges on the frame and the stem. This can come in handy when space is limited, such as in a condominium or the trunk of a car. While it is better than nothing, you wouldn’t want to lug the folded bike around for a prolonged period.

The handlebar must be rotated 180° for the magnets to engage. Without a dual-leg stand, the bike needs the seat post lowered to balance when folded. And to roll it like a stroller, you’ll need to fiddle with the rear-brake cable so the back wheel doesn’t get locked when the cable bends.

If you’re thinking of getting a high-performance folding bike, consider these two things: Do you want to go fast? And do you need the convenience of a foldie? Unless you say yes to both of these questions, you might be better off with other models.

While I wouldn’t get a Tern Verge for myself, I appreciated the brief time I got to spend with Junko. It put me in the shoes of another bike-commuter—someone with a different riding style and preferences. It reminded me that people don’t share the same needs and wants, which is why there’s no single definitive way to build a bike.