This bet is already showing up in the numbers. DAHON TECH (HKEX: 2543) reported first-half 2026 revenue of about US$73 million, up 53.7% year on year, with international sales up 86.6%.
For over forty years, DAHON has focused on developing solutions for urban mobility. The man standing behind this company is Dr. David Hon, the founder and CEO. His story begins with an early career in a laser research, then the oil crisis in the 70s ignited his strong passion for green mobility solutions for everyone.
Physicist turned Father of the Modern Folding Bike
Before he entered the bicycle industry, Dr. Hon worked at Hughes Research Laboratories as a physicist involved in laser research. The oil crisis of the 1970s raised a question that stuck with him: how far could urban transport go if we reduced dependency on the car?
Dr. Hon: “I quit my job at the Hughes Research Laboratories in the United States, and devoted myself to developing modern folding bicycles, as my aspiration to contribute to slowing down global warming. Initially, I wanted to license my patents, but no factory was willing to produce them. So I raised funds on my own, and built a factory to manufacture and market them.”
The first DAHON folding bike appeared in 1982, and its design became the prototype for most folding bikes built since. The company is now one of the largest folding-bike manufacturers in the world and calls Dr. Hon the “Father of the Modern Folding Bicycle”.
Improving frame stiffness for better riding performance
Embracing low-carbon living, Dr. Hon's position is clear: a bicycle that rides well is, in itself, the most convincing argument for protecting the environment. “Some bikes on the market, though, still have structural flaws — frame flex under pedaling leaks power, cutting both performance and efficiency,” says Dr. Hon.
The company’s answer is the DAHON-V Tech suite, a testing and design methodology now applied across its folding range.
“We developed the DAHON-V tech suite after a period of extensive, rigorous research,” explains Dr. Hon. “It is built upon a combination of physics, computerised FEA, and strain gauges. Above all, this is a pioneered method that can truly test the riding stiffness of bike frames.”
The tech suite evaluates frame and seatpost rigidity, overall bicycle stiffness and dynamic rocking performance. “Its findings have fed a range of patented technologies,” says Dr. Hon. He mentions the core ones:
- Deltech cable: Creates a more effective triangular load-bearing structure, improving frame rigidity and reducing stress on the folding joint.
- Super Down Tube: Uses an enlarged, flattened tube design to enhance structural stiffness and transfer power more efficiently.
“According to our internal testing, these technologies can raise frame stiffness by 33% and improve riding speed by 5–15%, depending on rider weight, terrain and wheel size,” Dr. Hon adds. “Results vary with test conditions and bicycle configuration.”
Folding bikes for all riders
Folding bikes bridge the gap between transit and the last mile, store easily in small homes and make car-free errands possible. DAHON's line-up now spans models for commuters, recreational riders and a broad range of riders in between.
That line-up covers conventional folding bikes, tri-fold models, road bikes, electric-assist bikes and the heavy-duty series. The K-Feather, an electric-assist folder of roughly 12kg, sits at the light end; at the other, the Mariner HD (20-inch) and Mariner XL (22-inch) are rated to carry 150kg.
The company has also launched BICECO, an independent sub-brand aimed at the broader consumer market, while maintaining a presence at major international trade shows.
Future-oriented focus
Dr. Hon remains directly involved in product development, focused on riding performance and expanding the product range for a wider group of users. The company plans to keep advancing DAHON-V Tech, expand its tri-fold, carbon-fibre and electric-assist ranges, and pursue targeted acquisitions in new materials and core technologies.
“From solving the portability problem in 1982 to widening our international footprint today, our ambition has not changed,” concludes Dr. Hon. “We want to make cycling a practical, everyday choice.”
This article is sponsored by DAHON.
