David Hon came to bicycles from another branch of engineering. He worked in laser technology, but the oil crisis of the 1970s prompted him to think about travel that relied less on fuel. A familiar practical frustration — taking a bicycle apart to carry it — became the starting point for a more compact design. Hon addressed the broader problem of how a bicycle could fit alongside other forms of transport in an ordinary day.
After years of development, Dahon was founded in California in 1982. The company established its first factory in Taiwan that same year. The aim was to retain the bicycle’s usefulness on the road while making it easier to fold for carrying and storage. A frame hinge is central to that task, but cables, handlebar and wheels must work together through both configurations. Convenient folding depends on the whole bicycle, not one dramatic joint.
The early years showed that the idea appealed beyond design enthusiasts: Dahon’s annual bicycle sales exceeded 10,000 by 1985. Hon’s story offers a distinctive way to think about urban travel. When a bicycle is easier to bring along and store in a small space, it can become one part of a journey that also includes public transport and walking.