Tern's new folding bike is truly tiny but promises a grown up ride

Hannah Bussey
·4 min read
The Tern BYB P10 in red colour being ridden by a white male on a road
The Tern BYB P10 in red colour being ridden by a white male on a road

Tern has launched the BYB P10, its smallest folding bike to date, which the brand says is still highly rideable due to a patented Trifold frame design and the 20" wheels.

Known as a urban bike brand, Tern already produces one of the best folding bikes, as well as at least two of the best electric cargo bikes.

According to the brand, the BYB P10 folding bike is around 30% smaller than a traditional 20" wheeled folded bike. At just 33cm x 80cm x 50 cm (13.0" x31" x 19.7") when folded, it's not far off the length of an A3 sheet of paper or around two feet.

The Tern BYB P10 in red folded next to a white man who is waiting to get on the metro
The Tern BYB P10 in red folded next to a white man who is waiting to get on the metro

Concluding that Tern means 30% cubic volume when folded smaller, it's some claim. Having spent too long refreshing myself on elementary maths in order to fact check, I can indeed ratify this (assuming that the provided measurements are accurate).

I can even state that Tern is selling itself short, as its far smaller than a lot of other folding bikes, not just the 20" wheeled variety.

According to my notepad workings it's 74% smaller than the B'Twin bikes that fold, such as the Tilt 500.

Even in comparison to the smaller 16" wheeled varieties, the Tern BYB P10 folding bike is 39% smaller than the Origami Hawk. However the original folding Brompton bike range with it's 16" wheels are around 24% smaller.

The Tern BYB P10 in teal colourway side on against a white background
The Tern BYB P10 in teal colourway side on against a white background

"In folding bike design, the challenge is always to create something that folds usefully small but that you actually want to ride," says Josh Hon, Tern founder at the time of the Tern BYB P10 launch.

Hon added "There are many bikes out there that fold, but are cumbersome and hard to move. And in other cases, there are bikes that use small wheels to fold really small, but the ride quality is so compromised that you don't want to ride them for any significant distance.

"The BYB gets the mix right with larger 20" wheels and an incredibly stiff frame that shrinks to a tiny size in a few easy steps".

A close up of the Tern BYB P10 handle bars, Andros stem and stearer post against a white background
A close up of the Tern BYB P10 handle bars, Andros stem and stearer post against a white background

The Tern BYB P10 uses the same Andros stem that can be found on its range of other folding bikes and cargo bikes, such as the Tern GSD S10, which allows for quick and simple height adjustments.

Tern says that along with the extremely adjustable saddle height, this makes the BYB a great option for a shared bike, fitting riders of between 147 and 195 cm (4’10” – 6’5”).

A close up of the red Tern BYB P10 twin top tube and folding hinge system against a white background
A close up of the red Tern BYB P10 twin top tube and folding hinge system against a white background

The brand says that its 'DoubleDecked' and Trifold frame design not only means that there are just two hinges to unfold to construct the bike, but that the twin top tubes provide stiffness, while doing away with the more traditional triangle frame shape. This is what allows it to be folded down to such small dimensions.

The new BYB P10 shares all the benefits of the existing BYB line-up, but is designed for a faster commute, so does away with fenders, racks and chainguard for a sportier ride.

This latest model comes with a Shimano 1x10 drivetrain and Schwalbe Kojak tires, and weighs in at claimed 11.8 kg (26 lb, without kickstand), also 17% lighter than a fully equipped Tern P8 model.

Tern reassures us that if you are looking for commuting practicalities, such as baskets and racks, the brands own frame mounted Pack Rack, which can carry up to15 kg (33.1 lb), are compatible, and even double as a helpful handle when the bike is folded.

A rear Metro Transit Rack, which holds up to 20 kg (44 lb), can easily fits two Ortlieb Back Roller panniers, says Tern. According to the brand, this rack also enables the BYB P10 to stand up vertically when folded, and it is equipped with smooth spinner wheels that make manoeuvring in crowded areas a lot easier.

For folk whose commute is slightly more adventurous than just a train or bus ride, you can purchase a Tern BYB P10 custom made suitcase for air travel. As well as making it a lot easier to navigate an airport with the bike in tow, it's also unlikely to require a specialised oversized luggage booking (although we'd highly recommend double checking this before trying to check-in).

The Tern BYB P10 comes in red or teal colourways, and starts at £1,500 / $1,699. The brand's latest folding bike will be available to purchase from the beginning of summer from and official Tern stockists, which can be found on www.ternbycicles.com.