Wow, that's unfortunate that the bike store was not more knowledgeable about the products they are selling! How do they expect to sell anything? Maybe you can wait until they are clearing out their inventory for next year and go back and try the bikes again.

Also understandable about wanting to find a bike you love for the right price and wanting to be fair to the retail store. Can be tricky with folders since they're regarded as a niche item.

If I lived closer to you I'd let you take mine out for a test ride.

Another good resource is www.gaerlan.com. They have some good articles on their website and I have bought parts from them. They're about 4 hours from you, so they may be worth a phone call. They may also have other brands, but it seems that Dahon is their focus.