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Old 08-11-13, 09:24 PM
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overbyte
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, US
Posts: 250

Bikes: 3 folders, 2 recumbents (1 is electric), 1 recumbent trike, 1 touring, 1 mountain, 1 road bike -- So many bicycles, so little time.

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Schwinn Loop--Part 2 of Upgrading to a Folding Touring Bike

Here's the Loop in the Nashbar bag:


I added a vinyl push-on end cap (from local hardware store) like the ones you can put on the end of a metal chair leg, onto the bottom of the seat post so it won't damage the bottom of the bag. I discovered that the cap actually stays on the post when the seat is pulled up into normal position because the cap is smaller than the inside diameter of the frame's seat tube.


I cut some foam pipe insulation (from local home-improvement or hardware store) into appropriate sized pieces and slipped them onto the frame and pannier racks at key points to prevent metal-to-paint contact during handling of the bag as cargo. Notice that I strapped the frame parts together to keep them from unfolding, by using a Velcro buckle strap. Also notice that when I lowered the seat, I turned it to make it fit better in the folded position. I also turned the bar-end mirror so it would be in a less vulnerable position. Hint: put a permanent-marker line on the seat post to mark your preferred height so you can quickly restore the seat when you unfold the bike. I also put the axle nut plastic caps (that came in original packaging from Schwinn) onto the nuts. I also used a double-sided Velcro tape (sticks to itself) to hold the rear end of the frame and racks together against unfolding.


The rack trunk and a triangular frame bag for my tool kit, and the front panniers:


The entire packaging kit laid out on the bike transport bag:


The packaging kit is stored in a small light-weight duffel bag (EpicSports.com) as its stuff-bag. Total weight of transport kit is about 5.2 pounds. I'll be trying to reduce that weight with a smaller transport bag in the future. Some of the accessories I added or will be adding are laid out in front: 53-LED bike light (eBay or Amazon, less than $10), strapless toe clips (have to drill some holes in the plastic pedals), water bottle cage, quick-release water bottle cage mount for places that don't have mounting holes in the frame, cyclo-computer (Cateye 8), handlebar camera mount, and Mirrycle bar-end mirror (I love these and put them on all my bikes, usually on left and right ends of handlebar for maximum awareness of what's coming up behind me even on curves):


Total weight of the bike, in the transport bag, with the new seat, rear bags, tools, mirror, and front racks but not front pannier bags, is 43 lbs. Since the bike itself fresh out of the shipping carton and unwrapped was 33 lbs, the accessories and shipping bag added 10 lbs. It's a little hefty, but still less than the baggage weight limit on Amtrak.
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Last edited by overbyte; 08-11-13 at 09:28 PM.
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