Folding Bikes - Rode my Downtube for the 1st time today

I had to go to the bank to make my house payment and decided to take the Downtube rather than the Specialized Dolce. I'd asked before if they'd let me bring a bike inside and they'd said "no."

It is definitely fun to ride. I don't find the seat as comfortable as the seat on the Dolce, but that's a minor quibble.

The trip itself, though, was interesting. I'd decided to take side streets, since Ave P/Rancho Vista Boulevard is posted as 50 and 55 mph all the way to the mall and the outside lane is not wide. The problem is that in Palmdale, because all the subdivisions have been developed piecemeal, the side streets often don't connect or even go through. It was an adventure finding which streets went through and which ones took me around in circles.

When I got to the bank, I just folded the bike up, and went inside and dropped my house payment in the deposit box, and went out, simple as can-be.

On the ride back, I took a wrong turn again and went around in some more circles before finding the way out of the maze, back to Avenue P-8, which has just opened up all the way from 25th to 20th now that another new development is going in. Not much traffic yet because it's only been open for a few days.

I'm glad I bought the Downtube and plan to ride it again real soon to the library or the grocery store.

I had to go to the bank to make my house payment and decided to take the Downtube rather than the Specialized Dolce. I'd asked before if they'd let me bring a bike inside and they'd said "no."

It is definitely fun to ride. I don't find the seat as comfortable as the seat on the Dolce, but that's a minor quibble.

The trip itself, though, was interesting. I'd decided to take side streets, since Ave P/Rancho Vista Boulevard is posted as 50 and 55 mph all the way to the mall and the outside lane is not wide. The problem is that in Palmdale, because all the subdivisions have been developed piecemeal, the side streets often don't connect or even go through. It was an adventure finding which streets went through and which ones took me around in circles.

When I got to the bank, I just folded the bike up, and went inside and dropped my house payment in the deposit box, and went out, simple as can-be.

On the ride back, I took a wrong turn again and went around in some more circles before finding the way out of the maze, back to Avenue P-8, which has just opened up all the way from 25th to 20th now that another new development is going in. Not much traffic yet because it's only been open for a few days.

I'm glad I bought the Downtube and plan to ride it again real soon to the library or the grocery store.

Glad you like the bike!

Thanks,
Yan

Thank you!

I saw an ad for Downtube today! Second last page of Bicycling magazine - right side page, right column. EXCELLENT ad placement, picture of the orange DT VIII FS, good white space.

Way to go Yan! Any feedback from the ad yet? Hope it drums up interest!

hmm....been looking at the DTs....how easy/hard would it be to ut drop bars on the bike and bar end shifters? anyway to order the bike like this?

hmm....been looking at the DTs....how easy/hard would it be to ut drop bars on the bike and bar end shifters? anyway to order the bike like this?
It is very easy to change it to drop bars, since the steerer/stem is 1 1/8 inch. You can just install a regular stem onto it and attach your drop bars like that. I think you can also get drop bars with a smaller diameter and mount it directly into the existion stem, but then reach micht be too short. At least it would be for me.

I can't say anything about the bar end shifters.

I saw an ad for Downtube today! Second last page of Bicycling magazine - right side page, right column. EXCELLENT ad placement, picture of the orange DT VIII FS, good white space.

Way to go Yan! Any feedback from the ad yet? Hope it drums up interest!

The ad has helped sales on the shopping cart, however the ad is changing. Rafael, from this forum, works at a design firm that is revamping our logo, site, and ads. Starting next week we will begin advertizing on roadbikereview.com . I trying my best to get our bikes reviewed by a branded magazine....anyone have some connections?

Thanks,
Yan

hmm....been looking at the DTs....how easy/hard would it be to ut drop bars on the bike and bar end shifters? anyway to order the bike like this?

Should be any easy modification...just get the right stem. You can find some affordable Kalloy Uno stems at http://kalloyuno.com/productuno.htm. Additionally I believe Nitto has a cheap drop bar similar to the classic WTB.

FYI our 2006 line will have an adjustable stem, however they will sell for more than the 2005's. We will not be doing $1 no reserve auctions for the 2006's.

Thanks,
Yan

I'm glad I bought the Downtube and plan to ride it again real soon to the library or the grocery store.[/QUOTE]


Me too, Michele, this is really a quality bike!

Me too, Michele, this is really a quality bike!

The Downtube is now and has been for quite some time my favorite bike and I ride it most everywhere. I turned my mountain bike into a commuter, but it has been squeeking lately. I don't have the skills it takes to figure out what is wrong and haven't had time to take it in to the LBS. Meanwhile, the Downtube is doing great.