Folding Bikes - Dahon Speed P8 - "Principessa Edition"

Introducing, Dahon Speed P8 - "Principessa Edition"...


(http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img6041cl6.jpg)

Spring is in the air so I undertook a few upgrades to my girlfriend's Speed P8...
decided to give it a little colour. :)

[ clicking photos will take you to larger versions at ImageShack ]



(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme010ej5.jpg)


(http://img186.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme002it9.jpg)


(http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme003pj3.jpg)


(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme005ob5.jpg)


(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme009rp7.jpg)

Details on what was added/upgraded/swapped:
- Jagwire Ripcord cable set (brakes & derailleur) + Jagwire Tube Tops
- Straitline Vertical Wedge Stem (31.8)
- Oval Concepts stem shim (1 1/8" -> 1")
- Tune Gum Gum (alternative to a starnut...)
- Truvativ Team Flatbar (31.8)
- Avid Speed Dial Ultimate brake levers
- Avid Single Digit Ultimate v-brakes
- Thudbuster ST seatpost
- Selle Italia Lady SLK gel saddle
- Winwood carbon spacers (3x 20mm 1" spacers)
- Chris King "Pretty & Strong" Pink Spacers Kit (1")
- Knog Bullfrog LED light
- Knog Toad LED light (x2) ~ not shown

Previous upgrades included:
- Ergon GR2 Magnesium Grips
- Shimano PD-M540 clipless pedals

I also found her a new jersey, helmet and water bottle... in pink or with a pink accent.
Pink is the new black! ;)

It was fun, I even rode it up and down the street. :)
Now it's time to upgrade my own bike...
cheers
Callum

I like it. I am looking for yellow to contrast the blue on my Trek.

Introducing, Dahon Speed P8 - "Principessa Edition"...


(http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img6041cl6.jpg)

Spring is in the air so I undertook a few upgrades to my girlfriend's Speed P8...
decided to give it a little colour. :)

[ clicking photos will take you to larger versions at ImageShack ]



(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme010ej5.jpg)


(http://img186.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme002it9.jpg)


(http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme003pj3.jpg)


(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme005ob5.jpg)


(http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pinkme009rp7.jpg)

Details on what was added/upgraded/swapped:
- Jagwire Ripcord cable set (brakes & derailleur) + Jagwire Tube Tops
- Straitline Vertical Wedge Stem (31.8)
- Oval Concepts stem shim (1 1/8" -> 1")
- Tune Gum Gum (alternative to a starnut...)
- Truvativ Team Flatbar (31.8)
- Avid Speed Dial Ultimate brake levers
- Avid Single Digit Ultimate v-brakes
- Thudbuster ST seatpost
- Selle Italia Lady SLK gel saddle
- Winwood carbon spacers (3x 20mm 1" spacers)
- Chris King "Pretty & Strong" Pink Spacers Kit (1")
- Knog Bullfrog LED light
- Knog Toad LED light (x2) ~ not shown

Previous upgrades included:
- Ergon GR2 Magnesium Grips
- Shimano PD-M540 clipless pedals

I also found her a new jersey, helmet and water bottle... in pink or with a pink accent.
Pink is the new black! ;)

It was fun, I even rode it up and down the street. :)
Now it's time to upgrade my own bike...
cheers
CallumRe ."Pink is the new Black"You will excuse me if I disagree.I won't ride a pink bicycle.I am surprised you didn't put a Barbie bell on it.

Cute, but the blue thudbuster's gotta go

May I suggest one more obvious addition?




From the website (http://www.einradladen.net/shop/show_product.php/products_id/343):

Simply Pink ? More than Pink ... it comes with very good facts:


Pink!
Smooth rolling and very grippy
High pressure: Up to 100 PSI (7 Bar)
1.95 inch or 2.1 Inch



Comes in 20 x 1.95" or 20 x 2.1"

^^ If that came in a 16in version with Hello Kitty treads (http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/27/bicycle-tire-rocks-hello-kitty-tread-pattern-world-wonders-why/) I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00172OEQG?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=typocomA
:thumb:

http://pinkbikesite.com/tag/folding/

Add to the list of pink goodies that one could choose from:
- Chris King pink hubs
- Straitline bar ends
- NOS BMX/single-speed pink chains (I wouldn't mind you...)
- Fizik's Vitesse HP comes with pink accents (and is supposed to be a very good ladies saddle)
- Fizik also does custom in many saddles (at a price...)

The point wasn't to look like you ripped off something from the Pink Panther museum... ;)
There was a post here recently about a pink Birdy and it was like ALL pink.
(And very nice I might add...)

Generally pink is hard to get, particularly in anodized components where it is more of a specialty colour, first off is the typical "manly" colours (red/blue/etc).

And yeah I don't like the blue Thudbuster elastomer visually... the seatpost comes with black and gray alternatives. I think black is the stiffer version, or for the heavier rider. If we find the blue too compliant, I might swap it for black although she definitely does not need it for weight. Swapping those elastomers looks like a pain though (from the manual)...

And pink - done right - can even be applied to the gentleman's bicycle.
The lads on Rapha-Condor-Recycling will kick your butt if you say otherwise ;)
http://www.rapha.cc/index.php?page=463

Cripes! Although the pink cables are relatively understated, they're still, er pink. No matter. Does 4cmd3's g/f like it?

I like the stem and h/bars though. Entire bike is neato.

Sue

Wow some of those bikes are over the top. That one lady just needs a tail and she IS the pink panther!

Yeah I think my gf approves... she's not nearly the bike nut that I am - no matter.

I like the mod for two technical aspects.
1. replacement of the Dahon Revolve Stem (upper handlepost) with actual stem
- I've seen posts about folks with failed welds in that upper QR handlebar clamp, so this assures me that my gf will not be one of those people
2. addition of spacers between the stem and lower handlepost
- this takes some of the weight load off the upper/lower handlepost clamp/QR, as it now only has to prevent rotation (aided by the ridge/groove in the Revolve stem) So if that clamp were to fail, you will no longer suddenly find your handlebars dropping a foot down in your hands.

That Straitline stem (+shim) clamps like a grizzly bear with a death grip on the last jar of honey on the planet. I won't go into details but suffice to say I had to move it from my shorter upper-handlepost to her longer one and it was a really SOB to get off. Think one hour, hammer, wood, kitchen sink. I even used a precision torque wrench when installing it originally too, so not a case of over-torquing. Maybe the FSA carbon/torque paste did not help, but still, if you're going to slap that stem on, it's a long-term committed relationship indeed! Commit! :)