Folding Bikes - Flying Pigeon!!!

Hey Folks!

Today UPS delivered my new Flying Pigeon M-3 folding bike. Yes, Flying Pigeon. The same bicycle manufacturer that put most of the Chinese bicycle riding population on two wheels!

Just like my previous folder, I obtained this bike from a seller on eBay.

Here are some photos:



http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon001-1.jpg

Side view from an angle.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon005-1.jpg

Quarter rear view.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon002-1.jpg

Flying Pigeon decal on frame.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon003-1.jpg

Frame material decal (Magnesium!!!) You really won't be able to see the letters "Mg" clearly enough.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon006-1.jpg

The Flying Pigeon folded.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon008-1.jpg

The stem has an added safety feature. To fold it, you must not only loosen the QR, and then grab hold of the stem base and pull up on it in order to fold it down. Of course the process is reversed when unfolding.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon007-1.jpg

Here is an added bonus I wasn't expecting. The bike came with a carrying bag, and a strip of strong cloth, and velcro material to help keep the bike tightly folded. The bag really looks cool with all the bold, and colorful Chinese lettering on the black material, as well as the Flying Pigeon logo in English.



I don't know all the specs off the top of my mind but uses an entry level Shimano (Revoshift) 6 speed drivetrain. The chainring looks smaller than the one on my Qile Duo. It is probably a 40 tooth, mated to what seems to be a 14-28 cluster. I like my bikes to be geared low so I will appreciate this setup very much.

The rest of the components look solid, and serviceable.

I had the bike delivered to my lady friend's house, who lives a 1/2 mile away, and had to ride it at a slow pace, given that I haven't made any mechanical adjustments yet. That's my project for tonight:)

After I've made all the adjustments, and ridden it for a day or two, I'll let you all know how I like it.

Well thanks for reading and may all of you have a very Happy, and Prosperous New Year:D

Regards,
Edward

Wow Ed! - Looks great. Love the look of it and the bag - and after riding my fake strida 11 miles today, I envy you that plush looking seat.

Hope it meets your needs. How heavy is it? My guess is about 24 pounds. Let us know how you get along with it.

Wow Ed! - Looks great. Love the look of it and the bag - and after riding my fake strida 11 miles today, I envy you that plush looking seat.

Hope it meets your needs. How heavy is it? My guess is about 24 pounds. Let us know how you get along with it.

Hi Evil,

I haven't weighed it but I suspect it is in the mid to upper mid 20's. Definitely MUCH lighter than my older bike! For such an inexpensive ($119.00 USD) bike, there is a lot of alloy. Besides the magnesium alloy frame, the stem, the handlebar, the seatpost, the QRs, the crankarms, the rack, and even the fender stays are all alloy. Very little steel.

I forgot to state that this bike is brand new! There is a gentleman who imports these from China, and is based right here in Florida. He also offers two different folding models with 16 inch wheels, and a 6 speed, full size non folding "city bike" with 700c wheels.

The saddle does feel comfy though I haven't ridden it nearly long enough to tell for certain. It is very supportive so there is a good chance it will suffice.

The only issue I have observed so far is that the seat post seems a little too short. I know diameter wise it's a 28.6 mm. I pulled the whole post out to see how long it is, and it looks to me like it's about a 350 mm in length. Unfortunately I don't have a way to get an exact measurement.

Funny thing is that last night I ordered an alloy 28.6 x 400 mm seat post for my Qile Duo folder to replace the heavy chrome steel one. Now I really didn't need to use such a long post on that bike because the seat tube extends upward quite a bit, and even a 300 mm post will be plenty.

This will work great because what I can do is to throw out the old steel post on my Qile Duo, and replace it with the one that came with the M-3. In turn, I can use that new 400 mm seat post on the M-3. Win, win for both bikes:D

Regards,
Edward

Great to see you have a way to swap the posts around. I hope you enjoy the new bike. After lunch, I'm going to wander down to the LBS and see if I can find a cheap but comfy saddle. If not, I might lash out and get a Brooks tan leather one..... They are a bit expensive tough, so maybe I won't... The saddle supplied with the SLO is ok for a few miles. I shouldn't ride that bike 10 or 11 miles since my Merc is much more suitable for that. Sometimes though when I take the little belt driven triangle out for a spin, I just find myself going further and further from home, just for the fun of it.... The old arse, reminds me when I should turn around though.. LOL

:eek:

Looks good. Congrats.

Is the chain cover/bash guard made of metal? It seems to be resting on or rubbing the ground. The original chain guard on my dahon was made of cheap plastic and quickly broke off.

Looks good. Congrats.

Is the chain cover/bash guard made of metal? It seems to be resting on or rubbing the ground. The original chain guard on my dahon was made of cheap plastic and quickly broke off.

Thank you for your comments. The chain guard is made of plastic, and that is a concern. Many folding bike frames now have a metal piece shaped like a "U" welded under the bottom bracket shell to provide support so that the weight of the bike doesn't rest on the chain ring/guard. But for some reason, Flying Pigeon didn't include this feature. I did take a note of that after looking carefully at the photo showing the bike folded.

I'll just have to be careful if I ever lay the bike on the ground while folded, and perhaps position the right crankarm so that that it partially takes some of the weight. Luckily, the bike is fairly light:)

Regards,
Edward

Daaaamn. You definitely don't want to fold that and place it on the carpet after the chain gets dirty. The chain in the carpet in that picture.

Great to see you have a way to swap the posts around. I hope you enjoy the new bike. After lunch, I'm going to wander down to the LBS and see if I can find a cheap but comfy saddle. If not, I might lash out and get a Brooks tan leather one..... They are a bit expensive tough, so maybe I won't... The saddle supplied with the SLO is ok for a few miles. I shouldn't ride that bike 10 or 11 miles since my Merc is much more suitable for that. Sometimes though when I take the little belt driven triangle out for a spin, I just find myself going further and further from home, just for the fun of it.... The old arse, reminds me when I should turn around though.. LOL

:eek:

EvilV,

Comfort is in my humble opinion the single most important factor to determine how often a bike gets ridden, and enjoyed;)

I've never tried a Brooks saddle but they enjoy a reputation for being one of the most comfortable saddles you'll ever sit on; that is after it's been broken in properly. It is tempting though as I've seen the Brooks B-17 for as low as $74.95 here in the US. Still not cheap, but not terribly expensive either.:thumb:

I'm going out to ride my new bike in about an hour, on this fine "last day of the year 2008". The weather is perfect.:D

Edward

EvilV,

Comfort is in my humble opinion the single most important factor to determine how often a bike gets ridden, and enjoyed;)

I've never tried a Brooks saddle but they enjoy a reputation for being one of the most comfortable saddles you'll ever sit on; that is after it's been broken in properly. It is tempting though as I've seen the Brooks B-17 for as low as $74.95 here in the US. Still not cheap, but not terribly expensive either.:thumb:

I'm going out to ride my new bike in about an hour, on this fine "last day of the year 2008". The weather is perfect.:D

Edward

Great! Enjoy the ride. Hope all meets your requirements with the new bike.

I combined my errand getting with a mid afternoon trip to the local bike shop on my Strida knockoff and the damned place was shut. It was 14.5o hrs and I could see the guy in the shop. The notice on the door said they would shut at 1500 on New Years Eve.... The skiving wretch of a sales boy had decided to close even earlier!!! :mad:

So - I am where I was before, but it isn't so bad. Maybe I'll save money and buy one of those gel covers that lace onto the seat. I could probably make one (but badly most likely).

It is -4 centigrade here and there is a little snow in the breeze. Just enough to make me screw up my eyes when riding. However, the ride was most exhilarating I was glowing all over when I got home. I really love this knock off. It makes not a sound as I ride it - just a feint whirr and free wheel noise when I coast of course.

I am now beginning to regret saying that the Strida was a 'clown's bike' which I did a couple of months ago.

Daaaamn. You definitely don't want to fold that and place it on the carpet after the chain gets dirty. The chain in the carpet in that picture.

Thanks for the warning. Luckily, the carpet has "Scotchguard", and is very HARD to stain:D

Edward

EvilV,

Maybe the shop's clock is running too fast! Oh well, I guess you'll have to wait until "next year" to go to the bike shop:roflmao2:

Hopefully, you'll find that "nirvana" in saddle comfort. You could try one of those gel seat covers, but I've heard that while they do make the saddle more comfortable initially, after riding for several miles the discomfort comes back. But you never know until you try it.

Enjoy riding your Strida "knock off". These bikes, both authentic, and not, are simple. No gears to change, etc., and that allows you to focus on the riding experience itself.

Happy New Year!:D

Edward




Great! Enjoy the ride. Hope all meets your requirements with the new bike.

I combined my errand getting with a mid afternoon trip to the local bike shop on my Strida knockoff and the damned place was shut. It was 14.5o hrs and I could see the guy in the shop. The notice on the door said they would shut at 1500 on New Years Eve.... The skiving wretch of a sales boy had decided to close even earlier!!! :mad:

So - I am where I was before, but it isn't so bad. Maybe I'll save money and buy one of those gel covers that lace onto the seat. I could probably make one (but badly most likely).

It is -4 centigrade here and there is a little snow in the breeze. Just enough to make me screw up my eyes when riding. However, the ride was most exhilarating I was glowing all over when I got home. I really love this knock off. It makes not a sound as I ride it - just a feint whirr and free wheel noise when I coast of course.

I am now beginning to regret saying that the Strida was a 'clown's bike' which I did a couple of months ago.

Be sure to let us know how the Pigeon Flies Ed.

Have you seen this history of the Flying Pigeon works?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Pigeon


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/FlyingPigeonLogo.png

EvilV,

Yes I have read that article. What a rich history that company has. Most of us have read the history of other makes like Raleigh, and Schwinn, but for most of us Westerners, Flying Pigeon was pretty much unknown, until recent times as China has become more globally involved.

I just came back from a 40-45 minute ride on the Pigeon. What can I say? It rides quite smoothly despite the stiff Mg/Al frame. I could be the tires that help there:) It does make a low "clicking" sound as the crank rotates, and I believe it's one of the pedals which need to be re-tightened. I have to go throughout the entire bike to check on the tightness of the hardware.

The bike is geared LOW! I guess it was spec'ed for terrain that could include hills. Non the less, I like it that way as it makes for a casual paced, low effort ride. I don't have a cyclometer installed yet, but I guess I can cruise at about 10-13 mph easily. To get into the higher "teens", I would have to spin pretty good.

Last night, I ran the numbers for the chainring (42 tooth), and the rear cluster (14-28), and plugged in the tire size (20"x1.75"), and the length of the crankarms (165mm) into Sheldon Brown's online gear calculator. I got a result of a gear range of 28 to 56 gear inches. So the "high" gear on my bike is like your Strida knockoff's single speed ratio.



I am having a problem with the seatpost sliding slowly back into the frame. It uses a plastic shim, and I've noticed that adhesion with metal is not very good. I stopped momentarily and tightened the QR to the point where I had to really push on the lever to close it! When I got home, I checked the seatpost, and it had not moved. Good except that I shouldn't have to use that much effort in opening, and closing the QR. There is a bike shop in the neighborhood, and I might go out in a few minutes to see if they have an aluminum shim (28.6 to ?) that will fit.

It is a beautiful day for a ride, and I took first towards the lake. There are two docks with gazebos at the end. I stopped at one of them, and sat down to take in the view. The blue/purple color on the Pigeon shows very nicely especially on a bright sunny day. I wish I had my digital camera with me. Maybe if I do go to that bike shop, I take the camera.

By the way "Evil", I don't want to make you jealous, but that saddle is quite comfy:D Now I probably rode 4 miles or so, but I can tell already it's going to be good:)

This is going to sound funny but I am pondering the idea of getting a second FP to "hot rod" it. They sell this bike in Orange, or Red, which are "sportier" colors. :thumb:I would take off the fenders, and the rack, change out the chain ring to something like a 52 tooth...the rear cluster would be changed to a 7 speed Shimano "Megarange" (11-34) so that it would have a good high gear, and decent low as well. A set of 20" x 1.5" Greenspeed Scorcher tires would make this bike a fast roller.

The magnesium frame is definitely worth any upgrades, especially considering the low price.

Ahhh....think of the possibilities.

Raleigh Twenty...eat your heart out:p

Happy New Year to All!

Edward







Be sure to let us know how the Pigeon Flies Ed.

Have you seen this history of the Flying Pigeon works?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Pigeon


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/FlyingPigeonLogo.png

I've bought a number of bikes that have clicks - most actually. I always have to go over them and check things are properly fastened up. The price of that 'bird' makes it perfectly possible to buy another to mess about with. At $120 it is pretty cheap, isn't it? Especially since you like it so much. The gearing does seem very low - but great if you live in a hilly area. I find the odd hill in my town where the 56" gear ratio of my slo makes it a bit hard, but mostly I can cope.

About the sliding seat post. My Merc brompton knock off used to do that and still will if the QR isn't like yours. I wiped off the lubricant film with an alcohol wipe and that helped keep it where t was supposed to be.

As for R20 'eat your heart out' - I've seen many old R20s that were just about respectably tidy and they went on ebay for nearly what you paid for a new bike. Maybe they have more potential in the end, but you do have to sort them out. I bought a really tatty one a few weeks ago for £15. It was very cheap and will need a lot of work, but it will keep me out of mischief for a while.

I'm back:D

The clicking noise was indeed the left pedal which needed to be tightened to the crank some more. The right one was plenty tight from the factory. So that noise is gone. The only other noise I detect is a intermittent "scraping" sound, and I think it's the plastic chainguard that rubs the chain when it rotates to a certain point. I'll take care of that as well.

The price makes this bike very accessible for "customization". I've got the money, but maybe I need to hold off that idea until I return to work, and have a regular income again:(

The gearing is low, but the funny part of all this is that there are really no hills where I live (Orlando, Florida). It's just nice to be able to pedal at a casual pace, with little effort:)

I will try that idea of yours, and use alcohol on the seatpost, and the shim to see if that works. You see it is critical that I have that seat up as high as safely possible because it's a bit on the short side, and my knees require nearly full extension of my legs. If not, my knees begin to ache, and the pedaling effort increases quite a bit.

My comment "Raleigh Twenty...eat your heart out!" was of course "tongue in cheek":D The "Twenty" has a "ferocious" following, and I can understand why. Non the less, I think the Flying Pigeon M-3 has a good base to do a lot of things to it, but it does not have the "legacy" that the "Twenty" has. It's all perception I guess:)

Now here are a few photos I took while on my second ride an hour ago.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon001-2.jpg

This side view of the Pigeon was taken on the bike trail that runs along Lake Susanna here in Orlando. That's the lake where the place that I live is. Notice the height of the saddle. It should be right at the height of the handlebar.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon002-2.jpg

Rear view of the bike in the same location.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon003-2.jpg

This was taken on another lake front, right off the trail.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FlyingPigeon004-1.jpg

Front view

Well I just remembered that I better go to the store quickly before they close to observe New Year's eve. Looking forward to continued participation in this cool forum:D

Edward




I've bought a number of bikes that have clicks - most actually. I always have to go over them and check things are properly fastened up. The price of that 'bird' makes it perfectly possible to buy another to mess about with. At $120 it is pretty cheap, isn't it? Especially since you like it so much. The gearing does seem very low - but great if you live in a hilly area. I find the odd hill in my town where the 56" gear ratio of my slo makes it a bit hard, but mostly I can cope.

About the sliding seat post. My Merc brompton knock off used to do that and still will if the QR isn't like yours. I wiped off the lubricant film with an alcohol wipe and that helped keep it where t was supposed to be.

As for R20 'eat your heart out' - I've seen many old R20s that were just about respectably tidy and they went on ebay for nearly what you paid for a new bike. Maybe they have more potential in the end, but you do have to sort them out. I bought a really tatty one a few weeks ago for £15. It was very cheap and will need a lot of work, but it will keep me out of mischief for a while.

Me likey!
Ed, what is the actual weight of the bike? TIA!

Me likey!
Ed, what is the actual weight of the bike? TIA!

I haven't had the chance to weigh it yet, but I'm pretty certain that it is less than 30 lbs. While the frame, the stem, the crankarms, and the seat post are alloy, there are still some components that are heavy steel, such as the hubs, the chainring, and the derailleur.

Someone who likes to tinker could have fun with that magnesium alloy frame, and turn it into a "minimalistic" SS or fixed gear bike...20-22 lbs. is probably very realistic.:)

If I get a chance to actually weigh the bike, I will post it in this thread.

Regards,
Ed

I haven't had the chance to weigh it yet, but I'm pretty certain that it is less than 30 lbs. While the frame, the stem, the crankarms, and the seat post are alloy, there are still some components that are heavy steel, such as the hubs, the chainring, and the derailleur.

Someone who likes to tinker could have fun with that magnesium alloy frame, and turn it into a "minimalistic" SS or fixed gear bike...20-22 lbs. is probably very realistic.:)

If I get a chance to actually weigh the bike, I will post it in this thread.

Regards,
EdDon't know about others, but I remain interested in getting the weight on this bike and wondered if you'd had a chance to weigh it yet.

Are the rear dropouts vertical or horizontal? Wondering if this would be an easy candidate for a SS/FG or IGH conversion...

I'm going to a friend's house in about a minute. She has a scale, and I'll weigh the bike, and post the result here later this afternoon.

Regards,
Edward


Don't know about others, but I remain interested in getting the weight on this bike and wondered if you'd had a chance to weigh it yet.

The dropouts are "semi horizontal"? You might need a chain tensioner of some sort for a SS/\FG or IGH, unless you find that the distance for the chain is just the right length. Later this afternoon, or early evening, I'll see if I can take a photo of the dropout and post it here.

Regards,
Edward


Are the rear dropouts vertical or horizontal? Wondering if this would be an easy candidate for a SS/FG or IGH conversion...

OK, I'm back!

To "DVC45", and "harlord", the weight of the bike is 28 lbs.

To "Mconlonx", the Pigeon's dropout is actually vertical, and a very short one I might add. It surprised me when I removed the axle nut. I've included two photos but they aren't very clear. My digital camera is cheap, and doesn't have the sharp resolution at close distances; unless there is a function that I'm not aware to make that adjustment. Still I doubt it. Anyway, here are the photos.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FPDropout001.jpg

Here is the first photo I took. I let the axle move away a bit from the top of the dropout to give the notion of the dropout's length. That silver rod on the right is one of the rear fender's stays.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/FPDropout002.jpg

I "zoomed in" to see if I could get a better, and more detailed photo, but it is actually blurred a little bit more than the first picture.

I am still having trouble with the seatpost slidding in gradually as I ride.:( I have tried tightening the QR to the point where it is quite hard to close, cleaning the seatpost, and the plastic shim with alcohol, and even used hairspray on the post. I do have to say that I don't think I let the hairspray dry enough, so the "jury is still out" so to speak on this method. Any more suggestions?;)

Edward

Great to see you have a way to swap the posts around. I hope you enjoy the new bike. After lunch, I'm going to wander down to the LBS and see if I can find a cheap but comfy saddle. If not, I might lash out and get a Brooks tan leather one..... They are a bit expensive tough, so maybe I won't... The saddle supplied with the SLO is ok for a few miles. I shouldn't ride that bike 10 or 11 miles since my Merc is much more suitable for that. Sometimes though when I take the little belt driven triangle out for a spin, I just find myself going further and further from home, just for the fun of it.... The old arse, reminds me when I should turn around though.. LOL

:eek:

U sure you will find a saddle to fit that huge Geordie ass of yours Evilboy? :lol:

My MIFA folding bike has the exact same frame. MIFA gets it's (unpainted) frames from China or Taiwan and does the rest in Germany.
I think my frame is made without magnesium, but it's still not heavy. Around 13-15kg.


I am having a problem with the seatpost sliding slowly back into the frame. It uses a plastic shim, and I've noticed that adhesion with metal is not very good.
My plastic shim broke and I lost it. I fixed the problem by wrapping ducttape around the seatpost. That solved the problem for me entirely and the seatpost isn't sliding into the frame anymore.

The MIFA's frame is manufactured by Flying Pigeon. In fact if you go to their website, you'll see a red MIFA.

Your solution for a slipping seat post is quite simple. Now I was told by a bike shop employee some time ago that it is better to use alloy shims instead of the plastic one. There is better adhesion metal to metal.

I'll look into all the possibilities.

Thanks again for posting.

Edward


My MIFA folding bike has the exact same frame. MIFA gets it's (unpainted) frames from China or Taiwan and does the rest in Germany.
I think my frame is made without magnesium, but it's still not heavy. Around 13-15kg.


My plastic shim broke and I lost it. I fixed the problem by wrapping ducttape around the seatpost. That solved the problem for me entirely and the seatpost isn't sliding into the frame anymore.

On the flying pigeon homepage I also found a folding bike with a shaft drive system. :eek: I wonder how much it costs and how it performs.

Ed that looks like a nice sturdy folder! I must say that the Flying Pigeons that we see here are of the regular kind, though some really do fly :lol:

http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p520165715-4.jpg

On the flying pigeon homepage I also found a folding bike with a shaft drive system. :eek: I wonder how much it costs and how it performs.

I would be very concerned to make sure that a shaft drive bike had gear ratios that suited me because unlike a chain drive bike, you can't easily change the ratios. If my chain driven bike is too highly geared, it is easy to buy a smaller front chain ring (usually) but what do you do with a shaft drive if it is too high for the local hills?

Thanks, it is quite sturdy.

In what city was this photo taken?

I must say that pole is more popular with bikes, than with dogs:roflmao2:

Ed


Ed that looks like a nice sturdy folder! I must say that the Flying Pigeons that we see here are of the regular kind, though some really do fly :lol:

http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p520165715-4.jpg

Guys,

Your really encouraging me to get back into the folder well, ummmm fold again. I bought a Downtube a couple years ago and it was nice. Turned out my old girlfriend road it more than me. Once we broke up, I traded it for a 2004 Trek 7500.

I work in Manhattan and have seen a few of the regular "Flying Pigeons". They appear to be well built, but clumsy. It seems women appear to like them for their style and looks rather than their functionality.

Anyways, these "Pigeon's" have peeked my attention in folder's again. I put a bid on the 20 inch one on ebay. Hopefully, I'll be "flying the coop" and returning "to the roost" (OK, this is getting out of hand) once again.

Does anyone else have info on these folders??

To "Mconlonx", the Pigeon's dropout is actually vertical, and a very short one I might add.

Thanks so much for checking!

Thanks so much for checking!Ditto.

Does anyone else have info on these folders??

Like I said in another thread, I bought a bike with the same frame 2-3years ago, it's my only bike at the moment and I'm using it weekly. It's still like new. I can't complain about quality, stability and the construction at all. And I'm a rather heavy rider.

When I got home from work this evening I had a surprise! Three days after ordering, my "Pigeon" was at my home. I decided to go for the red color. (it's really not red, but rather a "cranberry" color) It happens to match the color of my Trek 7500 so I'll save on touch-up paint. I made an offer of $100.00 for it which was not accepted, but was able to secure it for $105.00. I paid $35 for shipping.

The package arrived well packed with no flaws, other than part of the "bell" was missing. I found it in the box later. It is basically all ready put together, and all I had to do was place the seat pole in its slot. Once folded, the FP is a surpising tight package. It should easily fit into most sub compact car trunks with room to spare. The wheels are bolted on, with no QR mechanism.

Now the fun stuff started... Like Mr. Wong, I decided to lose the fenders, as well as the rack. The fenders were very difficult to remove, and since I was not going to save them anyways, I basically just cut them off. The bike rack is very nice and is solidly placed on the bike. Some might want to keep it, but I decided to go the less weight route. After I removed the rack and the fenders and weighed the bike, I was surprised on two fronts....A. I'm getting fat and B. it was 24.5 lbs!!

It took me about 20 minutes or so to adjust the brakes. They are basically cheap, and just "brakes", but they are functional and do a decent job in stopping the bike. Like Ed, I could really use an extra 2 inches or so with the seat post, but I have it presently at about an inch above the highest "safe" region, and it rode fine. Maybe down the road I'll get a longer post. The handlebars are basically two pieces that are screwed together, with no means to adjust other than the angle. In my situation, they happen to be placed pretty much where I would want them anyways, so it wasn't a problem. Once locked into place, they provide a surprisingly "tight" fit for a folder, and not as "squirrelly" as some.

The tires are also cheap and have no name and arrived about 1/2 inflated. I inflated them at a local service staton with no ill effects. I spent about hour riding the bike tonight in the harsh New Jersey cold, and the only complaint is that some small sand/road salt gets caught in the tread and they make a "clacking" noise. They are 20 x 1.75 inches, and based on there thickness provide a degree of "absorption" while traveling the pot-holed roads of Jersey.

Kudos will have to go for the stock pedals and the stock seat. Yea, I know they are cheap, but they work well for me. Both pedals fold nicely and can be riden on both sides.

The bike has a 6 speed Shimano gear system, and after some normal initial adjustments, it worked fine and shifted well. I frankly like the gear ratio...I'm a normal guy in somewhat decent shape and was able to go about 15 mph on the flats in 6th gear withstanding a moderate pace. The typical hills around my co-op were handled in the lower gears with no problems.

Since I primarily purchased the bike for my girl, I'll probably keep the bike as it is. It is what it is...a surprisingly adequate little weekend warrior. I drove a friends Kent Ultralite a couple of times a year back, and in my humble opinion, the "pigeon" blows the Kent away. The Kent had a nice frame, but it was just too slow. Frankly with all the peddling I was doing on the "Ultralite", combined with the 16 inch wheels, I felt like I was participating in a circus.

Based on my hour or so ride in the frigid 27 degree (farenheit) landscape in the shadow of New York City, I would give this bike a thumbs up. Heck, maybe my opinion will change as the months roll by and quality issues become apparent, but for a $100.00 folder it was a lot of fun!:love::love:

Ricky,

Congratulations on the new Pigeon! It's good to see that there is someone else with on of these.:D

Like you, I was most impressed with the way the bike came packaged. Other manufacturers of more expensive bikes, should take note of that. It assures that the product will arrive undamaged.

Remember to go through the whole bike, and make sure everything is tightened, especially the pedals.

The only problem I had with my bike was the stock seat post a little too short for me, and it would gradually slip down into the seat tube after some riding. However, after I got my new 28.6 x 400 mm Kaloy seat post, both issues were resolved.

I am glad you noticed how rigid the handle post is after you lock the QR. Again, this is something you can really appreciate after riding some other makes, and realize how flimsy, and flexible their stems are in comparison.

You shouldn't experience any "quality issues" for quite a while. In my humble opinion, the stock components are good enough to provide good service for quite some time. However, everything wears out after some time, and that wonderful magnesium alloy frame is worth "throwing" some money at with upgrades. I know I've said to myself that I will leave the bike "as is", and then I get ideas about possible future upgrades. Who knows what the future holds for my FP.;)

Ricky, keep us posted.

Regards,
Ed






When I got home from work this evening I had a surprise! Three days after ordering, my "Pigeon" was at my home. I decided to go for the red color. (it's really not red, but rather a "cranberry" color) It happens to match the color of my Trek 7500 so I'll save on touch-up paint. I made an offer of $100.00 for it which was not accepted, but was able to secure it for $105.00. I paid $35 for shipping.

The package arrived well packed with no flaws, other than part of the "bell" was missing. I found it in the box later. It is basically all ready put together, and all I had to do was place the seat pole in its slot. Once folded, the FP is a surpising tight package. It should easily fit into most sub compact car trunks with room to spare. The wheels are bolted on, with no QR mechanism.

Now the fun stuff started... Like Mr. Wong, I decided to lose the fenders, as well as the rack. The fenders were very difficult to remove, and since I was not going to save them anyways, I basically just cut them off. The bike rack is very nice and is solidly placed on the bike. Some might want to keep it, but I decided to go the less weight route. After I removed the rack and the fenders and weighed the bike, I was surprised on two fronts....A. I'm getting fat and B. it was 24.5 lbs!!

It took me about 20 minutes or so to adjust the brakes. They are basically cheap, and just "brakes", but they are functional and do a decent job in stopping the bike. Like Ed, I could really use an extra 2 inches or so with the seat post, but I have it presently at about an inch above the highest "safe" region, and it rode fine. Maybe down the road I'll get a longer post. The handlebars are basically two pieces that are screwed together, with no means to adjust other than the angle. In my situation, they happen to be placed pretty much where I would want them anyways, so it wasn't a problem. Once locked into place, they provide a surprisingly "tight" fit for a folder, and not as "squirrelly" as some.

The tires are also cheap and have no name and arrived about 1/2 inflated. I inflated them at a local service staton with no ill effects. I spent about hour riding the bike tonight in the harsh New Jersey cold, and the only complaint is that some small sand/road salt gets caught in the tread and they make a "clacking" noise. They are 20 x 1.75 inches, and based on there thickness provide a degree of "absorption" while traveling the pot-holed roads of Jersey.

Kudos will have to go for the stock pedals and the stock seat. Yea, I know they are cheap, but they work well for me. Both pedals fold nicely and can be riden on both sides.

The bike has a 6 speed Shimano gear system, and after some normal initial adjustments, it worked fine and shifted well. I frankly like the gear ratio...I'm a normal guy in somewhat decent shape and was able to go about 15 mph on the flats in 6th gear withstanding a moderate pace. The typical hills around my co-op were handled in the lower gears with no problems.

Since I primarily purchased the bike for my girl, I'll probably keep the bike as it is. It is what it is...a surprisingly adequate little weekend warrior. I drove a friends Kent Ultralite a couple of times a year back, and in my humble opinion, the "pigeon" blows the Kent away. The Kent had a nice frame, but it was just too slow. Frankly with all the peddling I was doing on the "Ultralite", combined with the 16 inch wheels, I felt like I was participating in a circus.

Based on my hour or so ride in the frigid 27 degree (farenheit) landscape in the shadow of New York City, I would give this bike a thumbs up. Heck, maybe my opinion will change as the months roll by and quality issues become apparent, but for a $100.00 folder it was a lot of fun!:love::love:

Video about a Flying Pigeon - not a folder though.

http://www.flyingpigeonpdx.com/

Yep! That's the bicycle that the company (Flying Pigeon) is mostly known for. It is still being made after 50 years!:eek: There's a handful of dealers here in the US that sells them, like the one that posted that video on the website you mentioned.

I read an article somewhere on the net, that the company has been "re-vamped" to be more competitive on a global scale, and now they manufacture more than 300 different models, folders included of course.

Regards,
Edward


Video about a Flying Pigeon - not a folder though.

http://www.flyingpigeonpdx.com/

What a sexy name for a bike.

Edward, don't you now have a qile duo, a vilanti, and a flying pigeon? For those of us also looking for an entry-level folder, could you favor us with your opinions on the relative merits of these three? Hate to ask still more questions, as you've already been very helpful, but you seem to have pretty unique experience.

Harlond,

I didn't realize that you had posted a question to me. I actually have only the Qile Duo, and the Flying Pigeon. I got rid of the Vilano. I wasn't very happy with the lousy paint job they did on the Vilano.

The Qile Duo is basically what is called a "shopper" folding bike. It's ruggedly built, and durable. Understand that that "ruggedly" means heavy, so it's not the most convenient bike for multi modal transportation, though that wouldn't stop someone from using it for that purpose. When folded, the front, and back wheel are fairly even next to each other, and the bike can be rolled using the handlebar.

This is really more of the kind of bike that you won't be folding, and unfolding several times a day, but it's nice to know that you can.:)

I've been riding this bike for more than 8 months for commuting, errand running, etc. with no issues out of the ordinary for any bike. It's solid, and built to last, but it may disappoint anyone looking for a sporty, high performance ride. That's not what it is meant for.

The QD has a 5 speed drivetrain, with a 14-26 rear cluster, 46 tooth chainring. Derailleur, and top mounted friction shifter are made by "Saiguan". It's rear suspension is provided by a friction dampened shock using a 1200 lbs./inch black spring. Front brake is a single pivot, side pull caliper brake. The rear brake is a cable activated 90 mm band brake.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/BikeRideinBaldwinPark002.jpg

Qile Duo VSTII...one TOUGH bike!
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The Flying Pigeon has more potential in uses that the Qile Duo isn't strong in, such as multi modal transport. It is much lighter. I've removed the fenders, and rack, and got the weight down to just over 24 lbs. It has more "up to date" equipment such as linear pull brakes, and a fully foldable handlepost. With appropriate changes in wheel sets, and drivetrain, you can use it for faster paced rides, and perhaps a light duty tourer.

Unlike the Qile Duo, the Pigeon has a 6 speed drivetrain instead. The rear cluster is a Shimano MF-TZ06 and is a 14-28 tooth. Chainring is a 42 tooth. It is geared lower than the Qile Duo. And of course, you already know that the frame's material is made of lightweight magnesium alloy.

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp129/edwong3/BikeRideinBaldwinParkJan82009003.jpg

Flying Pigeon...great value per dollar!

I like both bikes though for different reasons. The Qile Duo is my all purpose workhorse. In fact, Qile Duo calls their bikes, "multi functional". The Pigeon is intended mainly for recreational riding, with the possibility of adding upgrades to increase it's performance envelop.

Regards,
Edward





Edward, don't you now have a qile duo, a vilanti, and a flying pigeon? For those of us also looking for an entry-level folder, could you favor us with your opinions on the relative merits of these three? Hate to ask still more questions, as you've already been very helpful, but you seem to have pretty unique experience.

Thanks, Edward, that's helpful. Appreciate you sharing your experience.

Edward, thanks for this thread, I'm following it with interest.

Out of curiosity-- I am not trying to challenge you in any way-- the frame on your Pigeon looks like welded tubing. That's usually how aluminum frames are made; magnesium frames (like the Kent Ultralight Folder, which is apparently made by Flying Pigeon as well) are typically die-cast and have a very different look. Are you quite certain your frame is magnesium? I wouldn't trust the owner's manual or other literature that came with the bike-- things like that almost always state in the fine print "specifications subject to change without notification."

Also, I wonder if the fork on yours is steel; have you tried sticking a magnet to the fork blades?

Cheers!

Rudi

Rudy,

No problem...ask away:)

The Pigeon's frame is magnesium. It is identified as such on the top main frame tube. The fork is in fact steel, though I don't know if it's 4130 or 1010.

The Kent bike's magnesium frames were diecast. But if you look at the Kent frames, there are shapes that aren't feasible to make through extrusion.

However, the latest 6 speed Kent Compact 16, is aluminum. According to Larry from "RideThisBike.com", the company changed to this material because the manufacturing costs to make the diecast magnesium frames had escalated. This took away the cost effectiveness, and would have resulted in a higher price point.

The new bike looks much better, and will perform accordingly.

I am quite surprised that this thread has had quite a following, and enjoy immensely participating in it.

Regards,
Edward


Edward, thanks for this thread, I'm following it with interest.

Out of curiosity-- I am not trying to challenge you in any way-- the frame on your Pigeon looks like welded tubing. That's usually how aluminum frames are made; magnesium frames (like the Kent Ultralight Folder, which is apparently made by Flying Pigeon as well) are typically die-cast and have a very different look. Are you quite certain your frame is magnesium? I wouldn't trust the owner's manual or other literature that came with the bike-- things like that almost always state in the fine print "specifications subject to change without notification."

Also, I wonder if the fork on yours is steel; have you tried sticking a magnet to the fork blades?

Cheers!

Rudi

You're most welcome!

Edward


Thanks, Edward, that's helpful. Appreciate you sharing your experience.

OK, so it's only been three days, but all remains well. It's almost that I'm feeling a little guilty, having so much fun on this $100 folder!

My beloved Giants took a beating yesterday, so I decided to drown my sorrows, with a little fresh air to "clear my head". I purchased a Bell wireless speedometer at the local Target on Friday evening, and installed it rather quickly with no problems. I've heard that the distance between the magnets from the fork to the handlebars may exceed the limits of the speedomenter, but it performs just fine. Anyways, before I knew it, I had peddled about 12 miles without giving it much thought. Once again, even with a little snow and ice on the local bike path, the Pigeon performed well.

After work tonight, I decided to go out again. I managed to find an old gel seat cushion in the closet, and put that on the Pigeon's saddle. This added a much needed additional inch or so. Once again the ride was blissfull. All told, I really gave it a test tonight... about an hour and a half and almost 16 miles. I was able to get to 18 mph-20 miles an hour "really cranking it", but was able to maintain 13-15 miles an hour with a "good -honest effort. This bike cruises very nicely!

If anything, I have been a little hard on the Pigeon in the last 3 days. I brake hard, shift gears repeatedly and do my best to try to find some flaws with it. Like I said before, "so far, so good". If this little bike performs this well in sub freezing tempertures, I just wondering how nicely it will perform when the weather gets nice.

Hey Ricky,

I'm glad to hear that you're having a lot of fun on that "$100 folder"!

I like mine a lot, but I haven't been riding it as much as I'd like. Most of the times, when I ride a bike, it's to run an errand, etc., and my Qile Duo folder is set up for that purpose. Tomorrow morning, I might take some time and go for a ride in my Pigeon.

Think that you'll get a chance to take a picture of your Pigeon, and post it here?

Regards,
Edward



OK, so it's only been three days, but all remains well. It's almost that I'm feeling a little guilty, having so much fun on this $100 folder!

My beloved Giants took a beating yesterday, so I decided to drown my sorrows, with a little fresh air to "clear my head". I purchased a Bell wireless speedometer at the local Target on Friday evening, and installed it rather quickly with no problems. I've heard that the distance between the magnets from the fork to the handlebars may exceed the limits of the speedomenter, but it performs just fine. Anyways, before I knew it, I had peddled about 12 miles without giving it much thought. Once again, even with a little snow and ice on the local bike path, the Pigeon performed well.

After work tonight, I decided to go out again. I managed to find an old gel seat cushion in the closet, and put that on the Pigeon's saddle. This added a much needed additional inch or so. Once again the ride was blissfull. All told, I really gave it a test tonight... about an hour and a half and almost 16 miles. I was able to get to 18 mph-20 miles an hour "really cranking it", but was able to maintain 13-15 miles an hour with a "good -honest effort. This bike cruises very nicely!

If anything, I have been a little hard on the Pigeon in the last 3 days. I brake hard, shift gears repeatedly and do my best to try to find some flaws with it. Like I said before, "so far, so good". If this little bike performs this well in sub freezing tempertures, I just wondering how nicely it will perform when the weather gets nice.

Looks sharp for the price. I would certainly like a cheap folder I can lock up and not particularly care about if it gets stolen. For me in NYC, folding is more about less space in the apt than about security - that is, if the bike is cheap. (Which my Strida and Brompton are not.)

Re: the slipping seatpost - I had this same problem on my 10x - plus expensive Brompton. I think all you really need to do is wait. It's one of those things that has to "bed in".

Unfortunately about this Flying Pigeon, it's six speed. I'd rather not have the complication of the gears & deraileur. Don't need it in Manhattan and it just adds maintenance. However I find the one speed Flying Pigeon 16" on eBay much uglier than this one.

Hello,

Thank you for your comments. Yes this bike (Flying Pigeon) is very cost effective, and should it be stolen, it's not a big loss.

In my particular case, I no longer have issues with the seat post. I installed a new, longer seat post that I purchased from "bikeman.com", and now I get full leg extension so the bike is much more comfortable for me to ride. Also, this seat post doesn't slip back into the frame. The post has very fine grooves around it, and provides a much more solid grip against the plastic seat post shim. Needless to say, I am very happy.:D

My opinion is that the bike is great as is, especially for the price, but would provide a nice base to work on for anyone who likes to "tinker"; so a single speed conversion is a possibility. Albeit, the rear dropout is vertical so it's a bit more challenging, but possible non the less.

There are two 16" folding models on eBay. I have to agree that the non suspended model is not very attractive. The suspended one in my opinion doesn't look too bad. It also has full fenders, and a rear rack...so it's a practical bike as well.

Regards,
Edward






Looks sharp for the price. I would certainly like a cheap folder I can lock up and not particularly care about if it gets stolen. For me in NYC, folding is more about less space in the apt than about security - that is, if the bike is cheap. (Which my Strida and Brompton are not.)

Re: the slipping seatpost - I had this same problem on my 10x - plus expensive Brompton. I think all you really need to do is wait. It's one of those things that has to "bed in".

Unfortunately about this Flying Pigeon, it's six speed. I'd rather not have the complication of the gears & deraileur. Don't need it in Manhattan and it just adds maintenance. However I find the one speed Flying Pigeon 16" on eBay much uglier than this one.

Well I experienced issues with my FP today! It had nothing to do with the bike however.

I'm not sure if it was the temperture or whatever, but my computer was giving me a lot of problems. It was about 20 degrees farenheit when I was riding this evening, so maybe that's the cause. It started showing unrealistic speeds. I checked the magnet and it so close to the sensor (1/4 inch) that can't be the issue. Maybe it is the distance between the handlebars and the sensor. When I brought the bike inside, after about 15 minutes, it was working fine again. On my other bikes (3) I have cheap "Backtrails" $10 speedometers that are not wireless. They all work perfect. Frankly, when I went to Target, I was looking for another one of them, but I had to settle for the Bell computer. The cheap speedometers have all the info that I need...actual speed, miles traveled via trip and total miles. Simple and good. The Bell wireless has all the "bells and whistles" that are useless to me. (ie: calories burned, temp, time in Paris, etc)

The bike nonetheless rode fine.

Edward, I'll post the pics when I straighted out my digital camera's issues. I lent it to a friend a couple months ago, and since it was returned, I've experienced downloading problems with it.

I'm adding on to this subject now! In my quest for my 1st bike since I was a kid, I'm down to 2 bikes:

Flying Pigeon
Dahon Mu P8

Obviously, the price difference is too big to even compare the 2 in a fair manner, but nevertheless, I would like to compare it and see how they fare.

I posted in another post before, but I'm 5'2" female living in 6 floor walk-up, to be using the bike on weekends for recreational riding only (around Central Park & NYC Greenway). I won't be riding on the streets at all since I'm not exactly an expert in riding and I don't feel confident enough to do that.

That said, my biggest concern is weight first, and then I'll evaluate the other stuff. I have a feel questions.

1) The Dahon Mu P8 has a weight of 24.7 on its official site. If I'm going to strip the Flying Pigeon of the rack & fenders (the Mu P8 also doesn't have either) & any other easy stuff I can strip away (I'm really working on the weight issue), FP is only 24 pounds, so it's actually lighter than the Dahon? Wow.

2) Does the flying pigeon brake w/ a bar on the handle? I cannot manage bikes where you have to pedal backwards to break.

3) What is the biggest difference between the Flying Pigeon & the Dahon Mu P8 given its price point? Is it due to brand name? I know Dahon has an extra gear, but I don't care about that. Does the difference in the wheels actually make much of a difference? Will I feel every little bump and pebble on the Flying Pigeon?

3) I googled the mileage for Central Park & the NYC Greenway. They say the NYC Greenway is 32 miles *mind boggles*!!!! How do you think the bikes will fare w/ that kind of riding in one day (well, maybe 15 miles - not sure if I can do entire 32 miles)? Would I regret not getting one over the other at day's end?

4) Lastly, blue or red bike? Both look adorable.

Thank you for your help :)