Folding Bikes - Bought my first folder.....CITIZEN Tokyo (yellow)

hi all,

finally i was able to take some pics of my mello yello citizen. let me know if you were able to view them. rookie in here. had a time so i fixed the misaligned handle bar.

go citizen,
vic

Vic, love the pics of your bike. What was wrong with the handlebars? Did you ever get the 6th gear fixed? If you can't get it fixed then you should take it to a LBS and let them have a look at it. They can tune it for a couple of dollars. I had my gears tuned, brakes adjusted, chain lubed, bolts and pedals tightened and a look over, all for $5. :thumb:

kitn,

thanks a lot. handle bar was not aligned with the tire. it;s more on the left side so i had to aligned it. i still can't figure out what was wrong with my 6th gear. i checked my LBS and they are charging me $35 to fix it. i am thinking of just try fixing it myself. sun just came out today here in california so i will try to ride my citizen. i will let you know how it goes as this will be my full drive test on this bike. enjoy the rest of your weekend...

vic

Hi Vic,

The Tokyo is supposed to have a ridge inside the handlebar tube to keep the handlebar from being out of alignment. Does your Tokyo have the ridge?

$35 is steep. Did they even check the bike or just quote you a price? They should have checked the bike first, told you what was wrong and then quoted you a price to fix it. If they didn't then they're clearly not a good bike shop and I suggest you go to another and not waste your time or money there.

Have fun on your bike ride! :)

How did you align it? i think i need to do this on my new miami. The handlebar is loose.

How did you align it? i think i need to do this on my new miami. The handlebar is loose.

when the handle bar is folded there is a hex screw. this hex screw connects the post and the wheel holder. loosen this hex screw and when it is loosen you can move the post of the handle bar either to the left or right. it's pretty easy. the only hard part is loosening it the first time as it is really tight.

let me know if it works,

thanks,
vic

Hi Vic,

The Tokyo is supposed to have a ridge inside the handlebar tube to keep the handlebar from being out of alignment. Does your Tokyo have the ridge?

ridge works - but the problem is the whole post is not aligned.


$35 is steep. Did they even check the bike or just quote you a price? They should have checked the bike first, told you what was wrong and then quoted you a price to fix it. If they didn't then they're clearly not a good bike shop and I suggest you go to another and not waste your time or money there.

unfortunately this is the nearest LBS. i need to drive for about 10-12 miles for the next LBS.

Have fun on your bike ride! :)

wasn't able to make a run again as a friend of mine came for a visit and stayed till 12:00 midnight, the next day it started raining again. today it rained the whole day and forecast is more rain coming. oh well my mello yello is now bored and sitting by my garage. hope your weekend in new york is nice...

thanks,
vic

I would love to see pictures of your bikes.

*********************
KitN,

Here is a photo of our bikes. They are very close, seem to share a lot of love, especially when their masters mount up:


http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee85/terrywilsonphotos/beachtripfeb21st2009/100_0744.jpg

nice bikes !!!!!

nice bikes !!!!!

Thanks!

I meant to tell ya'll too that at the same campground we were staying this past weekend another Citizen rider cruised by our campside. He stopped when he saw our bikes. He didn't know the nick name of his bike or remembered how much it cost, but I think it was a Gotham. He said it was 4 or 5 years old, 20" wheels, with a rear shock and the front tube latching device was of higher quality than mine. He was complaining about it rusting, but I saw very little rust. He also said he rode it mostly in coastal areas, so you have to figure in the "salt" damage over a period of time. I thought the bike looked in great condition, and he seemed to be having a great time. I wish I had got a photo of his bike. Darn it.

Here is a photo of our bikes.

:eek: Why are the seats so low?

Good question. Because our legs are short. I am 5'5" and my wife is 5'1" , true height without shoes. We actually "think" we have the seats high.

trider,
since you had your citizen for awhile now and had used it extensively, can you tell me if the seat is bothering you or your wife. i went on an hour ride in my tokyo and i bothered me so much with how hard the seat is. did the original seat work for you? i am now planning on upgrading to a better seat..

thanks,
vic

Great pic, trider! Thanks. :)

Hey Vic,
Sorry for the delay in responding. About the seat. No, the seat doesn't bother her or I. Firm and hard is good. In fact, I bought a new seat for my Gary Fisher 26" . Its jel, thick and very comfortable. Comfortable if you ride just a short distance, then the chaff and pain sets in. I have since took it off and have decided to be very happy with my firm and hard seat. When I first got the Gary Fisher the seat the firmness of the seat bothered me, but after I got used to it I can ride for miles with no pain. I am no expert, but I do believe in my case "sinking down" is not good.

Terry

thanks trider. maybe i need to break-it in. in time maybe it will give me comfort. BTW i ordered the Selle XO hoping it will give me comfort. i will let you know how the Selle ride is. in the meantime while it's on the way i will try to ride my bike as much as i can. just came back from an hour ride and boy i think i am out of shape. after not riding a bike for 16 years i am grasping for breath........

also i am planning on upgrading my bike with a shimano 7 speed and triple crankset....

thanks again,
vic

I rode my Tokyo about 7 miles on Tuesday evening, which was my longest ride to date. Yes, Vic, I was a bit saddle sore too. This may get better as I get more used to riding, but I was looking at a seat pad at Target the other day that I may try. I've significantly improved my problem with the seat sliding down, but haven't totally solved it - still needed an adjustment about halfway through the ride. Boy it is easier to ride when the seat is high enough and stays there. Gearing is still too low, but I'm slowly increasing my cadence, which helps.

i did change my saddle. i saw a selle italia on sale for $19.99. i still have to break it in though. hmm i can't tell much about the seat post sliding. have you tried the advises of the riders in this forum regarding the seat post ? how's the ride for you ? do you like your tokyo ? i will upgrade my brake also. in fact i am thinking of getting a disc brake but might be a time consuming project since there is no hub with a 28 holes i can find cost wise. they do have one but at a premium price.

thanks,
vic

For sliding seat post, check Jur's answer in this thread

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=514641

Also, switching to thudbuser should solve your problem since the thudbuster post is machined to be rough.

Kam

I cleaned everything with an alcohol dipped rag, which helped significantly. Haven't tried all of Jur's suggestions yet, but I will. I'm not too worried about the seat yet - I'm still getting used to riding - my first bike in 30 years, except for a brief escapade with an old three-speed of my sister's. I expect a few aches and pains.

Yes, I'm generally enjoying my Tokyo. A folder was just the thing for me - it fits neatly into a closet in my tiny townhouse, where bikes are not permitted outside the house. And I've taken it folded on the Metro. I rode the bike to the station, and the subway to work, stored the bike next to my desk, and did the whole thing in reverse to get home. Instead of buying one of Citizen's bags at $28, I bought one of the Ikea blue bags at $0.59 - the bike fits fine. Not for painfully shy people - I got several questions about the bike from strangers.

Hi everyone, I came across Citizen just now but I have been looking for an AFFORDABLE folding bike for a long time. Price is a big issue (being a student and all) and of course I still want something reliable. After reading all your comments about the Citizen Tokyo (I have my eyes on the Mango!), I think it might just be it.

This would be my first folding bike and I'll most likely be using it for casual ride, so I don't have to always drive (especially on nice days in the spring/summer).

So I hope my experience with the Tokyo will be as great as some of you have stated! And thanks again!

Welcome to the forums, NdR! :)

The Tokyo is a great bike for the price but it does have it's limitations. I love my Tokyo but I've outgrown the gears very quickly from all that commuting and general cycling I do daily. I'm in the process of trying to get a bigger crank wheel/crankset which seems difficult.

I get lots of compliments and questions about my Tokyo. People seem to love it. It's my trusty steed. It hasn't failed me once even through snow, sleet, rain, high winds and other really crappy weather. It's a solid bike.

I hope you love your Tokyo as much as I love mine. :love:

ndr,

welcome. and when you get your first folder make sure that you post pics here. that's the protocol. on your questions regarding the citizen tokyo here's my 2 cents. like what kitn said, it has it's limitations. but for it's price relative to its features it sure is a best bet. it was also my first folder and i like it the way it is. it gets lots of attention also. it feels stable and feels durable. it is a steel and might be heavy to carry around but remember that steel is durable. if your about 6' tall this might be small. the wheel size is 16 and that's what i like about it. the folded size is minimalist. gears may be low but if you are going to use it on a flat road and not hilly then you will not notice the limited gear rations. if you have a friend that has it, make sure that you try it first. i am warning you though that once you bought your first folder you will caught a sickness they call folderitis. it spreads easily within the community and apparently as what some people told me, it is incurable. good luck on your coming tokyo and ask us any questions regarding the folders.

thanks,
vic

Welcome, and ditto what KitN and vic said. My Tokyo is sitting in its blue Ikea bag in my office, after a chilly, but pleasant ride to the Metro, and then a subway ride to work. Yesterday, it took a bus ride to Pentagon and then I rode it to work. I rode all the way home yesterday along the Potomac in absolutely perfect weather. What I like about it is the versatility - it goes where I want to go, then folds and hides in a corner. Like KitN and vic, I think I'm eventually going to want a better bike, but this one is great for now at a great starter price.

[QUOTE=NdR;8788397]Hi everyone, I came across Citizen just now but I have been looking for an AFFORDABLE folding bike for a long time. Price is a big issue (being a student and all) and of course I still want something reliable. After reading all your comments about the Citizen Tokyo (I have my eyes on the Mango!), I think it might just be it.

Hi,
My wife and I ride Miami Citizen's 20" folders, red & aqua. Color does make a difference in speed, as Red is faster. We love our Citizens bikes, no problems at all since the original set up when we paid a local bike shop to make sure "they were right" from the beginning ($32.00 total). We both ride regular size bikes when we want to do some serious riding with hills and distance. But for just tooling around the neighborhood and boardwalks and park roads at the beach, the folders just can't be beat. We load them in the back of our 4Runner when we go camping and have great fun riding, sightseeing, and talking to others about our bikes. I hate to say it, but they are "pretty".

Good luck,
Terry

im getting an EZ Pack folding bike. only 159 with snh.


ill give reviews next week when i get it.

My wife and I ride Miami Citizen's 20" folders, red & aqua. Color does make a difference in speed, as Red is faster.
Darn! I knew there was a down side to buying my Tokyo in black. No wonder it is slow! Hey Vic, is Mango faster than Black? KitN - I have enough silver parts on my black Tokyo to know that Silver probably isn't faster.

gears may be low but if you are going to use it on a flat road and not hilly then you will not notice the limited gear rations.
Vic, I find it the opposite - the low gearing is great when I'm going up and down. When I'm on the flat, or downhill and can't go any faster no matter how fast I pedal, that's when I know I'm eventually going to have to spring for a better folder. Not that I don't like my Tokyo - I'm having a ball with it - but I consider it my appetizer.

jcflack,

yes. i am with you. i might have interchanged on how the high and low gears work. in any case have i told you that i bought myself a dahon boardwalk D6/7 that i plan on upgrading. i have now in my possession - shimano 105 double crank (39-52T), shimano BB, shimano brake and shifter lever. my next purchase should be - front and rear derailleur, front and rear hub, new set of wheels. this may take some time though as i need to save up some more to justify the expenses. but for now i am trying to enjoy my dahon ride. it's been raining here in un-sunny san francisco bay area so my bike is sitting by his lonesome in the garage....

thanks,
vic

[QUOTE=JCFlack;8834002]Darn! I knew there was a down side to buying my Tokyo in black. No wonder it is slow! Hey Vic, is Mango faster than Black? KitN - I have enough silver parts on my black Tokyo to know that Silver probably isn't faster.

yes. color will definitely make your tokyo faster. what i noticed though is when i used my yellow tokyo to work everyone was all over it and asking so many questions. but when i used my dahon (green color) no one bother to even take a look at it......strange......so color do really make it standout too..

thanks,
vic

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. My apologies on the VERY late reply, have been studying for final exams. I finally placed my order after my exams, CAN'T WAIT TIL I GET IT!!

Thanks KitN - Great to hear the bike is very sturdy. I don't know if I'd bike in Toronto winter conditions, but maybe I'll give it a try hehe.

Thanks vmaniqui - I will absolutely post the picture of my FIRST Folder, thanks for letting me know! I'm not that tall, so I thought this small bike would be great! I'm mainly to cruise around on a nice summer/spring day around the neighbourhood which is mainly flat roads, so shouldn't give me that much grief. This might be one illness I'm looking forward too then lol!

Thanks JCFlack - The Ikea bag is a great idea, especially for my budget!

Thanks trider - I would've picked red if they had it (my favourite colour!), so I hope the Mango brings a bit more speed too hehe.

that's great. good luck on your new folder. let us know if there are any questions you have about the bike and the folder in general....

thanks,
vic

The Ikea bag was an idea from someone else in the forum who posted some pictures. Which reminds me - I ought to post some of my Tokyo in its bag. Works well - especially for 59 cents. It is getting a small hole where the seatpost sits, but I bought two. The bike peeks out at the top - this is not for hiding the fact that you're carrying a bike. I just use it to satisfy the letter of Metro's rule that folding bikes are permitted on the subway in rush hour if in a bag. Only other problem is that it isn't very comfortable to carry, but then, I carry it a block at most.

It actually came Thursday and earlier than the estimated time and almost had to wait another day to get it, but when I came home my mom got the package! Here are the pictures! Thanks again for everyones comments and opinions.
https://toeoqq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mF5Z48Hk441GbB6J1GBuiWjqPqju1qFd9w1p2_japtVfyX94oRlNLcYh7GwNysCtKAA01dhg_dTbX_cH-tcBpEGITJ8p880bEj3g6XrkH05DJIsq3JrHRY8RzJX03haUCSd-Kk9fh7HSogOnotCwxEA/CIMG4315_thumb[2].jpghttps://toeoqq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1m6AeE6e7RR5wj2wxspQzjY4tbZaxkJOvX1P4bvEDxU6Yv9NrlY9dbO7ueqlPl1f-Lt2prNrTl5GITeH4FWF-tVhkrYs-0a4JJsRmF9_ow4SV4gtypiwkw0I-2H3x71JFCJgHMFDWpoa4aqWm9YWgFlg/CIMG4316_thumb[8].jpg
https://toeoqq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mTa47cP4XnwyiOkZNzyPvBH4tGJAmWslFVdtoJn3nrPTyrtrDbngoxfWYiMPKo2HgispG9gLr0RlyGJZJeNJbGGQpv-tkGAhIe6d9ZY_FFdabRlAEHrkOAq5ridmsYiGl-PBKKN91hmJDDPejH_lMxA/CIMG4317_thumb[1].jpghttps://toeoqq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1m4OZXh1fthq5ySrX6qXXaCC4VERcyj0GeInEu2OUxq8Px4UumtXCNHzEXCnNh6HiLq8wAlNEELROIus7YUOcuFHz1V4oEzjtOa Jbks1vdjTaDOzSKjyvJphCixy4XfyCFF6spPxaIU7QFsBn3HxUBYQ/CIMG4319_thumb[3].jpghttps://toeoqq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mYk0YkcVFN_ovuej4S8yQ17dS5c1Lou7DA_WZ8mH2MaCqyZB34YqSY9gu_ZOfk2deYFVpH4OXrmP8qrejTAPurGdxg_T7jkM8-Q-Xw7fFZOzAeHtDqfJFgp_1FHinZaKxiUFz0Vz0NikNn5La7zBwEg/CIMG4320_thumb[4].jpg
Sorry that all the pictures are indoors, it was about to rain. I was able to take it out for a very quick spin on my street, I really like it!!!! I didn't feel it was too small for my liking and folding wise: it was much easier to unfold than fold (especially the pedals). I'll keep practicing and today we had a few storms, so didn't get a chance to take it out again :(. Oh well can't wait for the beautiful summer weather.

nice. glad you're liking it and hopefully you can take it out for a spin so that you'll like it even more. that is exactly what i have. i call it mango yellow. did you get the '09 model ? you might want to bring it to your LBS for a quick check. and first upgrade you might want to do is to change the saddle. for some reason it didn't work out for me so i had to change mine. you will get more compliments with that bike i am telling you.

thanks,
vic

Hi first time post.

I am interested in getting either a Miami or Tokyo. At the moment cost is the most important thing.
I will be commuting around 2 miles to the train station then riding into the city then another 2-3 miles to work in the city. A folder would let me ride at both ends of my train voyage.

Right now I bike 12 miles each way to work on an old crappy K-Mart bike (that I've doctored up a bit: new tires, chains, pedals, etc.) so anything and I mean anything is an upgrade.

Besides the price and the wheel size is there a big difference between the Miami and Tokyo? Is the ride smoother or faster?

Thanks,
Sorry if I hijack your thread.

Both the Tokyo and Miami are 6 speed steel bikes. The gearing seems to be the same, so with the larger wheels on the Miami you're going to move a little faster - speed is an issue on my Tokyo. Both are fairly heavy, with the bigger Miami being a bit heavier. My Tokyo has been great on the subway, and is small enough that it doesn't get in the way much. As long as I don't have to carry it far, I'm fine with a multi-mode commute. If you need to carry your bike much, you might want to look at a Gotham which is lighter than either. I'm only 5'6" with a 28" inseam, so my Tokyo is nicely sized for me, but if you are in the 6' range, you may want the 20" wheel. I have plenty of room left in the seatpost, but I've got my handlebars pretty close to as high as they'll go - I don't like a lot of weight on my hands.

NdR, glad you got your Tokyo and like it! From the pics you posted, I noticed immediately that your seatpost is black while mine is silver... Hmmm... I bought mine in early-January '09. Maybe you got a "newer" model?

I tried, yet again, to upgrade the chainring in the front. The bike shop that I'm dealing with is so unprofessional. I'm looking elsewhere for options to speed up my Tokyo.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy riding your Tokyo as much as I enjoy riding mine. It's a neat little bike. :)

I believe it is '09 model. That's what they were shipping when I ordered it.

Yeah, I might have to get it checked because I noticed what you all were talking about the gear shifting. I don't know much about bikes, but the normal bikes I had with gears never shifted like that.

Yeah can't wait til the weather gets much better!

The seatpost is black and more like a sanded metal feeling. Is your's like that? They may have ran-out of silver lol.

I tried, yet again, to upgrade the chainring in the front. The bike shop that I'm dealing with is so unprofessional. I'm looking elsewhere for options to speed up my Tokyo.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy riding your Tokyo as much as I enjoy riding mine. It's a neat little bike. :)

kitn,

how unprofessional ? they won't change your chainring? are you trying to change the crank ? to what size ? if you are changing the crankset you will need to change the BB also. are you getting a different folder ? PM me.

thanks,
vic

Hello everyone, I just got my Citizen Miami and thought I would like to share a few pictures.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3608758761_32b6610e3c_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3609590074_c310f0b6f3_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3608760331_2e5a457e59.jpg

Hello everyone, I just got my Citizen Miami and thought I would like to share a few pictures.


welcome to the wonderful world of folders. nice.... you'll enjoy that bike. and this will be the start of your folderitis. watch out though as it's uncontrollable and no cure......

Looks just like my bike and my wife's bike, except mine is red and her's is aqua. Nice, real nice. I hope you enjoy yours as much as we have enjoyed ours.

Ride safe and always be on the lookout for the boogerman.

Thanks everyone! I'm loving the bike so far, I have tuned up the bike and it's riding like a charm. I have only taken it out for 1 day and it's great! The first time I took it out of the subway, people were already staring at my bike, and when I unfold it, they were shocked! :D

Thanks everyone! I'm loving the bike so far, I have tuned up the bike and it's riding like a charm. I have only taken it out for 1 day and it's great! The first time I took it out of the subway, people were already staring at my bike, and when I unfold it, they were shocked! :D

Sweet pics of your bike. Thanks for posting them.

What area do you live in? Which subway did you take your bike on? Was it really crowded? Just curious...

I hope you're enjoying your new Citizen. :)

My Asama has the same problem & I got so fed up :cry: that I took off the seat post, laid it on the bed of my drill press & drilled two 6mm dia. holes through it. (One is at the right height for me & the other is for my wife's seat height.

I put the seat post back on, snugged up the QR at the right height & passed a 6mm bolt through the hole, held it on with a 6mm Nyloc nut. It CAN"T slide down now!:D

At the moment, when I fold the bike, I just leave the seat post alone. If I wanted to collapse the seat post when I folded the bike, I would use a wing nut (not easy to find a 6mm wing nut!) on the bolt.

John Alldredge

Sweet pics of your bike. Thanks for posting them.

What area do you live in? Which subway did you take your bike on? Was it really crowded? Just curious...

I hope you're enjoying your new Citizen. :)

Thanks, I live in Ridgewood, Queens by the M line. I took the bike during off-hours so it wasn't crowded at all, luckily. :D

The seatpost is black and more like a sanded metal feeling. Is your's like that? They may have ran-out of silver lol.

Given that several folder riders have complained about the seat post slipping back into the frame, I wonder if that black coating is some form of resolution for that problem?

This issue was not exclusive to Citizen, but even "high end" brands like Bromptons, and such.

Glad you like your folder:D

Edward Wong III
Qile Duo 5 Speed 20" Folder