Folding Bikes - Mezzo/Ori folding bike upgrades?

am looking to start a Mezzo/Ori thread for owners or potentional owner. Any pro and cons that other Mezzo owners have experienced. Any Mezzo/ori owners got any proven value for money upgrades to reduce weight or improve the bike.

Some problems;

under grearing of the standard bike.
Ocassional non self locking of the back clip, cured by greasing it.
Ocassional catching of the chain guider on the chain guard.
I have had some difficulties with the folding towards an aftermarket sram dualdrive wheel click box.
Rear brake not very powerfull.

please note I have reposted this thread into the folding bike forum.

some advantagers
Rides well,
easy maintaince,
most upgrade parts tends to fit
Two frame mounting for the locating of the rear folding clip. Thus facilitating either a standard or internal rear hub.

How many have upgraded to rear crespro hub to address undergearing?
Bars are too high ?
Trick bits that fit well ?
want to add a photo ?

Senior Member

Join Date: Sep 2008


The standard bike is generally very good. One issue is the under gearing 54 /11 common to 16" bikes that use rear mechs. The bike will accept up to a 56t front cog. The standard D9 has a 54 the D10 a 56

I decided to upgrade to either an internal hub with a higher ratio, a shimano Cespro hub with 9 teeth, or go for the dual drive. In the end I found a relatively cheap new 3 X9 sram hub. The Sach 3x7 is available cheaper.
I also have a sach3X7 wheel which is now on a more standard mezzo with standard bars on and bigger tyres. This bike is gold, an serves as my "off road mezzo" and is better for folding for shops and compactness of fold over my fast road version.
The dual drive lickage can be done with a standard SA chain rather than the click box and a long cable is needed. The cable needs securing with a clamp to stop it moving when folding and altering the adjustments. Plenty of excess cable is needed else it is pulled towords the midline of the bike when folding and prevents the seat post from sliding down, preventing the folding of the bike. Plastic ties also helped to avoid this, and a cable stopper clamp is reguired on the rear traiangle.

Also I have removed the "U" shaped front wheel securing clip that is used to lock the bike together when folded, on the road Mezzo. The dual drive makes it difficult to use. The stiff folding of the stem keeps the wheel secured. One less unfolding stage. However it can be moved to the other frame mount location if I decide to refit it later. Currently I secure it by resting it on the rear triangle(see photo), but I may try a tool clip at a later date.


The cable for the rear brake is best upgraded to a telfon inner. Good pads like Kool stops improves the rear brake to be less of an issue. I found the best combination to be Swiss top on the rear and sammon Koolstops on the front.


Another good addition is the cateye cube rear light(£30) which fits on the rack easily and does not foul the floor on folding. It is recommended my Mezzo, i would imagine it would work well on a brompton.I like the fact that it can be solidly mounted and left on the bike when locked up.

I know many people have gone for the cespro option. How did this fair. Fitting The dual drive taught me alot about cable routing !

Another issue with folding bikes in general is the durability of folding pedals. Personaly I like the durability and easy of ue of the MKS FP6,but I also use the MKS quick release in standard or clippless forms.

An other point worth of note are the imprivements to the 2006? and onwards bikes. Better front quick release fork system that is more secure, better tyres, seatpost clamp that can be secured by a weak hampster!
However the lovely Cespro shifter has been changed to a Tiaga one.

One thing I would like to try on the black bike is to use a front wheel with about 18 spokes. The idea is so that the brake lever can go through the larger gaps and allow a flatter fold. I do this to some extent now.

Also aiming to get a chaepish carbon crank to save some weight.

Would love to see photos of other mezzos,thanks

For more recent information and photos see the "mezzo dual drive conversion help" thread