tedi k wardhana

regarding gearing:

although I think 46/13t combination is well thought, in the hilly area where I live, I guess I am going to swap the 13t cog with 14t or may be 15t. I need lighter/lower gears
in case you are interested, (I learned this from sheldon brown) we can grind any cog from a shimano cassette, to fit the 3 speed internal gear hub.

sjdude

130mm was what my local Dahon dealer told me around half a year ago. I hope he was not mistaken.

owenfinn

Some incredibly crafty work here - 2009 Curve SL with front derailleur for 18 speeds and fitted with Schwalbe Kojaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMvXNRjc9qI

wellton

curve d3 or sl owners -- does an ATB size u-lock (5x9") fit through both wheel and tiny-frame-triangle-under-seat?
I measured the distance from inside rear-wheel rim, to the inside of the tiny-frame-triangle-under-seat. It seems to be just about, or almost, 5".
Does that mean that an ATB sized U-lock (5" wide) can be placed into both frame and rear wheel? (Cuz the normal 3 or 4" wide U-locks cannot get both frame and rear wheel).

Otherwise i see no alternative but to carry two locks (one for frame only, since the only "enclosed" frame on the Curve is that tiny-triangle-under-seat), and a second lock to get the wheels.

Thanks! (p.s., in general how do you lock your curves and with what?).

neilfein

The best way to lock up a Curve is with a cable lock. A lot of U-locks will fit in that triangle, but not with enough clearance to actually lock it to anything.

However, it's a folding bike, and locking it up generally isn't a priority, that's kind of the point of a folder, but sometimes you have to lock it up. One trick that works for me is to lock it up while folded (or even halfway folded, depending on the space).

wellton

well, i'm trying to avoid cable locks altogether, given the number of truly frightening youtube videos showing how quickly and easily they can be cut.
I looked at chain instead of cable, but any chain that can resist a normal bolt cutter needs to be 10mm thick (and preferably hexagonal), and that means minimum 5 lbs for even very short ones (like 2'4" ones are already 5 lbs), and thats quite short, and the 3 foot range ones are 7 lbs, and anyway they also look like they could tie down a 19th century steamboat, like a mooring chain on the docks. And I didnt want to lug those around.

So I was hoping a single u-lock (wide ATB style) would do it (i'd take the front wheel, seat, and pedals with me). So was wondering if anyone had tried an ATB lock to get both the frame and rear wheel into it.

The necessary width seems to be 'just about 5 inches". It would be very close, but it just might work.

tria1611

hi guys,
sorry for reopening an old thread.
do any of you know if the sram dual drive can be fitted into the curve SL capreo version (2009 - 2010)?

owenfinn

Finally decided to replace the original and very worn-out Marathon Racers with Big Apples - and I was able to make `em work with the fenders too (sorta - I had to cut away about 2 inches off the front fender).

brakemeister

looks meaty :-)

chagzuki

I don't know how anyone could ride the bike without BAs; they're a perfect match for the peculiarities of the geometry.

owenfinn

The BA's are pretty plush, no doubt about it. With the BA's, I notice a lot less vibration through the handlebars and a more stable (less nimble?) ride, however, on good roads , the narrower, lighter Marathon Racers were definitely faster and comfortable enough. However, for everyday city riding and my short commute the BA's are a better choice.

hksumo

Hi all! I recently got a second hand Dahon Olympia which is a Chinese Domestic Model similar to the curve sl. Initially they had a pair of Comets on them but after changing them to BA it feels like a different bike! But since I'm new to the folders world, can I ask if a 20" is a lot better for my 15km commute?

neilfein

20" as opposed to 16" wheels has little to do with whether the bike is suitable for your commute, unless you ride on roads with a ton of potholes. (16" wheels are terrible with big potholes.)

Much more important is the gearing - is it good at hills? - and how comfortable it is on a long ride. If it's similar to the Curve SL, it'll have the gears to deal with moderate hills.

I've taken my Curve D3 (the 3-speed version of the Curve) on 25 mile rides, but I wouldn't want to make a habit out of it. Get yourself a better saddle; if yours has the big cushy one, like the stock Curve saddle, you'll want something more suitable for longer rides.

hksumo

Thanks for the reply. The route is pretty flat so I guess a new saddle is probably next on the shopping list

owenfinn

It looks like the Olympia has the same Kore Saddle as the Curve SL.

https://www.thaimtb.com/forum/viewtop...f=136&t=115849

Like any narrow saddle it won't be comfortable if you sitting upright and putting all your weight on it. If so you should consider getting some Ergon GC3 grips and/or an Aber Hallo stem for more reach - the improved riding posture will make for a much more comfortable ride.

https://www.thorusa.com/dahon/technical/aberhallo.htm

BTW, that rear brake mount is very interesting - I have never seen anything like it.

owenfinn

A recent shot of my Curve SL.

hksumo

Thanks Owen for the tip. I actually made some minor adjustment with the placement of the saddle on the seatpost so I have a more comfortable reach to the handlebars. But then again the Brooks B17 looks nice too Do you think the B17 narrow would work since I heard it is not as narrow as the new type of racing saddles.

Yes they are rather interesting but I had a hard time trying to fix some fenders on the frame. Right now I have a cheap 26 inch fender on the back (the guy at a local bike shop here in HK helped me fix it on). It does the job but doesn't look that nice. I am trying to find some nicer looking ones on the net and see if I can make it look better

BTW, I see that you live in Yokohama. I love that place! Actually I drove past it just last month when I went back to Japan for a brief visit.

rain13

Hi all, here's my daily commuter...

hksumo

Nice looking bike r those Brooks B17 u have got on?

rain13

Thanks
That actually a Team Pro Alpe d'Huez edition.

chagzuki

Looks nice, rain13. Did you customize the seat post and stem/handlepost or are those standard on a far-east model?

rain13

Thanks chagzuki...
The only standard stuff at the moment is pretty much the rims, everything else has been replaced. Seatpost is Kore and the handlepost is from Mu SL (outward fold). The rims will be gone soon as well, just got this bigger 349-sized rims recently.

hksumo

Hey rain13, Does it make a lot of difference with the outward fold of the musl handle post? I can see it being useful in a crowded train when I can roll the bike and yet fold the bike down quickly to its smallest size. Right now I just turn the handlebar 180 degrees and then fold the frame without folding down the handlebar post.

rain13

The main reason for the handlepost change was for the stability of a non telescopic handlepost, and for the time when I am using a bullhorn bar. Other than that I think the outward fold is making the fold even bigger. So not really recommended upgrade for crowded space.

hksumo

Would u mind uploading a pic of the folded bike cos I always seem to have a problem rolling the bike with the handlebar down and seatpost up. A bigger fold may not be top much of a problem for me on the train as long as I can roll it easily.