kgibbs51

Ana:

Ah, one of the famous Portuguese Mobiky riders. I hear you guys are taking over the streets.

Anyway, consider yourselves lucky over there. Americans are not as patient with bikes as Europeans or Canadians. I get dirty biker looks all the time, even when the bike is in a clean bag. People over here (at least in Chicago but I'd venture to say other big cities as well) are into their routines and anything that deviates from that routine is a foreign enemy.

Its changing here but for the most part the green movement is only lip service. There are a lot of commuters who are in a "me 1st" midset. If I sit down next to them with my bike the complain to my face. If the train is crowded and I ask someone to move a pack taking up a seat so I can sit down they get belligerent because for the past 14 years they have sat in the same 2 seats and no one has ever asked them to move.

Escalators are the same, people all think your going to get their pants greasy with chain lube or something.

Simple Simon

kq ... thankyou for those insights on US commuting habbits. I can see from these that the benefits of using folding bikes + trains to make journeys 'door to door' are only just being taken on by true early adopters such as you. I guess it will take time before petrol cost rises, congestion and environmental awareness have more relevance to the majority. Until then we (as folder commutors) can keep the killer advantage to ourselves .... ie Train + Folder = Fastest 'door to door' journey time .

kgibbs51

Its amazing how rediculous people are. The new talk is that battery chargers, VCRs, clock radios etc all create a weak drain on power. Large media outlets are encouraging people to unplug these devices to conserve power.

My mother in law made a comment to me about this and how she was going to make the extra effort and unplug appliances not in use. Then she said, "I have to go pick up my husband and bring him back here so we can go to eat." I'm like, we live off the same subway line why not just tell him to take it here?

That didn't go over well for either of them. But IMO, all the unplugging she'd do over the entire year is probably negated by this single 15 min round trip car pickup.

Silly really but that's America for ya. In defense of my countrymen we do live in a monsterously large country that requires a lot of resources to travel around in. I just wish people weren't so wasteful or at least critical of those who choose to conserve.

I myself ride a folder more for the exercise than the environment but saving the environment makes me smile too.

Oh and Mobiky? If I could find one for less $$ I'd probably buy it because I think its pretty awesome looking.

cyclistjohn

Take a look here for comment in a similar vein:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=298060">Getting home last Friday

kgibbs51

Thanks sorry for the Thread Highjack.

cyclistjohn

Oh no, I wouldn't think anyone would mind too much. It's sometimes really difficult not to include something interesting in a specific thread, & hard to know if it's worth starting a new one ;-)

I just noticed the parallel in the 2 threads, as I'd asked in the other one about bike tolerance on trains in the US, & it contrasts somewhat with your observation. I've only been on the train once in Chicago, without bike, & didn't see any bikes at all.

rhm

No, no one will mind, and yes, there are many parallels because both threads were started by myself, and both for exactly the same reason, viz. the (so far: endless) search for something that folds up small enough to be easy to take on a train twice each day and unfolds quickly enough into a good bicycle. All the options involve compromises.

The Mobiky seemed an attractive option, because of the way it folds and can roll and stand when folded, all of which suit my needs. In the end I voted against Mobiky, not because of its weight or price (neither of which I liked), but because of the way it rides (which I especially disliked), and concern about how it would hold up to rough treatment.

Mobiky's undeniable cuteness is not lost on me. As John noted, the Strida has a certain cuteness too ("It's amazing how many girls smile & ask ...") and this seems to rub off in the rider, with the effect of disarming critics potentially found among the good people with whom I share the train.

But Mobiky's cuteness may cut both ways. The sad truth is: as much as I love my bikes, I pound the hell out of them by riding hard in all weather etc. Throwing them up on the metal luggage rack of a train takes its toll as well. My treatment inevitably gives a bike a certain look (in my field we call this 'patina,' which, applied to a bicycle, is a bit of a euphemism) that conflicts with, and detracts from, cuteness. A Mobiky owned by me would soon take on an abused look, which would make me look bad ("look what that nasty man has done to that cute little bicycle!"). Ha, so much for disarming the enemy!

And, of course, if the frame starts out loose, and gets looser over time, and I don't know how one would tighten it, and, well, you get the picture. I opted for a Downtube Mini... now, that would be a thread hijack!

anabananasplit

:-) I didn't know we were famous! :-P I guess the USa really is a world within a country, because there seems to be places and cultures like Portland and then, I'm guessing, Chicago. If those are bike-friendliness opposites, then I guess Portugal is still much closer to Chicago. Let's hope both places change quickly. ;-)

kgibbs51

Ana:
But as we become more corporate the regional differences have started to disappear. Now where ever you go there is a McDonalds, a Starbucks, a Macy's, etc ,etc. The people culture is slower to change, meaning we still have different accents, driving habits, and such.

To clarify, Chicago is a bike open culture. Well the govt is willing to support us. But there are so many different people in the US that all mix here (Chicago is an immigrant city) and we are very into our cars (a car purchase is usually the 1st big purchase people make once they have the financial ability here in the US) which we use to get around in such a big place that sometimes bikers need to be extra careful for people in big vehicles that aren't used to sharing spaces with bikes.

FlickaSailor

Any idea how well a Topeak MTX EX rack would work on the Mobiky?

sotto

I have both a Curve D3 and a Mobiky, and I'm very happy with both and prefer not to be without either one. They sort of complement one another in that if I want to ride along distance and not stop to shop, I take the D3. If I want to ride shorter distances and shop in and out of stores, I take the Mobiky. I would say both are a gas to ride.

FlickaSailor

I've had mine 2 days now and really like it. I pootled around for about 3 miles in the park yesterday and then commuted to work today. My commute is about 7.5 miles one way so 15 miles round trip.

I am 5' 7" and weigh 185 pounds. I moved my Topeak DynaPack DX from my mountain bike, 1980s era Diamandback Ascent rigid - none of that complicated suspension stuff for me :-) to the top of the middle tube of my Mobiky which seems to work fine. The DynaPack uses a quick release mechanism just leaving a small mount on the post. I think I could use a carabiner to clip the bag to the front hook when the bike is folded but I need to go find a carabiner to do that.

The DynaPack DX is rated for about 10lbs of load and itself only weighs 890g or 1.96lbs so I'm still in the weight range for the Mobiky with a fully loaded DynaPack.

These pictures were taken with my iPhone so they aren't the greatest or very high resolution but they seemed to have turned out pretty good compared to a lot of other phone cameras...





This is not stable, it wants to pop wheelies as you roll it along walking next to it. But this is where I think you could clip the bag from it's insertion point onto the front handlebar hook and let it hang down along the plane of the handlebar stem...




On my mountain bike with combo tires - smooth in the middle with knobbies on the side I was averaging 32 minutes to get to work.

On the first commute today! on the Mobiky the ride there toke me just over 37 minutes and the ride back took 35. To work I stopped twice - once to tweak the seat post because I realized I had it too low and another time to readjust the handlebar height slightly. No stops on the way back other than traffic lights, etc.



I think once I get used to the three speed hub my time will drop slightly as I was either shifting too soon or too late and ended up doing a lot more thigh muscling instead of a decent cadence at the right gear.

I'd buy it again - the seat post play mentioned by another wasn't noticeable after the first hmmmm... Seems like the folks with the suspension stuff would feel somewhat similar flex so I don't really get the criticism.

The handlebar-end mirror is a Zefal Spin - a really great little mirror although I did have to disassemble it and tighten up the screws on all of the joints. As shipped they were all too loose.

All the other comments about the sticky saddle are dead right. It uses sort of a velour coating and you stick to it like crazy. I changed it on day 2 before my commute.

Besides the Topeak bag I also have their Hilite Combo on the handlebar and bag.

-Eric

https://www.flickr.com/photos/flickasailor/

jur

Pics!!

sotto

I've had my Mobiky for several months now. I purchased it used from a fellow FB forumite. It gives me a lot of jollies everytime I ride it. It's just the thing for popping out the door for a quick unfold and ride around the neighborhood while my spouse does her last 10 minutes worth of "finishing touches" before we head out on our appointed rounds. About 5 seconds on both ends of the ride is all it takes to get it in and out of action.

superkaos

Hi, I have been using a mobiky genius every working day since the day I bought it in August 2008. I use it for multimodal commuting here in Madrid, Spain. I take it in the train every day. And ride about 8Kms
per day. I ride it in any weather, sun, rain, and lately even in the snow! Let me tell you about a couple
of serious problems I've had:

1. After four months of use one of the pedals broke. I went to the store to get a replacement and
the guy put a pedal from a different brand in the bike and in the meantime he would get a proper replacement from the dealer.... It's been three months and I am still waiting, I keep calling the guy and he
keeps giving me excuses and lies. I guess I will have to sue him for not servicing the bike while under
warranty.

2. Now the more serious problem. A week ago the chain was skipping. I unassambled the middle
double sprocket to find out that the small sprocket had almost all of the teeth worn out really
badly. A couple of them had so much ramp that caused the chain to skip. While it is true that
I have been riding in all sort of weather, and that the chains had gotten a lot of dirt, I have also
been cleaning them and lubricating them quite often. Still I would say the bike has been ridden
for about 900Kms and I feel that the sprockets should have lasted a little more. Anyway my problem
now is that I have no clue how to get a replacement part. The guy at the shop tells me he has
requested it, but after the deal with the pedal I am feeling hopeless. Also I sent an email to the
manufacturer contact@mobiky.com asking about replacements and whether the sprocket was
under warranty and I have had no reply whatsoever. So I am almost feeling like I bought a lemon!
Too bad because I really love to ride that bike every day. I am afraid of the day I have to replace the
brake pads, or the tyres!!! where would I get them from? What is your experience guys with
spare parts for this bike?

Pocko

!!!

Wow,that Dynapack combined with your Mobiky... you may have just created the cutest looking thing in two wheels!! It has a very "Vespa" feel to it.

Very, very Euro looking and could very well now be classified as a genuine-chick-magnet...



How heavy is the Dynapack? Is it large enough to take a helmet?


.

FlickaSailor

That is the DynaPack DX. This link takes you to the manufacturer's page for this model and gives you the basic specs. The bag and frame are 1.6 lbs with a max load of about 10 lbs. It has a zippered expansion system for bulkier objects and yes you can put a bike helmet in it. If you follow the link, there is an image of a bike helmet inside the DynaPack DX. The regular DynaPack is smaller and does not expand.

When folded I have a carabiner through the DynaPack strap on th top that I clip into the front hook on the Mobiky. It works great - stays balanced folded and I can still steer while rolling in folded form. You just have to leave the handlebar stem extended about 1.5" from the fully down position to clear the front wheel and fender.

I've put a little bit over 100 miles on my Mobiky, mostly riding to and from work. I expect to ride it much more this coming riding season (too much snow and muck in the winter in Michigan for me ).

I bought a Minoura roller trainer and did try the Mobiky on it and it is possible but extremely hard so I changed the roller setting to fit my mountain bike and have been trying to "roller" 3 times per week about an hour each session. On the roller I ride with my iPhone/iPod using Genius playlists. I do NOT listen to music when riding on the street.

superkaos

Hi, I finally solved the problems I had with my my mobiky genius. The people at after sales service from mobiky were most helpful. I guess I was getting too impatient. They sent me a stronger double sprocket
for free. Apparently mine had some manufacturing defect. Also I ordered a bunch of spare parts and
they included some extra parts for free. That was nice. They were very helpful and friendly. So that's a plus for them I have no complaint and I am really glad to be back on my bike !!