fritzle

Hi,
Just got my first folder Dahon Boardwalk for taking on the train commuting. I'm trying to lighten my load, I already pitched the back rack and want to replace the seat post as it would make a pretty good weapon. Does anyone know the size of this seat post so I can replace it with an aluminum one. Plus any ideas to lighten the bike would be appreciated. Next thing to go will be the front brake and kick stand.

snafu21

"Next thing to go will be the front brake"


Do you enjoy hospital food? :-)

fritzle

Who needs front brakes??? I grew up riding a coaster rear brake and no front brake !

Bacciagalupe

You could swap out the saddle for some kind of light-weight ass hatchet, and find some very light tires. But other than that, you are not going to shave a noticeable amount of weight off that bike without spending 3x as much as it's worth.

For example, the lightest folding bike frame that uses 406 wheels is the aluminum (Xootr) Swift. You could get a Swift frame, swap all the Boardwalk parts onto it, and have a pretty nice single speed folder. Might cost you $400ish, more if you have to pay a shop to swap parts for you. Net weight loss? I'm guessing 2 pounds. Maybe 3.

In fact, in general folders are not light. Since most of them are missing either a top tube or downtube, they need to be overbuilt to handle the stresses.

Front brakes, by the way, are pretty vital. It provides most of your stopping power. And my guess is that you weigh a little bit more than when you were 10 years old and using that coaster brake.

By the way.... "weapon?"

jur

You can usually find stamping marks that indicate the size of the seat post, near the minimum insertion marks. But I'm pretty sure it is aluminium, not steel. Anyway, 33.9mm is the Dahon size for the alloy posts. There isn't a coaster brake Boardwalk on the Dahon web site to be found, so I can't check the specs.

snafu21

The Dahon seatpost is alloy. You could go carbon fibre, at some vast expense.

Have a look at Rido saddles if possible, they're pretty light if they fit you.


Probably the best bang for the buck is to reduce rolling resistance and rotational mass- fit skinny high pressure tyres like Schwalbe Stelvios. Follow that with a hub tune-up and swap out the bottom bracket for a cartridge type to minimise friction, keep the drivetrain spotless and lubed, yadda yadda.

As you've read, steel-frame folders are not generally light. They're not always a good platform for building featherweights out off. Most people shrug and enjoy the bike for what it is, but some trade up after a year or so in the pursuit of new, skinnier thrills...

Boardwalk is a great all-rounder. But 'light', it ain't. If you have to go for a brake-ectomy, the rear is the least efficient.. :-(

brakemeister

Boardwalks usually have steel seatposts and they weigh 600 grams ..plus you need to figure the heavy steel bmx style seatclamp .....

check out other seaposts weighs here
www.thorusa.com

Thanks Thor

snafu21

" Boardwalks usually have steel seatposts and they weigh 600 grams"


Ah. Apologies. The Boardwalks I see in the UK have an alloy seatpost and clamp.

Amazon USA also says: " And the back pedal (coaster) rear brake means safe and secure braking in any kind of weather."

Dynocoaster 

I have been trying to get my Boardwalk lighter and I am going to quit now as I have more money into making it lighter than what I paid for it. I would start out with a lighter bike to begin with.

fritzle

https://www.thorusa.com/dahon/2008/boardwalk1.htm

folder fanatic

I don't know the size of the seatpost, but you can replace it with a lighter seatpost by it's own maker, Dahon. It is the Telescoping Seatpost: https://www.dahon.com/us/accessories/others/twosection.htm I have one installed on my Piccolo and it is very effective and light, in spite of being 2 pieces. I also have a Boardwalk S1 which I have customized and modifided over the 5 years I had it. I do admit I upgraded it's parts more for safety, durabilty, and reliabilty than for weight. But do see photos of my Dahons on my Flickr Website if you wish below:

The Chemist

Chinese Boardwalks, like mine, also have alloy seatposts.