vincentnyc

hey i just went to tikit website...like the cool demo video of folding and unfolding the bike...but no where does it gives you the specs. it seem bike friday website look like it is made by some high school punks. anyway...i want to know how much the tikit weight compare to your standard dahon 20" bike? and is the tikit 16" or 20" wheel? if 20" wheel...does it also come with a 16" wheel? thx in advance.

vik 

You can get the Tikit built up in a number of different configurations so the specifications vary. Here is one example. They all come with 16" [349] wheels. The weight of a Tikit will be in the 25lbs range +/- depending on size and spec. I don't have the D7 weight handy, but it's probably listed on Dahon's website.

vincentnyc

so almost weight the same as the curve d3 or your avg. 20" dahon bike...more or less. the one thing i like about it...is it folds fast and you can roll on one wheel once it is folded so you dont have to carry if you dont want to.

i'm already thinking my next folder...it is either the downtube mini or the tikit.

Lalato

Vincent... it has a magnet just like the Curve. The issue I have is that it's fiddly. In order to get it to fold correctly, you have to release the handlebars so they don't get in the way, then fold the stem down. You may also need to adjust the handlebar height in order for it to fit correctly between the wheels. You have to also lower the seat. You then fold in half, and hope the magnets hold. Then you have to unfold following the same process... plus adjusting the seat height... and the handlebars which take time.

I do quite a bit of multi-modal commuting... and there are plenty of times when I have razor thin margins between getting off of one train, riding a half mile, then getting on another train. The Tikit, with it's fast fold/unfold, works best for my situation.

If it weren't for the max rider weight issue, I could have easily used a CarryMe. The Strida appeals to me style wise, but I'm afraid that at 6', it might be too small. Now that Strida has a newer model for taller riders, I might look at it again. For now, though, the Tikit performs very well... and I use it as my only bike for everything.

Heck, the other day, my wife offered me her bike to go to the store for a bit of shopping. I said... "Why would I take your bike, then I have to deal with locking it up. I just want to go right in grab what I want and go."

That's not to say that there aren't compromises with the Tikit. I mean... my bike is Hot Pink after all.
--sam

hsj

How do you adjust the seat height & handlebar on the Tikit? I don't think there were any quick releases. I couldn't figure it out during the test ride maybe that's why I didn't get a good feel on the bike =\

vik 

You adjust the seat and bars using an hex key. Once you get it adjusted you don't have to mess with it again. Also note there are 3 different frame sizes of Tikit. Although I can fit onto the medium or large frame I like the way the large rides much better. When test riding a Tikit keep that in mind and if possible test ride more than one size Tikit.

vincentnyc

so how do you know which frame size that you are riding when you are in the bike shop let's say nycewheel or bfold? how can you tell? what are the measurement of a small, medium, large frame of tikit and are their prices different or same for all?

EastBiker

Wow! Maybe next thing you'll be telling us is not to oil our chains!

vik 

I'd ask the salesperson who is helping you. They should have a pretty good handle on the stock they are carrying. Costs don't vary by size unless you need a heavy duty frame.

If you want more info on Tikits Bike Friday has a toll free number on their website. Give them a call.

Since you posted earlier that you were test riding folders at a dealer and than ordering online to save some $$$ I hope you are upfront with the people at the bike shop about this. If you have no intention of buying a bike from them it's pretty poor form to take advantage of the bikes they've brought in and then buy elsewhere.

vincentnyc

u think they gonna like me test ride the bike if u tell them "oh btw..i just want to test ride the bike..but i'm not buying it from u cuz u charge retail price." they would laugh in my face and kick me out of there. there are bike shop everwhere in nyc where they allow u test ride a bike...nycewheel charged me $1.09 to my credit card and told me they will take it off once i'm done testing the bike..they still haven't remove the charge....right like i'm gonna to be up front with them.

vik 

Have you considered for a second that their response would be absolutely appropriate? Buying and stocking bikes costs money. Bikes that get test ridden get damaged and sold for less than retail. Why should a LBS subject their expensive inventory to wear and tear for people who have no intention of buying a bike from them? Put yourself in their place and consider how you'd feel about someone wasting your time and $$$.

vincentnyc

well...i visited my lbs this weekend and like their courtesy service. so i return the favor by buying some expensive bungee cord ($3/piece) and a pump ($35, which we tried out and didn't work and they gladly refunded me.)

also i read google reviews on nycewheel and ppl didnt give them good review. nycewheel sell some electric bike...they even outfitted the mu with electric battery. what they dont tell u it is illegal in nyc to ride electric bike. so i absolutely feel no remorse trying bike and not buying it from them. so if u try out their bike....u must buy it from them? please. what about hsj and a few member here who recently try out their bike...how come u not forcing them to buy it from nycewheel?

hell i will even go there this weekend to try out their tikit and strida and i will not buy anything from them.

hsj

Vik,

I think you were referring to Vicent?

Anyway, I have to admit that I had no intention of buying from NYCEWheels when I went there to check out the Dahons. My original thought was just to "look" at the bikes that I was interested in so I'd never thought about riding them. However, Tom at the shop was nice enough to offer it so I took the test rides. Maybe I should have told him that I did not plan to buy anything from them before I accepted the test ride. I will definitely keep that in mind for the future as it was not my intention to take advantage of anyone's business. Thanks for the advice.

As for ordering, I think it only makes sense to order from Thor since he is a knowledgable/helpful regular here. Not to mention that he has already given me some advice before I even started this thread. Hmm...how about a discount now? =D j/k

hsj

I just checked the mta page and it says bicycles are not allowed on express buses So, I guess if I brought the folder to work I would have to ride back home .

itsahobby

I understood that Bike Friday dealer network is structured so that the price is the same whether from the dealer or direct from the factory (only difference is freight).

If that's the case, then it might be best to go through the local dealer to help build the relationship.

The only Tikit I have ridden was a demo that Lynette was riding on her tour downunder - cannot recall the specs of that bike, but I was pleasantly surprised how similar the 16" ride was to that on my 20" Pocket Llama.

mulleady

vincentnyc
Says it all really. You bad mouthing a shop that you haven't even been to and deciding on the basis of some online postings that the deserve to be picked on for no-sale test-rides.

I bet you are exactly the kinds guy who would take offence if someone wasted your time

vincentnyc

bad mouthing? i'm not the one who is selling electric bike in nyc where they know it is against the law to ride one...i back up with facts...not some opionions i pull out of thin air missy.

makeinu

Maybe.

If you have a problem with that then perhaps you'd like to make a thread about it instead of obsessing over it with your sig and stalking me like a lunatic.

With all due respect vik, if the shop is concerned with whether or not the customer has any intention of buying the bike then they are free to ask just like the customer is free to ask for a test ride without revealing their intentions.

After all, no one is forcing the shop to offer test rides and I would hope that a worthy bike shop would take the opportunity to convince potential customers of their worth so that those customers might actually return as a paying customers when, for example, Performance Bike doesn't deliver or the bike delivered by Performance Bike isn't as well tuned as the test model.

If the shop isn't happy spending time and money in the potentially wasted effort of wooing nonpaying customers then they can ask for a rental fee if they think it would help the business.

Now please excuse me while I carefully read all the advertisements on this web page and buy the products advertised therein. I just couldn't live with myself knowing that I'm wasting the time and money of whomever runs these servers.

I say tough cookies. That's business, especially in NY.

vik 

Well you are certainly entitled to your opinion and you can treat a LBS any way you like. If you have no qualms using them for test rides, getting advice, checking out their stock to help you make decisions - and then going online and buying from whomever will sell it to you at the lowest price - go for it.

You comment about a good LBS should be able to convince a customer to buy from them rather than online is flawed when you are dealing with customers who are so mercenary they have to save a few dollars on a multi-hundred dollar bike. Why should they patronize the shop when they can use it for test rides, drop in and chat up the staff for advice at no cost and then once in a while actually buy something/pay for service when all else fails?

You are right that it's certainly possible to take advantage of a small business. The business owner has no choice in many respects if he/she hopes to stay in business. You can't demand a customer buy a bike before they test it and I'm sure customers who would take advantage of a business would simply lie if asked about their intentions to buy online. So the LBS are forced to use a system that relies on good faith between them and their customers. Unfortunately some see it as an opportunity to get a leg up.

Does it really matter? It does to the folks that own the LBS and it matters to those of us with small LBS in our neighborhoods that we appreciate and support. Your attitude reflects poorly on the consideration you give to the people that take the time to run bike shops. They don't make a ton of money and they provide a service many of us rely on.

If we follow your logic to its conclusion we'll all be buying our bike stuff at Walmart and Performance.

vik 

Don't be ridiculous... This is a free forum and there is no expectation that you'll buy stuff from all the advertisers. The implicit understanding is you can use the forum for free if you are okay with the adverting or you can pay $25/yr to use the site ad free.

A considerate forum member would take the time to answer other members' questions when they have some information to share pertinent to the subject at hand. That's not the law, but many people do this to contribute to the online community. Imagine that doing something to be nice in consideration of something other than ourselves or our bank accounts!....

There is no comparison between reading this forum and using a small business to validate your product choice when you have no intention of buying from them at all...

mulleady

Vik your last 2 posts make perfect common sense. It is different if you test ride a bike with some kind of intention of buying now or in the future. Also, one could test ride and if they like a bike then at least try to ask the owner can they compete with online vendors.

makeinu I agree it is in a shopowner's interests to provide test rides and accept the risk of timewasters. However that doesn't make it right to intentionally timewaste does it or to come on here and declare you are going to go into NYCwheels and try out their bikes just because you decide you don't like the sound of the shop. Does an intelligent regular like you really justify that behaviour? I'd be frankly surprised if you do and your analogy to adverts on a website server is totally flawed logic. A bike shop owner is a human being and also a resource in the shop whilst a website advert is a virtual object. It doesn't bear comparison.

Dealing with timewasters is not just a NYC phenomenon by the way, it's a worldwide one

I'd like to add that at least hsj had the decency to compliment the owner of the shop and feedback his experience on the bikesbut one other poster on this thread is being totally stupi in their comments and selfish in their intentions. It doesn't make it right just because a small business owner should facilitate product demos or tests.

mulleady

Missy lol? Lat time I checked I certainly wasn't female

Facts what facts? The quality of your logic is in your own mind. It isn't illegal to sell electric bikes per se. Perhaps the owner sells them to people who use them where they are legal? Your so called facts are he sells electric bikes that can't be legally used everywhere and you read a few negative reviews (limited sample by the way) and you use that a justification to go in this weekend and waste the owner's time doing test rides.

I think your arguments and behaviour say it all really and I don't need to say anymore. Your intentions and opinions speak fpr themselves

Cadd

If you guys are so annoyed by Vincent, why don't you just call up the shop and inform them and email them this thread? Much easier.

mulleady

Absolutely and well said

However I was also pointing out it's wise not to criticise and make judgements about somwhere or someone you have never dealt with personally. There was also a debate about whether asking for test rides without intention to buy is timewasting or not.

Personally what hsj did was quid pro quo. He came on gave info on the shop and gave recognition the owner was helpful. He also posted constructive feedback on his experience with the bikes.

vincentnyc's intentions to go in and timewaste purely on the basis of he didn't like the shop's online feedback and they sell electeic bikes as a justification frankly is very sad.

I totally agree with makeinu it's part of everyday business and a numbers game to allow demos and test rides and it's a consumers right not to be obliged to buy after. However there are limits to everything surely?

vincentnyc

illegal = no...unethical = yes.