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Downtube Nova - $279

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Downtube Nova - $279

Old 04-03-10, 03:29 PM
  #226  
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Originally Posted by DVC45
Hi Rubberbandito! Yes, 11 at the back, 52/39 front. I got the rear freewheel from Edwong's link. Thanks Ed!

Sign up on Picasaweb or Photobucket and paste and post photo's all you want.
OK cool. I have a 52 up front and finally ordered the front derailler but to my surprise, even though it same model as in rear, Tourney, it is not meant to fit. I guess I need one that fits on the front derailler mount bracket. The one I have is an O ring mount which of course won't work on the downtube because its too fat and comes together with another tube.

How do I find one of the front derailler that will work? What are they called?
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Old 04-03-10, 11:12 PM
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Here you go

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=12964

Its called "braze-on" Front Derailleur.
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Old 04-17-10, 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by edwong3
The freewheel listed on that link is an 11-30, though I vaguely remember that there is a 7 speed 11-32 available somewhere. Also noticed that they sell 8, and even 9 speed freewheels in the 11-32 range. That's amazing to find those as Shimano discontinued making freewheels with an 11 tooth in the cog set.

Good to know that ComCycle's customer / tech service is willing to help out with the issue on your unit. Please keep us informed how it goes.
It is listed as a 30 but the guy selling it says its a 32. I never bothered to check.

By the way, I took it to the bike shop since I don't have the tool to take it on and off. And told them what the guy said. They thought it was strange. The mechanic said that the play in the freewheel is normal for aftermarket freewheel gear sets. He said it won't go bad anytime soon but there will always be that play in it.

We put the grease in around the bearings anyway, but it still thumps usually in the middle gears. I am not worried about it now though. I hope the mechanic is right and its no big deal.
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Old 04-18-10, 04:02 AM
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friends here in indonesia mostly replace the freewheel of the nova, with a freehub and 8 speed cassette. or 9.
and the crank with a 53/39t chainwheel. can be had here (the old shimano) fo as low as 15 bucks.
also an fd. the cheapest available is the 17 dollars sora braze on fd.
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Old 04-22-10, 10:48 PM
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Old 04-30-10, 02:59 PM
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hi, i'm looking to replace the freewheel cassette on my nova (not sure if i have the terminology down...)

would the shimano HG-30 thread on?
link to hg-30

also considering this 11-32 freewheel, though i'm not sure if i will need to replace anything else to accommodate the 32T gear
link to freewheel-11-32T

the safest choice seems to be this freewheel 11-28T, but shipping is a pricey
link to freewheel 11-28T


also, looking to get a starter bicycle tool kit. would need something with a chain whip, chain breaker, cassette lockring remover, and a crank extractor etc. this one seems to cover everything, without breaking the bank..sounds good?
link to Avenir Home Mechanics Tool Kit
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Old 05-01-10, 09:41 AM
  #232  
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I don't think the HG-30 would work - I think it is a cassette, not a freewheel.

I bought one of those 11-28T freewheels for my Citizen Tokyo. On the good side, it arrived quickly in good shape, and works great. The 11t high gear was just what I needed and on the 16" Tokyo, the 28t low gear is quite low enough. On the bad side, yes, the shipping price was a little ridiculous. If this were a US company, I wouldn't pay more than the price of a "if it fits, it ships" US Postal Service Priority Mail box. But I don't know what it really costs to ship from Canada.

Last edited by JCFlack; 05-01-10 at 09:46 AM.
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Old 05-01-10, 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by JCFlack
I don't think the HG-30 would work - I think it is a cassette, not a freewheel.

I bought one of those 11-28T freewheels for my Citizen Tokyo. On the good side, it arrived quickly in good shape, and works great. The 11t high gear was just what I needed and on the 16" Tokyo, the 28t low gear is quite low enough. On the bad side, yes, the shipping price was a little ridiculous. If this were a US company, I wouldn't pay more than the price of a "if it fits, it ships" US Postal Service Priority Mail box. But I don't know what it really costs to ship from Canada.

thanks for the insight, pretty sure you are correct about the hg-30. i think if i had a wheel hub, it would work, but not on a freewheel

i ended up getting the 11-28T freewheel because i've read that several people have had good success with that particular freewheel. its worth it to spend a little more for something that will work 100%, than spend a little less for something that may not be fully compatible.

i'm also looking for a shimano 600 crankset, i've seen a few on ebay. they are a little beat up and silver...i'd would be nice to keep the cranks black...but no big deal. someone else also posted a link to a braze on front deraliuer from niagara cycle. i'd also need a long chain, i know the nova has a 112link 3/32 chain. not sure how much longer it would need to be with a larger crankset.
i'd also have to pick up a front shifter
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Old 05-01-10, 06:12 PM
  #234  
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If I have to do it over, I would get a Dahon D7 rear wheel ($50 dealer price) and just get an 11-XX cassette.
I didn't know, at the time, that Dahon's rear wheel was that affordable.
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Old 05-01-10, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by DVC45
Here you go

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=12964

Its called "braze-on" Front Derailleur.
i imagine this can be adjusted to only allow for 2 speeds, due to it being a front derailleur, correct?

also, does anyone have a link to a left twist shifter similar to the shimano on the nova. all i can find is a 3 speed, i imagine that a 2 speed twist shift doesn't exist, or i'd have to adjust the derailleur so that it will not pull off the chain if i only have a 2 speed crankset and accidentally bump it into 3rd up front.
or i could always get a generic thumb shifter
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Old 05-01-10, 10:53 PM
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Thor has front derailleurs for the Dahon that bolt on
https://www.thorusa.com/dahon/accessories/special.htm
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Old 05-02-10, 12:27 AM
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Originally Posted by xnevergiveinx
i imagine this can be adjusted to only allow for 2 speeds, due to it being a front derailleur, correct?

also, does anyone have a link to a left twist shifter similar to the shimano on the nova. all i can find is a 3 speed, i imagine that a 2 speed twist shift doesn't exist, or i'd have to adjust the derailleur so that it will not pull off the chain if i only have a 2 speed crankset and accidentally bump it into 3rd up front.
or i could always get a generic thumb shifter
Yes, I got a double FD on mine. But triple FD's are available too.

You can get the 3 speed twist shifter and make it work with a double. You'll just have to adjust the limit screw on the FD.

I was going to use friction thumb shifters, but I couldn't find one that would fit my drop bars. Friction barend shifters from my local Craigslist ($15) was the best solution I found.

Last edited by DVC45; 05-02-10 at 12:32 AM.
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Old 05-02-10, 12:34 AM
  #238  
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Originally Posted by edwong3
The freewheel listed on that link is an 11-30, though I vaguely remember that there is a 7 speed 11-32 available somewhere. Also noticed that they sell 8, and even 9 speed freewheels in the 11-32 range. That's amazing to find those as Shimano discontinued making freewheels with an 11 tooth in the cog set.

Good to know that ComCycle's customer / tech service is willing to help out with the issue on your unit. Please keep us informed how it goes.
Does someone here know if this freewheel is compatible with 7 speed Sora STI shifters?
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Old 05-24-10, 12:33 PM
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i'm having trouble with my downtube nova since i swapped out the rear freewheel gear. i bought an 11-28T freewheel from itselectric.ca. i waited half a month to receive it(they ship from canada). then i realized that my freewheel tool did not fit shimano freewheels, so i had to pick up another

took off the stock freewheel, put in the new freewheel. it works great, with the exception from shifting down from gear 7 to gear 6. it seems as though i cannot get the tension dialed in correctly on the shifter cable. i have spent a couple of hours adjusting the cable tension with the twister on the end of the derailleur, also adjusting how much cable is pulled under the nut. i really didn't do much with the hi and low screws.

every other gear is fine with shifting. also, i can shift from 5 to 6 to 7 just fine. but going from 7 to 6 results in the chain staying on 7 and clicking like crazy. so, i just shift from 7 to 5 and back to 6, if i need to be in 6.

one thing i noticed about the freewheel from itselectric, the cog teeth are not slightly angled. the stock freewheel that came with the downtube had the teeth of several cogs turned slightly to aid with shifting. obviously the freewheel cog teeth on the itselectric gear are hardened, so i cannot bend them at all.

also, i noticed that it looks like the itselectric freewheel has a retainer ring that holds the cogs in place. if i could get that off, i think i could reduce the spacer that goes between gear 6 and 7, it would likely allow the shift to complete successfully

ideas?
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Old 05-27-10, 12:14 PM
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^ bump...or should i make a separate thread about my freewheel issue?
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Old 07-31-10, 11:39 AM
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I am in the market for a folder and was wondering if anyone in my area (Bayside, NY) or anywhere within 1/2 hour drive, would be willing to let me try their Nova so I could see if its a good fit for me. I am 5'1" tall with a short reach.

I would give you my drivers license like they do in a LBS, LOL!!!

Thank you, I am having an awful time trying to make a decision on which folder to get and this would help me eliminate some I have in mind.

Please PM me if this is a possibility? Much appreciated!!
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Old 11-22-10, 03:58 AM
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it has been awhile since the last post.

here in indonesia, some friends were wondering about the newer version of the novas,
which apparently has changed the latch on the main tube.

seems that it isn't dLt (dahon licenced technology)

what do you all think? downtube wants to cut costs?

is there a safety issue with the new latch?
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Old 11-22-10, 07:34 AM
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Do you have a picture of the new Downtube Nova?
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Old 11-29-10, 01:51 PM
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I am curious how dt can compete in asian market, what is sell price of the Nova in Indonesia, in USD$ equivalent? Asian prices for quality folders can't be competed with at the ~$300 price tag, it's impossible, is why there are "china domestic" products from Dahon and so many other competitors. There are Dahon licensed folders in Carrefour in China for under USD$100 that are really not that bad. Can understand in US or Europe better, but still their prices aren't that different than other offerings, and it's a low range model.
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Old 01-30-11, 10:29 PM
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anyone have size specs on this bike? the downtube website isn't so great with that info. what are the measurements when folded?

-randy
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Old 02-07-11, 10:00 PM
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Anyone have an outdoor pic of the dark blue Nova?
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Old 01-06-12, 09:23 AM
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Just sent an email to Downtube to see if I can get more info. Some of them I think I know the answer, but would like clarification. If anyone has these items already, I'd greatly appreciate it.

1) What is the rear spacing of the frame? (126mm / 130mm /135mm)
2) What is the spacing of the front fork? (74mm / 80mm / 100mm)
3) What is the width and threading of the bottom bracket?
4) What is the head set size? 1” or 1 1/8”
5) What is the size of the seat post?
6) Is there touchup paint available for the bikes?
7) Are there any geometry specs that can be found? (effective top tube length, etc..)
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Old 01-06-12, 11:52 AM
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Got a quick reply from Dr. Yan:

1) What is the rear spacing of the frame? (126mm / 130mm /135mm)
we have had 130's and 135's the latest ones should be 135's

2) What is the spacing of the front fork? (74mm / 80mm / 100mm)
100

3) What is the width and threading of the bottom bracket?
68x114 (as I recall)

4) What is the head set size? 1” or 1 1/8”
1 1/8"

5) What is the size of the seat post?
550mm (L) 30.4mm (D)

6) Is there touchup paint available for the bikes?
No

7) Are there any geometry specs that can be found? (effective top tube length, etc..)
We do not have them, however it is a Dahon licensed frame, hence you can get the info from them
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Old 01-06-12, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by nparker
7) Are there any geometry specs that can be found? (effective top tube length, etc..)
We do not have them, however it is a Dahon licensed frame, hence you can get the info from them
We have a Nova. If you can specify exactly what to measure I can give you the dimensions.
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Old 01-26-12, 06:35 AM
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Originally Posted by kamtsa
We have a Nova. If you can specify exactly what to measure I can give you the dimensions.
Kamtsa, if possible, I would love to get the folded dimensions: just the total height, width, depth.
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