get some good grease and put some on your q/r ...especially on the cam section ... you gonna be surprised how much better they work
as for the front wheel, get a file and take care of those awful lawyer tips ..makes life so much easier

thor

Got some grease on, dont know what you mean by lawyer tips? where?

Got a flatbar,stem and horns for £20, drives so much better! the positioning is perfect.

Looking for a bag, I think I will have to go for this topeak or similar.
Do they go well on the Reach rack?

Also, I can get hold of some great racing style brakes, will they work on this wheels or only on thin racing wheels?

going to use it on tuesday for the first time to commute (I start a new job tomorrow)

bhyke, where can I buy the CLix? them are exactly what I want! thanks for the tip


Edit: Found them! £12 well spent!

Lawyer lips explained.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_l.html#lawyer

Well, after 2 days in a row cycling home what can I say.. WHAT A RIDE!! it feels kind of like my racing bike, only not really, its so much comfortable.. I dont have to walk funny for the rest of the day...

I seem to find 32Km/h is my flat terrain pace, but if I push I can get 40+ very quickly, acceleration on it is awesome! yes its not amazingly stiff but I had a little go vs a full size racing bike in one of the traffic lights... left it bye bye :p and the other folding bikes.. what can I say, they look very painful

This is the perfect bike for me, it folds surprisingly small,perfect for the train, and thanks to a shoe laces I can attach the front wheel to the frame so its very compact!

And then the with another shoe lace I attach it to the hand rail, meaning its perfect, I then get my cleaning t-shirt and put it over the top in case someone complains..

After getting off, I build my bike again(about 20sec max) Today,when leaving the station the ticket dude said "bicycles aren't aloud on the train!":cry:
"its a folding bike sir"
"Oh, im sorry, thought it looked too good to be a folding bike!, looks better than most full size ones!"



What can I say, thank you to all of you that have posted here, you all got it SPOT ON if I had gone for a more expensive(twice the price) brompton I wouldnt be able to do my 20mile commute every day, or what about the cheap £100 I wanted to buy?:lol:


So a big THANK YOU to all for your invaluable input :thumb:

Oh, and just for the record, it takes me no extra time swapping the tube by bike it gives me an extra 20min more each way, and cycling from home to the station takes 10min by car, and 20min each way by bike, but considering I have to find a parking space, park, then walk to the station(3-5min walk) I actually gain time here too!! I was an hour early this morning AN HOUR!


I <3 my bike

You may not be aware, but folding bikes are allowed on UK train by law,just in case you get any further problems. It has gone through the due legal precess through lobbing parliament etc.

I am bet you are glade you didn't get tempted to buy some £99 bike that would have achieved little other than disappointment. You have asked the advice from the people who have made this mistake before! Therefore you are a wise man who ended up with a great bike at a great price!

This is the problem with the general perception of folding bikes. Often people presume they are a second rate replacement for a proper bike. A bit like an airbed, if you need a portable bed. We here know that quality or ungraded bikes will compete with standard bikes. The best folding bikes are simply bikes with extra features, ie they fold. Buyer have to pay extra for this feature, but consumers sometimes have the strange idea that it should be cheaper than a standard bike without this usfull feature! I bet you would not usually consider buying a budget £99 bike. Foldies will often testify how it has opened up new ways of looking at transport. It recovers the value of a real folding bike in a relatively short period in public transport costs or petrol, it reduces hassle,it means that you can have a coffee in town, even if you aren't carrying a lock.

I can get 4 folding bikes in to the boot of my Astra in 5 mins. I do not own a rack or a large car. This gives my family the option of cycling in national parks ect without owning a large car or the fuss of attaching racks.

Now just one problem. Have you heard about the condition of folderitis?

:lol: I dont have the money but if I did.. does it get any better than what I have? :p Im not going to replace my bike any time soon, Its FAST, its light,its cute, its cheap to run, its a great workout and I have loads of fun, Oh, and It folds quick and safe :thumb:

Did I mention I love my bike? its my favorite gadget of all time :love:


Now I just need a bag so I dont need to bring my backpack.. I have a small hardcase back that I bought in a charity shop for £3 that even has a trolley.. but I need I have so far failed to think of a way to fit it to my rack.. I like what this guy has done:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/...753499ea6e.jpg

But for that I need a Topeak rack? or I will need to make a DIY version of this.. :notamused:

I dont mind buying a proper bag either, that fits tools, a book,a shirt.. everything I have on my backpack, but It wouldnt need to be that big really


Any ideas? :innocent:

Neither do I, but that does not stop the disease!

Seriously, their are not many better folding bikes for road use

I foresee the following bikes in your future... as finances or good ebay deals allow.

Bike Friday Air Glide
Airnimal (take your pick on model)
Dahon Speed TT Pro
Swift

And if that's not enough... now that you have the small wheel bug, you will soon be drooling over a Tyrell.

rofl, Im not buying a bike any time soon... I love my bike, I wouldnt change it for a Bike Friday, I even love the seat! its soo confi, I just need a rack bag and a camcorder ;)

Nobody said you would change the bikes out. This is folderitis... you're just going to add to your stable.

It's inevitable. ;) :twitchy:

You can avoid the worst of folderitis by not browsing this forum. If you don't know what's out there, you won't know what to desire. ;)

+1

-1

Out of "folderitis" or "therapy", I choose folderitis!

I get more bikes for the money.

I don't have a problem............................................to be continued..................................

Ok guys dont laugh,I know I know...


but I found my future folder... its a prototype for the time being, should be out next year,
http://www.qoroz.co.uk/img/overview_freedom_won.jpg


20" carbon wheels, its titanium.. frame is RRP: £1670 http://www.qoroz.co.uk/freedomwon/ with all the goodies £3500

They are UK based small company, I think this could be god of all folders...

The good thing is, I can get 50% of the first £1000 (so £500 discount) off thanks to the cycle to work scheme..tell me you dont want one?

Looks like a bike with S&S Couplers. Basically, it's cut into two pieces and coupled together. Not exactly a folder, but close.

And it appears to essentially be a BMX style frame with an extra long seatpost and stem. Interesting... not for me... but very interesting. Nice find, Tri. :)

And let me be the one to say... I told you so.

--sam

I got to drive the Chamaleon Airnimal. from a work colleague it felt lighter than mine but less stable, and not as comfortable to ride..


Took some pictures:
Artistic shot this morning, I know it was very gray, but kind of a cool pic:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/...4f05014bf6.jpg

Flat bar+Stem £10

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/...fc2d054919.jpg

I love my light.. its awesome! £25 (home made clip)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/...bb15aaf376.jpg


Took the crank cover off
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/...eae10e8879.jpg



Q:-)

Unfortunately this results in dropped chains when shifting to higher gears. Perhaps not now but certainly when the chain has worn a bit and has a bit of sideways slop.

Hmm it came off today.. twice! why does it do this? and how do I avoid it without putting the covers back?

cheers

The chain oscillates when you shift.. if it oscillates enough, it can jump the ring... if you hate the chainguards, you could mount a dummy front derailleur on the frame boss..

The rear suspension on the Reach enhances the oscillation of the chain too, I suspect.

On other folders, the distance between the cranks and cassette is shorter than a full size road bike. Thus, the angle of the chain coming into the chainring is more acute, making it easier to chain-drop. Don't know if this is true for the Reach.

It'll be easiest to just put the chainguard back on. It's probably 75 grams, not going to hurt your times that much.

75 grams, whats the weight of a cycle clip?

I have a Reach Road that I converted to a 1X9. It came with a 39-53 that I replaced with a Blackspire 48t 3/32 single speed ring. Does your your ring have the higher tooth profile of a single speed ring? I also replaced the rear derailleur with a short cage which keeps more tension on the chain. I have not had a chain drop yet, but then again I don't ride as much as you seem to.

A folding bike can fit comfortably anywhere in a bus, train or car. Folding bikes are a lot more common than you'd think. Due to their compact size and easy storage, they're an ideal choice for commuters and anyone who wants a bike they can stow away easily. But the price of folding bikes is often higher than London bikes, which makes finding one in your price range pretty tough.