Foldable Two

Here's the latest from Camping World. 17" tires and 451's were a hit, so why not 22" tires?

Using the formula from Sheldon Brown's lost web page, I have calculated this bike's co-efficient of comfort at a very excellent 20.95 where, according to Mr, Brown, 25 = Superb Comfort and 0 = Supreme Agony.

For reference, a 20" wheeled bike, with a 6" wide seat would be rated at 11.43, while a bike with 26" wheels and a 10" wide seat would rated at a near perfect 24.76.

The hell with elastomers!

Lou

stevegor

1970s.... enter the Raleigh Stowaway and the Peugeot folding bike, both with 22" wheels, (in Oz at least)

The Raleigh Stowaway had either a SA or Shimano 3 spd IGH and the Pug had a 5 speed DeR set up.

Tyres are still available.

Foldable Two

Yes, you can get 22" tires here in USA, too (Harris Cyclery, for instance) however why would a casual rider (that's what most of Camping Worlds customers are) want a bike with such hard-to-find tires and tubes? Likely because they don't know any better.

Now, that 10" wide seat...

Lou

stevegor

Lou, maybe Camping World customers need 10" wide seats to fit their wide ar#es?

Foldable Two

Bingo!!!

geo8rge

I don't get the Moulton connection.

Foldable Two

My wife says most folks don't get me and my thought process - guess this is a good example.

OK, here goes: When I first got on here five years ago, the talk was mostly about low to mid-priced stuff like Dahon's and Downtubes with an occasional Swift, Brompton or Friday. Now, due to the "folderitis" many members seem to have (I'm not exempt) there seems to be a rather large number of Fridays, Bromptons and yes, Moultons owners on here - some even own one (or more) or each.

For those who are not RVer's or have never been a Camping World store: They sell lots of RV specific stuff - lots of "wants" and a good many "needs". One of the things they have carried over the years is folding bikes. In fact we bought our original Dahon Boardwalk D7's there - and my still ridden Dahon single-speed, too. Several years ago, they dropped the Dahon brand, had YEAH bikes for a year or two and now carry very low-end folders, IMO.


I felt that the product I highlighted was the exact opposite of the what the Moulton owners have bought into - well-designed, high quality bikes that withstand the test of time. Camping World's mention of the bike's 10" wide seats also amused me. Many RVer's need those WIDE seats for comfort, based upon our observations when we are out traveling the country in our folding Aframe trailer. So being able to calculate a "Co-efficient of Comfort" and attributing it to the late, great Sheldon Brown seemed like "fun" - John Allen, I hope you don't mind. (That one might have made a better April Fools joke.)

So, there you have it - what a creative Italian who has too much time on his hands does . Hopefully the above was understandable. :>)

Lou