From the "hopefully paranoid" files: while lubing the quick releases (my seat post was creaking), I noticed that the top and bottom halves of the frame don't sit evenly on each other.

Look at where the top and bottom meet. On the left side it sits flush. But on the right side, there's a little gap of maybe .5mm between top and bottom. Is this a problem?

http://i.imgur.com/CYnsLLZ.jpg

Not a problem. The frame halves are held by the seatpost. I have resorted to putting a thick grease in the gap - lip balm.

Great, thanks. I'll follow your lead with the lip balm idea.

The swift folder is my favorite bike because not only does it fold but it allows you to use standard parts. This thread has so many iterations and ideas based around one bike frame so heres mine.

http://i.imgur.com/UqWDwy4.jpg

Steel Frame
Stock seatpost
selle italia max gel flite seat
Sram Red crankset 170mm 53t force chainring
MKS EZY UB-lite Pedals
Shimano 9 speed casette
SRAM x0 9 speed shifter
SRAM X7 9 seed short cage Derailleur
Controltech 451 wheelset
Panaracer minits lite 20 x 7/8 tires
Beiou 451 threadless Fork
Cane Creek 40 headset
Bacchetta BFT headset clamp
Bacchetta 1 1/8 one piece riser
Profile designs kage
Ritchey Pro 25.4 drop bar

If anybody is wondering about transitioning to a carbon fork it does make the ride a little smoother, especially in urban areas where roads might be chipped.

Nice!

I'm pretty sure the frame is the aluminium version though. I have an identical one in my garage gathering dust, relegated to a corner by my Ti Swift...

The stock Swift has a chainline of something around 49-52mm.
Does anyone know what the model of the cranks are (are they JIS taper), or the spec of the BB cartridge?
If road cranks have been used, then an odd BB spindle would have been needed, and I find I can never get the calculation right so invariably end up buying several and use trial and error.

Thanks,

Since I have the Xootr Crossrack which I intend to use on the seat tube I was wondering how to use an old Carradice Barley bag with my Xootr Swift. I was thinking of getting a cheap ahead stem like this one:

xxx://item.gmarket.co.kr/Item?goodscode=677621830

And secure it to the bicycle's handlebar stem below the existing handlebars. Then I would use some pvc pipe in the clamp where the handlebars go and hang my Carradice bag from the pvc pipe. Similar to this photo, only the guy is using a handlebar bag, while I intend to just use my Carradice Barley. Has anyone on this forum done something similar? I would like any suggestions before I drop about $20 on a new stem.

xxx://mgagnon.net/velo/images/Co-Motion-potenceAR3-gros.jpg

Substitute http for xxx to see the links.

I would also like to hear any suggestions you have on ways to mount a Carradice saddlebag to the front of a Xootr Swift. The cheaper the better.

Regards,
Joseph

Great idea...
There is a guy at my local shop (Bicycle Hangar in Missoula) that builds custom bike bags. I'm going to start with a stem and a stubby bar tied to a bolt through the fender bolt on the fork....

Just found out that Photobucket which stores large images that I have posted on this forum has now removed them unless I pay a HUGE fee! If you look back on some postings the pictures will have gone - only thumbnails from my computer folder are still there. If you have a photobucket account - time to close it!

motor option.. https://www.facebook.com/SwiftXootrF...egory_pyml_rhc


... with a 10cm wide fork any front wheel laced around a motor hub could be adapted.. ..







....

No longer available,...

Paul Braithwait,
I don't post much so I haven't gotten to 10 where I can send you a message directly. Now that you have mentioned the missing photos I have a few questions if you don't mind. I remember you had a bag mounted on the front stem. From the photo it appears you used the Klickfix Caddy. I am considering getting a Klickfix bag that comes with handlebar mount standard. I am considering adding the Caddy as an extra purchase, since I would much rather have the bag and content's weight lower. I have a 300 mm stem with riser bars as I am tall.


1) Do you still use this as a way to mount bags on your Swift?

2) Does the bicycle handle better with the weight lower or is there no difference whether you have a bag at your handlebars on lower on the stem?

3) Were you able to attach the Caddy below the water bottle mounts? My stem has the water bottle mounts facing towards the rear.

4) With the Caddy mounted lower are you able to remove the stem using the quick release?

Regards,
Joseph

Hi Joseph

By coincidence I have just re-fitted a Caddy to my stem riser and am using a small Vaude 'bar bag to carry odd bits that I may need on my travels; mobile 'phone, camera, glasses (to see with!) and a snack or two. I have raised the Caddy nearer to the handlebars because I have fitted 'bar end gear shifters and I found that the bag got in the way of the cables. My stem riser is one of the old ones that does not have bottle cage mounts but as the Caddy comes apart you will be able to position it below the mounts without any trouble. I don't usually remove the stem raiser to fold the Xootr but the Caddy should have no affect on that procedure.

I think the lower you have the bag the better for handling purposes but I don't put anything heavy in it so having it higher up the stem mast is not really a problem. I have attached a photo of my last ride a couple of days ago with the bag lower than it is now. It was clipped to normal KlickFix bracket that was bolted to a 'T' bar which moved it slightly forward of the gear and brake cables. I prefer to use the Caddy as it brings the bag (and its weight) closer to the bike and has less of an affect on the steering.

Hope this helps.

Paul

Paul Braithwait,
Thanks for the reply. I am probably going to go ahead and get the Klickfix Caddy and a suitable bag to go with it.
One last question, you mentioned a T bar you use for mounting the bag in the photo. Can you give me a link to what you use. I am still on the fence about spending more money since I have a decent Carradice Barley. I was thinking of mounting it on the front using a handlebar stem and some pvc piping. You can see a post from me a few days ago about this. But I prefer the cleanness of the Klickfix mount as well as the ability to add different bags later. But if I can go with my existing Carradice Bag at a reasonable cost I may go that route. If I see the T bar you speak of, I could tell if it would work with a saddlebag.

Thanks,
Joseph

The 'T' bar is made by SJS Cycles in the UK and they do several lengths. Length being how far they stick out from the front of your bike! If you have bottle cage studs on your stem riser you will not be able to slide the bar down below them. They are designed to fit a 1/18 inch steerer tube and you simply remove your bike's stem, slide the bracket down the stem riser and then refit your stem. You can clamp a standard RixenKaul bag bracket to them.

The bracket is handy for keeping the bag away from cables but the Caddy is neater.

Hope this helps.

Paul

Paul Braithwait,
Thanks for the photos. The T bar won't be wide enough to hold a saddlebag, so I will go with the Caddy once I decide on a suitable front bag.

Joseph

a threadless stem with a section of 1" (or 1.25" if oversize stem) aluminum tubing can work fine, in place of a handlebar
the thorn thing is just a welded one piece..






....

The Gasman Cometh
 

If you live in the UK and are of a certain vintage the old Flanders and Swann record "The Gasman Cometh" will, no doubt, put a smile on your face. It tells the tale of someone who had problems with their gas supply and called out the gasman on the Monday. He fixed the problem but in doing so ripped up the floorboards, so on Tuesday the carpenter arrived to repair them but he put a nail through a cable and fused the lights. On Wednesday the electrician came and fixed the lights but he put his foot through a window so on Thursday the glazier came in to repair the damage. On Friday the painter arrived to make the place look respectable again but he painted over the gas tap and it could not be turned on! No-one was working over the weekend so, "It was on the Monday morning, the gasman came to call"!:roflmao2:

It all goes to prove that one thing can lead to another - and was that ever true with bike tinkering! I wanted to change the gearing on my Xootr Swift and also use dropped handlebars. On the face of it - no big deal. I like to use a 'bar bag but position it on the stem riser rather than on the 'bars themselves. I fitted a double chain wheel using the parts supplied by Xootr but found the front changer very stiff to operate with the twist grip supplied. I was using flat bars at the time. The SRAM front changer did require a lot of strength to shift it from the small ring to the large one so I replaced it with a Shimano 105 model. This changer has a long arm to which you attach the gear cable and the extra leverage it provides makes shifting a dream.

I found a set of Shimano 'bar end shifters on an internet cycle site and bought them - they would sync with the 8 speed block on the rear wheel but, when I fitted them, they would not sync with the SRAM rear derailleur! I had to use them in friction mode.:cry: By using the 'bar end shifters I was able to fit drop bars to my bike but if I wanted true indexed gears I would have to obtain a Shimano 105 rear derailleur. I did, and it works perfectly! However, in order to use the 'bar end shifters the gear cables needed to exit the 'bars just before they bend up to the brake levers. This caused a problem with fitting a 'bar bag because the cables got in the way! The standard gear cables are not long enough to be hidden under the bar tape all the way up to where the brake cables appear and then reach the rear derailleur.:foo: I bought a drum of gear cable outer casing - it has several feet of cable on it - and ran that from the 'bar ends up the 'bars (under the bar tape) then down the usual route to the rear wheel. All well and good but the inner cable was too short!:eek:

I found a set of unbranded inner cables (Shimano compatible) and threaded them through the outer casings - they were still too short. I gradually chopped short lengths off the outer casing until there was enough inner cable to thread onto the rear derailleur. It was a critical fit and I had to feed the rear cable down the right side of the Xootr, run it under the main frame beam (through the braze on cable guide) then back out on the right hand side to reach the rear derailleur. I also had to make sure that there was enough 'slack' in the cable to allow the 'bars to turn.:twitchy:

It works and I can use my various 'bar bags with the KlickFix adapter!:lol:

See the photo's attached to get some idea of how it has all, eventually, come together. You will note that there is quite a bit of space between the bike's tyres and the mudguards (that's tires and fenders for our colonial cousins!). This is because I'm riding on "summer tyres" which are narrow and light weight. Once winter kicks in (the rain turns to sleet) I will fit more robust tyres which will fill the gap. Sorry about the size of the pictures but I have not found a replacement for Photobucket yet.

The moral of the story is, "think very hard before you start messing about with your bike!":o

Hey guys,

I plan to use my Swift a whole lot more, and to ditch my rather heavy steel rack.

Which KlickFix part did you use on the steering tube?

I'd like to attach a small basket for my purse (holds my laptop, wallet, spanners, papers, lunch) and lock.
I've found that I don't need my full panniers for most commuting.

mlau,
I use the Klickfix Caddy mount on my Xootr's steer tube. Refer to the picture posted by Paul Braithwait in the post above yours.

http://www.klickfix.de/images/produk...ium/0211ca.jpg


Joseph

Hey, I just renovated my circa-2004 aluminum custom Swift. Wanna see the pics? Sure you do!

http://www.sdotkling.com/miscpix/Swift-Updated-1.jpeg
http://www.sdotkling.com/miscpix/Swift-Updated-2.jpeg
http://www.sdotkling.com/miscpix/Swift-Updated-3.jpeg

Wow, very nice! *drool*

that paint job is amazing

Very nice paint job especially the transition from silver to mango. Are the silver bits painted or natural?

@sdotkling: Beautiful Swift!!! Luvin' the squiggles,... :thumb: