Okay everyone, skoosh over a bit. We've got some more happy Swift owners to wecome aboard!

Heyas to Kwarterlb and Jollydriver! :D

Curse you Bruce M! You have cost me so much money this year. I bought a Downtube FS because you and now I am buying a Swift. I test rode a Xootr which helped too. :D I am going with a Nexus 8spd, upgraded rims and brakes and probably with Marathon tires (still deciding).

Now for a general question to all, any other things I should think about fitting on it? I thought about going with a Schlumpf in it for greater range but now I am thinking about maybe a dual front chainring and manually change the chain while have a chain tensioner in the rear. Any thoughts on this? I could have basically a dual range gear selector without a lot of money invested. Basically I need a city range and then something for when I tour and can cruise a little faster. I originally was leaning toward a Rohloff but then the hub would cost more than the bike. Plus if it got stolen I'd be pretty peeved.

Any changes for your current Swift/Xootr from current owners that you wish you had done or plan to do to yours? What gearing are you running now if you have an internal hub? I plan on using this for city commuting in Europe and about 10% touring while there. I plan on a little dirt trail riding but nothing extreme. I really wanted a set of Big Apples on it but apparently they won't fit. So I want a tire that will have relatively low rolling resistance but won't knife in too much if I ride on a dirt path. A reflective sidewall is a plus. They saved me from becoming a statistic in Berlin awhile ago. How do you not see TWO 3 watt headlights, blinking strobes and a guy in big reflective jacket? According to the driver after he almost smacked me it was the tires that caught his attention.

Anyone try a decent rack on the Swift yet? Anyone mount any lights yet? How about a Thudbuster? I am not worried about ultimate speed but more decent ride in an urban environment and still fairly efficient. Think of a GT type car rather than Formula 1 and you will understand what I mean. I want efficiency but I don't want to sacrifice too much comfort (relatively speaking). I am trying to finalize my order this weekend so any thoughts are appreciated. I can't wait to ride it. Peter has been great to work with so far.

I guess i'll just go ahead and plug Tioga Comp Pool tires again. Check my other posts to see why. Good luck.

Haahaha.... Wavshrdr, you're killing me here!! If you've been following my folder musings then you know we haven't delved much into my Schlumpf projects! Way to go with the Swift!! If you don't like it, feel free to lay the blame on me, but, if you are enamoured, make sure I hear about that too...haha

Since you're ordering up, get online with one of the gear calculators and find the target zones you want to ride in. The Nexus Redline hub has a 307% overall gear range (same as a mega-range 11/34 cassette), so you'll want to spec the chain ring and get a couple of sprockets close to what you want (probably 16t or 17t) so you can have a bit of fun playing with ratios...other than that, will really look forward to pics of your ride!

Oh, I almost forgot, you probably still have some dough left.....on the 'to do' list, I'm going to build another Nexus 8 Redline hub for an 05 Dahon JetXP which will also see a Schlumpf SpeedDrive, bits are in hand but the spare time isn't.. Once completed, I will play test it against my current Schlumpf equipped bike which is a Dahon Helios XX with 9spd SRAM X.0 compoenents.... once I have satisfied my curiosity of releative efficiencies of the two, I will probably move the XX's Schlumpf to the Swift...

Rock on,
Bruce

I've seriously considered the Schlumpf but the simplicity of the dual chainring without derailluer appeals to me as well. I really enjoyed the Xootr I test rode so the Swift should be even better. I did notice that the Xootr I rode needed to have the derailleur adjusted or dialed in as the shifting wasn't exactly great but the dynamics of the bike itself were quite impressive. I am big guy and I didn't feel any flex at all in the frame. Should be a fast fun ride. I'll get loaded up on gears to try out.

I'll post pics as sort of an evolutionary tale as it progresses. I am still deciding on color choice at this point. Too many choices sometimes are a PITA!

Ok I am trying to get my order with Peter wrapped up. The things I that are not in flux are listed below (ie. definitely what I want).

*8spd Nexus Red Label
*Dual chain ring crank so that I will have hi/lo range but manually shift as Peter says no easy way fora derailleur up front Cheaper solution than Schlumpf too
*Upgraded 36 spoke CR-18 Sun rims
*SS spokes

Here is where I need input/advice

*Gearing. I was thinking a 53/39 front dual chainring and then either a 16 or 17 rear. Since 5th gear is direct I was trying to get my road speed at about 16-17 mph at about 80-90rpm cadence as I am normally carrying something when I am touring so I don't gear for ultimate speed just comfortable.
*Color I am torn here. Stock black which is powdercoated and looks sort of menacingly cool or go with a Xootr Silver frame. OR... custom paint with Imron for an extra $90 but then what color? I like the subdued don't steal me look of the black but if I am doing something custom then maybe go a little wilder...mind says black...heart says the sky is the limit!
*What tires? I want reflective sidewalls for when I ride in Europe. I want something fast yet will stand up to an urban environment AND maybe see a dirt trail from time to time. So I can't go too narrow or they will knife in but that will only comprise about 3-5% of my riding so I don't want to give up to much efficiency for the rare occurence. I thought about the Schwalbe Marathon Slick and the Primo Comet Kevlars as possible choices. I have a set of Tioga Comp Pools that are fast but no reflective stripe.
*Tube. Any ideas? Not to heavy but decent puncture resistance.
*Brakes. I was thinking of Deore LX but maybe it is worth going with the XTR? I want excellent brakes but I am not on an unlimited budget.
*Chain. Is it worth going with a hollow pin chain or a stainless? What is the cost for this approximately?
*Dynamo. Torn between Lightspin bottle but ultra-efficient or going with something like a Nexus as a SON is out of my price range at the moment. Lightspin could be fitted later but I'd prefer a mounting bracket now.

Since the seatpost is the same as a Dahon, I can use one of my Thudbusters or use a carbon fiber seat post I have as well.

All thoughts and opions are welcome. Prompt ones are better as I want to get this baby finalized and ordered ASAP. :D

Thanks!

I really dig Stainless Chains, in winter there is lots of splash and salt (on the icy road) here and it really helps to keep it from rusting/limit maintenance. I'd say they often cost 2 to 4 times that of a normal chain. So maybe about $ 20 to $ 50. Maybe Check MTBreview.com

I like that gearing, not sure I get the manual shifting of the chainrings.....what do you use to move the chain? While underway? Shift glove?



Yikes! Who would have known colour was a biggee for you... I like the Mango of the SpeedPro....awesome colour... that said, anything properly powder-coated will be more durable than a 'paint job' using even Imron.. Mine is in Silver. The silver has a lot of sparkle/flake and is quite glossy. In the right sunlight, I'd swear there is a hint of lavendar....it's a nice color, I don't know if all the production frames are powder-coated or not, but mine hasn't shown any chipped areas yet (can't say that about my Mango job).... If I didn't go with Silver, I would have gone with Black...



I've been happy with the stock brakes.... they work great!....if they didn't haul it down fast enough, you could always play with pads.






I'm running a Pantour front hub and it makes a world of difference with high pressure tires. If you run a hub dynamo, you obviously loose the Pantour option.....wait, what am I saying, a little more dough and you could just build a spare front wheel..





Wowee, so many colours, so little time....haha

Bruce

Ok, here is what I've ordered.
*8spd Nexus Red Label
*Dual chain ring crank so that I will have hi/lo range but manually shift as Peter says no easy way fora derailleur up front Cheaper solution than Schlumpf too
*Upgraded 36 spoke CR-18 Sun rims
*SS spokes
*Brakes XTR
*Color black unless I like the new green in powdercoating Peter is trying out. Tough to say what the final color is so I am holding off. I love the Mango of my SpeedPro but powdercoating is MUCH more durable than paint.
*Dual chainring 53/39 front and 16 rear with a chain tensioner. The plan is to manually change the front chain ring when needed but obviously not while riding. I am looking at more of a hi/lo setup that I can stop and move it over. Primarily this will be for when I am climbing some pretty steep hills while loaded. I will just pinch the chain with my gloves and move it over as needed. Basically just in case the stock gearing doesn't really suit me.
*I'll be going with the Lightspin and find a place to mount it as time requires. I can run dual headlights with it with no issues or easily remove it when not needed. I'll probably mount it up front on the fork but I haven't decided yet.
*I am going with the Schwalbe Marathon Racers which will have the reflective stripes I need.

Future plans include a Rohloff if I see the need for it and get over the thought that someone will want my bike more than I do.

Bruce- I like the Pantour (with an upgraded elastomer) as it does take the edge off of hits on my SpeedPro. I may have another wheel laced up to go with the Thudbuster I'll use from my Dahon.

Now I am just counting down the days until it arrives. I am not patient when waiting for a new toy.

Wavshrdr, how long is it going to take 'em to build your bike?

He said I might have it by the end of the month. Peter is pretty busy right now but if I get it by the end of the month it would be awesome. Each day waiting will be torture for me right now.

Follow-up to my previous post:


...turns out that the headset *wasn't* too loose. I'd been taught to check the headset by holding onto the front brake and pushing forward and back, and any jiggling while doing that meant the headset needed to be tightened. But if I tighten down to the point that my Xootr doesn't jiggle, then it rides like the headset's too tight.

So it would seem that it was adjusted perfectly, and I'm just not as good a bike mechanic as I'd like to be. :/

I'm really impressed with how solid the bike feels when I ride it, especially considering how heavy a load I am. It really doesn't seem like a smaller bike at all, though I do think I might get a longer stem for more reach. I don't notice it much when I'm riding, but when I dismount for stops, I keep hitting my big ass on the front of the saddle.

Other than that, I'm really liking the bike, and even saw another Swift rider in SOMA the other day, though this guy wasn't riding the Xootr model. So there's apparently more than just James and me riding Swifts in San Francisco.

Yeah, I've noticed that with the headset on my Swift as well. If you tighten-up the headset to the point of ansolute zero-play, the steering feels tight. If you back-off just a bit from the point of zero-play, then you're good. I'm thinking it's an after-efffect of a low-quality headset (compared to the Ultegra sets spec'ed on the custom Peter-bilt machines).

After 728 miles on my Swift, the rear hub is showing excessive play (probably needs to be re-packed and adjusted), and the freehub is sticking (doesn't freewheel as smoothly, causing an occasional "chainsuck" in the smaller cogs). Looks like it's due for some maintenance.

Edit: After little thought, I've decided it well-worth the conversion to single-speed. When I've worn-out the current drivetrain, I'm going to inquire with Peter on getting a ss/fixie rear wheel. ;)

Good news: I received my Swift from Peter on Monday.

Bad news: It is still in its sealed box because I cannot trust myself to bust it out until finals are over (in two more days). It taunts me!

Cosmodc- Congrats! I am still anxiously awaiting mine. I go down to the local Xootr store just to keep in touch with my Swift's relatives. :)

I can't wait for mine to show up. Today we got about 5" of snow and maybe not too much fun to ride but I'd find a way. Post pics when you finally unbox it. What specs did you go with?

Thanks! I counted down the days until I received mine- it took about a little over a month. I hear business has been pretty good for Peter these days.. I wonder why? ;)

Given my riding needs I decided to go low-key on the specs. I ordered a Nexus 8spd internal hub, Sun CR-18 rims, Apex fenders and a rack.

I'll definitely post a collage when I've got it unpacked.

No problem...glad I could help.

'Looks like the Swift community is growing. Excellent. :)

Oooh, the Apex fenders...not so good, from my personal experience (mud-soaked shoes and grime-splattered Timbuktu bag :( ). I recently ditched the Apex fenders and bought the Freddy Fenders from Planet Bike. I'm pleased to report that they work WAY better. I was able to blast through some standing water at 20mph and emerge completely dry. ;) My only regret is that I hadn't gone with the Planet Bike fenders from the start, for as luck would have it, I had to ride in the rain with the Apex fenders for a whole week while waiting for the Planet Bike ones to arrive. Not pleasant at all.

Anyway, just some advice for any Swift owners out there contemplating a fender purchase.

Peter told me this too, however I have since found this page with a picture of a Swift with a triple on the front! I have been meaning to email and ask Peter about it; Hmm I should do it now while I remember! I'll let you know what the answer is...

Magnus

That appears to be one of the steel-frame Swifts, and I suspect the seat-tube is differently sized on the aluminum ones - perhaps not a standard size?

That makes a lot of sense, unless I'm imagining things the steel frame does actually look thinner.. (I haven't heard back from Peter yet)

It's probably a steel frame Swift. And $345? If I knew about Swifts 5 years ago, I'd have bought one then! Did you catch the bit about it being a mistake to sell the Swift?

Which version of the Freddy Fenders did you go with; the 20" recumbent ones? I am looking to order so I can fit them as soon as my swift arrives. If I can fit a front derailleur like shown on Guy's website it would an idea scenario for me and I'd consider going with a triple. :D

Speaking of add-ons in general, what are people doing for water bottle cages on their Swifts? I vaguely recall seeing one post in this thread where someone had attached to the steering tube, but I'm hesitant to go that route since it seems like it would affect steering (though maybe the mass being so close to the center axis of rotation, it wouldn't be so bad?).

Yesterday I had a free moment on my lunch hour, so stopped by the nearby bikeshop and found the Minoura pieces I'd been considering on the internet: SBH-80 and SBH-300. Both mount on the rails under the saddle (most under-saddle mounts use the seat post, which gets in the way of folding, I'm thinking). I decided on the SBH-80 for now; I don't tend to do any *really* long rides without a backpack for spare water, and the SBH-300 looks like only shorter water bottles would fit without jabbing me in the rear. Since the SBH-80 seems to mount parallel to the seat post, I think it'll work nicely, though I'm a *little* concerned it'll prevent me from pushing the seatpost all the way in. The SBH-300 doesn't appear to have that problem at all.

Minoura has a good selection of fascinating accessories for mounting hardware onto bikes with limited mounting space, or lacking braze-ons. I haven't yet figured out how to turn on English text for the site, unfortunately, but I think the images tell the story well enough.

Yes...the 20" recumbent ones. The rear fender fits perfectly. The front needs to have 1" trimmed from the stainless steel stays (I used a dremmel with a cutting wheel, but you could also use a hacksaw).
http://www.xootr.com/xootr/swift/fenders.shtml