smallwheeler

ox peco:

Ozonation

small wheeler... this is an awesome post! Where did you find all these bikes?

bjorke

..and Seven still makes their Ti mini too: https://www.sevencycles.com/bikes/mini/mini.php

bjorke

Bannard Sunny mini mixte custom build at "Minivelo & Folding Bike" shop in Bangkok....

smallwheeler

too many hours searching for the perfect bike..

smallwheeler

oh my goodness.. that's gorgeous!

smallwheeler

i didn't know about this: swift folder in full cromo!
https://hpm.catoregon.org/?page_id=214

thanks, fietsbob!

Lalato

LOVE!!!!!!!!! It's like someone reached into the dark recesses of my mind and built this just for me.

brakemeister

it is lovely .... I would love it with a flat bar ..maybe a little swungback ...

smallwheeler

kimori:

lucille

Absolutely stunning!

smallwheeler

panasonic rodeo:

darukhan

I love these customized Birdys...

BassNotBass

I really like those custom Birdy's and of course just about any Moulton gets my mouth watering. But the one bike that does it for me on all levels is:

BassNotBass

I really tried hard to refrain from saying anything about this "bike" but WTH? It looks like an example for design students of how NOT to design a product. It's chock full of fail... not a small package yet I can't imagine it even rides halfway decent. Even a Citizen Tokyo would be a better option... i.e. road-worthy and fairly compact when folded. Did someone buy a warehouse full of low budget toddler's bikes and decide to reassemble the bits and pieces to look like an inner-city multi-modal commuter? This offering's only redeeming qualities appear to be that:

1. the purchaser gets a lot of components and hardware to use in building their own bike (it's a parts kit with a frame like object to keep all of the parts together... you supply the frame). The steering mast alone looks like it's made up of an a-head steerer tube mated to an adjustable a-head stem to which is attached an old clamp style seat post with a bracket welded on the bottom so it can be bolted to the a-head stem and an old goose-neck style stem welded to the top for the handlebars to attach to.
2. the derailleur doubles as a (fragile) kickstand
3. if it gets a flat you can ride that huge chainring like a unicycle yet with the safety of fore/aft outriggers.

I would love to see a video of someone riding this thing.

**Update**
My wish came true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zsVWj8vbB0

Yep... pretty much what I expected. I think walking would be faster and more convenient.

smallwheeler

at first i thought you were criticizing the modifications to the bike, but then even after seeing a video of a stock version being ridden, you continued with the above quote. the bike is called "rodeo". the name and the frame geometry clearly indicate the design intention. it's a trick bike. nothing to do with faster or convenient or commuting. i'm surprised you didn't get that.

personally, i really enjoy seeing unusual modifications. from a design perspective, it's instructive to observe the ways in which end-users choose to extend the functionality of a given device through modification. as to why they do it- who knows? whimsical creativity? clearly, the person is having fun with it. whatever the reason, i enjoy seeing the efforts and often find them inspiring.

bicyclridr4life

I like them all ... folding and non-folding ...

smallwheeler

thinking of modifications, i was reminded of some bridgestone picnicas i've seen recently. the picnica was basically designed as a folding leisure or "mamachari" style bike. i remember the first time i tried one at a fleamarket in the east village i was surprised by how heavy and sluggish is was. but, i was also impressed by the quality of the construction. apparently, there were several different iterations: a standard chain-drive version; the famous belt-drive model; 14" wheels; 12 in wheels; and a "DX" model with a rear rack and side folding handlebar stem. plus, a couple of different frame geometries with different lugs. there is even a modern knock-off. here are a few mods i like- some simple and a couple extraordinary ones:



serious mod here with 18" wheels, a beauty:

browngw 

I had the good fortune last year to have some extra cash and an LBS that wanted to deal and I bought the "bike I like". The Giant Half Way with mono fork and stay.

seadragonpisces

For me its the Biomega bikes, specifically the Brooklyn, if someone could post a pic please that would be great.

I also had a Pacific Reach Scandium Edition bike, which I specced to the max and it was AMAZING. I miss it but spent too much and needed some money back :-).

noglider 

I want to collect all of these. Well, almost all of them.

BassNotBass

You're right, I didn't get that. A "trick" bike?... so the trick is tiller type steering? I've seen more inventive and "trick" worthy homemade freak bikes... and the Rodeo still looks like a half-baked amalgamation of spare parts.

"Hey what are we going to call this lump of coal?"
"How about 'Black Diamond'? Because that'll make it sound awesome!!"
IMHO names of products mean very little. What am I to expect from my KHS Mocha, from a Cannondale Hooligan, from a Surly Pugsley? They're usually just names to evoke an emotional response and have little to do with the actual functionality of the product. Here's another Rodeo... I should have known it's a trick car.


Well, I still don't get it but then there's a lot that I don't get like the 1970's Pet Rock craze, Snuggies and Kangoo Jumps.

smallwheeler

can't be sure, but i get the distinct impression you don't care for the panasonic rodeo.

true. but, there are many products that have been named with the intention of conveying something about that product's functionality. i was thinking specifically of some of panasonic's other folding bikes like, the Transit- a commuting bike, the Springbok- a fast and nimble folding road bike; and the Traincle - (clunky japenglish conjunction of train + bicycle) a multi-modal commute bike.

and yes, for a guy who's most recent bike purchase was a Bike Friday New World Tourist- a folding touring bike that fits in a suitcase for travel, i thought for sure you would "get it".

anyway, here's a biomega brooklyn:

smallwheeler

hehe.. you and me both!

BassNotBass

Damn... am I that transparent?


I'm very open to new concepts and odd designs that address form and function, something I felt the Rodeo was lacking in spades. Let's face it, just because something is "unique" doesn't mean it's a great idea. The concept of something like the Rodeo was probably envisioned before in a drunken stupor but was scrapped at the get go for good reason... until someone who acquired a warehouse full of crap parts decided to use Dr Seuss books as bicycle design reference material.

Maybe I viewed the Rodeo out of context. You posted pictures of some very tasty bikes... most of which were folding bikes that addressed a particular function in various forms. Then there was the Rodeo which was way out of place compared to the other bikes. It didn't help that the videos I was able to track down only showed very slow slalom runs, as if the only attribute worthy of note was to show that the Rodeo is at least somewhat rideable... woohoo! It wasn't shown doing a single thing that any other bike couldn't do better, except look super-dorky (a disparaging technical term). It honestly reminded me of this comical advert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reyt3uiQqI8