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-   -   Titanium Swift frame, anyone interested? (https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/930714-titanium-swift-frame-anyone-interested.html)

jur 06-28-14 09:35 PM


Originally Posted by maunakea (Post 16890443)
jur, sign me up for the next batch of Ti Swifts. Alfine 11 IGH with mechanical disc brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes have more stopping power and about 1000x more maintenance problems.
In addition to the longer maintube, did you opt for the 12" handlepost?

Ah, I thought I saw a post from you about this but couldn't find it again.

For this bike which is aimed at replacing my Swift, I had an integrated stem plus riser made:


http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...psav0gceic.jpg

I also asked for a bullhorn:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps4vgi9pl3.jpg

That will be used with shims.

smallwheeler 06-28-14 11:47 PM

current envy level - 9.6/10

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...pswna0bdgq.jpg

fietsbob 06-29-14 12:34 PM


I will have to assess the ride quality, and based on that, might start a second version.
I already have some ideas for improvement. Disc brake mounts might be one of them, so wheel size is an easy choice.

In addition to brake reach.. Id suggest S bending the chainstay tubes for more tire clearance

for say a a 406 big apple Type tire clearance ..5~6cm

though then there starts to be big chain ring tooth clearances to be pressed into the outside of that DS tube.

jur 07-01-14 05:22 AM


Originally Posted by fietsbob (Post 16892544)
In addition to brake reach.. Id suggest S bending the chainstay tubes for more tire clearance

for say a a 406 big apple Type tire clearance ..5~6cm

though then there starts to be big chain ring tooth clearances to be pressed into the outside of that DS tube.

Snake stays are one of the enhancements in mind. In fact I tried to change the stays after building started but they were to far advanced to do it.

itsmoot 07-02-14 12:53 PM

Been away for awhile and just now saw this thread. Man oh man is that frame beautiful. Great job there Jur.


Originally Posted by jur (Post 16897674)
Snake stays are one of the enhancements in mind. In fact I tried to change the stays after building started but they were to far advanced to do it.

I had a problem with my Xootr frame with the chain hitting the seatstay in lowest gear. Admittedly the setup it happens with has a wide q-factor, i.e. 135mm Deore hubs, front derailleur, bottom bracket with outboard bearings. So curved stays would be nice, as well as those extra cable guides for the front der.

I was thinking a bracket for a braze-on front der would be great, but then I thought about the folks running 60+tooth big rings....guess Xootr's clamp-on monstrosity is still neccessary for a front der setup. But wait, is that a boss for a cable pulley I see on the back of the seat tube? Does that mean theres a ti derailleur clamp in the works too?

jur 07-02-14 06:22 PM


Originally Posted by itsmoot (Post 16902236)
I was thinking a bracket for a braze-on front der would be great, but then I thought about the folks running 60+tooth big rings....guess Xootr's clamp-on monstrosity is still neccessary for a front der setup. But wait, is that a boss for a cable pulley I see on the back of the seat tube? Does that mean theres a ti derailleur clamp in the works too?

I was unwilling to commit to a front derailer braze-on because of the problems with huge chainrings, but also that the Xootr bracket is for a much wider seat tube so that wouldn't work either except shimming it - fugly.

So I thought that since the seat tube is a standard diameter at 34.9mm, standard clamps can be used. Still not nice though. My Moulton has a braze-on and I use that with a FD and 60T, plus a small spacer to get it set slightly backwards. So it works, hence a braze-on might be included next round. For now, I will hunt around for a suitable clamp bracket. There are some sleek carbon ones, but Ti would be much nicer. So far I am doing Ti everything. Almost.

[edit] Ah yes that is a pulley boss. So bottom pull can be done that way, plus there is an angled cable stop that might work for top-pull.

fietsbob 07-03-14 11:35 AM

Given the BB is in line with the seat tube the regular band on to Braze on FD bracket works fine, I'd expect ..

The bikes where the seat post passes behind the BB as the seat post is telescoped down ,
present different issues..

Then the FD has to be behind the seat tube , since the crank axis is behind the seat tube .

brackets are made to clamp on the tube , then..

LittlePixel 07-06-14 09:38 AM

Just seen this Jur - what amazing 'never need another bike again' project. [envy]

jur 07-06-14 05:42 PM


Originally Posted by LittlePixel (Post 16912592)
Just seen this Jur - what amazing 'never need another bike again' project. [envy]

Hey LP, I actually meant to tap your store of experience regarding slim mudguards. Its winter here, so mudguards are an essential item to avoid getting splattered. I want to make this Ti Swift my everyday bike, so for that, will need mudguards.

However, it deserves some slimline mudguards that hug the tyres.

Any advice?

LittlePixel 07-06-14 06:21 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Ok so I made some slim mudguards for my Mercton last summer; Recipe went something like this:

1) Buy some black PVC pipe - mine was about 2mm thick and maybe 2" round - sink tubing basically.
2) Cut it to a length that will fit diagonally into a domestic oven, and then in half along the length so you have two trough-like mudguard blanks
3) Heat up the oven to something low. I can't remember the temp but it was definitely lower than combustable temperature - something like UK gas mark 2 I think.
4) Put one of the blanks in. I put it on something flat and metallic so it didn't start to fall through the bars
5) When it seemed fully pliable (mine basically went flat and then started to curl up after maybe 10 mins) I pulled it out with some pretty sturdy gardening gloves and stretched it over a de-biked wheel with it's tyre fully inflated. My tyre was slick, but if it's grippy you might want to cover it with foil or something before using it as a forming jig.
6) Smooth the floppy bendy hot plastic over the tyre and keep it stretched with one glove at either end
7) Hold it in place until it's cooled. This is boring and easy to half-as$ but it will go out of shape if you give up too early. 10 mins should be fine - put on some music first ;)
8) You now have your first mudguard blank. Mine was way too snug at the sides, so I put painters tape on it then put both it and the wheel in a truing device. Using a pen it was easy to rotate the wheel, find the centre, and then mark a good place on both sides to trim the guard to the required width, which I then did away from the truing device with a Dremel / Superfine glass paper.
9) Fit to your bike with hardware stolen from other mudguards, or if you're a particular glutton for punishment, with parts you designed in Sketchup and got 3d printed.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=391649

LittlePixel 07-06-14 06:28 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Oh and PS - my new ride-to-work-along-the-canal-or-chuck-it-on-the-train bike - bargain echobay TSR27.
In battleship grey.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=391650

BruceMetras 07-06-14 06:44 PM


Originally Posted by LittlePixel (Post 16913866)
Ok so I made some slim mudguards for my Mercton last summer; Recipe went something like this:



http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=391649

LittlePixel!!! you absolutely win!!! and really nice Moulton beater bike you have there for the canal paths!

jur 07-07-14 01:10 AM


Originally Posted by LittlePixel (Post 16913866)
Ok so I made some slim mudguards for my Mercton last summer; Recipe went something like this:

1) Buy some black PVC pipe - mine was about 2mm thick and maybe 2" round - sink tubing basically.
2) Cut it to a length that will fit diagonally into a domestic oven, and then in half along the length so you have two trough-like mudguard blanks
3) Heat up the oven to something low. I can't remember the temp but it was definitely lower than combustable temperature - something like UK gas mark 2 I think.
4) Put one of the blanks in. I put it on something flat and metallic so it didn't start to fall through the bars
5) When it seemed fully pliable (mine basically went flat and then started to curl up after maybe 10 mins) I pulled it out with some pretty sturdy gardening gloves and stretched it over a de-biked wheel with it's tyre fully inflated. My tyre was slick, but if it's grippy you might want to cover it with foil or something before using it as a forming jig.
6) Smooth the floppy bendy hot plastic over the tyre and keep it stretched with one glove at either end
7) Hold it in place until it's cooled. This is boring and easy to half-as$ but it will go out of shape if you give up too early. 10 mins should be fine - put on some music first ;)
8) You now have your first mudguard blank. Mine was way too snug at the sides, so I put painters tape on it then put both it and the wheel in a truing device. Using a pen it was easy to rotate the wheel, find the centre, and then mark a good place on both sides to trim the guard to the required width, which I then did away from the truing device with a Dremel / Superfine glass paper.
9) Fit to your bike with hardware stolen from other mudguards, or if you're a particular glutton for punishment, with parts you designed in Sketchup and got 3d printed.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=391649

Wow, with one post you shot back to number one on the list! Thanks a mill! I have been pondering PVC tubing but not fleshed out any details. Now I won't have to - handed to me on a plate in bite-sized pieces. :thumb:

dezzie 07-07-14 06:20 AM

sorry to go off topic but littlepixel this is for you - I have been looking at your link for Raleigh twentys etc, I work in Newcastle upon tyne for a charity that recycle bikes, recyke-y-bike.org and we send bikes to Africa from public donations, we fix them up and send them over but also we sell decent bikes to the public and we get many old bikes in, currently we have a few twentys, stowaways and a nice dawes kingpin in there, most of them shoved in the piles with the rest but lots of nice examples that need tlc to get them back to great condition, currently there an afterthought but I love the 20 inch wheel bikes in general so feel that someone into these types of bikes should know whats there if I get the chance tomorrow I will get some pics as I volunteer there one day a week to do rebuilds and scrapping.

LittlePixel 07-07-14 06:35 PM

@dezzie - sounds interesting- they're selling for quite a lot again (mainly to shoreditch media types) down here in london - maybe they need a quick fix up and a train to Kings Cross via ebay?

I can't warrant one for myself I'm afraid - I have two already and a third frame awaiting its fate already in the tiny shed of doom
@jur - glad I could help. My 9 point version didn't quite include the one or two failures as I figured out the process but pipe is super cheap and I bet you'll get there. If you have lots of 406 tyres about it might be good to use a bigger one as a former than the one you want to use as you'll get more usable clearance without having to tension it to be a bit bigger using the stays.
@BruceMetras - You're too kind. I just couldn't spring for Moulton guards in case they didn't work so I basically had to go bespoke. I should probably go into business since Brompton refuse to do anything other than their wide silver ones which just don't look modern or sporty. (a definite mark down if you're a city boy who's just sprung for a Ti raw lacquer S model.

kraftwerk 07-08-14 11:13 AM


Originally Posted by bikemig (Post 16877557)
I've been fence sitting on whether to buy a bike friday new world tourist for some time. Reading this post helped convince me that this would be a good company to buy a bike from.

Yeah, I wonder what kind of folder Thasiet ended up buying? His reasons for NOT buying a bikefriday are a bit absurd. If you don't support buying American what are the options really, something built by someone overseas who can't afford to even own a bike?

Now: back on topic.

kraftwerk 07-08-14 11:16 AM


Originally Posted by jur (Post 16877451)

Jur,
That thing is gorgeous ! Thanks for having the vision and where-with-all to have that made. Maybe we need a Folding Twenty version next?

jur 07-22-14 08:09 AM

Right. I got the Ti Swift in my grubby hands.

Some quick mass measurements,
Rear triangle: 0.9kg
Main frame: 1.0kg
That makes it a tad lighter than the early aluminium frame, and about 0.7kg lighter than the current aluminium frame. That is with the over-designed main frame. I am impressed.

jastle 07-24-14 08:30 AM

Any comments on how circular head tube is, BB easy to thread (not distorted), otherwise frame alignment? Seems like might have been a little different for them to get this on a normal jig that they'd have used for such given its sizing.

What fork are you planning to use with this? Trusting the one off fab for the frame is one thing, the fork is a little different.

Nice work.


Originally Posted by jur (Post 16962780)
Right. I got the Ti Swift in my grubby hands.

Some quick mass measurements,
Rear triangle: 0.9kg
Main frame: 1.0kg
That makes it a tad lighter than the early aluminium frame, and about 0.7kg lighter than the current aluminium frame. That is with the over-designed main frame. I am impressed.


jur 07-24-14 01:59 PM


Originally Posted by jastle (Post 16969670)
Any comments on how circular head tube is, BB easy to thread (not distorted), otherwise frame alignment? Seems like might have been a little different for them to get this on a normal jig that they'd have used for such given its sizing.

What fork are you planning to use with this? Trusting the one off fab for the frame is one thing, the fork is a little different.

Nice work.

Headset went in without a hitch, as did the bottom bracket. I designed the frame around one of their standard forks, only 12mm shorter than the stock Xootr fork.

Frame alignment, well I am working on that.

Pics soon. Wheels aren't here yet. Neither are brakes and cables.

tds101 07-24-14 09:15 PM

Oh man,... I can't wait to see your pics! :thumb:

jur 07-24-14 11:56 PM

1 Attachment(s)
My new walking frame.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=395246

tds101 07-25-14 06:37 AM

Heh,...

kevinjg 08-01-14 01:20 AM

I feel like I am being toyed with...more please, and thank you!

idc 08-01-14 01:18 PM


Originally Posted by jur (Post 16972354)

Love it.


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