mark03

Thanks jur, that's great news indeed, because I am just about ready to start building my own aluminum-framed Swift. Wouldn't want to think the frame had "issues"... although I suppose this means I am unlikely to get the bike as light as yours

kraftwerk 

Jur,
After distilling much of the information available on the "folding bike forums" over the years I always wondered how it was a Ti-Frame was NOT commercially available as a folding bike. I am curious about your project and where ever you have one built, it will be pricey. I would imagine it could get cheaper to have 5 or 10 built since there are questions of frame jig-set up and bulk-pricing, though I would be a bit skeptical about a Chinese-made quality Ti frame. It would be hard to do 'quality control' from overseas and determine the exact type of titanium tubing which would be used, welds etc. Also as much as I like the Swift design: I would also consider a "Folding Twenty" style ti-frame, preferable made in the USA. ( BTW: The guy slamming Bike Friday's should take a step back and look at who is actually building the brand of frame he has chosen to ride: What is their wage and how good is the quality of frame built by under paid/ under duress worker? Will they replace his frame when it breaks? )
Anyway, it looks like the project/subject you have raised might be a mute point since the good people at Swift stand by their product. I encourage you to weigh your old frame and compare it to the new one. I would love to know the weight difference of the new Swift and the old Swift. I think you will be surprised.

Thanks Jur!]
Always appreciate your information and experience on this forum.

jur

There are a few Ti commercial folders out there, eg the Hasa F1 is available here for $3.8k. It has some good looking steering part implementations.

The place I contacted is titanproducts.com. Sight only. I have bought a Ti Brompton seatpost from them before.

Good call on comparing the old and new frame weight. I expect very little difference, Al is so light, perhaps a few 100g.

mconlonx

Well... Jur is going to find out all about this, going through the warranty process with Swift in order to hopefully get a replacement frame of questionable quality built by under paid / under durress workers.

kraftwerk 

Jur,

Let us know if you go ahead with the ti-Swift I might be interested.

fietsbob

google of " titanproducts.com" . does not come up Titanium, referring to the metal..

but a Titan company with products


got the actual Link a non rusting seat post for the Brommy interests Me..



aluminum over a Carbon fiber tube epoxy bonded , is also an interesting Option

if it accepts 14 st in the saddle..

jur

Their aliexpress store is

aliexpress.com/store/705853

The Brompton post is
aliexpress.com/store/product/Titanium-Seat-Post-31-8mm-540mm-with-Measurement-Mark/705853_600072660.html

I am very satisfied with mine.

dynaryder

How long did it take for your post to come in? I've been tossing around the idea of getting one of the Ti ones off eBay,but these are much cheaper.

jur

My mistake, it is titanproduct.com without the s.

jur

It took about 10 days. They seem to have some sort of escrow service in place, aliexpress, because from the moment it was delivered, they started to ask me to confirm the delivery, so that titanproduct.com could be paid.

fietsbob

Too bad its a zero set back head, the pentaclip off the back, and the saddle shoved back work .

no setback wont..

guess I can pester them about a 22.2 top aluminum post, telescope - sleeve arrangement..

jur

I think they will be back at work this Monday, they had their new year break. I hope to hear from Anita Zhang on Monday.

jur

They have some other seatpost arrangements as well, they seem willing to make custom ones. 10 moq, so perhaps we could get a group buy off the ground because I also am interested in more setback. I just took some pics of mine to show the maximum setback with a Brooks, wait a moment for me to get the pics up.

jastle

@jur - did you make the clamp on this seatpost? A neat idea -- with the bits well visible. Is it holding the saddle well? No rotation? (re: first photo, half circle clamp)

jur

That's a standard current saddle clamp design. I haven't had it move. There is room for improvement on that design - the hole through the post for the rod holding the bolts should be as close to parallel as possible to the seat rails.

The company still has not gotten back to me regarding the frame quote. Not sure if they are back from New Year or not.

jur

I received the replacement frame in the mail yesterday. Now to find some time to move all the parts over.

The new frame is 2.6kg, just the 2 main parts. More than I thought. I will measure the old frame once I have stripped it.

jur

I have got the new Swift all built up and weighed the old frame. Came to a total of 2.0kg, so there is 0.6kg difference between the two. More than I thought. My scales are not that accurate though, it goes in 0.2kg increments.

jur

Back to the titanium Swift:

I got a quote from the company to produce a Swift frame in titanium, to US$1200. A matching fork in titanium would be $200. Postage is on top of that.

It seems an acceptable amount to me. I do not have permission from Peter Reich to go beyond one frame, so if there are any takers to investigate a group buy, I will go through Peter to see how we will work this out. I am not interested in making any money out of this, I have a good job, so cost price only. Any profits from a group buy would go to Peter.

mconlonx

What kind of timeframe? All paid up front? I am 95% sure I will have to pass on this opportunity, but still 5% curious...

jur

At this stage timeframe is undetermined; the next stage, should I go ahead, is for them to produce drawings based on my sketches, and after approval of those drawings, for them to manufacture. I imagine it might take a month or two, if they are not terribly busy. About payment, when I bought a Brompton seatpost from them, it went through escrow - I received the post, OK'ed it, and then they got the money from the holder. So I guess that means upfront, yes, but only once the manufacture is completed, so again after a month or two from now.

mconlonx

What kind of brakes? And are you still going with an extended tt?

jur

I only need road brakes with 451 wheels, so I wasn't considering V-brakes but I suppose that can be added. Or perhaps disc?

I added 25mm to the top tube.

degrelle

I'm going to see Peter Reich in a couple of weeks, so I will mention the Titanium frame idea to him. I might be interested too if it makes sense ...

kraftwerk 

Jur, That actually sounds like a pretty good deal. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

jur

He is fully up to speed with the idea already. I have discussed it with him and obtained permission. His interest was also peaked by the amount I was quoted.