First Official Folding Bike Thread!! :) Name Your Bike!

[jonathankrall]

Here's a pic of my Dahon Speed P8. I've put nearly 400 miles on it in 4 months
and bought it so I could easily take it places with me (I have a suitcase for it)
and do light touring. It's been modified a bit, with an adjustable stem, bar ends,
QR rack, pedals. After I took this pic, I got a new seat and a better pump.

I also use it for riding around whenever I'm in the mood for gears (my other
bikes are singlespeeds). If I get further into touring, I'll probably get a
Bike Friday New World Tourist or Pocket Llama. The short distance between
the BB and the rear hub (15 inches) is a limitation; otherwise it's a nice ride.



More pics at: https://biengroup.net:8100/jonathan/york_2004.html

[eff-J]

After I took this pic, I got a new seat and a better pump.

Hey, another Dahon Forumite! We're taking this place over.

I think you had mentioned that you're now mounting a Topeak Road Morph on top of the main tube, using the mount that came with it. I just got a Morph today from Bike Parts USA and was wondering if that worked out okay for you? I kind of like the idea of mounting the pump using the braze-ons, instead of just strapping it on, maybe using something like this, but who knows...

[Simple Simon]

Strida - asleep in its favourite place, on the train

(Also got a Brompton L3 - lovely bike, and a bit faster; but not to carry ! - where Strida wins out -you never carry it !)

[johngaz]

Here's a picture of my new Dahon Speed TR. I keep it in the back of my car and get plenty of opportunities for short rides. I am looking forward to getting a suitcase so I can easily bring it on my frequent business trips.

[cheg]

Looking good. I like the "aero" front wheel.
What kind of bottom bracket did you use?
What kind of fork is that? What kind and length steerer tube does it have?

[jonathankrall]

Hey, another Dahon Forumite! We're taking this place over.

I think you had mentioned that you're now mounting a Topeak Road Morph on top of the main tube, using the mount that came with it. I just got a Morph today from Bike Parts USA and was wondering if that worked out okay for you? I kind of like the idea of mounting the pump using the braze-ons, instead of just strapping it on, maybe using something like this, but who knows...

Your link points to the mount for the Performance Hurricane ATB pump (which is what's on my bike in
the pic I posted above, BTW). It won't work for the Topeak Road Morph cuz the Morph is thinner.
The road morph on top of the main tube has worked out just fine so far - it's solid on there. I've
only ridden 48 miles since attaching it to my ride, but I've used it already (I had a tube with a slow
leak). Great pump.

[james Haury]

So where have you all been ?Dahonites, I'm on the first page.

[patzza]

I just got a Dahon Speed8. I was thinking of getting the Bike Friday Llama but the price was out of my league. So far, I've put about 100 miles on the dahon and it runs great.

[Burnarda88]

Being new here, I'll list my present "fleet" of folders. I order of acquistion:

1972 Rog Pony (S/A 3 spd, Made in Slovania, I've owned it for 20 years)
197? Supercycle (Made in Poland... say no more)
197? Norco (deceased, as in stolen, Made in Italy)
1969 Raleigh Twenty (my daily driver)
1972 Raleigh Twenty (complete with picnic basket)
1972 Raleigh Twenty (about 100 original miles)
1974 Supercycle Twenty (built by Raleigh for Canadian Tire)
1977 Bridgestone Picnica (a mystery bike... even Sheldon Brown hasn't seen one like it)
1974 Auto-Mini (S/A 3 spd, made in Austria)
1967 Raleigh RSW (ok, technically not a folder but a close relative)

All are 100% original. After all, who would ever need more than 3 gears or brakes that "stop" rather than "slow down". I'll send pictures if anyone is interested as I'm too busy polishing my bikes to develope a web page.

If anyone has any insight into that Picnica, please shout.

[LittlePixel]

Looking good. I like the "aero" front wheel.
What kind of bottom bracket did you use?
What kind of fork is that? What kind and length steerer tube does it have?

I'm liking the aero front wheel too - though the Schwalbe tyre isn't fitting it so well....

Ideally (i.e. aesthetically) I'd like the mag wheel at the back but I seriously doubt I'd be able to fit a SRAM 7 hub inside it without serious lathe work ...

Maybe I can make it into a fixie and switch it with the geared wheel every so often...

The fork is a un-branded cheapie off ebay. I think it is off a kid's MTB; It cost not a lot (about £15 ($25?) and still needs fitting to the ritchie headset; the steerer is about 12" I think though about 2 inches will need to be removed by the lovely people at TwoWheelsGood

The bottom bracket iis a Shimano UN-72; I had a real job getting the black alloy collars off. They were glued on with this white gunk and after many attempts to get it off with vices and rubber mallets (advice from the man Sheldon himself), I ended up having to intricately hacksaw one of the rings off without damaging the cartridge. Thankfully it worked and no damage was caused.

Getting the Raleigh cranks off was another story - eventually I had to concede defeat and got my local bike shop to perform angle-grinding surgery on the crank arms and cotterpins and got them to do the Phil Wood Ring/Shimano conversion while it was in the workshop. It runs "buttery smooth" now with it's Shimano Tiagra 35/42 (I think) chainset.... I got a double ring so I can maybe get it going as a 14 speed sometime in the future....?!?!?!

So to finish the project I need to make some adjustments to the original rack if I'm to be able to use my Karrimor Panniers, plus I'm waiting on a delivery from the US of a Kalloy Quill Stem - like yours I think (only anodised black) - and the Sram hub - then all I need is to do is spread the seat stays enough for the hub (eek!), get the fit the headset/forks fitted properly, get the hub built into my black alloy rim (I went for the drum brake so I won't have to rely on the awful stock rear brakes) then cable her up and she's off - maybe before Christmas. Or at least that's the plan.
Next year I plan to start saving for a Rohloff hub

[LittlePixel]

Being new here, I'll list my present "fleet" of folders

That is an amazing fleet!
Any chance of posting any pictures - I'd love to see them all or at least some of the rare and exotic sounding ones..

[cheg]

>>I'm liking the aero front wheel too - though the Schwalbe tyre isn't fitting it so well....

Try a MAXXIS Hookworm. They are great, though odd looking with a skinny back tire. What the heck, it's going to be odd looking regardless of the tires.

>>Ideally (i.e. aesthetically) I'd like the mag wheel at the back but I seriously doubt I'd be able to fit a >>SRAM 7 hub inside it without serious lathe work ...

Does HED make 20" disk wheels? :-]

>>Maybe I can make it into a fixie and switch it with the geared wheel every so often...
It has the drops for it. Note that if you use a wheel with a QR in thhe rear you will probably ahve to use spacers of some kind because the plate dropouts are so thin that the QR won't clamp otherwise.

>>The fork is a un-branded cheapie off ebay. I think it is off a kid's MTB; It cost not a lot (about £15
>>($25?) and still needs fitting to the ritchie headset; the steerer is about 12" I think though about 2
>>inches will need to be removed by the lovely people at
>>TwoWheelsGood

Don't cut it until you determine how high the bars are going to be. You can always use spacers. You don't have to thread the steerer if it's that long, you could go with a threadless headset.

>>The bottom bracket iis a Shimano UN-72; I had a real job getting the black alloy collars off. They
>>were glued on with this white gunk and after many attempts to get it off with vices and rubber
>>mallets (advice from the man Sheldon himself), I ended up having to intricately hacksaw one of the
>>rings off without damaging the cartridge. Thankfully it worked and no damage was caused.

>>Getting the Raleigh cranks off was another story - eventually I had to concede defeat and got my
>>local bike shop to perform angle-grinding surgery on the crank arms and cotterpins and got them to
>>do the Phil Wood Ring/Shimano conversion while it was in the workshop. It runs "buttery smooth" now
>>with it's Shimano Tiagra 35/42 (I think) chainset.... I got a double ring so I can maybe get it going as
>>a 14 speed sometime in the future....?!?!?!


I didn't have that problem because the guy I bought mine from destroyed Raleigh the cranks by driving the cotters out with a tapered drift pin.

I have thought about using a double in the front but I cannot figure out how to route and secure a cable the frame to operate it. Any ideas on that?


>>So to finish the project I need to make some adjustments to the original rack if I'm to be able to use
>> my Karrimor Panniers, plus I'm waiting on a delivery from the US of a Kalloy Quill Stem - like yours I
>>think (only anodised black) - and the Sram hub - then all I need is to do is spread the seat stays
>>enough for the hub (eek!), get the fit the headset/forks fitted properly, get the hub built into my black
>>alloy rim (I went for the drum brake so I won't have to rely on the awful stock rear brakes) then cable
>>her up and she's off - maybe before Christmas. Or at least that's the plan.
>>Next year I plan to start saving for a Rohloff hub[/QUOTE]

Kalloy makes an adjustable threadless stem too.

Nothing wrong with a drum brake, but I think the stock rear brake is OK, and it has enough adjustment to work with both 406 and 451 wheels. You don't get much out of the rear brake anyway.

When you get this going, send us more pictures.

[LittlePixel]

Try a MAXXIS Hookworm. They are great, though odd looking with a skinny back tire. What the heck, it's going to be odd looking regardless of the tires.

Maybe. I think until i'm happy with everything I'll run it on two of the same rims for stability; the one on the back is a diamondback economy alloy rim and I have a second one on order.

Does HED make 20" disk wheels? :-]

Now that would be a wheel!
What are the wheels on the Dahon Continental? They look pretty light and cool

Don't cut it until you determine how high the bars are going to be. You can always use spacers. You don't have to thread the steerer if it's that long, you could go with a threadless headset.

The steerer is already threaded so I'm having to go for a threaded headset and quill stem - which actually arrived yesterday.

I have thought about using a double in the front but I cannot figure out how to route and secure a cable the frame to operate it. Any ideas on that?

You have a front deraileur as a chain guide though don't you? I've not looked into it properly but I'm sure there must be a way. There are lots of self adhesive/cable tie based cable routers that might be of help in getting the cable to it... If I do it I'll need a chain tensioner myself.

Nothing wrong with a drum brake, but I think the stock rear brake is OK, and it has enough adjustment to work with both 406 and 451 wheels.

True. I like the clean look of the stays with no clutter though...

When you get this going, send us more pictures.

Will do for sure!

[Simon_Clark]

A 'folding' bike?!

My god! That's great!
I've never heard of those. They look great! So convinient!
When you fold them up can you carry them beside you, like a suitcase or the like?

I'm going to keep on the lookout. I want one of those so bad!!!!

Ut-oh.
I hope they have some form of a catch to stop it folding away whilst you're riding!?
That would be terrible lol
Imagine the carnage and the pain O.o

Simon

[brakemeister]

Hi
I got actually three

1 ThorUSA 26 folder
1 Dahon Picollo
1 Dahon Speed 8

( sold my Dahon Jetstream p 8 a month ago, gonna get a new one when available in spring )

Brakemeister

[james Haury]

Si por suppuesto! Bicicletas falda eres muy Bueno.

[bil4sail]

I just got a Dahon Speed8. I was thinking of getting the Bike Friday Llama but the price was out of my league. So far, I've put about 100 miles on the dahon and it runs great.

I just orderd a Dahon Speed 8. Where did you get your handle bar ends? Did you cut the handlebar grips to get the bar ends on?

[spirope]

How is the ride on that? Does it have solid rather than inflatable tires? I was thinking of ordering one, but my experience on small-wheeled scooters made me think the ride would be very harsh.

[patzza]

I just orderd a Dahon Speed 8. Where did you get your handle bar ends? Did you cut the handlebar grips to get the bar ends on?

I got the bar ends (profile design) from a LBS. The LBS installed it for me. They cut the outer diameter part of the grips and slid the brake levers in a little with the grips to make room for the bar ends.

[Anthony King]

Here's a pic of my Dahon Matrix. It is my commuter bike/primary mode of transportation. I live in the Dallas area, which is praticularly brutal for bicycle commuters, but I've made it easier by moving within a couple of blocks of the train station. I use a Burley Nomad trailer for gorocery shopping or any other time I need extra cargo space.

[Burnarda88]

Some of my vintage folder fleet:
77 Bridgestone Picnica (Japan) (HELP! Anyone seen one like this?)
72 Raleigh Twenty (England)
72 Rog Pony (Slovania)
7? Universal (Poland)
74 Auto-Mini (Austria)

[CanadianCycle]

hello i have recently picked up a 1973-74 Norse auto-mini. the bike is about 80% orignal. wanting to restore but would like more info. if any one has any it would be great

[roasteroo]

Here is a pic of my old Dahon. I dont know the model name, !6'' wheels, 3 speed AW hub(85-7). Chang star brakes. Side pull front, center pull rear. What appear to be HON, cotterless craks, fenders frt and rear. Rear is broken at the moment. Has the Dahon California logos on the rear fender and the hadle bar. Is that the model name? Looks like it had an optional rack but wasnt fitted due to the paint still in the holes for the mount. Original color was red, now faded to this cool orange. Serial number looks like it was scratched out by hand. I put some new cables and tires on it. Rides like a dream. Has some rust but doesnt affect the performance of the bike. I would like to upgrade the front wheel first to an lighter, less rusty one. It is amazing what some people throw out.

[eff-J]

Serial number looks like it was scratched out by hand.

...

It is amazing what some people throw out.

"Honest, officer, I just found it sitting by the side of the road. No, I don't know why the serial number is scratched out. What's that? Come down to the station? No really, I'm telling you... I found it! Someone must've just thro... Hey, what's with the cuffs?"

[roasteroo]

Pretty funny, what i ment was when they put it on at the factory, it was hand applied.