Anyone ever try a Flying Pigeon?

[Jaytron]

I love how this is still a thread.

[jdgesus]

[illdthedj]

it baffles me that this guy has such passion for these double top tube framed bikes that he would want to take such an obviously horrible quality bike and basically throw money at polishing a turd thats still barely safe to ride, YET NOT have enough passion for them to just save up money and wait around for a quality, vintage double top tube bike.

[Kol.klink]

I bought Kool Stop Salmon pads for my vintage Raleigh, so that's not an issue, and blogs seem to show plenty shiny examples so maybe the one you saw was an exception....but those people are likely to want one for its own sake and are willing to make it work, so I appreciate your other comments.

I think the second Flying Pigeon project would still look good if you took off that SS/FG wheelset and replaced it with the original Westwood rims and some cream colored Kendas with the stock, original style old school block tread, but that would mean finding a 40h C/B hub online or trying to make the rod brakes work with a different bar and stem. The original bar is too close but not so close that you can sit completely upright
.

That's because the rim brakes on your vintage Raleigh are quality, the pad holders on the flying pigeon seem like they're made out of tin-plate sheet steel, I think the rim difference plays a factor in this too, as the flying pigeon rims rust very quickly, and rust doesn't offer up a lot of friction.

[pockyzftw]

Why don't you just buy the stupid bike since your obviously more educated on the pigeon and ignorant from what everyone is saying.
Buy it and prove us wrong.
And i'm pretty sure your gonna reply with a snarky comment, but don't like it?

[Santaria]

I cannot believe you all didn't hear. The OP is actually not a dude at all. And she got very mad at our making fun of this amazingly spectacular piece of machinery.

Here was her reaction, hence the lack of a reply of late:

[JesusBananas]

I wish they were softer.... too crunchy.

Do you eat it right when it comes out of the warmer? It only gets a lot crunchier when it gets cool.

I cannot believe you all didn't hear. The OP is actually not a dude at all. And she got very mad at our making fun of this amazingly spectacular piece of machinery.

Here was her reaction, hence the lack of a reply of late:

[Kol.klink]

I think it would be a cool bike to ride while visiting china(when in rome) but I hear Serious Chinese cyclists wouldn't be caught dead on one of these, as their associated with the whole "great leap forward/cultural revolution" era, (now veiwed as a backward, impoverished era that they are all keen to move beyond)

[Scrodzilla]

Why don't you just buy the stupid bike since your obviously more educated on the pigeon and ignorant from what everyone is saying.
Buy it and prove us wrong.
And i'm pretty sure your gonna reply with a snarky comment, but don't like it?

Don't worry, he'll delete his snarky comment two minutes after posting it.

[garage sale GT]

That's because the rim brakes on your vintage Raleigh are quality, the pad holders on the flying pigeon seem like they're made out of tin-plate sheet steel, I think the rim difference plays a factor in this too, as the flying pigeon rims rust very quickly, and rust doesn't offer up a lot of friction.

Raleigh brakes are made of plated sheet steel.

[garage sale GT]

Why don't you just buy the stupid bike since your obviously more educated on the pigeon and ignorant from what everyone is saying.
Buy it and prove us wrong.
And i'm pretty sure your gonna reply with a snarky comment, but don't like it?

I think the thread's become about how everybody has to share their guesswork and try to pawn it off as knowledge, with one or two exceptions.

Plus, I did get some actual info for not having let it fall off the page on the first day.

[illdthedj]

i never said anything about the bike until i read over a dozen reviews telling me the bike was a piece of ****. i dont need actual experience if all i come across in research is nothing but negative first hand experience. if i ask a dozen owners of a bike what they think of it, and an overwhelming majority dislike it, then i think its pretty safe to say i dont need first hand accounts to tell me how bad it is.

it really does seem your wants are completely blinding you to the truth.
i think allot of people are getting on your case because your obsession with this bike is blinding you to reason.

what is your obsession with this bike anyway? did you spend time in China and ride them constantly or something? Or is it the double top tube thing. if its the later, there are many other options out there that are probably much more practical...

[Scrodzilla]

I think the thread's become about how everybody has to share their guesswork and try to pawn it off as knowledge

Including you.

[GMJ]

Double top-tube?

Trek Earl is what you're looking for.

[Mos6502]

I have not ridden a flying pigeon but I took a look at two of them at a local shop last year. Men's and women's frame.

After hearing all the "terrible" things about these bikes, I was expecting them to be terrible. But they weren't. The finish was good, the brazing was good, they looked all right, or at least better than a Wal-Mart bike anyway.

How they would hold up after a couple of years of use I have no idea, but they certainly don't look as bad as everyone says they do.

I think the cycling community is really given to pseudo elitism, so cool sounding opinions tend to get "telephoned" along by people who don't know any better, just because they're cool opinions to have. Most of the arguments against the flying pigeon are ridiculous, such as "it has rod brakes weh weh weh" or "the seat stays bolt on wehhhhhh" or even more hilarious "the wheels are made out of steel and chrome" - oh horror.

It's as if people do not grasp onto the concept that it is a rod brake roadster.

[gigantor]

[gigantor]

I have not ridden a flying pigeon but I took a look at two of them at a local shop last year. Men's and women's frame.

After hearing all the "terrible" things about these bikes, I was expecting them to be terrible. But they weren't. The finish was good, the brazing was good, they looked all right, or at least better than a Wal-Mart bike anyway.

How they would hold up after a couple of years of use I have no idea, but they certainly don't look as bad as everyone says they do.

I think the cycling community is really given to pseudo elitism, so cool sounding opinions tend to get "telephoned" along by people who don't know any better, just because they're cool opinions to have. Most of the arguments against the flying pigeon are ridiculous, such as "it has rod brakes weh weh weh" or "the seat stays bolt on wehhhhhh" or even more hilarious "the wheels are made out of steel and chrome" - oh horror.

It's as if people do not grasp onto the concept that it is a rod brake roadster.

It's a cheaply manufactured bike with old technology... get over it.

[garage sale GT]

i never said anything about the bike until i read over a dozen reviews telling me the bike was a piece of ****. i dont need actual experience if all i come across in research is nothing but negative first hand experience....

Please post some links. I would like to hear what they have to say.

what is your obsession with this bike anyway? did you spend time in China and ride them constantly or something? Or is it the double top tube thing. if its the later, there are many other options out there that are probably much more practical...

I think you're a bit quick to call me obsessed just because I started the process of discussing them and want to see it through. I did get some help from this thread.

The ones they're selling now don't have a double top tube. I like them because they are rod brake roadsters. I have a Raleigh but want something I can feel good about changing around a bit. I love how they look when they're stripped down a bit, but want to leave my Raleigh as-is.

[Mos6502]

It's a cheaply manufactured bike with old technology... get over it.

Same as most things.

[Scrodzilla]

Apparently the following quoted posts don't mean anything in garbage sale GT's fantasy world:

Having Ridden and worked on a few of these, i feel i am in an good position to speak of their utter craptitute, The quality on these things is shockingly bad, shocking. A Customer brought one in new in the box having just shipped it over from china everything was starting to rust right out of the box, they have the weight and ride of a frame made of lead pipe, The brakes are **** at high speed, brake pads wear quickly, especially in the wet, and good like finding new ones. it really is the build quality that seemed to let these things down. worse than bargain basement made in Cambodia warlmart bikes.

But hey if you want to be the first peasant on the block go ahead. retail is about 30$ in china so i can only imagine what they wholesale for@199 they're a total scam.

Edit: I think it may be possible that the us bound ones are higher quality than the Chinese Domestic market models I've seen i wouldn't bet two bills on it. Spending 200$ on a old Raleigh if you can find one would be a much better buy.

I've ridden this bike.

I travel a lot for work internationally, including the developing world. I've ridden this bike in Africa - in both Kenya and the DRC. Now, China sends some of its worst products to Africa (i.e., everything breaks all the time...you think it is bad in the US.) So, maybe it possible there are different versions and either you can get one of those or the ones available in Asia are better than what I rode. I think the ones in Kenya ran about $100 each, new.

Anyway, of the ones I've ridden, I would not get one of these bikes for use on American roads, side-by-side with cars. Maybe the ones I rode weren't optimally adjusted, but I found that they were simultaneously upright, but with awkward handlebars where I felt neither nimble nor stable. More than that, the rod linkages for the brakes were horrible - far worse than suicide levers. I'm guessing it also had steel rims but didn't really check close (maybe I'll take a real close look when I'm over again). The saddle wasn't too great either. The bike was incredibly heavy (50 lbs according to the site above), but, probably near indestructible with the heavy tubing and the two top tubes. Other upside is that in includes a rack, fenders, and a fairly comprehensive chainguard. Even so, if I wanted a similar or better riding bike, I'd pick up an old Sears Free Spirit at the local Salvation Army thrift store.

Now, I imagine it is possible to tweak fit a bit, perhaps adjust the rod-linkage brakes, replace the pads, wheels, and maybe end up with something safer. However, I wouldn't think of these bikes as an alternative to another bike, but as an alternative to walking that may be 1.5x to 2x faster.

I'd also consider any maintenance issues you might have. My guess is that they are far harder to service. For example, there may be a way, but I'm not sure how you'd adjust those brakes. I'll ask someone the next time I'm over there.

So, I would think owning one, here, would be more of a novelty than anything else. However, if this is what you want and want to ride it around and use it, it is a bike, then, that is good. Good luck.

[garage sale GT]

Apparently the following quoted posts don't mean anything in garbage sale GT's fantasy world:

Is it likely that rubber brake pads wear out MORE when they are wet? Have you tried rubber brake pads on a wet chrome steel rim? Is it so complicated to make rubber brake pads? Wouldn't you pretty much have to try in order to get them to wear out unreasonably fast?

[g0tr00t]

Apparently the following quoted posts don't mean anything in garbage sale GT's fantasy world:

Scrod, your missing the point though...its a great deal! After purchasing it, he can tweak a little by removing 1 top tube, replace the bars, fork, seat, wheels, brakes, racks,etc...everything involved to convert to a single speed and just a minor repaint with rustoleum. Then it'll be almost road ready...

[Mos6502]

The above reviews would be like somebody saying they tested a fixed gear bike and it was ****ty because you can't change gears or coast on it.

I don't think anybody goes and buys a 50lbs. rod brake roadster because they want a 20lbs. road bike.

Next we're going to hear complaints that a banana is not an orange.

[Scrodzilla]

A fixed gear bike isn't supposed to shift gears or coast. I guess if the Flying Pigeon is supposed to be ****ty, it sounds like it does it perfectly.

[Mos6502]

A fixed gear bike isn't supposed to shift gears or coast.

Glad you figured that out.