Received Folding Stem from BF today for wife's Pocket Crusoe.

It comes with 5 pages of instructions - with color pictures - and the install took about 30 minutes, as they say it will. That included a number of small adjustment needed after installation to get the folded handle bars parallel to the frame.

Had to do one clean-up chore first, that likely should have been done by Kalloy, who makes the folding portion of the stem. When I opened and folded the stem before installation, I found lots of metal shavings inside the unit (see pic). Looked like after the "key hole slot" was cut into the top of the black portion of the stem riser, no one used an air hose to clean-up the mess. It was easy to do, but meant hooking-up my small compressor.

I should note that the delivered product appears a bit different than the one on the BF website. It is basically a three-piece unit - Collar, folding section and vertically adjustable
portion (silver with a silver seat tube collar). That last section (the two silver parts) does not appear to be a part of product as shown in the online pictures and video. I'm guessing that was a pre-production model.

Once installed and tightened, it's a very solid component, and my wife said it might even feel more secure (stiff) than her bike was before. It adds a little extra weight, but I don't think it's very much. I didn't weigh the old and new parts.

Right now we have it folding to the right side with the wheel staying in the riding position. Later we may experiment with a set-up where the handle bars fold to the right, but with the front wheel turned around 180 degrees for a more compact fold.

Only other point, I think it needs to be greased in several places, especially the latch. The instructions did not speak to this issue.

I have, by the way, already forwarded my feedback to BF.

Bike Friday Foldi.jpgBike Friday Foldi.jpgBike Friday Foldi.jpgBike Friday Foldi.jpgBike Friday Foldi.jpg