Ok guys,

So I built my Swift! I'm riding it for about 1 week.

Short version: I'm happy.

1- The fold
I thought the Swift didn't had a great fold. Now, I think quite the contrary! The point is that you can fold it several ways and that allows you to comply to a great number of situations...

If you just rotate the handlebars 90%, you can easily walk pushing the bike by the stem through the smallest corridors. And you can lean it against a wall, unfolded, greatly saving space and presenting a way neater format thanks to the handlebars being in line and facing the wall. People wont get caught in the handlebars walking close to the bike. In one of the places I work, I could put it in a place where a normal bike would have been annoying. But with the bars inline, the overall smaller length of the bike (actually, quite smaller than a full size bike even unfolded despite the long wheelbase) and the clean lines of the bicycles (having the bike look neat, clean and small helps a lot xD) allow me to leave it unfolded.

If length becomes an issue, well, you just slide the rear triangle. Then it is smaller! And if you want a small fold, you just pop off the stem and here you have a compact package.

While it is wide, it is tall, but flat. It is actually quite convenient! I tried transporting it in the underground and bus and the flat package allows you to lean it against the unused door/wall, or keep it by your side (it is the right height, you don't have to lean to keep an hand on it)... In these places, height doesn't matters much but the fact that it takes not much floor space is super nice , IMO, more adequate than the Dahon fold when the train gets crowded. But I don't take the bus, I only ride it Paris. I just wanted to see how it would perform.

I was very worried about the width of the folded package, having to store it on a balcony, and that was one of the main elements in my choice of a folder. As you can see in the above photos, it could hardly be better suited for such place! I can store it under the planter, where no-one would have walked anyway. I couldn't have hoped better. The non-folding pedals sticks out a bit, but not problematic (though, it is a bit small, so I'll replace it with a wider but detachable pedal).



The flat package is very easy to store in a lot of places. Putting the front wheel 90° makes it quite a bit shorter and perfect to be stored in a corner! On the other hand, you won't be able to hide it behind your desk. And it is not very convenient to carry, unlike a Brompton. Though, by holding it under your arm, your hand on the folded down seat tube, it is not that bad.

The folding process is neat and fast. Open the two quick releases (requires a bit of force I'll admit... but plenty doable, even several times a day), pull the seatpost, swing the rear triangle under (you don't need to lift any part, just push the bike toward the rear with your foot behind the wheel and voilà), pull down the seat tube and lock it: it won't move anymore. Pop off the stem, put it on the top tube (you just have to pay at least a little attention to how you lay the cables) and you're done. A few seconds, almost zero effort. Unfolding is also nice: pull the seatpost, the rear triangle will swing, push back the seatpost to correct height (I have a KCNC Folding Seatpost which helps being graded and the machined surface helps: once the right height it won't tend to fall, you just have to put it in line, and lock it. I think this seatpost really helps.). Put back the stem on the bike and lock it. Everything stayed adjusted. You are ready to ride in a few seconds, without having to reset every length and angle. And despite having to remove the handlebar/stem assembly, you bang your components a lot less than by folding the stem in the middle of the bike. The cables are not subject to half as much stress as they are on a Dahon, too.

IMO, the fold is brilliant: super fast, super simple, and fits a variety of places. It just won't be a good if you want to store it in a car or under your desk. If I were to travel with (I will, by bus or train, not plane though where it would not sound any easy) I'd just remove the front wheel and put the whole thing in a custom bag. It should go nicely in a bus's luggage compartment and wouldn't probably be any problematic on most trains either.

2- The ride

You probably have heard people telling how good their Swift rides. That it rides as well as a top tier full size bike. Well, to be honest, I'll have to... fully agree!

Many things I thought were related to small wheels just were not. This bike is not any squirelly, it is super stable, even at the lowest speeds! Having had a Dahon, then ridden a 26" for 2 month while I assembled the bike (and bought the parts...), I felt immediately at home, it absolutely felt like a full size bike. It is more stable than many 26". It might be behaving slightly differently than a typical 26", but that's more of a subtle feeling than a really different behavior, and that little difference is not any detrimental. If you never rode a 20", you might feel the difference a bit more, but I could barely feel it.

It doesn't have any hint of flex, no matter how hard you mash. It gives you very quick acceleration. Fun!

The very impressive thing is how good the road behavior of this bike is. The one thing I'd say about this bike's ride is: control. You always feel in control of the bike. Totally predictable, and reliable, on any surface, at any speed. It is quite hard to describe. If you ride slowly, the bike is not squirelly, you can easily control it. If you ride average speed on the road, it rides very confidently. If you ride fast going downhill, the bikes stays as reliable. It probably is helped by the lack of stem flex. If you tell the bike to ride straight, it will ride straight, no matter how slow or how fast. On cobblestones, the bike is going to shake your bones... But will stay in perfect control, and you will still feel confident and secure.

Is it fast? I got used to a sync between traffic lights riding public bikes. I needed 35 minutes to complete my ex-commute trip (crossing Paris, more or less). On the Dahon, at least 10-15 minutes more (yep, Montmartre: big uphill, big downhill...). On the swift, the better speed allowed me to pass all traffic lights like I was a car, not being regularly stopped, on a couple big axis. Result: completed in 22 minutes. Some more sweat of course (faster=more energy in), it is not magic. But now I know that if I want to do it fast, I can.

The bad: I don't enjoy coasting downhill as much as on the other bikes, the bike feeling so confident, I eat the hill really faster... These descents don't feel like big ones anymore. :'(

I need to talk about the "harshness" of the Swift. I think it is real. I ride 50mm Big Apples front and back, inflated to 4 bars (2-5 bars range). On cobblestones, it is going to seriously shake your bones, especially through the handlebars and feets. More than a bigger bike with Marathon or MTB tires, more than the Dahon. But it will stay in control. You don't fear cobblestones for the potential danger, but for the lack of comfort. At 2 bars the Big Apples are more cushy but drag too much and I was able to bottom them out on a small pothole. The wheel stayed true, cool!




3 - Equipment

The Swift I ride is... custom. Some parts were sold to me with the frame, I wouldn't have gone that overkill by myself. I have had it powdercoated as the original black paint was dented. I'd like to thank again Peter Reich for sending me a free replacement hinge bolt (original one was rusted and required a percussion wrench to extract) as well as a couple of brake bosses that were painted by the painting shop...

- Nuvinci N360 CVP IGH in a Sun CR18 rim, a front wheel borrowed from the bike I was riding when I was 10 (temporary), Big Apples 50-406.
- 54T Specialites TA Alize chainring, 170mm Ofmega road crankset, Xpédo XCF03 cnc pedals, and a Miche bottom bracket
- KCNC Lite Wing "Folding" seatpost, Italia Flite Gel Flow saddle.
- Shimano STX headset, On-one fleegle pro handlebars, Ergon GC-2 grips
- Avid SD7 with their Avid Speed Dial levers
- Soma Crane brass bell xD

Rather lovely, i'll admit. Way (!!!) more money spent than I wanted, too... The fleegle pro handlebars are 65cm which is too much, they also feel a bit too much curved, I'll have to find some 55cm and a bit flatter (but not all flat). The position I have on the swift doesn't allow me to make any real use of the GC-2 grips: the "bars extenders" don't end up vertical enough for them to be useful given the angle I put the grip, the Swift giving me a true "hybrid" riding position, less upright than other folders. Oh BTW, the ergonomics are excellent, and the cockpit is really wider. I truly appreciate!!! I don't feel cramped on my bike anymore. The elevated BB needs some getting used to, and the angles leading to a bit less upright call for more supple knees, but I got used to it quickly and find it quite efficient. The Avid SD7 brakes are excellent: they are very progressive, yet very powerful if you squeeze the levers.

It still needs a proper front wheel with a dynohub and lights. And it also still needs fenders (a bit tinkering will be needed, but that's not much) and racks...

About racks, I really feel the Swift lacks what is needed to easily mount them. I have not tried yet but am looking at how to do it and it already looks like a nightmare. Some people dit it, so it is possible, but it is not any easy. The Bike friday racks that would (by Peter Reich's advice) be the most easy to adapt cost a ridiculous price. I'll have to use some imagination, but I really think the bike is lacking in this department.

With Big Apples, there is not much room left. The rear stays are not very wide. The fenders will need some work. You must not pull the wheel fully in the horizontal dropouts with Big Apples, or they will rub against the frame. You can't pull too much either before you're out of the range of the brakes.

Speaking of brakes... Like any folder, there is at least some tension on the brake cables when removing/folding the stem etc. There is no problem with the rear v-brake, except it comes quite close to the shoes... But the front one lives a harder life. I really think disc brakes would be at an advantage on a folding bike and, on a tinkerer's bike like the Swift, I really regret there are no disc brake bosses.

Now the Nuvinci N360... Its adequation with the Swift is not stellar, thanks to its 49mm chainline and bigger sprockets (the ratio going down to 0,5). With the 17T rear sprocket and 54T frond chainring, I have a 30-107 gear inches gearing. A bit fast... I don't outspin the 107 in the city. The 30 might be a bit high for loaded touring. I have some spare cogs I bought... But I can't fit them or the chain would rub against the seatstay! So I'll need to go with a smaller chainring instead... It will also give more clearance. Too bad, that 54T Specialites TA chainring was so beautiful. Also, the crankset is a 2-speed one, but to respect a straight chainline, I can't use the inner ring... So I can't put a chainring guard. Very sad.

I sent an email to Peter Reich: if he ever makes a newer version of his frame, making wider rear and seat stays, disc brake bosses, and provision to more easily mount racks, his bike will climb one more level in excellence.

The Nuvinci N360 in itself is half a disapointment. The variation is continuous, yes. But it shifts badly under load. In fact, unless you force it, it will only shift on the lightest part of the stroke. You turn the shifter, it will change when the pressure is at its lowest, there is nothing special you have to do but wait for it to shift. It then is less continuous... And higher torque equals really bad shifting. Under no load at all, it shifts easily and is very precise, but in use, it gives more resolution than an 8-speed hub, yeah, but continuous... The Alfine will shift more easily under load.

The Nuvinci shifts very quickly, but I don't think it is quicker (it might be the contrary) than a Nexus 8. New. Used, I think the Nuvinci will age better. Old IGH tend to behave like old derailers, lagging and missing cogs... Something a Nuvinci just can't. Having only half the range when stopped is not a real problem, you don't need a full 360% when stopped to start again... The Nuvinci is very keen with your knees thanks to no slippage or missed gears. There is a bit of a "squishy" feeling, that replaces the light grinding one might feel on other transmission, on higher gearings - nothing problematic, it is just a very light and silent feeling, and it doesn't slips. It has some drag while coasting, but it's not really problematic. It is a clunker. The control attachment that goes on the hub is a small plastic planetary gear in itself that is very fragile - and if you tighten your hub's axle bolts too much, you will lock the control! The cable attachment is very well thought-out.

The sprocket attachment system is an excellent idea: you don't need any special tool to change it! No chainwhip, no cassette tool... But... It relies on a circlip and a washer to hold it flat, but there is no real pressure to have the cog flat. Result: it wiggles, it messes with the chainline... Not enough to derail it, enough to make a bad noise. I need a new washer that might be thicker and flatter but I'm not convinced. And resetting the hub is a bit special.

It is not a bad IGH, in fact it is quite good, but it also is very far from perfect. The mechanics seem very rugged, but the shifting is average. It needs some more work.

All in all, I am very happy with the Swift. It is not perfect but quite close and the most important is there. It might need a couple workarounds to make exactly what you want out of it, but you can do it. For sure, ride quality is more than stellar, the fold is very fast and imho very convenient. It is an excellent bike, not just an excellent folding bike. I don't regret the 1600$ already blown into it.

More photos here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjzc95i9