Peter just delivered my new Swift, and while I could use your suggestions on tweaks, overall I'm pretty amazed; all the good things said about the Swift hold, as well as a few others. I had initially wanted the powder coated black frame, but they weren’t in stock, so I instead got the silver aluminum, which looks really good. I’ll post pictures when I get a chance, but it’s probably nothing you haven’t seen before. And I think the fold, while big, is perfect for my purposes.

My bike differs from a stock bike in that it includes:
• Big apple tires
• Shimano red label hub
• Plastic mud guards
• Bar ends

The hub is wonderful. It’s smooth and quiet. Additionally, as a New York rider I really appreciate being able to shift while not moving. I highly recommend the hub!

I’m not so sure however, about the Big Apples. They are plush, but for my riding style probably not enough to warrant the extra weight. I ride like I’m on thin tires—I use ramps and avoid potholes— so while I’m not using the tires to their fullest, I still carry their extra weight. I think I might switch to Marathon slicks. Does anybody have thoughts?

The fit is currently too small for me—I’m almost 6’1 and I have a long torso, so with the standard stem I feel like I’m steering from my hips. I ordered a 130mm, 40 degree stem from Nashbar, which I hope will make the fit better.

Do you think there’s any value or possibility to putting in longer cranks? I ask because I’m not getting the pedal power that I do from my road bike.

I dread the prospect of locking it up, but ultimately there are places, like the gym, where I just won’t be able to bring the Swift inside with me. As such, I’m looking to either follow the Sheldon Brown methodology: put a locking skewer on the front wheel and lock the tire with a mini U lock or use a full-sized U lock through the frame and rear wheel. I’ll then either take the seat post with me or lock it with a cable.


Overall, I’m ecstatic, because the fundamentals of this bike are so good. I would love your opinions on swapping out the tires, cranks, and stem.