Hello everybody

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their input and advice in helping me buy my first folder

So I found a great deal on a used Birdy! Best as I can tell and based on what some of you have said, looks like it's a 90's model...maybe late 90's...not sure as I'm a total noob.

I know I need to buy a rear shock, or whatever silicon or rubber stopper goes inside the spring. It has a front one, but it does look worn so I figure I might as well replace both.

I definitely need help figuring out the proper folding technique. Or rather, I know and can fold it just fine, but the chain falls off every time I fold it so if I have to attach the chain every time, dirty my hands....i dont presume that this is how its supposed to be, so my best guess is that the rear derailleur is somehow "off"?

Lastly...since I'm a noob, how do I post pictures? I'd love to show you guys some pics!

Cheers!

Chain should not be dropping. Posting pics I believe requires them to be hosted off - site now. Use photobucket or some other free site and link the url by clicking the square yellow icon.
FYI there a lots of birdy parts available on eBay (they're big in singapore apparently). just make sure to get confirmation that the part is correct for your model before ordering.
Do post your pics - some of the birdy owners have seen in the low quality CL pic that the bike wasn't set up correctly. Bet it rides even better once they get you sorted out =).

Rear suspension rubbers are on Ebay. Come in different softness. Easy job to install.
Chain falling off.

Depends on if its a drailer version or internal hub gear. Drailer most likely.
.
1) Proper folding method put into lowest gear.
2) place drive side crank at 10 o clock.
3) fold rear end under bike.
4) fold front suspension, dont lift bike too high else chain might come off. Or do this stage first.
5)press front wheel into bolts that retain them inside front forks.
6) turn bars to turn front wheel into frame.
7) fold stem down.

Chain requires some tensioner device to stop it coming off. Either
1) chain catcher on rear mech adjusted to be one mm or so from chain in lowest gear. So it catchs soon as possible in folding action. Else fit a ccn bolt extending to replace the cage.
2) you need to run a long rear mech cage as anything else will not take up enough slack. Run the chain as short as you can. Ie no extra links.
3) else fit a Birdie chain tensioner that fits near the bottom bracket. Cost a lot of cash (£100 approximately), but worth it on a good birdie.
Then you can use a small cage mech and no chain catcher.

My chain catcher jammed into my rear cassette. Got bent,snaped the rear mech and broke the chain ring guard. I bought the tensioner now!

Not many realise this but its a fast fold. Almost as quick as a brompton. Its an underestimated aspect of the Birdie

Is that really the only way to post pics? I'd really rather not sign up for something just to post photos...I tried, but photobucket messed up and signed me up, but I couldn't upload...I dont know, it was confusing.

I really want to show the pic of the derailleur. I don't understand why my chain falls off every time I fold...

Photos need to be hosted offsite. Bike Forums can't store them. If you are using photobucket, click on IMG and paste it directly into your message. You can use other photo sites as well (google photos for example) but they need to hosted elsewhere.

It's a small hassle to get feedback on the derailleur and the backwards stem/bars setup.

ok, I think I got it...


https://s50.photobucket.com/user/xwave151/media/20170512_092248_zpswh7j92ag.jpg.html?filters[user]=146469233&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=8

Yay, you got it!!! OK, I am sure the Birdy owners will be responding tomorrow with all kinds of advice =).

Put the chain back on the large chainring and post another pic - I think that will help the other folks see what's going on. It's hard to tell with the chain off.

these are all the pics I have so far...let me know what you think

The spring on the back is an add-on, Birdies use a simple elastomer, which absorbs shock, and is less bouncy. Your chain tensioner is bent and deformed, it should be perfectly straight. When the bike is in the highest gear, the tensioner should be just above the chain. As you change to lower gears, it moves up, and farther from the chain. Your bike is also missing the retainer which prevents the chain from slipping off the front chain ring. A new rear tensioner costs about $10, as does a rear elastomer. High performance elastomers are about $40, a good shock a little or a lot more, depending on how many features you want. But overall the bike is good, though it won't ride as well as it could without the rear suspension sorted out.

Congratulations on your purchase. Looks an interesting bike but well used. I suspect you'll need to invest a bit more money into it before you get the bike at 100%. I would check the bike thoroughly over for all issues. Early versions appear to get stress cracks on many of the components and we are talking about a 20 year old approx aluminium frame here for a bike not known for its reliability or strength and you don't know its history. I'm confused by the design it looks like you would expect the chain to come off when folded unless your bike is missing components that would prevent that. I think considering it's condition I would pretty much rebuild it checking every component as I go and then arrive at a bike at the end I had good knowledge of. You may find the drive components are worn and need replacing especially the chain I suspect. You could just do the minimum and get riding but if you find that your not happy with it then more work will be necessary. What you can't see on an image is the tiny details of hinge play and other worn components. I remember buying a secondhand bike once which on first impressions rode well but then I took it on a ride only to discover at the farthest point away from home a bearing had broken in the front wheel hub and when I got it home the grease inside had pretty much emulsified over the years. I like peace of mind knowing everything has been checked.

I wonder with the suspension front and back if the bike is a good fit for Tannus tyres which are available in 18". Tannus are the solid tyres that never puncture but can give a very slightly harsher ride. Just wonder if its an ideal bike for using them. Not having to worry about punctures or taking tools to deal with them is a fantastic bonus if so.

Ok you need a striaght chain catcher. You can striaghten yours out but I would advise against it. £10 approximately if you can find one. I can sell you one if you want.
You have the right rear mech.
You really need a outter chain guard also. As chain will tend to come off that way.
I recomend the prolite combined chainring and guard. Its light weight and the chain cant bend either sections if it jamms between them which I have had happen a few time.
About £25 on ebay.
Hope you can get it running well.

Check their are retaining circlips on the stud bolts in the folding stem hinge.
If they are missing dont ride it.
You can get these sorted. But it would be dangerous to ride if either of the two are missing.

Oh no...thank you for the tip. What exactly are they? what am I looking for? I test rode it before I bought it and it felt fine and sturdy enough, but I'm not positive. Do you know where I can buy parts?

Doesn't sound like anything really expensive in terms of parts, under a hundred bucks probably so still a very good deal. Can you do your own maintenance and work, have some tools? That will make it less expensive and also help you know the bike better. Give the frame a good cleaning and that will let you check for any potential cracks.
The stem is reversed - I don't know if the original owner did that to reduce the reach but it is better to flip it 180 degrees and get a stem the right size if needed. If you look at any picture of any bike you will see how it should be fitted.

I am not a Birdy owner myself but wasn't a prerequisite of folding to shift to the lowest gear (biggest cog) before folding? Or was it the highest gear (smallest cog)?
Other than that, as has been mentioned: Early birdies have some weaknesses on the frame and stem. And this bike additionally looks like it was banged around quite a bit. The manufacturer has quite rigorous maintenance intervals (far more rigorous than any other manufacturer I know) for routinely swapping parts like the stem and the forks, even with the newest models of the birdy and probably for a reason. A breaking stem or fork could lead to a really bad crash. Therefor it is probably a good idea to prepare for some (unfortunately not cheap) investment in this baby, especially if you do not know the history of the bike.

Birdie parts are difficult to find at most dealers.
Plently of stuff on line
Tend to be pricey
I will update photo later of stem

On this subject I am after a new stem for an older birdie.
Websites say that the newer stem is for a later model bike only. Can't remember the date. 2006ish maybe.
Any reason for this?
Can I fit a newer type stem on a old silver birdie?

I had a look on Aliexpress out of curiosity. Not a huge amount there but what was there was quite interesting with a nice looking birdy clone frame. Obviously some parts for the birdy are universal but this is the result for cycle parts search with birdy included

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale...e=1&CatId=1222

Circlip photos.
Hard to explain.
On the photo of your bike there is a stud bolt where the stem hinge is. This looks slightly loose. It should move a little.
But if the bolt can be pulled out with your finger nails then its not safe.
There should be a retaining circlip on the other side of the stub open end that I have tried to show in the photos.
If you look upwards from the bottom of the secound photo it is the thin dark piece of metal just before the chrome sections in the middle. You can see it better on the fist photo.
If the circlips are in place then great.
But please check this before riding.
If it feels secure it probably is.
If the studs are working loose outwards you are missing the circlips

One more hint.
If their is a bit of play in the stem dont just tighten the bolt up on the otherside from the hinge to try and get rid of it.
You will simply trash the threads.
Its a tad more complicated than it appears. You need to loosen a couple of grub screws first other wise it doesnt do anything then tighten. That bolt up and retighten the grb screws. Its in the manual which is downloadable.

Circlip pic. There should be a groove on the pin for the circlip. You need to find the correct clip for the diameter pin. This should be not too difficult. Wait till you get to the bottom bracket part.

Thanks for looking out Here's a few pictures of the stem as well as the switched handle bars. I believe it has the circlips...? It does feel pretty sturdy.

Where have you found parts online? I have not been having any luck thus far, and the few sites I've come across that people have recommended don't even exist anymore.