Light fast minivelo?.. Thinking Tyrell
 

So currently I have a Dahon Mu LT 11 which is great... When it doesn't need maintenance. At the moment I cant figure out how to stop the stupid thing from making loud snapping sounds in quick succession. I have put grease all over the main folding hinge, all over the handle stem fold (took that totally apart), cant find a solution. So I am looking at a non folding minivelo and pillaging the Dahon for parts (where are fairly top of the line).

My first criteria is weight (want the whole bike under 7KG), second is looks.

Is there anything better than a Tyrell CSI? There are the titanium Tyrells but they are heavier from what I can work out and I suspect the carbon on the CSI would give a better ride. I like Moultons but they seem quite heavy, same for the Kimoris (and both I suspect far more fragile).

Anything else to consider? I actually didn't like Tyrells at fist, thought they looked weird but after I keep seeing them around they have grown on me.

For less money and a lot lighter frame; a Java Freccia 451 might be something to consider with its full carbon frame. Outside of a closed track I wouldn't want to ride either since skinny small tires are dangerous on bad roads. The Freccia's vbrakes can fit some fatter rubber.

This fellow has one at 6.7kg and does some good comparisons. Hands On Bike: Search results for freccia It could be lighter since Sram Red 10 is lighter and cheaper than DuraAce 11.

I wish the big bike companies pursued minivelos. They could make one in the 4kg range easy since some expensive 700c bikes come under 5kg now.

A thread posted on a Titanium version of a Swift , was up not that long ago.. custom ..

I have looked at the java in the past. It's interesting but want to wait for frames like that to be made by more reputable names. I can live with a part of my frame being alloy for now. Plus that java only comes in ugly.

I went to look at tyrells yesterday and put a deposit down. But even now I am not fully happy with it, just can't find better. For a start would it be so hard for tyrell to sell a white frame? It's either black, aqua or ugly. The aqua is the best for me but then I am informed that the aqua colored frame doesn't support di2 for some reason while all the other colours do. How colour effects equipment support I don't know...

And wheels, want black 451 wheels that aren't 600kg or a million dollars? Good luck. The amateur standards of the bike industry always annoy when whenever I step back into this world.

And let's not even mention bike manufacturer websites, tyrells standing the tall amoung them as being broken to the point of uselessness.

Have you considered a Cannondale Hooligan?

Hooligan 1 Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes, eBikes - Cannondale Bicycles

Snapping sounds? That doesn't sound safe. If it is more of a creak, GCN has some videos on finding the source of bicycle creaks.


I once had a creaking frame hinge. After greasing it a bit and then tightening it, the creak went away.

Yeah I don't mind those, but for me they are too heavy and I like the idea of the shock absorber effect of the carbon front and rear on the Tyrell.

I'll be adding carbon tri spoke rims, should look great together.

Yeah makes it feel unsafe. But I think machanicaly it's fine, I have inspected every inch of it plus it feels solid, not slop anywhere.

The problem with stopping the sound is that I don't have anything left to tighten or grease. Maybe I need to use a different grease or maybe something needs to be loosened... God knows, new bike solves the issue lol.

I hear ya.

Consider contacting ThorUSA if you are in North America and see if he has any ideas on a fix. Who knows, perhaps there could be a warranty still on the bike or frame.

Feaking front quick release came loose... This was the cause of the craking that has been driving me nuts the past 6 months and drove me to look into non folding bikes more. I pulled the bike apart so many times, greasing the crap out of the hinge, building and rebuilding and rebuilding the headset.... Just a QR..

The bike has carbon forks, the QR was giving them side to side flex which somehow sent sound though the frame. After tightening the QR its much better. Not 100% but not so annoying now.