My Dahon Obi Wan build
 

The frame is old (year 2014), but everything else is new.
I didn't realize that the front fork is steel until I finished the build. Considering a new carbon fork.

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If something wrong with loading pictures, please find the links:

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I edited the links. Perhaps you can copy and manually open them. Sorry for inconvenience.

Links not working.

You should be able to load pics with your tenure here.

Tell use what model Dahon, please, and what mods.

If you replace the fork, hopefully it has similar geometry in trail and rake, and is internally threaded for the headset preload bolt on the folding handlepost base. Note: Not all Dahon forks have the same length steer tube, older is longer, so since I was using an older steel handlepost, I needed to retain the older fork, when I replaced the frame with a newer one when the old frame cracked.

Mine is circa 2004 Speed and I've modded it for 2X crank and front derailleur, mid-cage (GS) rear derailleur, front and rear racks able to hold full-size panniers, aero handlebars, and an improvised Deltech cable.

Bro, GTA is one of the actual forum experts with several excellent, custom builds under his belt, even more than I. I'm certain he knows all that, and much more. And please, don't tell him about Deltech.

The problem with the links is likely due to the fact he is inside the great Firewall of China, and we are the barbarians outside of it.

Sounds like something to look forward to seeing, thanks.

Hmm, I wonder if it's not just links, but they are prevented from uploading any images, anywhere?

I tried pasting the first image URL into the image upload and it worked. Neat bike!

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...aba06aad6b.jpg

That's a nice-looking fork. My first Dahon (Helios XL) had a steel fork which was lithe and graceful in appearance. My second Dahon (Mu XL) had an alloy fork which was much beefier and clunky-looking, with a stiffer ride.

Hi Ron, thanks for remembering me.
It is strange that I used to be able to upload attachments but now it doesn't work.
I will try some other way then.

Recently I have more new road bikes rather than folding bikes. However, road bikes are somehow boring, frame, wheelset, groupset, that's all.
Folding bikes are way more interesting.

Cheers,

Agreed. Steel forks are comfortable. But replacing a steel fork with a carbon one could reduce the weight by 500g. That's a huge temptation.

Hi, thanks for your advices. Glad to know you are make a lot of modifications to you bike. It must be fun.

I waited much too long to do the modifications, had a front derailleur adapter for I think 5 years, and had to walk up the steepest hills with only 52 x 11-30. Finally, the frame cracked at the seat tube, so while I was changing the frame, that was a good time for doing the 2X crank swap. What a difference(!), especially with a 50/34 crank instead of 52/42. (I could not fit a 3X crank, seat tube + adapter is too wide.) With racks and panniers, it's incredibly versatile as my townie, and perhaps tour bike in the future. I don't ride my large-wheel bikes any more, I only have space in my rented room for one bike, so the 406 folder is it. Not sporty like yours, but good utility:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...34dd006c88.jpg


That's a very efficient frame on your bike, I had only seen that style on Dahon's 16" wheel bikes. It looks great. The whole bike, good mods! Also, VERY well composed pictures, and excellent location.

A friend of mine has a DAHON JetstreamEX fitted with SRAM DD3 rear hub, 10s cassette plus double crank, so he has 60 speeds. He is so smart that he can manage gear shifting well. I would need a computer to know which gear I should shift to! :P

I could see the value of that setup. Most of the time, running in middle range, so direct drive on the rear hub, more efficient and less wear. With the fat seat tubes on these Dahons, it's difficult to do a 3X crank, so when needed for heavy loads or steep hills, they have the low range reduction. The small wheels limit top gear, so when needed for a fast downhill, they have the high range overdrive. I can definitely see the appeal for full range of gearing.

I used to have a similar setup -- SRAM Dual Drive 3 with a 10-speed 11-36T cogset with a single chainring -- but it was simply too much gearing, 19-120 gear-inches or something crazy like that. I got rid of it because it was plainly excess gearing at the expense of weight and complexity. Your friend is even worse with a double crank and FD. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. There's a lot of aspirational, Walter-Mitty-esque gearing going around.

Btw, the Sram DD3 hub has a torque limit. You can't run a big cog and too small a chainring with it without busting it.

For me, I agree, I don't need a racer-high. Some folks do. What's more useless is just slicing the ratios into ever smaller steps.

DD3 torque limit: Now you got me curious. I can't find exact value online, just says avoid small chainrings. I wonder if applies to everything, or is more critical in low range, middle range (direct drive, so I think it's a dog-clutch that bypasses the gears), or high range? Digging deeper, AI references the torque limit for the cassette lockring, not a value for the hub. Just curiosity. The value is probably based on large wheels, so 20" wheels, providing the same ground thrust at lower hub torque, might be fine.

If I need a lower-low that a cassette won't solve, I've seen folks on here doing over 20T jump on 2X chainrings (since I can't fit a 3X on mine), between that and a bigger cassette, that would get me there, and kept simple.

For folks chasing speed, a 20" wheel is simply inapt. So is a heavy-ish IGH.

No, the max torque limit of the SDD3 was listed as a ratio. I've now forgotten what it was but I was right on the edge with 47T chainring and 36T max cog. It's moot now because the SDD3 is discontinued.

You can get 19-88 gear-inches with a 1x, 47T x 11-50T setup. What else, real-world, do you need? Why you and others seek the heavier, more complex and more expensive alternatives is a real head-scratcher. KISS.

If I make another 406 folder to have lower gearing from OEM like my 2X, I'd probably go 1X; It's hard to find that older style FD adapter, newer ones are more fragile, needing to grind the FD inboard cage to clear, MS FD having ridiculously stiff spring (Shimano won't fit adapter, more robust linkage interferes), etc, going 1X will be simpler.

Now with a 349 Brompton or the plethora of clones, I might need an IGH to get the high I need, and 400% gear range (same range as you noted, that's very close to what I run right now). With a 10T high cog and good sized chainring, I think possible, but a really big 1X cassette, doubtful, at least on standard 'Brom tires. The big fat tires you run on 349 and 305, perhaps yeah. I don't expect to build up a clone, I only think I would buy one if I visited Asia and bought one to credit card tour and bring back home. I'm retired so not a commuter, I just don't need a "frequent folder" here. Occasional folder, yes. On Amtrak, invaluable. Never tried yet, but I think I can bring my bifold on the light rail here without folding (a pain with panniers, which I need for shopping), but I haven't had need yet to ride the light rail yet, though it's expanding. Someday perhaps. Right now I need the exercise.

My bifold is still quite the conversation piece, even in a big bike town like Seattle. I'll see some Bromptons, one early BF All-Packa, but most folks have an electric or rent them. Only when riding the bike routes in late afternoon commuting hours, do I see folks on serious manual bikes, durable setups, all 700c but good gearing, rack, waterproof pannier, fenders, etc, UTILITY. I really enjoy seeing those riders. But I have yet to meet one that knows of Bike Forums.

I'm very lucky, all that I need, food shopping, doctors and dentist, goodwill store, everything is within biking distance. My room is small but the location is good. I just wish there was an elevator.

The best places for you to go shopping are Bangkok and $ingapore. But they -- indeed most of the region -- are both hot and humid, and you've stated that you hate and can't stand humid heat. You will be miserable. Caveat emptor.

Warning heard. Yeah when I go looking for info on a bike not seen here, sellers in Singapore often show up. But I think I would not enjoy a visit there as (my perception is) it's so mega urban, and extremely high standard of living and costly on everything, so bike prices there may not be cheap, and equatorial climate in the extreme.

Thailand is more likely, Bankok and then venturing afield. Just recently I was reading about Vietnam and it said there were two distinctly different rainy seasons, whether north or south of a line between two cities in the south.

A friend of mine typically vacations a month in SEA in January/February, he's low paid but that is his main job benefit, the time off, and business takes him to the region for two weeks before, so airfare mostly covered; I don't know where he went this year, but he's invited me to come in the past, perhaps we can trip together in the future. He's not a biker, but credit card touring, we might be able to share time and places.

$ingapore is the safest, cleanest, best organized city in SEAsia, and virtually everyone speaks English. If you can't manage there, you'll struggle everywhere else.

Climate is not as extreme as you think, it can be pleasantly warm, not hot.

Singapore food courts are famous.

And there are lots of bicycle shops, more than in Bangkok. Many are run by Chinese and, if you negotiate, you can have good prices.

Its a big city but there are green area's too and some islands like Pulau Ubin near Changi airport. Besides the famous business district and well known luxury orchard Road, there are also districts with small houses.

And Malaysia is just over the border, the east cost close by is nice. Many people of Singapore go there for the week-end. If you go more up to the north of east coast, many places are famous for snorkeling and diving.

Anyone who says that SG is not hot has evidently not spent significant time there or is being deliberately deceitful. It's hot and humid year round, distinctly hotter than Bali, for example. I should know for I lived in SG once.

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This one is right up there with claiming that they've been to Myanmar twice, but being ignorant to the fact that it was possible to enter that country by land from a neighboring country.

I also worked in SG.

For me, 30-35 is not hot.

Almost 45 in Myanmar and 50 in south India, that's really hot!