jackcoke

I am working in Japan for the next six months and once I got over here I discovered I made a big mistake not bringing my bike(Sampson Ti Z7 road bike). I went out this week and bought a Dahon Speed so I can bring it on trains and keep it in my hotel room. It's not my road bike but I'm sure I can get some good rides in and explore the country with it.

I'm 6'2", 175 lbs. The bike is a nice size for a folder but I would still like to add 2 or 3 inches to the reach. Anyone have any suggestions? The catalogue lists a Syntace VRO but their website dosn't list a distributor in Japan. I'll check the local bikeshops to see what they have but my only idea idea would be to go with a riser bar or just add some bar ends.

I'm not much of a mountain biker so maybe someone more familiar may have some ideas.

JC

juan162

jackcoke,

It sounds like the quick and easiest way is to add bar ends. If you're brave, you can always chop the top off of the stem and attach an ahead style stem,

juan162

maunakea

Stop. You need to consider how many modifications you are going to make to your Dahon. Dahon is one of the most proprietary folders on the market (from a parts interchangability standpoint). For instance, if you bought on '05 Speed P8, you got an SDG seat that bottoms out when you sit on it if you weigh more than 190 lbs. Don't like the stem.... ? Don't like the seat....? Dahon's pricing is very attractive, but it works best for riders who never modify the bike. I am also 6'2" and my Dahon is now my wife's bike. She is shorter, weighs, less, and is quite happy with the stock bike. So, before you start down the slippery slope of modifications... think about whether you have the right bike to start with.

AWOL

the syntace option is a good one. i did this on my jetstream with good results.

the syntace site has no jpn dealer but a google jpn search reveals some possible options. sorry i cant read japanese.

https://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=en...jp&btnG=Search

StartledPancake

Dont know if the Speed has the same bars as the Helios but I just rotated the bars forwards through 90 degrees, giving an extra inch or two in reach, since you probably have the same stem you can adjust that to give you back the height. If not bar ends are a very cheap alternative, since they cost about 10 euros you can always try them and bin them without wasting a lot of cash on a fancy new stem/bar combo.

The only problem I see with them is they will puch the grips in another few cm's on each side, making the steering even more nervous.

jackcoke

Attaching an ahead stem doesn't look that hard but it will affect the folding. I have seen people do it here with the cheap bars.

https://cycling.jpn.org/zizou/tips/ahead/ahead.html

Trocadile

I was also looking to add reach to my folder (a Downtube) and went the ahead stem route. It looks like you could saw off the clamp on the ProLite Revolve (that seems to be the stem on your bike) and attach the new stem to the top of the tube that's left. Issues if you decide to go that route:

1) It would affect folding somewhat and you would lose the quick release ability to rotate the bars. You would keep the XTwist technology that keeps the bars centered while you move the stem/handlebar unit up or down. I got a 90mm stem and I don't find it a major problem with folding (different bike of course).

2) Since you're losing a little height from sawing, you should consider if you need a more sharply angled stem to make up for it. Or you could get an adjustable model.

3) If you don't want to mangle your existing stem, you can get a piece of plain aluminum tubing to attach the stem to and stick it in the handlepost. This is what I did and it works well and looks fine. However, Dahon does have that proprietary XTwist technology and I'm not sure if that would clamp cleanly with a plain tube. At the very least you would no longer have the advantage of the bars staying centered when you telescope them.

4) You'd have to find something to cap the hole in the tube. I used a small rounded metal disc I had lying around and a rubber shim and it looks fine.

Overall, on my bike this was a very easy and effective modification and only cost about $17 for the stem and the tube. You just need a saw to cut your stem or the new tube and a file to smooth the edge.

brakemeister

Stop. You need to consider how many modifications you are going to make to your Dahon. Dahon is one of the most proprietary folders on the market (from a parts interchangability standpoint). For instance, if you bought on '05 Speed P8, you got an SDG seat that bottoms out when you sit on it if you weigh more than 190 lbs. Don't like the stem.... ? Don't like the seat....? Dahon's pricing is very attractive, but it works best for riders who never modify the bike. I am also 6'2" and my Dahon is now my wife's bike. She is shorter, weighs, less, and is quite happy with the stock bike. So, before you start down the slippery slope of modifications... think about whether you have the right bike to start with.

I tend to dissagree..... there are 5 different seatposts available

regular seatpost in black
regular seatpost in silver
Dahon suspension seatpost
SGG seatpost in black
extender seatpost in silver * the top is a 27.2 regular seatpost
thudbuster suspension seatpost

for the SDG seatpost there are a whole bunch of sdg seats available. from kevlar covered downhill specific to road race and a couple of cushy comfort seats... dahon has a racing seat and the velvet which is very cushy... ( if you push that baby down with 200 lbs your scales are off ..lol )

Stems.. besides being able to get different Dahon stems , one can add vro stems, go with different handlebars , use bar ends, cut an original dahon stem ( $15.00 worth of it ) and use any aheadset type stem with...

yes dahons have a few propierity items, but besides the fork which requires narrower hubs ( hubs are again available from different manufacturers... from regular hubs to suspension hubs ) there is really nothing which is not interchangeable.

about that sdg seatpost .. it does offer a greater range of adjustability besides lower weight.

To come back to the original thread :
1. add bar ends
2. add riser bar
3. add vro stem
4. cut off and add aheadset stem
5. get the hands on a dahon tt handlebar or drop bar by that matter, add shimano shifters and STI brakes ( with travel agents) ( this is a pretty hardcore conversion and not cheap )

most likely a seatpost with longer reach would do the trick as well. the extender seatpost will allow for a good one to 2 inches more height , which as long as the legs are long enough change the reach to the handlebar as well.

have fun customizing your dahon
thor

pharnabazos

I had the same irritation because I have long arms. So, I replace the stock bar with a Nasbar bullhorn and TT brakes, and pipe-clamped a DA barend shifter to it. I suppose there are easier ways to go about this, but I like the reach now.

By the way, it didn't affect folding. The Dahon stem accepted standard size handlebar, though the brake levers are only made for 22.2 mm. Also. I hacked 1.5 inches off the telescoping part of the stem to lower it.

jackcoke

I had thought about doing the same thing. I have an old bullhorn bar in my garage back home....too bad it's the other side of the Pacific. That would mean getting rid of the grip shifts also. I really liked that bullhorn bar on my mountain bike.

jackcoke

Does that quick release stem hold strong enough? I may just add a riser bar and tilt it forward. I was afraid the stem might not take the torgue well.

yangmusa

Awesome mod! Pretty please, could we see some more pictures?

./Magnus

brakemeister

https://www.thorusa.com/dahontuning.htm

I have used a drop bar for this conversion.... which means that the VRO stem has a 26mm dia. They are available in 25.4 as well and therefore will fit all MTB handlebars and a the new Dahon tt handlebar which is on the SpeedPro TT.

But most of the conversion is pretty universal ....

One important part is that if you use V brakes with non linear brake levers ( like bar end reversed or STI brake levers, you need to include the problem solvers, which convert the pull of the brakes. Otherwise the v brakes will not work ( actually they will work,, but you need like 40 % more force on the lever to pull them , which is not safe)

Thor

pharnabazos

It's good, but the stem is meant for 25.4 bars; the bullhorns are 26.0. Since the clamp has an adjustable screw, I opened it up a little.

If you want to keep the v-brake levers, you can carefully pry the clamps open a little to get them onto larger bars, and then use a larger bolt. I did this for a while with 26.0 bars and saved myself a headache. Be careful, though--Dahon levers are cheap aluminum and easily broken off. You could replace the gripshift for 22.2 with a regular size gripshift--I see these going for cheap on ebay.

PS all this is from the cheapskate's book and are probably not the safest mods. But I was determined not to sink another cent into Dahon's coffers after feeling ripped off by the SDG I-Beam fiasco.

pharnabazos

Thor--

I'm familiar with the conversion problems of V-brake, but what specifically do you know about incorrect levers being 'not safe'? They don't work like the stock levers, but they sure work, IME. On my commuting bike I ran cantilever brakes for a long time--pretty good ones, Deore XT with koolstop salmons. Then after a while I swapped the front canti for a cheapo Nashbar V-brake. I nearly went over the bars the stopping power was so much better, even with the 'incorrect' levers. If V-brakes are better than cantis without the problem solvers, then where's the danger in that?

pharnabazos

Now I'm all outta ammo!

Enjoy

brakemeister

ypu actually might have bar end levers whicj have more pull than regular drop bar levers.....

as I said they will work but you need a whole lot more squeeze to come to a stop, which is only unsafe if you are accustomed to the original power. But being soemwhat in the biz I have to give those disclaimers just to be safe ...

thor

your bike looks hot

jackcoke

What exactly is the "problem solver"?

brakemeister

https://www.thorusa.com/heliosrace7.jpg

its a device which make V brakes perform with brakehandles which are designed for cantilever or regular pivot brakes ... it changes the pull of the cable

Thor