Pine Cone

I have been using the one- or two-finger brake levers for so long the full sized levers like the Mini uses feel strange.

I used to bike through Hercules when I lived in Berzerkly many moons ago, but while I am still on the left coast I am now a lot further north...

Like always everybody needs to post pictures of their mods...

SesameCrunch

Immediate plans are just to make the cockpit comfortable. I have an extending stem from another DT I can use, plus a longer stem. Or, I may buy one of the riser bars from Nashbar, depends on how things look. New grips, seat and real pedals. I have a carbon crankset lying around, it may be fun to put that on the Mini .

I have images of making this a "super-mini" also. It would be fun to trick it out with some nice components. I really like my first DT IX - with Velocity wheels, a real nice drivetrain, etc. Looked really nice. I'd like to do something like that with the Mini eventually. I'm not in a real rush, though. Just gonna make it comfy to ride and then think about the artistic creation.

SesameCrunch

What are these brake levers you speak of? Can you give me a reference?

Pine Cone

I like levers that aren't long enough for all four fingers. Look for Avid Single Digits or similar levers that have room for two fingers. I like the Avid's I got for my DT VIIIH.

I ordered them from Jenson USA at https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...ke+Levers.aspx and I hope they are like the one's I already have.

I got my DT Mini this evening. My accessories should arrive over the next few days. I like it so far. The cranks are nicer than the ones on the VIIIH, and I had no problems with the initial assembly. I will do more disassembly, parts greasing, wheel truing, etc. after parts arrive.

First impressions are good. As stated elsewhere, responsive, not hard to wheelie, feels like a fun bike, brakes work well, gear range very reasonable. Wheels seem true, seat better than I expected. It does not have the mini-bar ends that come on other DTs. Mounting a front fender would be easy. Mounting a rear fender or a frame-mounted rear rack may be challenging. There are one pair of threaded holes on the rear dropouts, but no other holes for mounting anything on the rear half of the bike. Looks like seatpost mounted racks are the best option.

A quick test with the Samsonite F'Lite indicates that I will probably have to remove the pedals, seat and both wheels to get it into the suitcase. More details later. Might have to remove the stempost.

With luck I will try my commute (10 km each way) on the Mini on Friday.

SesameCrunch

Thanks, Pine Cone. I'm looking at new brake levers for my recumbent DT, so I'm interested in options.

Good luck on your Mini!

I'm still checking for delivery trucks every hour....

rhm

I too have recently become one of the Mini owners on BF; got it a few weeks ago since my Strida has been disabled. I've been taking it on the NJTransit train into NYC, and occasionally have taken it on the subway. Rode it across the Brooklyn Bridge last week, feeling like a king! I guess I've got about 200 miles on it by now. A few comments:

My seatpost is 30.4. Are there really any Minis with 27.2 seatposts?

I had no trouble mounting fenders, which I got from Sunrise Cyclery.

It seems my suspension is bottomed out most of the time, except when climbing; even on slight inclines it starts bouncing, which I don't like much --feels like a flat tire-- but I'm getting used to it. Would be nice to tighten the suspension; anyone know how that's done? My weight --160lbs-- shouldn't be the problem.

How do you pick this thing up? Every time I lift it up to put it on the overhead luggage rack on the train, I 'm at a loss for how to hold it, and how to put it on the rack. There are no good hand holds (but lots of bad ones!). Has anyone developed a foolproof technique?

Rudi

invisiblehand

In due time ... the pictures will be available.

invisiblehand

According to Yan, all of the Minis now have 27.2 posts.

Anybody have an idea of how thick the wall needs to be for a stem post?

rhm

Yes, I'd seen that mentioned here before. Does this conform to everyone else's experience? The fact is that mine, which was ordered and shipped on May 11 2007, came with a 30.4 post. For what it's worth, the date code on my seatpost is 2006.04.

Pine Cone

Mine arrived yesterday with a 30.4mm seatpost as well.

downtube

The mini's have a 30.4mm post. This is about the third time ( on bikeforums ) I have mixed up seat post sizes. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks,
Yan

MequonJim

This is the kind of thing that should be stated on your website. It would take less time to build a robust fact filled website with lots of specifications, than to answer tons of emails and posts asking questions. That is my opinion.

invisiblehand

Just to let you know Yan, I would have ordered the Mini over a month ago if I had that information. But I have my solution in hand ... now I am just waiting delivery.

SesameCrunch

I would like to add my support for a page on the DT website that shows bike specifications.

I think one of the main attractions of the DTs is that they're built on standard parts. Therefore, they are appealing to self-maintenance types of owners. I think the nature of this BF forums bears this point out. Making a one-time effort to post these specs would be hugely helpful to us, both in a pre-sales and post-sales sense.

Thanks for considering this suggestion.

JosephLMonti

I second that motion

rhm

Third!

downtube

I agree and I am working on the website. I added the following comparison chart https://www.downtube.com/Comparison.html a week ago.

FYI I have been making daily changes to the website for about 2 weeks.

Thanks,
Yan

invisiblehand

Got the Mini this evening. Everything looks good so far. The shifting of the SA-8 is a little fuzzy compared with a derailer drivetrain. The bike itself fits better than I expected; but I definitely need a little more saddle height for a longer ride.

jur

Besides a bike specs page, Yan, I would suggest better bike photos. The ones on your site looks like someone with a point and shoot snapped them off in their garage against a white sheet. This sort of thing does not generate potential customer confidence and detracts from the reported excellent bike performance. Pictures need to do the product justice.

MequonJim

If you are on a budget, you can get a sheet of something similar to particle board with a smooth white paint on it at most home centers. That won't show the wrinkles like the white sheet in the background does. Then if you still don't like the white background, you can use a free program:

www.gimp.org

This will let you remove the white background and insert whatever background you want for the photos. However there is a learning curve with this program, so you may be better off paying someone familiar with that program or Adobe Photoshop to do this task.

You can use a consumer digital camera and have professional results in the right conditions. I took almost all of the photos at this site:

https://www.metalcollectibles.com/index.htm

With a consumer camera (Canon A95) I used the Gimp to remove many of the backgrounds from the Bronze Sculptures and Wall Hangings and inserted the website background instead.

It can look OK if it is done right. Even on a shoestring budget.

invisiblehand

Has anyone here ever flipped the chainring to inside of the spider? That is, installed the chainring on the "inner" instead of the "outer"? Seems to me that the chainline would be improved by 5 mm; the typical distance between the inner and outer chainrings.

Polaris43

I'm glad to see all of you getting your Mini's and planning cool mods and upgrades. I'm sure I'm going to get some new ideas for round two on mine.

So far I've done the following to mine:

Big Apple tires
Brooks B67
Dahon adjustable stem
Topeak seatpost rack with trunk bag
Caradice roll seat bag
Mini bar ends
Koolstop Mountain brake pads
Shimano UN53 bottom bracket

dmnobrien

Polaris,

Did you swap in the Dahon stem to get more height? If so, how much extra did you get?

Trying to figure out the easiest way to get a higher handlebar height - Dahon stem or DT extension stem.

SesameCrunch

This is easy and cheap. $10 from Nashbar.


You get about 4 inches of height. You can also rotate the bars for more or less reach.
Here's a picture with the Mini and riser bars next to my VIIIH with the stem raised about 1.5" above the minimum.

invisiblehand

If anyone is interested, I switch the chainring from the outer position to the inner position. You can't keep the chainguard on the crank, but the chainline is much better.

-G