It's been a good week!
 

I've been revamping my folder line-up lately. Here's what I've added:

2003 Dahon Speed Pro, with SRAM Dual Drive and some other nice components. This will be my new "portable roadie":
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...nch/dahon1.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...nch/dahon2.jpg

and a 2006 Merc. It's certainly got personality!
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ch/merc1-1.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ch/merc3-1.jpg

And I sold my DT VIIIH :(, which was made kinda redundant when I got the DT Mini.

So, net +1 for the week :D

yours bikes look clean, how many folders do you have? any with full suspensions?

Dude...

I've seen your other bikes!!!

and that's only some of your many!!!

I hate you!!!! I hate you a lot!!!!

;)

VERY nice, sc. Enjoy exploring!

Actually, I've only got 4 now - these two new ones, a DT Mini and the folding recumbent. I've bought a lot of bikes, but have also sold/given away many. None of my present bikes are full suspension. I actually don't need or like full suspensions, the pogo-ing bothers me.

I'm feeling the loove :D

how much did you pay for them?

They are beautiful. So, first, how do you feel the Speed compares with your highly enhanced Downtubes? Second, what tires are you running on that thing? Third, did you build those wheels?

I like the SpeedPro. It's very comparable to my former "portable roadie", which was a converted DT Front Suspension. They both had very good drivetrains and fast wheels/tires. The SpeedPro has the SRAM DualDrive, which is new for me, so I was very curious about it. I like it - very very wide range (something like 25-125 gear-inches), easy to use. The SpeedPro has no front suspension, so that's obviously nice for going fast. It's not particularly light, since the DualDrive is pretty heavy, but that's life...

The wheels on the SpeedPro are ALX DA16, came with the bike, and tires are Primo Comets.

SpeedPro was a very good deal, the Merc was a very fair deal. PM me if you want full details.

SESAME:

What's the real weight on both?

I'll have to get back to you on that. I don't have a digital scale at the moment. Been meaning to get one...

Ah Sesamicrunch - ignore the PM I just sent you. Hadn't found this thread then.

How does the Merc compare for practical use and fun with your DT mini?

I have a few pounds burning a hole in the side of the 'fun' money box. They're just itching to get out to be swapped for a bike. Just wondering what to get; Curve, Mini, Second hand Moulton.....

I wouldn't want to buy something that's less fun than I already have. One thing to bear in mind is that I'm short, so leg extension isn't ever a problem.


PS - be sure you have the allu chain tensioner for that Merc. Increases reliability about a thousandfold. I see the merc lost her rear mudguard. I just bought a pair of them as spares. The old front one has a mark on it where water has got in through a rivet hole. I like to have spares in house. My next spares purchase will be the two wheels. So far the only spares I've used were chain, gear cable and one tyre. All were still serviceable, but worn - just replaced as a precaution.

EvilV:

I've only just received the bike last night, so it would be hasty to make any comparisons :). But, they (the Mini and Merc) have very differing DNA, don't they?. Let me spend some time with both and then provide some feedback.

Thanks for your tips on the mods/spares. The Merc already has the aluminum tensioner. I do want to purchase a bunch of spares from Anita. She's got some great prices on her eBay site! I'll need to email her about shipping charges to California. Since there's no Merc support here, I think it would be wise to have some spares lying about.

I'm also going to take heed of some of the mods you've described over this and other threads. I believe in preventive maintenance, as you do. Hope I can continue to count on you for advice on Mercs!

Absolutely you can. It'll be interesting to read how you compare the mini and the merc. Whenever you're ready of course. Enjoy the rides...

By the way that 'waspish' Dahon looks nice.

They are quite different. Ignoring the drivetrain differences which are obvious ...

We passed along the Merc To Seasame since the boss and I moved a little further out from the District and those around town jaunts never take place anymore. I can't remember whether this was mentioned before, but she is also in her second trimester, so she is riding less now and will be riding even less in another two months.

The Merc definitely is more compact and quicker folding than the modified Mini.

I think that the Mini with a long stem has better handling qualities than the Merc. Although I would say the reverse is true regarding an unmodified Mini. Then again, for ergonomic reasons I rarely rode the Merc--the boss did almost all of the riding--so there are a lot of things going on here.

I never had to take apart the Merc like I did the Mini. So it is difficult for me to comment on the QA and such. But with the Mini, I would definitely recommend following Yan's new instructions.

I'm hopeless addicted. There has to be a name for this disease of non-stop buying of new folders.

Just picked up this Strida3 off Craigslist! New in box from a private party who brought it over from Taiwan.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...strida1.sm.jpg

SC, congrats on your folder fleet. Folder Fleet Syndrome is manageable. My wife being the clinicial psychologist she is, and me with four folders and a fifth expected, the clinical explanation is that your mental health benefits from the stress reduction of a folder fleet. Riding my road bike today, I caught up with another rider and was shocked to learn he only had 1 bike... the one he was on.

EvilV, only last week I rode a Moulton (cromo, full Campy Record, drop bars) for the first time. WOW!!! Felt almost as fast as the Maunakea bike (difference being the Capreo on the Maunakea bike) but handled a bit better at speed as a result of the drop bars and being able to shift weight lower. I choked on the price tag.

I'm just buying a next to new hand built Pashley Moulton. I'll be setting off to pick it up 300 miles away in a couple of hours. I should be packing not idling here! This one has a retail price of £1450, but I'm paying somewhat less. The guy works at the factory and bought this for his grilfriend. Because there's a two month waiting list he had to wait, and she dumped him. He's had it ten days and it has done only 20 miles. He already has a new one of his own, so this one has to go.

:)

http://i22.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/b3/74/abf7_1.JPG

The one above is the bike I'm buying, the ones below are views of a different bike, but same model.

http://www.seidel-skulptur.de/moulto...r640/tsr21.jpg

http://www.seidel-skulptur.de/moulto...r640/tsr19.jpg

http://www.seidel-skulptur.de/moulto...sr640/tsr5.jpg

I'll be gone a few days, because I'm going to play with my new bike on a picturesque long distance ride on the Kennett and Avon Canal tow path.

http://www.paulspages.co.uk/bbcycle/


Specs:

http://www.tsr.uk.com/bikes/tsr30.php

features:

http://www.tsr.uk.com/features/

Good week !! - too right - great wide collection Sesame - NV !!

EV, IIRC the K&A path is hard packed, small grain gravel, like many rail to trail projects in the States, so it should be great fun. You'll know the first round of mods you need by the end of the ride. You're very lucky to find that Moulton at that price, but you deserve it (part of the Folder Fleet Syndrome rationale).

Be sure to take in the Canal Museum in Devizes.

I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one with Fleet Folder Syndrome! If someone ever finds a cure - don't tell me about it :D

Maunakea: Have you been EVERYWHERE in the world? You seem to be familiar with a LOT of places!

SC, I've never been to S. Am., Africa, or Antarctica .... and won't lose sleep over it.... but I do love cycling in the UK. British Waterways have done the cycling world a great service is restoring the canals of England, Wales, and Scotland. I was in London this year, with my Swift, for the Canalcade in Paddington. Lots of narrowboat owners have folding bikes. Very friendly folks, but not very keen on timetables. The scheduled events were on Dali time.

I added it up once and realized that I've had the good fortune to visit 35 countries.

If you ever wander out to the San Francisco area, please let me know. I live along the ocean in Half Moon Bay, about 20 miles south of SF. Nice place, lots of nice riding here. Come and have a cup of tea!

Hi EvilV. Where did you buy the mudguards?

I looked on the Sheeaune site, but saw none.

Thanks.

Nice. I guess you are going to swap out the drop bar for a flat bar.

Is it a separable?

-G