Looks like a headlamp on a ColorPlus limited edition Birdy

Nobody knows anything about RSpeed? ...any experiences with RSpeed products for Birdy?

Cover girls, both pretty
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=349847

Birdy, no 1 foling bike!

Hi,

Bringing up this old thread again. I've read it entirely from the beginning (took me a few days on and off.) Found lots of great info.

Anyway, my local folding bike store here in NYC just got a stock of the polished aluminum birdy disc brake version selling for $2300 before tax. I've been to the store twice and ever since I saw the birdy disc they hung on their wall...I couldn't stop thinking about it. I haven't test ride one yet because the weather here has been bad. I'll do it once the weather is nicer.

Does anyone here have this bike? Pacific Mind sharing some of your experience? I have a Specialized Road bike, a 700c Diamondback hybrid bike, a downtube nova folding bike and a cheap toys r us bike. I found that I ride the downtube folding bike more than any other bikes.

I signed up for the 5 boro bike tour in NYC this May. It would be nice to have this bike for the ride. The only thing that is stopping me from getting one is the price tag. With tax it is close to $2500 for a folding bike. That is a lot of money for a small bike. It it really worth it? Maybe I'll get one once I file my tax return and get the refund back and only then would I be able to afford this bike. I just need justification for myself (and wifey.) :-)

Some mods on my new-to-me Birdy
 

Here is my new-to-me Birdy LX. It came with upgraded wheels, Folex AClass EXA wheels.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=369419
Handlebar: I replaced the straight bar with a Scott AT-4 bar. The purpose is to extend the reach. An alternative would have been a bullhorn bar setup. I have an AT-4 bar on my tandem and like the hand positions it offers. Also, the AT-4 bar diameter is correct for the brake and shift levers that came with the bike. As an experiment, I am trying the levers on the forward portion of the AT-4 bar. My thought is that the brake levers will be at hand when riding relatively faster.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=369421
Handlepost: I have got this loaded up! There are two Twofish velcro bottle cages facing to the front and back, On the right side of the handlepost, I have mounted my mini-pump via a Twofish pump block. All that equipment can stay in place when the bike is folded. The front cage mount just needs to be rotated a bit to the right side.

Fritz

For a little less money, Pacific Cycles' iF Reach XL is a great bike and folds in a second.

Since you're in NYC, you could stop by NYCewheels.

I've been to NYCewheels and they don't have that bike. They only stock a limited amount and all sold out.

No plans for Birdy with belt drive
 

I've written to Riese & Müller GmbH asking about belt drives. I know that long time ago they sold one called Birdy Green.

So asking if they have plans to sell a new one (maybe using Carbon Drive or Conti Drive System) I've got this:

Just curious, which vendor did you get this from? Thanks.

I'm not a fan of belt drives. Not yet, anyway. Thanks for quoting their reply, though -- I'd never been to the site, never knew R&M did anything but the Birdy, and dang! they have a nice range of bikes.

I got it from an individual on eBay, not a company. His member ID is kleentrade.

Fritz

I've been browsing the Taiwanese website lately (mobile01.com) and saw a lot of awesome/crazy mod of the birdy bike. However, this one tops it all. Check the pictures below through the Google translate. You can also click on the direct link.

It is too bad that the US doesn't have a market for the birdy. It is a really nice bike and I'm planning to get one here in NY.

http://translate.google.com/translat...113257%26p%3D1
BIRDY - ORANGE (??? - ?) ??? ?? CARBON ?? ********************~ (?1?) - **********?? - Mobile01

New Silver Birdy
 

This bike has been on my mine for awhile now and I finally gave in. I got it brand new last night from a local bike shop here in NYC using my long awaited tax refund. I'm going to take this baby for its first maiden ride this weekend when the weather is nice.

Questions about 9-speed Birdy(Alivio derailleur)
 

I have a couple of questions about the 9-speed Birdy sold in Asia by Pacific Cycles:

1. Is the Shimano Alivio 9 derailleur entry-level? If yes, what high-quality could I use instead?
2. What about changing the single chainring with a two-chainring setup, eg. 56 + 39? I could use a smaller chairning when riding in mountain areas

Thank you.

Can't answer #2 .

Any Shimano 9sp mtn derailleur should work. Not sure what's available anymore, but you could go Deore, SLX, or XT. The "shadow" style derailleurs are real nice because they tuck in closer to the bike, out of the way, a definite plus on small-wheeled bikes. If you have the chain keeper bolted to the rear derailleur lower pulley, I assume you'll need to swap over the cage and hardware.

Thanks for the infos.

It's a low-end MTB rear derailer; but it's probably fine for most purposes. I think you can use any Shimano rear derailer except the 10-speed MTB derailers.

Does Thor still sell front derailer mounts for Dahons? I believe the clamp is also compatible with the Birdy.

Careful with the Shadow derailer option - I tried that on my Birdy but found I couldn't make it work - the cable exits at the back from the rear swing arm, and the resultingly nearby derailer cable stop is angled in such a way that the cable ended up bent wonky. I abandoned the effort.

Good to know -- thanks!

Birdy love:

This AM was the first Birdy commute of the year. Temps overnight above freezing and no ice/snow on the road. Parked the truck at the bus stop, loaded the bike in the cargo area, took the bus down to work, rode to the office.

Through the Winter, if I did my bike-bus-bike commute, I'd ride my dedicated commuter (w/ studded tires) to the station, bus down to work, ride a beater lockup bike (also w/ studded tires) in to the office. No one makes a 18" studded tire, so the two-bike solution was the only way to fly in the Winter short of getting some new 20"/406 wheeled folder plus studded tires. And while n+1 is appealing, especially with folders, economics dictated otherwise.

Especially on the office end, I got used to riding a rough beater with questionable shifting.

Today, was much better. Birdys are so fantastic to ride. I forgot over the winter how well they handle and how much the suspension really does a great job of smoothing out roads, especially after a rough New England Winter and resulting road deterioration.

Can't stop recommending the Birdy enough.

Hi, I saw that same bike at bfold in nyc. Let me know how it rides and the pro's and con's.

I've only rode a longer ride one time (18+ miles) this past Saturday. So far the bike ride very smooth and the suspension are working well. The cable stretched a bit during this ride causing one of the gear to keep switching by itself. This is normal since it is a new bike and the cable will stretch. I've been practicing folding and unfolding it and I got the hang of it already. It really fold small. Not as small as a Brompton but smaller than other folding bike. The speed of the bike is not too bad. For an 18" wheel, I though it will be slow but it is just as fast as my 20" folding bike or maybe faster.

Pros for this bike? Everything. You can almost upgrade every part of the bike except the frame.
Cons: a bit steep for the price. It will be very difficult to upgrade the parts if you are in the US. All the upgrade parts are from Taiwan/HongKong/China.

I have to admit that for the price of this bike, I can almost buy 2 Bromptons. However, Birdy is of another kind of folding bike. There is no match for it. It is too bad that the market for Birdy in the US are not as big as in Asia. If money is not an issue, go for it. You will like it.

In the matter of fact, Peter from Bfold told me I was the first one to purchase this bike. They just got these new bikes in very recently.

peter from b-fold is a cool guy who isn't afraid of anything and knows a lot about bikes.

Thanks for your reply, I have a few more questions. Did you ride a Brompton prior to deciding to go with the Birdy and if so what didn't you like about the Brompton.
You said that you can upgrade the Birdy, is it possible to install an Alfine, nuvinci or rohloff hub without modifying the frame or increasing wheel size to 20?
After you rode the bike for 18 + miles, did you take the public transportation at all?