It looks like the bars WILL fold down once you get the front wheel turned in more. don't have a Dual drive birdie but I do have a dual drive wheel for one. I will have a look.
There is a fold adjuster near the seatpost tube to alter a few millimetres the final resting postion of the rear section of the bike. That may be worth looking at. Does the front wheel lock by the tyres on the bolts inside the front forks ok?

Finally you can take off the cover of the click box to give a tad more space, like I did on my mezzo. But you should not need to do this on a production birdie.

Yes the handlebar post will fold down IF the front wheel CAN turn more BUT it can't as the clickbox is in the way. I've had fiddled with it and it looks like there's no way. Pity really.

Looking at my birdie I can see how the clickbox would get in the way. I cant see a way round it other than fold adjustment. Although it cant have been an issue on the standard bike. Clickbox is removable not the sort of thing you want to do every time.

Looking at this picture it looks like the click box is detached to fold if you look carefully. You might find removing the body of the clickbox suggestion of mine worth a go. Have a look at my dual drive mezzo threads.

Thanks Bhkyte. That would work but would also be a pain. I have discovered a more practical method, not fold in the front wheel fully so that the the axle will be below the clickbox. That means the front wheel will drop out when the folded bike is lifted up. I'm using a velcro strap to tie the wheel to the frame. This dual drive installation must have been an after-thought for the Birdy. There is no way I'll be using this bike to catch the bus or train, much too fiddly!

You might find taking the cover off on the click box gives you enough space.
I did this on a dual drive mezzo and sloved a simular problem.

Could the back wheel fold more, or less, to make a spot for the front axle bits?

I didn't think you had a choice with the back wheel? It has to be lifted before the seat post can be lowered?
Fitting my spare 20" wheels and go 10 speed dropping the dual drive might be an option.

The dual drive is fab. I would keep it and find a solution.

Yes I have to agree. This is my third dual drive equipped folding bike. I guess I can always use a piece of rope to tie it all together, LOL

The Birdy owners who have panniers on the expedition rack, how do you secure the pannier bags at the bottom?

I had the folding rack, and a set of Deuter panniers. It was fixed with the standard pannier hook on the mudguard stay.

Doesn't show the bottom hook, just for info...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t.../KI/day211.jpg

Thanks Jur, ah so the rack and mudguard should go together. I don't suppose the small amount of movement in the suspension will affect the bottom hook?

That is very astute of you. I saw the pannier wearing but it took me a while to realise it is due to the relative movement of the rack to the wheel and mudguard strut.

Nah, just been looking at the "problem" for too long and looking for a solution. Design flaws are plenty with this bike but it rides nice!
A nice rubber strap replacing the hook might be the way to go.

The hook wasn't a problem; the rubbing of the mudguard strut against the back of the pannier was. The strut being soft aluminium and being in the firing range of road dirt, quickly eroded until I put a clear PVC tube around it. The back of the pannier likewise was damaged somewhat. That said, I traveled the absolute worst possible roads on it - Kangaroo Island, maost roads were gravel, with corrugations from car suspensions, which exercised the Birdy suspension maximally, plus the gravel kicked up exercised the pannier-strut interface under this severe condition. Overall, the Birdy handled it fine, and I found when going faster than 20km/h, the suspension soaked up the corrugations almost completely.

Re dual drive click box folding issues.
I had a look at new Birides with a dual drive setup at LBS.
They had a toggle chain, not a click box. And therefore folded fine. It was more modern than a sach type arrangement. Is this the shimano version of dual drive?
Is it possible to convert the changer rod? I dont see why you need a click box other than its smoother, less friction.

Sachs IS a pull chain arrangement (Sachs 3x7) .. SRAM Dual drive is a click box .. the hubs are different.. the threaded rod of the Dual Drive engages much further into the hub than the pull chain of the Sachs ... too bad when you were at the LBS you didn't look to see who made the hub..

Hi bruce. I am aware of the differences between sach and sram re the click box. I dont see why the sram would not work with a toggle chain? I know the rods are different. It may be a mod required.
I will have a look next time at make. But I expect someone here can tell us.

Unscrew the chain from your Sachs.. unscrew the rod from the SRAM .. try screwing the chain into the SRAM .. you'll see the problem .. not that it couldn't be worked out, I just put it on the back burner as I was going to do just that.. Birdy still advertises their Dual Drive as a SRAM on their website, and I see the drive side nut with pull chain coming out, so perhaps there is a commercial replacement for the clickbox.. if you find it, let us know.. beats the hell out of trying to cobb something up..

Yes I have tries my sach in the sram. It does fit. I do have another toggle chain that sort of fits my sram. I dont know where I got it. I guess if the thread is right and its long enough to get out the hub it does not matter.
I will have a look. I had a LBS that had some really old stock years ago maybe I got it there. Never tired replacing the click box it, as I had a work around on my mezzo. I dont have a sram birdie. I do have s sash dual drive wheel I may fit in future.

Thanks guys. The chain setup will no doubt be more durable than that plastic clickbox. The little cover keeps dropping off. May be a possible mod.
I've found the gearing too low and have replaced the cassette and the RD to a road 105. Works OK but I suspect the chain needs to be narrower as it seems to snag and jumps two gears at the same spot. This change seems to have freed up bit more room for the fold. Once I have the replacement tyre on, I shall try and see if further fiddling is required. I may just add that Pacific chain tensioner for a neater fold.

i've had my SRAM DD for about 1.5 years, and the click box had never fallen off. quite surprised actually at how sturdy it is given the tales of woe out there...

Not the clickbox but the cover at the rear.