bettybl

I also had the gray bouncy things in the box. I was able to fit 2 of them in the screw in the center of the front wheel. I couldn't get it to fit the back wheel though. I got my bike out yesterday just to sorta play with it. I finally figured out how to raise the seatpost, YAY! So you have to sort of twist and turn to raise the seatpost...you can't just lift it up.

I really need to get my bike for a tuning because this past Sunday was just incredible weather for biking, but because I didn't tune it yet (the tires are so flat that it can't really ride at all), I couldn't take it out for play.

scooterdaddy52

No joy in fitting the bike in the trunk even with the rack off. Looks like it would fit if I take out the spare but that does not seem like a great idea. Guess it will go on the seat strapped in beside me. Maybe I will leave the seatpost up and put a head on it. Rick did your bike have a screw in that small hole at the top of the Leg of the T and it just fell out or ????Betty my back tire did not hold air it went flat overnight. I too am anxious to ride. Maybe your bike will not need a tuning. I took a short ride and mine shifted smoothly and braked ok. I was just concerned the handlebar would come off. I guess the handlebar eight is not adjustable. Edward I agree the short tube is too short not to completely shove it down all the way. I have not raised the seat up all the way yet. Does it have a mark telling you when to stop?

Scoot

edwong3

Hi,

Yes the seatpost does have a mark called a "safety hash". You can at your own risk raise the seatpost to about 1 inch over, and there should be sufficient left inside the seat tube to hold it securely. However, I had ordered another seat post from bikeman.com that is about 50 mm longer, and instead of a smooth finish, it has these very fine grooves running horizontally around the post. Not only do I have a couple of inches more height, but it holds very well with the quick release, and won't slip down into the seat tube as I ride the bike. You might experience that, I don't know.

Now remember again that the hole on the very top of the handle post, which is covered by that round sticky circle does not use a bolt of any kind. That's the way it is because you must be able to fold it down. On non folding bikes they probably use a long bolt to secure it to the head set.

The other bolt is towards the front of the stem holding the handlebar steady. To adjust that, you need a 6 mm Allen wrench. You can vary the angle of the handlebar to your satisfaction. I have mine angled slightly back towards me. As you have noticed, the handle bar is a short "raiser" type to allow you to ride in a more upright position. The nice thing is that you can get a different type of handlebar. A lot of folks like the flat type, although this will make you ride in a more closed position.

The fun part is that you can experiment with different options. Have fun!

Regards,
Edward

edwong3

Betty,

When I had the stock seat post, it too required for me to twist and turn to raise or lower it. The Kaloy seat post I bought, has a serrated finish to it, meaning very fine grooves around it, and not only is it much easier to move the post up, and down, it holds very well in place when I tighten the quick release.

To this day, I am still puzzled why all of us got those gray caps in the box. Maybe they can be useful for other purposes.

Take care.
Edward

P.S. I've noticed that this thread hit the 6 page mark. Not only that, it is approaching 3,000 views as well. I never thought that it would last this long.

Ricky in Jersey

Finally got my digital camera back!!! Couple of pics of the Pigeon. One of the pictures is side by side with my 17.5 inch frame Fuji Sagres showing the similarity of the geometrics.

Ricky in Jersey

Oops, here they are...

bettybl

Now all we need are pictures of the orange flying pigeon

edwong3

Tell you what, until that happens, here is the one from eBay!



Edward

bettybl

The bike definitely looks so much better without the fenders and the rack.

edwong3

I have to agree. In fact, Ricky's red Pigeon reminds me of the Dahon Speed P-8 from a distance.

Edward

bettybl

I went for my first ride today!! Also went to get the bike tuned-up as well. 1 hour worth of work had to go into the bike. First, the rear wheel was leaking air, so they had to change the air bag? inside the tire. They spent a long time tuning and adjusting the breaks, and then they also spent a long time adjusting the tire stokes? (whatever those wires on the wheel are called) because it was not straight?

Anyway, after all the adjustment, I went for a 4 hour ride. It was fun! Will share pictures soon.

jur

That is called the tube. they are spelled brakes These are spokes. You got an excellent service - the last adjustment of the spokes is called wheel truing and is a valuable thing to get, since the wheels will run true, ie not wobble at the braking surface and so rub against the brakes, plus a trued wheel will last a lot longer.

edwong3

Hi there!

I will answer your questions to the best of my ability. The Flying Pigeon is an "entry level" folder. There are several other budget models from other manufacturers but in this particular price range ($110-$120.00 USD), it stands out as the only one with a lightweight magnesium alloy frame, and decent parts. Entry level models can cost as much as $250 such as the Bazooka Explorer, and it still comes with a heavier steel frame.

The bike is a 6 speed, however it is geared low, which I don't mind. The chain ring is a 42 tooth coupled to a 14-28 rear cluster. According to Sheldon Brown's online gear calculator, this gives a range of 28 to 56 gear inches. Of course, someone can change out drive train components to alter the gear range to their liking.

Over all it is a bargain for what you get, and a joy to ride.

Hope this helps.

Edward

bettybl

Here are some pictures of my bike trip

Battery Park City


High Rises


Intrepid Museum - those are real airplanes aboard the ship


Riverside Park


Riverside park

bettybl

I also took some pictures of the bike outdoors in sunny weather.



Front View


The Logo - and is that the serial number engraved?


Bike Wheel - the gray cap was one of those loose pieces at the bottom of the box when the bike was unpacked. I plugged them in the front wheel. I couldn't fit them in the rear wheel though.


The Handlebars

edwong3

Hi Betty,

Thanks for sharing those photos! It looks like you all had some nice weather up there today.

The bike looks great! I bet some people who seen you riding it must have thought you paid over $400 for it.

How does it feel carrying it up, and down the stairs? I remember that was a very important issue for you.

Also I just read your previous post, and I'm glad that you did have a bikeshop take care of it for you. It'll perform much better.

Keep those photos coming our way.

Edward

bettybl

Folded, the bike is pretty easy to carry up and down the stairs. I am very thankful for that. We had great weather on Saturday in the 40s. Today, it's back down to the 20s.

Does your bike go fast? Maybe it's my slow cycling, but all the other bikes including a few foldable Dahons passed me with ease.

What speed do you usually keep to? I think speed 2 or 3 on this bike is the easiest and quickest instead of 6. Is Speed 6 supposed to be the fastest but also w/ more resistance when pedaling?

Now I want to get a pretty red helmet to go with my bike.

rhm

Yes, that's the serial number, stamped into the frame below the head badge.
Is this photo from AFTER your trip to the bike shop? The headset is not adjusted right! It is sure to loosen up a little, maybe a lot; you might want to go back and have them do it right (should be no charge). Don't worry, you can ride it like this; but it will ride better if adjusted right.

Those plastic caps are packing material; most people just throw them away. No problem if you like them-- they may keep you from scratching your ankle or something, but you'll eventually lose them and that will be that.

edwong3

Betty,

I'm glad to hear that you can carry the bike easily up the stairs. It is pretty light.

I cruise on the Pigeon at a casual pace myself. Probably 10-12 mph or so, but can obviously go much faster. Usually I use anywhere between 3rd, 4th, or 5th gear for cruising around. You're right, 6th gear is the highest gear that allows for faster cruising, albeit with higher resistance.

Good deal.

40F degrees is probably good for New York City this time of the year, but 20F? Brrrrrr!!!!!

Regards,
Edward

groundhog

Hello, first post on this forum...

I am very interested in getting one of these bikes, not least because I am partial to the Flying Pigeon brand . It would be my first folder since the one I inherited from my sister as a 5 year old kid broke in half under my weight.

Besides the badge, I am attracted by the reports of 'full-size geometry', relatively low weight, the clean lines after rack/fender removal, and the prospect of a nice magnesium frame with upgradeable components. Which brings me to: could someone do a magnet test on the frame? I am still a bit incredulous that a magnesium frame could be sold at this price, and found a link implying the frame might be steel (if it is indeed the same model). Not that I mind, 5 of my -full size- 6 bikes being steel (lugged Columbus Max, filled brazed Tange Prestige, silver brazed Reynolds 753, TIG welded True Temper OX, plus swiss army bike 'piping', for variety)

Also, does the Pigeon fold small enough to fit in an airline-legal suitcase (e.g. 29" Samsonite hardshell), without excessive disassembly? I'd love to have a bike to just tool around on while away on extended business trips and, being based in Europe, am subjected to less generous luggage allowances than Americans, hence the quest for moderate weight.

Last question, what is the exact tire size (I assume something close to 20x1.5 on 406 rims)? I would like to fit Greentyres on mine, to save the hassle of carrying a pump and spares while traveling. However, those 406 Greentyres do seem a bit plump at 1.75"+.

Ricky in Jersey

Hi Ground Hog,

I've had my Pigeon for a couple of months now and couldn't be happier. As a matter of fact, I'll probably have to buy another one because my girlfriend keeps hogging mine when we ride!

To answer your questions, yes the main frame is a magnesium alloy. The front fork and the handlebar stem are metal, based on my magnet test. The bike is also confirmed to weigh less than 25 lbs without the fenders and the rear rack.

Initially, I thought the tires were relatively cheap, but even they have changed my mind. When I first received the bike, the tires were severly under inflated. I immediately took the bike to the local service station and pumped them up via the car tire air hose. I didn't use a tire gage, bit would guess I have 75 lbs of pressure in them. After 2 months, the tires are still rock hard with about 200 miles on them. They are 406 tires and 20 x 1.75.

Overall for $125 bucks or so, you can't go wrong.

groundhog

Hi Ricky,

thanks for the replies, all good news as far as I am concerned. I will definitely be getting a Pigeon on my next trip to the US, or perhaps to China, as I haven't found one yet where I live.

The Greentyres I mentioned are 'solid' i.e. airless tires. I realize there will be a weight/ride/rolling resistance penalty, but some airlines require tires to be deflated for transportation, so the airless aspect is attractive to me, not to mention the flat resistance.

This is probably the most excited I have ever been about a ~$120 purchase

WanderingDave

I've been looking in vain for information on this FP:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270168210811

The main thing I want to know is if it'll fold down to less than 62 linear inches, so that it could be checked as luggage on an airline with no oversize fees and without much disassembly. I'd be curious about the weight and what it's made of, too.

Also, the ad calls it single speed, but one of the 2 mediocre pics seems to show a deraileur. I don't get it.

If this bike is anywhere near as good quality as the colorful ones all you [ex] New Yorkers are all buying, then this looks like a real deal. Pity the info on it is so scant.

Big_e

Arrgh! Edwong3 and Bettybl, I shoulda got a Flying Pigeon instead of my Schwinn Hinge. It just looks sportier. Any bike brand that services so many Chinese has to be doing something right. I was wondering about the seat height. Are any of near at 5'7? I notice that both of you have the seat near the height of the handlebars. Will a folder be ok for a 3 1/2 mile commute one way?
Ernest

PS: Ya'll infected me with the Folder bug!

edwong3

Hey Ernest (Big_e),

This is Edward (edwong3). I have to agree with you, you should have gotten the Flying Pigeon You are absolutely right, this brand is revered in China, though we're talking about the much more familiar single speed roadster type that you see on photos depicting commuters on the streets, and roads there. It is in the last few years that Flying Pigeon is now actively producing other types of bikes such as folders, MTB's, road bikes, etc.

As to your first question, I am a little taller at 5'9", and felt that the stock seat post needed to be longer by at least 2". However if you are 5'7", the stock post should work just fine for you.

I had on order a 400 mm long seat post that was originally intended for another folder. Instead, I used the new post on the FP, and in turn, installed the FP's original seat post on my older bike. It worked! Thankfully, they both use the same diameter which is 28.6 mm. I had ordered the new post from bikeman.com. It cost me about $20 bucks plus shipping.

I believe the FP will do well on a 3 1/2 commute. And if you keep the fenders, and rear carrying rack, with the addition of a few basic accessories, it is in fact ideal for that type of use.

Let us know what you decided.

Edward