darukhan

Regarding your comment (and picture above) about the qr on an adjustable stem....

I'm doing something similar on my Birdy, except I'm not retrofitting a qr... I'm using a stem that is already built to do this!

The Satori STquick release quill stem allows 90 degrees of adjustment and locks in place, rock solid, using the quick release lever that has ridges in the hinge.

Here are pictures I took this weekend of my test fitment on my Birdy.






With the stem qr lever open, I'm able to swing the bars vertically, which then allows the whole thing (steering tube, stem and bars) to fold flat against the bike when I fold the whole thing up without any worry of the bullhorn bars sticking out, or without worry of having to be spun around to go through the spokes and frame.




The lever locks into place with that little red button. You can't open the lever without first pressing in the red button.




The dial on top of the stem adjusts the tension of the qr lever.....

cpg

Good work. That solution is going to be much more durable and hard wearing than my plastic drinks bottle held in place with double sided sticky tape. I will give it a try when my bit of recycled plastic falls off.

bhkyte

Thanks for posting the birdie picture. I have looked at a simular qr before. It was a santori with expander bolt with a closed clamp, quite a heavy set up.
Questions please.
1 santori manufactor of your stem?
2 does it also rerlease the handlebars when folded.
3 25.4mm?
4 I would have thought tad unstable on a birdie, how does your bullbar feel on the birdie.

Sorry I will get around to finishing . And posting some photos of my gold meZzo sometime.

m_mcgovern

I purchased a used "red" Mezzo D9 from craigslist at the end of last year. I plan to use it for a combo train/bike commute ofor my job, starting in the spring. I'd like to do an inline skate wheel mod to make it easier to wheel it when folded. I see that several folks have done them, but I am looking for more specifics...this is what I found via search:

1. cpg used 62mm diameter and 18mm wide

2. bhkyte uses 100mm or 76mm diameter

3. boston blackie used undisclosed size inline wheels with 1/4" X 2 1/2" bolts

I have also seen people use Brompton EZ wheels and the Oribike Easy rolling kit, but I believe the kit is pretty expensive...

Can the folks who have added inline skate wheels chime in with specific wheel sizes they are using? And there are also different hardness levels to inline wheels...what did you use? 81a, 83a, 85a or something else? Also, what diameter bolts/hardware were needed to mount them? I don't have access to inline skate wheels at local stores, so I will be ordering them online so the more specific the better.

Has anyone tried mounting casters instead of wheels to make wheeling the mezzo when folded similar to pushing around newer suitcases?

Finally, one other thing I noticed was that boston blackie also has some kind of bumpers/stands on the front of the rack, presumably to protect it when folded, see the first pic from this post

I don't think those bumpers were original parts? My D9 does not have them and the rack coating is actually wearing a bit as a result of resting on the ground, I would be interested if folks have used something else there? I suppose if I go with a 4 wheel inline mod, the bumpers would not be needed.

bhkyte

I will get back with more details later. I suggest you use Rollerblade wheels of 62-76mm. 100 is too big but fun on the brompton for the hell of it.
Hardness does not mater unless you skate on them!medium hardness wheels of 80a tend to be cheapest generic type. You need a long axle to mount on outside. Most Rollerblade wheels take the sane bearing and axle types and are the same width. Hope this helps.

cpg

62mm wheels work fine but next time I will go for 76mm to get better ground clearance especially with full rolling kit. The wheels are often sold separately from the bearings and for my wheels the axle diameter was 8mm which is handy because the mounding holes in the rack for the small wheels are also 8mm. If you are bit practical I can recommend making a full rolling kit it makes carrying the bike much easier.
You are very observant, i hadnt noticed the bits on bostonblackies rack, they are not origonal.

m_mcgovern

Thanks for the responses, bhkyte and cpg. So, it sounds like 76mm is the correct inline wheel size to target. cpg, so am I to understand I only need wheels? I don't need bearings, too? Is the 8mm inner diameter with/without bearings?

I am pretty handy, so a full rolling kit of 4 wheels is the target for me. If you have any measurements or a template of your brackets you used for the inline wheels at the front of your rack, it would be appreciated. Although, if you used 62mm wheels, maybe your Al brackets are not long enough?

cpg

When I bought bought my wheels they were sold as wheels only and I had to buy the bearings separately, not a problem as they are usually sold in packs of 8 (you need two bearings per wheel) and described as in-line skate wheel bearings. The bearings had a axle diameter of 8mm, but I can not remember what the outside diameter (internal diameter to recess in the wheel) of the bearing was. In the US, the bearings and wheels may be sold in imperial sizes, you will have to check. I dont have a template but I used 6mm thick ally plate and made pieces about 15mm wide, not sure what length I made them but yours will be different as you are going for bigger wheels. I assumed that I wanted about 16-20mm clearance between the floor and part of the rack that normally rests on the ground. I put a slot in the end where the brackets screw to the rack so they can not rotate. The Ori rolling kit clamps around the side of the rack, I think will make it more stable than where I have my brackets mounted.

m_mcgovern

OK, got it. I will target 4 76mm wheels and 8 bearings. It looks like I want an inline wheel that accepts a "608" bearing as it has an 8mm inner diameter. I will see if I can fashion an Ori-like clamp for the front of the rack.

cpg

608 sounds about right, 22mm OD which is what my bearings are. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

SixRaven

Hey bhkyte! I just got an M10 Superlight, though is being delivered in the next few days. Handle-wise, I'm not a big fan of S type, so I was thinking on getting something like this (found this pic googling):



But I'm not sure about brands... anything you could recommend?

bhkyte

I tend to remove straight bars and replace them with bullbars made from drops. So I dont really know much about straight bars
Do post a picture of the bike when you get it.

SixRaven

Here!

cpg

Nice, it makes me wonder Mezzo don't expand their range and include more bikes like this. I think you are going to enjoy riding it.
The handle bars are standard so you can fit any standard bar ends and grips. I used some of the ergo grips similar to the ones in that photo. I now use longer bar ends to give a bit more reach.

Winfried

Am I correct in understanding that a Mezzo/Ori doesn't actually fold as small as a Brompton withouth removing the front wheel?

https://www.oribikes.com/ori/upload/p...9062153144.jpg

jefmcg

Yeah but no.

It unhooks from the fork, but stays attached to the mudguard, that stays attached to the frame, so it just feels a natural part of the fold.

#t=22.
It's just as fast as a brompton

cpg

Faster than a Brompton, the nice clicky catches are so much faster than the screw clamps of a Brompton.

zebede

Beautiful! Very nice looking, quality Bike.

As far as frips go I have become of the a fan of the ERGON style. Here they are on my Tikit.
I had these for several years and could not find a comfortable riding position until I cut the bar to my shoulder width and then I was surprised how well they work. I can spend considerable time in the saddle and not have any hand or wrist issues with them. The curved little bar ends are a bit slippery even with gloves on and I could do with out them.



I like the Cane Creek style as pictured on me Mezzo. The give your wrist the more natural turn.

SixRaven

Thanks! It rides wonderfully. I was afraid I was going to regret not going for the pricier Brom, but I trully don't. I will ponder between the bullbars and the ergo grips...

Thanks! It is a great bike. I will check the Ergons, thanks for the tip!

EDIT: Can anyone also recommend a good looking, non-intrusive front (handle) bag that could work with the M10?

bhkyte

Generally mezzo is faster to fold and unfold but not by a great deal. Mezzo is a stiffer faster bike with easier upgrade paths from generic sources, brompton has more options on spec etc and specialist parts that are brompton spefic. Mezzo is a larger cock pit with more adjustablitiy.
Mezzo is a rougher ride than a brompton and may require more maintence, however many service repairs on the brompton take longer due to lack of qr brakes,wheel removal,threaded headsets etc.

Not every one would agree, but just trying to give a quick summary of the differences between the bikes you considered. I personally think you made the right choice. But off road a brompton is a softer more forgiving ride, and a better bike for touring than the the more urban specialist mezzo/ori.

SixRaven

Thanks, it's good to know all of this. I'm not giving up on the Brom, though. I'm getting that one next year (I'm already set on the raw lacquer, if they still produce it by then). I'd use the Brom for exactly what you mentioned: touring, and the M10 to commute.

m_mcgovern

There is this "3-way bag" that is made for the Oribike/Mezzo:


I'd love it if someone that has one would chime in with a review/pictures.......ANYONE??

...also what are the options for us poor folks in the states for getting ahold of these made-for-Mezzo accessories? I've gotten no reply from Mezzo (ATB Sales) or Oribike when I tried contacting them through their websites...

SixRaven

Oh, I hadn't checked that on their site.. thanks! If I get it, I'll def give you a review with pics.

cpg

It might be worth looking at the KLICKfix range, something there might be usable.

bhkyte

I wounder about using the stem beam to put a klic system on? It would be a large area that would not interfer with the fold and as it's not far from headset pivot/fulcrum it should not interfere with the handling much.

I have given up on the small rear rack on my brompton. Its gone to meet its maker....