bhkyte

A few photos now I have a camera again.
1 folded bike
2 side profile
3 hair bobbble attached from seatpost to brakes keeps it locked in the fold! quality!
4 remote alarm,seems a good idea so far ,need a better mount for it however
5
6 Dual drive bits
7 Remove outer case form click box
8 Cateye cube rear light recommended by Mezzo
9 need to make sure this bit keeps clear when folding else seatpost will not go in
10 use existing cable routers
11 but need to secure here.make sure the ties dont push the chain off when you fold it
12 bracket added to gold bike with standard bars 3X7 sach. this is the fork clip mounted on a mending plate secures using the same screw hole,but extended behind dualdrive. No click box on this bike just a toggle changer. The slight alteration to the fold I find has no effect on the wheeling of the folded package.

invisiblehand

Maybe you would be better off with a Sclumpf (speed) Drive.

BruceM can tell you more about it.

bhkyte

I know this comment was proberly directed at the OP, but..........

As a poor student I used what was cheaply available,although I preferred the 3X9 as it could be mated to road STI. The 3X9 works fantastic on the black bike ,I would not swop the set up for anything. It is a fast road bike with reasonable aerodynamics, close ratio gears that change quickly,carbon crank and has clippless peddles. All the range of gears get used and it is slick changing and braking,but extremely versatile package. The set up is less optimum on the gold bike for its intended use as a general bike. I might tinker with it ,but there is little point really,it works well enough as a back up bike when folding size may be important.

boston blackie

Thanks for the photos. Not sure what you mean by a mending bar. looks like the clip is attached to the dropouts.

bhkyte

US and UK divided by a common language again!
A mending plate is what we sometimes call a mild steel strip with some holes drilled in it for various DIY purposes.Often fixing two pieces of wood together. Usually about 3 inches long.They can be cut down to size.Just cost a few pence at your local hardware store. The mending plate/bracket screws in the same mounting as before on the dropouts.It just acts as a short extension to clear the toggle chain on the 3X7, I have not fitted one on the 3X9 black bike. Its a 5 minute job if you opt not to use the sram click box.

bhkyte

Hello,did you opt for anything?

boston blackie

Hi Bhkyte,

Thanks for your interest. It has been quite an experience dealing with this bike. As I stated in an earlier post, I have been very displeased with the performance of the I-4 internal geared hub. The hub is just too noisy when pedaling in fourth gear. Not only is it noisy, but, at 72 inches it seems to offer more resistance on the pedals than it should. It may be fine for the city, where ambient noise from traffic,etc. is so high that the hub noise is drowned out. In the country, however, where I live in the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts, the whirring noise of the hub just ruins the esthetic pleasure of a quiet bicycle ride.

Now on to my options. When told by Bfold, the shop where I bought the Mezzo, and from you, that the dual drive interferes with the fold, the idea of converting to dual drive was squashed.

I was still intrigued by the concept of dual drive so when I learned that I could buy new '08 a Dahon Mu P24 for pretty much what it would cost me to convert the Mezzo I bought the Dahon. With a gear inch range of 21 to 114 inches, the Mu P24 has been a pleasure to ride, and I might add, very quiet on country roads. So now my "stable" has increased to two folders, a campy equipped road bike, and an '80's touring bike. continued in part two

boston blackie

Back to the Mezzo. I still love the looks and feel of the Mezzo so I didn't give up on it. I found a good price on an Alfine 8 hub from chain reaction cycles in the UK. I am waiting for it to arrive. I have a source for 16" rim and spokes to build wheel. Now I am sourcing a means to convert cranks and chainring to 56t from the current four arm crank, 44t chainring.

The Alfine with 16t sprocket and 56t chainring will give me a gear range of 28 to 90 inches and hopefully a smooth shifting quiet ride.

Yes, I know this is nuts. If I had it all to do over again I would probably buy a Bike Friday, or a Swift with the Alfine or Sram dual drive for much less than I have on these two projects. I will probably be looking for help with wheel building and crank solutions.

I sure wish that I could get the crankset and chainring of a D-10 from Mezzo, but getting parts for a Mezzo is nearly impossible in the US. The Mezzo US website offers no way to contact Mezzo, only the US distributer Marin. Sadly, Mezzo customer support is virtually non existent.

bhkyte

Thanks for this.
The dual drive does not affect the fold much. I can wheel either of my bikes and the 3X7 sach conversion is a doodle. You can run a 3X9 Sram with a toggle chain, you don not need the click box.

I do not understand why you need to change your crank. A 53 chain wheel can be bought for next to nothing used. You just need a 130mm BCD pattern. There will not be much difference between 53 and 56 tooth. 56 chain wheels are also obtainable at a cost from other placers if you search,let me know if you find a cheap source. Also can you not get a smaller rear sprocekt for the Alfine.

For me all the bike friday range does not fold as well or as quickly as the Mezzo,except the Tikit. But I find the Tikit too bulky when folded and its costs more. I bought the Mezzo wanted to do the bull bar dualdrive convertion and it has worked out well. The bike I have is a perfect compromise for me that ticks all the boxes.

Mezzo support is not great in UK either, but the spare parts arrive very quickly when ordered and are about the same cost as Brompton spares. I asked a question about brake calliper reach required by email and did not get an answer.

Anyone know what reach I require for the rear wheel callipers?

boston blackie

16t is the smallest sprocket available for the alfine. This I got from Harris Cyclery.

boston blackie

One thing I notice about the dual drive P24, although technically it has 24 speed, in reality I consider it a 10 speed as most of the speeds are duplicated within two inches or less. Still, it is nice to have those two extra lower gears that make even the steepest climbs effortless. Another nice feature is that one can, most of the time, keep the chain in a straight line in a middle sprocket and change the hub gear as in a three speed. Lots of options.

Sorry I can't help with the caliper reach. Try the mechanic forum. I don't think anyone is interested in reading this thread other than you and I. It seems like we have the entire Mezzo owners collective here. All two of us.

bhkyte

The tide will turn!

bhkyte

"don't think anyone is interested in reading this thread other than you and I. It seems like we have the entire Mezzo owners collective here. All two of us."

Actually I have had a few private messages also asking about the conversion. I also get a few people asking me quite regularly about the bullbars or DD.

bhkyte

I know I am late with this earth shattering piece of information ,but I recon the 3 X9 gives 19 speeds with a classi rear sproket a 54 front within a 1 inch range.
Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 16 x 1 3/8 / 35-349 tire with 170 mm cranks

With 9-speed "Classic 9" 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-24 Cassette

With SRAM/Sachs/Torpedo 3-speed, including 3 x (n), Dual Drive Rear Hub

0.73 (Low) 1.0 1.36 (High)
54
Low - High

52.8
48.7
45.2
42.2
39.6
37.3
33.3
30.2

78.9
66.8
62.0
54.2
107.3
98.3
90.8
84.3
73.8
69.4
56.2
I am not interesting enough to be a nerd!

boston blackie

As yet I haven't laced the Alfine to a rim. I have the rim, but still waiting for the spokes. I purchased a 53t chainring on ebay, now looking for cranks with 135 BCD arms (anybody have knowledge of the whereabouts of these animals? ).

invisiblehand

Isn't that a Campagnolo crank?

bhkyte

you might have issues with changing the crank if it also requires also changing the bottom bracket. ie I changed to a carbon crank reguiring a hollow bottom bracket. I had one in but it was too wide for the bike and it would not fold. I had to get another BB and fit a spacer...or two. I recommend you get cranks that do not require a different BB.

Yes I think 135 bcd is campo road.

I found 1 cheapish 56 tooth chain ring on ebay ,has not arrived yet. I will give feedback when it does. ebay trader= " icyclesusa.com "

boston blackie

Yes, a campy. Question: Can I use a double or triple crankset with this one chainring? This 53t chainring has no ramps or pins. I want to run a 1/8th chain. This is an area in which I am blind and feeling my way. Considering a Campy
Veloce 170mm. Hope this is 135 BCD

I don't think that I will have to change the bottom bracket. It is square tapered.

boston blackie

Thanks for the heads-up on the Campy ring. It caused me to do more thinking and research, and I came up with an alternate plan. I found a 56t, 110BCD ring on ebay, and origin 8 cranks from the harris cyclery website. I hope I can use the 117mm bottom bracket that's on the bike. It may give me a fairly straight chainline. Anyway the 135 BCD ring didn't cost me much $18 with shipping. The 56t ring is cheaper still.

As you can tell, I am no bike mechanic, but I'm enjoying learning experience. Hopefully I'll have a nice bike when I'm finished.

invisiblehand

Unless you picked up a compact crank, it should be 135.

There are two types of square tape BBs: JIS and ISO.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bbtaper.html

bhkyte

where did you get the 56 tooth ring?

BB should be fine if it a square tapper.

Not sure about the ramps, I may have the same problem myself as i am still waiting for my 56t to cross the atlantic. You should need to do anything so far as I know,but it may be woth taking them of to reduce the chance of the chain getting jammed between then and the Mezzo chain guild should the chain come off. Please keep me in touch as reguards how you find the IHG. Mezzo need to offer a quality internal hub,a cespro or a dual drive option to make this upgrading unnessary.

I have put slick kojacks tyres on my sportier bull bar version, but due to the bad weather recently I have opted to use the more standard Gold 3X7 Mezzo more lately. The more compact faster fold suits shopping that requires more folding easier. I have adjusted the gearing and it changers really reliabily and there is no click box to worry about as I go through anti motor bike stills.

boston blackie

The 56t chainring has no ramps or pins. It came today and looks good. The brand name is "engagement ring". On ebay the seller is Bikeman. He had four of them so he should have some left. Very good deal, $6.98 + shipping. Claims to have found them in the attic :-).

anti motor bike stills?

bhkyte

pardon?

boston blackie

Just asking - what are they?

boston blackie

Here is a photo of the 56t ring with the new pedal arms.