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My "Beater" Folding Bike

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Old 08-02-10, 03:13 PM
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My "Beater" Folding Bike

My brother is moving so he left this bike at my house. It's a Citizen bike. I went for a ride on it a few times and I give it a 5 out of 10 . The hand stem is too close so I am sitting up really straight. The saddle width is too big so I get backaches. The frame and components are nice though so I think it is a great bike for a new folder. I plan on using this in the rain or when I need to leave it outside
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Old 08-02-10, 04:38 PM
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With a better seatpost & saddle and some ingenuity for extending the reach it would be a decent ride.
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Old 08-02-10, 07:53 PM
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Would a stem with more reach impact the fold?
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Old 08-02-10, 09:42 PM
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The saddle looks like it's too far forward.
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Old 08-02-10, 09:46 PM
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^ Yep. That would be because of the OP's reach issues.
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Old 08-02-10, 11:03 PM
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Thats a nice "beater"!
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Old 08-03-10, 02:57 AM
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Yes don't like the saddle but l do like the frame a lot.
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Old 08-03-10, 03:20 AM
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You may need to adjust the saddle a bit backward until you find you are comfortable with the bike
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Old 08-03-10, 05:46 PM
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Please don't be offended by this and I'm not trying to be a "know it all", but.... I wish people would get a reputable LBS to fit them to their bikes, or find a friend, colleague or neighbour who rides to help out. I've lost count of how many people I've seen with their saddles way too low, legs bent sideways, heels on pedals struggling to push a massive gear, OR.... riding bikes that are way too big for their size. That's where the aches and pains come from.
Sometimes I will ride next to people and politely suggest some subtle changes, heck, we've even stopped on the side of the road and I've adjusted their bikes correctly for them and the result is positive and immediate.

Too many people think of cycling as a arduous chore, but if they only knew how to ride correctly and have the appropriate set up then more would discover the joys of cycling anew.

Sermon endeth.
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Old 08-04-10, 03:30 AM
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I've owned about 15 bicycles (8 being folders) so adjusting them to be comfortable is not the problem. I think the Citizen is a nice bike, but I was comparing them to other cheap folders that I have ridden and it does not perform as well. As for taking it to the LBS, that is a great idea for beginners to learn how to properly adjust the settings on a bike. After a while, you will learn what's best for you. I've also seen many people at the park riding incorrectly simply because they look better riding it that way.
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Old 08-04-10, 05:08 AM
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that bike has the seat tube behind the bottom bracket. so a long seat post can slide down, to make it more compact. so the saddle has to be quite far forward, so your sitting more over the cranks. Instead of way behind them.
as for the stem and handle post. it could be there grooved, like one of those silver scooters. so would need modding to fit a regular stem in the handle post.
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Old 08-04-10, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by stevegor
Please don't be offended by this and I'm not trying to be a "know it all", but.... I wish people would get a reputable LBS to fit them to their bikes, or find a friend, colleague or neighbour who rides to help out. I've lost count of how many people I've seen with their saddles way too low, legs bent sideways, heels on pedals struggling to push a massive gear, OR.... riding bikes that are way too big for their size. That's where the aches and pains come from.
Sometimes I will ride next to people and politely suggest some subtle changes, heck, we've even stopped on the side of the road and I've adjusted their bikes correctly for them and the result is positive and immediate.

Too many people think of cycling as a arduous chore, but if they only knew how to ride correctly and have the appropriate set up then more would discover the joys of cycling anew.

Sermon endeth.
I never knew you could be such a gentleman lol!
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Old 08-04-10, 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by mulleady
I never knew you could be such a gentleman lol!
I, Sir, am a much revered mentor to such aspiring gentlemen as Jeeves, Michael Parkinson and.......
Jeremy Clarkson
My debonaire manners and dashing, yet stoic boldness are well known to make women whinny and horses swoon and buffoons who feign gentlemenship to gasp in bewilderment..... "As you wish, Sir"
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Old 08-04-10, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by stevegor
I, Sir, am a much revered mentor to such aspiring gentlemen as Jeeves, Michael Parkinson and.......
Jeremy Clarkson
My debonaire manners and dashing, yet stoic boldness are well known to make women whinny and horses swoon and buffoons who feign gentlemenship to gasp in bewilderment..... "As you wish, Sir"
To summarise: A good-hearted folding cyclist who is a legend in his own mind ;-)
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Old 08-04-10, 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Folder4life
..I've also seen many people at the park riding incorrectly simply because they look better riding it that way.
Can you explain? I wonder what riding position is perceived to look better.
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Old 08-04-10, 12:21 PM
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Well, it would seem that people in my area have to ride their bicycles with the seat post as low as possible and have the handlebars extending out as much as possible.
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Old 08-04-10, 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by mulleady
To summarise: A good-hearted folding cyclist who is a legend in his own mind ;-)
in a nutshell
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Old 08-04-10, 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Folder4life
Well, it would seem that people in my area have to ride their bicycles with the seat post as low as possible and have the handlebars extending out as much as possible.
Over here in Oz they're called BMX ferals
Eyebrow, lip and nose rings, hoodies, torn jeans or baggy track pants,
A subculture of foulmouthed, inbred and sadly misunderstood half humans.
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Old 08-09-10, 09:53 PM
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I agree with you about the Citizen Miami. The styling is nice (ripped from a Dahon Mu). But the execution isn't quite there. Nice enough, but not quite. I picked up a pink one of these in Houston recently for my niece and brought it back in a suitcase. She loves it, but I agree that the handlepost leans way to far back. Overall for the money still a nice enough bike though.
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