Moe£

Removing the rear wheel is no problem. It takes maybe 1-2 minutes, instead of 30 seconds with a QR rear wheel with non-hub gears. Unless one is changing/removing the rear wheel all the time, it hardly matters. Procedure is as follows, on the Presto Lite and most (all?) bikes with hub gears:

-unhook the rear brake wire so the brake spread out to its maximum. (Or loosen the brake arm if you have a coaster brake)
-unhook the gear change wire, pull out the plastic cap on the hub.
-loosen bolts for rear wheel
-push wheel forward, unhook the chain
-pull wheel backwards, remove wheel

That's it really, reverse to put it back on & adjust the gear wire if needed.

If I were to choose between the Presto Lite and the Helios P8, I'd look more at gear range, ride quality, maintainance need, folded size etc to make the decision.

Leo C. Driscoll

Exultation comes before a crash ;-) [Pride comes before a fall.] Celebrating trail riding in Boulder, CO on a Dahon 2004 Matrix extensively upgraded for trails. Hutchison Python tires were more than perfect on most Boulder trails. But they suck on single track. Shortly after this pix was taken, Matrix and yours truly crashed crossing a bridge with a technical single track (~6-inches of dirt between rough planks). Sorry, no pix of the crash ;-)

mcketi

I have three Birdys at home. I ride a Blue which is also set up to tow my daughter on a Adams Trailer. The other two are Orange. One having the headstem reversed so that my 9 year old can ride it comfortably.

The Birdy is really good when I am being picked up by the "family truckster" and going somewhere after work. Just fold and put in the boot of the Toyota Tarago. In fact we can fit 3 folded Birdys in the car. Nice and secure.

LittlePixel

Just adding my finished Twenty to the "Name your Bike thread".

My Twenty cost £75 off eBay(UK) last September and was bought after seeing Cheg's Twenty on this forum. I'd just lost a brand-new £700 urban-racer style mtb to theft and was looking for something entirely different when his strange looking hybrid caught my eye and imagination.

So six months on, a few mistakes and a not entirely small amount of cash later here she is... I still have plans to tweak the gear ratios for more speed, get the rear brakes to work a little better than they are at present and maybe re-work the handlebar arrangement as well. Even still - she's as sturdy as the day she was welded in the early seventies, massively individual here in London and heaps of fun to ride...

Thanks to the people here who've helped me during the build. As you can see I now I have another one parked in the yard lined up for something special!


Link to full gallery:
https://212.67.202.78/~littlepixel/twenty/index.htm

Beachguy

Hi;
Am interested in hearing about your BF Pocket Rocket experience. I just ordered a PR and am quite excited. I am a Serotta custom rider here in Florida and want to learn about your experiences while travelling with the rocket. thanks.
beachguy

Beachguy

Hi;
I just placed an order for a Pocket Rocket and would like to hear of your experiences especially in hilly N. Andover.
Thanks
Beachguy
Boca Raton Florida

Beachguy

Hi;
what is your experience with your Pocket Rocket...just ordered one.
Beachguy
Boca Raton Florida

cyclinrunt

I have not traveled by air with my PR yet, I have a trip planned for next month. I have traveled with it by car, and it has been a real joy. It gets a lot of stares when I pull it out and unfold it, and I have had more than one cyclist ask to ride it a little and they were amazed how it feels like a full bike.

I've had some gearing problems, I agreed to try changing one cog in the cassette to make a more gradual downshift, but what I have found is that the real derailler chatters, or it jumps that gears. True to BF form, they offered to pay shipping, and will put the original gearing in for free. I've had the bike about 6 months, and this is the second time they have paid to ship it both directions to help me with a problem.

I'm currently having my permanent stem made, I can't wait to see it! I love the bike, the service is flat out amazing. My local bike shop is a bunch of losers with no competition, and they are afraid to work on my weird bike, but I have found ways around them.

Now, turn about is fair play - I'm interested in custom Serottas! I ride a Trek right now, and I'm interested in a triathlon race bike, and maybe another training bike. I'm picky about fit, and I'm interested in the long races (1/2 Ironman and Ironman), so I want good fit for a race bike. I want my race bike set up for aerobars, and my training bike set up more for regular bars, but with aerobars to rest on from time to time. I can't afford 2 new bikes right now. Suggestions?

Leo C. Driscoll

A follow-on to adventures and misadventures with the Dahon Matrix in Boulder. What's cool. With the Hutchison Python tires, the Matrix (as expected) was quick on hard-packed trails and (as was unexpected) a rolling-nearly-fictionless joy on roads. What's not. Tried single-track over a bridge. Went off-track with the hard-to-single-track fat Pythons and crashed onto the same knee that got trauma from black ice in Boston. What's cool. Got to know Doc Scheller who is the court-physician for the Celtics. Wry advice from a guy who fixes $22 million knees. "Don't fall off the Matrix!" Actually, plannng to pursue Doc's personal fitness/conditioning regimen- Hatha (I think) Yoga everyday.....

Beachguy

Thanks for the quick reply.

Glad to hear you are so positive about the BF Pocket and their service. Why did you have to send it back the other time?

About the Serotta. I ride about 100-110 miles per week in Florida at about 18-20 mph on flat Florida terrain. I am a big guy and am a cancer patient so comfort is really important. I've been rideing 4 years, the last 2 1/2 on a Serotta Colorao III with Ultegra triple as I do long distance rides, Seattle To Portland, Ride For The Roses, Bike New York and about 3-4 centuries a year.

My LBS is a great place with great guys running it. They fitted me for the bike and have ridden about 9,000 miles. It makes my need for intense and frequent exercise very enjoyable. The fitting process at my LBS is routinely intense as we have loads of Triathletes, CatI,II,III,IV racers with Serottas.

My Colorado III is a steel version and is at the least costly end of the price spectrum.

My suggestion to to check out Serotta's web site, find a nearby shop that is an authorized Serotta dealer as they must be Serotta trained in fitting to keep the dealership.Also, try some of the Serotta's ridden by folks near you to get a true feel for the bike.

Thanks again

Beachguy

cyclinrunt

The first time I sent it back was because I had just gotten the bike for Christmas, and BF forgot to put on a computer and shift indicator (they were busy, I was having trouble making up my mind...) Anyway, my lbs, which are a bunch of morons, and there is no other shop in 100 miles, worked on it. The computer didn't work right, they put my polar mount on backwards, they swapped out tires for me, but did it wrong, they couldn't help me with a front derailleur problem (not sure where it came from), they rerouted the cables, figuring they knew better than BF, even though they admitted they had never seen one before, and they told me I just had to expect problems from a folder. They all have problems.

I didn't want to deal with them anymore, so BF offered to pay to ship the bike back, fix it, and return it. As it stands, my lbs won't look at my folder, and I won't bring it in. I don't know where I'll get service for it. Since then, I'll only let the owner work on my full sized bike. I wish we had some options.

So, how about that for service from BF? I just got my rear wheel and stem back, I can't wait to try them! I like the new stem way better than the temporary one.

Actually, I was through a Serotta dealer that I got interested in the bike. I bought my last bike (Trek) from my lbs. I could stand over the frame, so it fit. For the next 1 1/2 years I looked for someone to fit me to my bike. I went with the only credentials I could find, an advanced Serotta fitter, and drove 6 hours away to see her (Kathleen Krumme in Cincinnati, Ohio). She has been amazing. I do triathlons (goal is long distance), and I can't decide whether to dream about a Serotta event bike or a training bike. I can't afford both. No one here (obviously) has a Serotta, so I never see them or talk to anyone with one. What Kathy says has me interested.

Beachguy

Hi;
It sounds like your lbs should be renamed "The Little Shop Of Horrors". Glad to hear that BF is taking care of you. Good luck in working with Kathy in Cinci.
Beachguy

steel_knee

Just bought an 04 Dahon Speed TR, have only put 29 miles on it in last three days and so far and very impressed.Will change the pedals for something not so slippery and looking for something other than the MicroAdjust stem. Tires, Marthaon Slicks seem fine. Also pleased with Thudbuster. I'm 67 years old and ride about 10 to 15 miles a day, hope to get back to the 25 miles per day I used to average about 10 years ago.

af895

I thought I'd post my own bit of bike p0rn now that I have a digital camera.
For more pics and specs: https://www.ncf.ca/~af895/bike/KHS.html

James H Haury

What surfaces do you ride on? what kind of riding do you do?

chambo

yes roger that, Dawes Kingpin note the support under head tube junction and cable going through the frame got a blue folding version in one of my sheds...Raleigh 20's rock i was going to buy a bike friday or something similar till i saw the price so i just bought an old 20 for 5 quid and stripped/lightened it and resprayed same cost so far 20 quid including respray and bar tape...cheaper than BF's /Swift etc if it gets nicked or lost in transit between european countries i can always get another built up quick and cheap.

Steve.........Chesterfield,England.

LittlePixel

Can we see pictures of your Twenty Chambo? I was beginning to think mine was the only modded 20 in the UK!
Huw

abcfsk

This is a Dahon "Passport" Boardwalk. Over here, these dahons are sold under the name Passport. Why Dahon brands its bikes in so many different ways around the globe is a mystery to me.. wouldn't it be for the best to build a worldwide recognised brand?

Anyway..the model is not labeled, on it, or by the shop, in any other way than "Boardwalk". It has six gears, which of course makes it plausible to think it's the D6, last made in 2004 if I am correct. However, it's got Pro Max brakes, not Power V.. Pro Max seen on d3/d7 2005's. which leads me to believe that it is some form of D6 2005 model.
Aaaanyway, just got this today, will be used as my commuting bike.... I shall name it.....Avey!!!

skyfish

My Dahon Boardwalk S1

Single speed, no suspension.

raverson

Fuji full size folder, 4130 chromoly frame with 26x1.25 tires. Doesn't really fold too compactly but meets local transit restrictions for bikes on the trains during commute hours.

v1nce

Hey There, i am fairly new here and i got four words for ya:

Raleigh 20's UBER ALLES!!!!!



No but seriously i got mine recently and tricked it out and modded it fairly heavily and it is probably the best and most enjoyable material possession i have ever owned. I call her Tweeny or Twiggy. I wouldn't give it up for nothing.. well.. ok, if someone offered to trade it for a brand new BF or Brompton or Swift, i MIGHT (stress that) do it. Anyhow i wrote a long and in depth page about it, including many pictures, costs as well as info on a cheap/new way to get a good Bottom Bracket and fork going.

https://www.rhizomes.nl/twenty.html

Any feedback is appreciated!

Two pictures for ya, the b4 and the after:

Ski-Patroller

A Ritchey BreakAway 58 cm. Not really a folder, but breaks down for airline travel

It was upgraded to DuraAce Triple and brakes. Has a great ride. It has become my full time all around bike even when I don't need the BreakAway feature.

cheg

Got any pics?

james_swift

My fixie Xootr Swift:

Chop!

Hi Guys, just got my new GoBike X9, I also use my Strida III a lot, (had one stolen in Belfast 2 months ago, replaced it with another), also got an old rivet-frame Moulton, and a 6 speed Brompton that I don't like!
check out my website https://www.long-john.com