Dynocoaster 

It looks similar to the swallow.

Poguemahone

The brake levers aren't the best. You might consider upgrading to some tektro levers like this. No pic on the link, but that's likely the best model for the brake. I found my levers squishy, with a suspect quick release button and replaced them quickly.

monsterpile

I just looked at BD and all sizes in both colors are listed as low stock. I think they sold out their entire first batch so this is the 2nd one already. My guess is that they are going to be continue selling some type of mini velo.

Dion

My Nano should be here tomorrow. In preparation, I have a low rise MTB handlebar (parts bin), BMX levers (new), and lock-on grips (parts bin). I want to ride it with the road drops first to see if I like it - but a 40cm road bar is way too narrow for my liking (I ride a 46cm). Also, I never like the way the road levers are positioned on the bar from the factory, which is a shame because if I do stick with the drops I'll have to waste new bar tape just to reposition the levers.

Also, reading what you guys have to say about gearing, I ordered a new chain and 8sp. cassette (11-32). Don't think I'll be touching that big 32T cog very often, but the option is nice to have for one of the nastiest climbs we have in the SF Bay Area (Hicks Rd. to Mt. Umunhum) which is in my neighborhood. I'd like to take this thing on a century - or even a metric - just to say I did it on the small wheels.

I'll post a pic of mine when I'm done with it in a few days.

Dion

Okay - got the bike in yesterday and I'm going to to take it out for a loop today (in stock form). Still waiting for my cassette, chain, brown seat and brown bar tape (Hey... it's steel. What'cha gonna do?).

HOWEVER... yesterday I did a massive upgrade and drilled out the rims to fit schrader tubes. Why? Because:

1. You can put your sealant of choice in Schrader tubes. I use Stan's.
2. Schrader tubes can be found anywhere, even Target, Walmart, hardware and local drug stores.
3. Better "cool valve cap" selection

Presta valves are nice, but I like to freedom to walk into a variety of stores and pick up a spare tube if I need one.

When re-taping the rims, I had to remove the tires... and in all my life I've never wrestled a tire so hard to remove from the rim. In removing my front tire, I actually pinched the stock tube and had to patch it. I threw in a schrader tube and kept the patched tube for a backup.

I like the stock handlebar and decided to keep it. It isn't as narrow as I thought it would've been and the levers are positioned well from the factory. The reach is enough to place the hoods over the front axle, making it stable. A flat bar would need a longer stem to compensate for no reach.

So, no major upgrades, but I don't know how long I'm going to live with those god awful down tube levers. Okay for scooting' around on, but I don't like taking my hands off the handlebars for shifting. I may go with bar ends.

I won't bother with any gratuitous pics right now - it's just a stock bike. It needs work - my ride today will sort out what needs to be done to make it "right".

Oh, and it is a bit heavy.

Poguemahone

AH, Dion, start upgrading. It's hard to stop, because this bike is fun to tinker on and the stock parts loadout is frankly fairly crappy, though the wheels and RD are pretty okay. I just ordered another upgrade for mine, I couldn't resist, matches the color "pathway" of my bike. I stole the term "pathway" in reference to color from the SSFG board, and promise to return it there when I am done with it...

Dion

I took it out for my daily lunch ride (most of my lunch rides are on my CX or MTB on trails) of a hair over 20 miles and 1000ft. of climbing. It's a road loop I have laid out that gets me out and back in about 1:20.

My initial impressions and ride report (with pics): https://www.dionridesbikes.com/2011/0...ride-with.html

I can't believe I was just fractions of a second slower on my Nano, and just 0.4MPH slower - than I am on my Surly Pacer. Granted, there are a lot of variables on a given day (head wind, physical state of rider, etc.) but my mind is absolutely blown by today's ride stats. The one thing I don't understand is how the exact same loop on my Nano produced more elevation gain - over 200ft. more. On my 700c bikes, I read a climb of +/- 730ft, yet on my Nano, the elevation gain was 1000ft. exactly. I'll have to do the loop again to see if it reads differently.

Heck, I even dropped a rider on the climb today. Weird.

I wasn't expecting the Nano to perform. Thanks for all your reports - it made my decision much easier.

Gary in VA

Very cool blog post Dion. I've got this bike on my radar for after our house sells next month.

Poguemahone

Just added, Tektro R556 calipers, in white, off ebay



They're definitely an upgrade. I've also got a headset to stick on the bike, but the headtube is too long to use my Park headset press on, I need to get a long threaded rod and some washers for this one. May be a few weeks, it's not pressing (hahaha)

Pics eventual-like.

Pretty soon, the only original part on mine above the wheels will be the seatpost clamp, and I many change that out just to be complete about it.

Dion

The brakes don't bother me. I've hit nearly 46mph on this bike on a descend and I felt okay with the binders.

They can use better brake pads, though.

cedar_lake

New Origin8 Ultim8 stem and too-wide, ugly ergo bar b/c the stock bar is a 25.4 and the ultim8 is a 26. I have a 40cm, round drop bar with a 26.0 clamp diameter coming to me via eBay.

Next up is the white, white, white treatment- tape, bar plugs, and cable housing.

Oh yeah, and the 700c sks fenders are totally workable on a rainy, miserable day like this.

Dion

I replaced the slow rolling Kenda Kwest tires with faster, higher pressure Primo Comets - HUGE DIFFERENCE.

I already had a 1.5 Comet left over from my Flatland BMX bike so all I needed was to get another. If you guys are looking to upgrade your tires, www.flatlandfuel.com has Comets for $23.99 (the cheapest place I've found).

Pat over at FLF is a stand up guy and runs a tight ship. Super fast shipping and great service.

Right now I'm waiting for my brake shifters and I just ordered a cheap FSA Vero 53/39 double crankset. Even though the FSA crankset isn't the best, it beats out the pot metal stock cranks currently on there. Also, even though the 42T is nice, the 39T will really climb walls when necessary.

The Origin 8 velo seat made a gigantic difference in comfort. I'm so happy to get rid of that gel "comfort" seat. It won't be bad for an upright seated bike, but for a bike with road geometry and drops - no way.

vmaniqui

fenders look ugly too. can the fenders be fixed so that they don't look like you just changed the tire from big tires to small tires. i think you can cut the fenders and the fender wires shorter in size.

Harorld

This thread rocks! I just ordered one in black from bikesdirect. This is the first bike that I've owned in a looong time and had a couple of question for you guys:

- I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan and plan to bring it along with me on the subway... Will this be doable with the mini Velo?

- I'm planning on taking the day off from work when this baby arrives! While I await the 5 to 6 days for delivery, I'd like to plan on some initial upgrades for day number one. I've seen some of the work that you guys have done and I'm very excited. I'd like to swap out the brakes, maybe change the seat and seat post, maybe even swap out the tires to something a little faster... Will upgrading the brakes myself be doable.. for a beginner?

- What tools should I have handy?

- I'm digging the possibility of purchasing a Soma saddle and seat post in advance so it's here by the time I get the bike. What diameter seatpost should I get?

I'm a designer so I'm also looking forward to doing some custom graphics for the bike. I'm really digging the possibilities of the black and white palette with maybe some color in the saddle and drop bars.

Thanks in advance!

Poguemahone

Tools, At a minimum:
tire irons. Lezyne alloy tire levers are well thought of, though you can go cheaper and still be fine. I prefer metal/alloy ones over plastic.
scissors (to cut excess rim tape, which should be your very first upgrade)
metric allen wrenches. Bondhus style ones are the best.
grease (there is none on this bike). I use Phil wood.
a tire jack helps to get the tires back on

Brake upgrade is doable, but I would recommend the following tools
Some sort of "third hand" tool. A pedal strap works nicely, it allows you to hold the brake caliper shut while you adjust the cable. The best tool is the Park "fourth" hand tool. A pedal strap can do the job, however, though not as well.
Cable cutter. I use the Park tool here
Cable ends, the cutter should crimp them. Alternatively, if you have access to a soldering iron, a bit of solder actually keeps the cable ends from fraying.

You probably want to overhaul and adjust the headset and hubs at some point. The headset on this bike is decidedly not to a standard, a large adjustable wrench and a channel lock pliers work fine. More standard headset wrenches will not work.
A set of cone wrenches (actually two sets) helps if overhauling the hubs. I've found cheap ones are fine.

On upgrading the bike, make sure you get the right parts. Brakes, for instance, need proper reach. This bike requires long, long reach calipers like the Tektro r556, which have a 55-73mm reach, about as substantial as you can find. However, the stock brakes are not bad, though I would argue the Tektros are an upgrade. As a plus, they can be found in black and white, which is a style upgrade.

The post is a 29.2. The origin 8 post here is, I will attest, a nice upgrade and, for style points, can be found in black.

Since you're new, take advantage of web resources for bike mechanics. I've been around long enough that I rarely if ever use them , but the Park Tools website has a lot of help and is well thought of.

Please note I am not a Park tools shill; they make some nice stuff, but some of their tools are truly atrocious. I wouldn't recommend their truing stand over those by Var and Hozan, for instance; and I prefer the Var cone wrenches, but they can be hard to find nowadays. The stuff I've linked to here I've actually used (with the exception of the park how to site) and is all top notch.

I can't help you with NYC subways-- contact them and see what their bike policies are.

Replace your rim strips first. Also, order some tubes-- even in NYC, presta valved tubes in this size may be hard to find.

cedar_lake

The fenders are ugly, but what they lack in charm they more than make up in remove-ability and transfer-ability to my other 700-c-wheeled bikes. The raceblades would be a bit of a challenge to modify for 406 wheels, though it could be done. (you'd have to cut and re-attach the wires, as they aren't adjustable like more permanant fenders are, and you'd have to really bend the heck out of the plastic to get the snmaller radius.)

I'd rather just use them as-is when I need them and take them off when I don't (on any of my many bikes).

cedar_lake

I can attest to this. Two rides in the rain and my rear hub is making an angry sound.

Harorld

Thanks, cedar-lake. This is EXTREMELY helpful. So here is my list of initial upgrades:

1.) Remove excess rim tape.
2.) Replace tubes with presta valved tubes (anyone have a good source for these online? Do I need to replace the tubes AND tires?)
3.) Replace post with a black origin 8
4.) Replace saddle

I think that once these upgrades are in place I’ll start thinking about other upgrades... might also need to toss a light on the bike for night riding (and I think by law in NYC you need them at night).


Thanks guys!!

Harorld

Those tires look great! Where did you order them from?

I'd like to have a tire upgrade ready for when the bike gets here (monday)... Do I need to replace the tire AND the tube? Can anyone post up a link to the appropriate tubes that are compatible with the Kojaks?

I have a bike shop right around the corner from me, they'll replace my tires for $6/tire and sell cloth rim tape for $5.. I'm thinking of using them for now so i don't have to stock up on all of the bike tools. I'm thinking that I'd like to watch them do the tire upgrade so I can do it myself the next time. I always feel much more comfortable watching someone who knows what they are doing as opposed to trying to with no experience the first time..

cedar_lake

1. You want to take the rubber rim strips out and replace them with proper rim tape. The rubber migrates too easily, allowing the tubes to expand into the spoke holes and rupture.

2. The stock tubes are presta (skinny) valved. You can use the stock tubes in most new tires you might get, unless you get a really skinny tire you want to put on. The rim diameter of these wheels is 406mm. There are two kinds of "20 inch" wheels/tubes/tires. 406mm, like these, and 451 mm, which are larger. They are not generally compatible. Any new tube or tire you get should be 406. Schraeder (big, like a car tire) valves require a larger hole in the rim. The rims can be drilled out so a Schraeder valve fits and 406mm tubes with Schraeder valves are way easier to find than Presta. You don't have to replace the tires, but experience has been that the stock tires are heavy, squishy, and slow. As for me, changing out to a skinnier, smoother, higher-pressure tire was a revalation.

3. Seatpost- I still have the stock seatpost on mine, I've had any problems, and I can only imagine replacing it if a pretty white one became available at the right place. i'd highly recommned using the stock seatpost for awhile to dial in the heigh t and then making sure that the replacement post can get you the same height without violating the "minimum insertion mark."

4. Yep, I'd replace the saddle with something you like. I picked up my fancy "titanium" railed white one for 30 bucks on nashbar. Totally personal preference, get what's comfortable for you.

Harorld

Thanks, cedar_lake. I will definitelyreplace the rim tape as my first upgrade. I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of schwalbe kojaks but just wanted to confirm that the stock tubes on the mini velo will be compatable with them... Thanks a bunch!!!

Harorld

Can anyone post a link to the correct schwalbe kojaks for a mini velo? am I looking for the folded or wire bead option?

is this the correct tire:

https://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Kojak...6628975&sr=1-3

cedar_lake

That's the one. Typically, the 406 tires will be listed in decimal sizes (20X1.35) while the 451 size tires will be listed in fractional sizes (20X1 1/2) I'd be willing to bet you can fit the stock tubes in those, but it may be a bit of work.

Harorld

Thanks! I just ordered up a set of the Kojaks. I'm actually going to have my local bike shop guys toss the Kojaks on and replace the rim tape, I figure, since I'm a bike noob it'd be good to watch them change the tires and give it a little tune-up. I think I'll handle swapping out the saddle myself haha.

I'm trying to find somewhere online that can ship our a Soma saddle to me for Friday but I might have to be a bit more patient on that one.

Has anyone tried out the Kojaks on wet streets?

Oh, one more last lame question... What tools are required to assemble the bike out of the box? Just want to make sure I have the minimum stuff handy.

Poguemahone

You do not need to replace the tubes on the bike. Just the rim strips. It is wise, however, to get a spare tube or two.

I would get the basic tire changing tools-- tire irons, pump, spare tube, patches. You should learn how to do this one thing if nothing else. You will someday have a flat, usually when you do not expect it. The tire jack in my prior post is a nice addition, as well.

I'd spend a bit on a pump. I've had several over the years. Park tool ones are awful, don't get those, but the Topeak morph pumpss are an excellent small, portable pump.

Tubes need to match the ISO size of the tire, which is 406, IIRC