Shaving Weight on Speed TR
 

For those who have researched or done this - please direct me to threads with suggested replacement parts for the TR. It is so friggin heavy I'd like to bring it down a bit without breaking the bank. I messaged Thor so this plot may be for naught. I searched but came up blank.

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From vmaniqui

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Dahon-Speed-TR

And

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...n-Speed-TR-PRO

It would be a heck a lot cheaper if you can get a hold of a used Dahon Mu SL from someone who is upgrading for Tern or the newer Dahons. The speed TR was made heavy to be durable for long touring trips. It is not designed for peformance road biking in mind. Although you can somehow lighhten it, but I do not personally see a point of converting a Hummer into a Lotus Esprit; just a matter of speaking.

Tern has some nice bikes that should be light and stiffer than your Speed TR, which translate to a more responsive ride!

i am the guilty party. i trimmed my TR weight from 29lbs to about 20+- lbs. it made more sense to me to upgrade a TR when you compare the prices of those bikes you mentioned. cost of a dahon mu sl or speed pro tt is twice (or even more) compare to a TR. hey - i was able to convert my hummer into a lotus (way cheaper even if i buy a used dahon mu sl). and yet my TR is steel (compare to alu for sl), my TR has 24 speed SRAM dual drive (compare to 8 speed of the SL). technically my TR is a 48 speed bike as i installed a 52/39T Shimano 105 crankset. cheers...

NOTE: to me it's worth all the trouble. i sold my Bike Friday Tikit as i really like the TR.

Steel and Aluminum; I ride both (Speed Uno and Mu SL) and I find the Mu SL is a better ride btw. Steel rides better than Alu is a myth; has been. Tires and frame designs are what make folders ride nicer -- Big Apple is more comfortable than Stelvio or Durano especially at lower tire pressures and yet, I was able to keep up to Carbon bikes like Trek Madone, Project one etc with only 9 speeds (2x9 system) due to the bigger tire circumferencce. People think having more gears mean a better bike. I beg to differ completely. More useful gears make a better bike rather than just more which is really all weight and no purpose. In the 8000 miles touring trip I did a few years back with the BF NWT, I realized I only used 8 out of the 24 gears. The 9 speeds I have on the Mu SL are customized so I actually use most of the 9 -- hard to do as cadence and terrain dictate what gear you will use most.

I do not see anything wrong with converting a touring bike into a fast road bike like some people making a long haul trucker lighter for fast rides. Eventually though, they will figure out that a dedicated road bike, not one converted from a hummer, will always make a better bike for fast rides. Otherwise, Bike Friday will never make a Pocket Rocket Pro when the New World Tourist and the Tikit should suffice. And which is why Dahon has a Speed version and the Verge with the Verge X20 or X30h which are nice, fast, and stiffer and more responsive than a Speed TR. I have ridden them most and in terms of speed and having the road feel, a Speed TR with lighter components do not make a Mu SL nor a Tern Verge.

Anyhow, really am impressed with what you had done with the Speed TR! Awesomely tricked out.:D

Thanks for the input. I may make some minor adjustments (remove the pump and switch tires to the Kojaks). The bike was purchased for touring and I tend to pick hilly/mountainous regions so a good gear range is essential, though I do agree about the number of gears. The racks (essential) and fenders (important) will stay, too.

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