Everyone - I was surprised to read in the Mezzo warranty that they treat their handlebar as a maintenance item and recommend that it be replaced at least every two years. Comments?

-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

It seems as though they really want to cover themselves legally on the handlebars. Their manual says a big no to bar ends too - because the handlebars were not tested in the big testing machine so they cannot vouch for their use.

bhkyte - what brand and model did you use?

handlebar as a maintenance item and recommend that it be replaced at least every two years.

They flex and twist, and so are a fatigue item. Adding bar ends adds leverage, and thus more evil, flexy twisty-badness.

7000 series alloys are only good for elongation or stretch of between 3 to 9% before they fail. Depending on the alloy. The aircraft I fly has a 7075 alloy spaceframe. Just taping my GPS on it has the maint-crew screaming hysterically.

Bar ends are thus the Work of Satan, especially on aircraft, Mezzos, and other fine pieces of engineering. They'd be OK on a Brompton. Strike that from the records.

Seatposts, in my slender MTB experience, tend to break before handlebars because they have more load, and more torsion. They are often made of 6061-T6 alloy or similar, which is good for about 25-30% stretch before fracture. Many road bars are made from 6000 series alloys because of this. A lot of bikes though, still use 7050, or similar, especially in alloy stems.

:50:

A D9 converted to 27 speed dual drive via road racing tiagra levers. See the "upgrading a mezzo/ori" thread or the "dual drive on a mezzo" theards
I also have a more standard d9 with a sash 3x7 dual drive.

Good information - but i will ride them for years with no issue I'm sure. Funny that you say bar ends are the work of satan. That is how I have always described peas.

Great - thanks!

"Good information - but i will ride them for years with no issue I'm sure."

Indeed. Blind faith is always much stronger than advanced metallurgy. :)

Throw in a bunch of fear At the company based on our propensity to file lawsuits and the time between when the bars start to show warning of having issues and when the company implies that they will explode in 781 days is "many years without issue I'm sure." Also, they design for the maximum weight rider (and then some), so with me many lbs less than that should factor in.

Did the GPS cause your plane to crash? Inquiring metallurgists want to know:)

Just read another part of the manual that says bring you bike to the shop for wheel inspection and possible replacement in 1 year or 5,000 miles whichever comes first.

Ouch.

If you ride your bike on commuting duty in all weathers, then the back rim will wear in this sort of timescale, given wet roads a few times a week. (When I discovered the hugely accelerated rear rim wear in wet weather, I stopped using the rear brake except for emergencies or really steep roads.)

I saw a familiar looking champagne Mezzo locked to the railings on a street corner off the Fulham Road this evening, alas i was going to fast to see if it was sporting Kojaks or not.

Where were we? Ah yes; fitting bar ends gives you brain cancer.

'Did the GPS cause your plane to crash? Inquiring metallurgists want to know:)'

No. There have been a couple of 'near misses' at the flying club recently when dimwits whisked maidens aloft and attempted to impress them by flying upside down. Trying to land with the aircraft canopy interior covered in vomit can be tricky. (Flying, I might add, is more fun even than riding a Mezzo.)

And the Hello Kitty Mezzo? Fine thank you. I haven't been to London with it for some time, mainly because April and May were both closed due to the idiot British weather. So I'm trying to wear out a pair of Kojaks by looking at them.

I was out on the road bike yesterday, and thought 'Oooh! I miss me Mezzo', so that's where I am today. Mezzo-ing.
s.

Hmm, is this about me? (I have no idea if my metalicy mezzo champagne or not). Well, I've never once shackled my little mezzo. In fact, if I saw such a situation, I'd probably call the authorities: a mezzo should never be in chains.

Also, I've given up on Kojaks - I need more from my sidewalls than they were prepared to give.

My daily ride is ten miles up the coast and back, pausing only to take on pies on the homebound leg. I've been using the road bike recently, only because I can't be bothered to get 'Hello Kitty' out of the car. Road bike has 700c wheels (two) shod with skinny Conti Ultra Sport 700x23 semi-racing tyres.

I've been coming home beaten up by this bike; sore wrists, sore um, parts. Took the Mezzo out today, same route and boy, was it more comfortable. Both bikes have alloy frames, same SDG saddle, same grips. Who would have thought it, eh? Kojaks for me. Road bike now up for tyre-ectomy. Begone, O skinny bone-shakers.

Mezzo is stared at around these parts. Urchins ride along side, pointing. I may have to get some tear-gas canisters, or a long, barbed stick.

I'd be very grateful for any thoughts on a dilemma I'm struggling with - I've been considering a used Mezzo D9, but I'm torn between it and a used Birdy.

My daily ride is a Chas Roberts track bike, and I also often ride my old Moulton. They are both fast and responsive bikes. I want a folder that feels good to ride, but is also easily foldable, easy to work on (particularly flat tyres), reliable, and upgradeable/customisable.

My girlfriend has a Brompton, and it's a lovely bike with a great fold, but I find it a bit too upright and slow.

Can anyone who has ridden both compare the Mezzo and Birdy? Any help would be much appreciated!

Mezzo is quicker and stiffer than a Brompton in my experience of owning both bikes. It is also easier to get a comfortable ridding position. GEnerally the mezzo is easier to upgrade than a Brompton.
However one issue that a Mezzo is difficult to upgraded cheaply is the under gearing. This can be altered to dual drive with difficulty but great on my black bike. Easier option would be a dual drive crank or a good internal hub gear see the "dual drive on a mezzo" threads. Matt52 claimed to have fitted a shimano cespro hub which occuring to mezzo does not fit, due to chain clearance.

I have ridden a birdie but never owned one. Main advantage a mezzo would be it is easier to manage on a train and are available new for half the price of a Birdie. The birdie is even more upgradable. The Birdie, (and to a less extent a Brompton), is more conformtable than a Mezzo due to suspension and wider tyre options.

Thanks for the helpful reply bhkyte - I am leaning towards a Mezzo for a few reasons, including the quicker and stiffer ride, but also the aesthetics. I was wondering how the Birdy rode in comparison to the Mezzo?

Thanks again.

Do any of you know the size of the bolt that binds the seat to the seat post? I need the diameter and thread pitch.

I purchased a Brooks B72 and it has two rails on each side and required a spacer between the two rails. The spacer makes the bolt that comes on the bike too short for the job.

I think it is an M5 with a 1.0 pitch. The length I need is either a 50 or 55 mm, but dang if I can find one anywhere local.:(

Edit: I may have asked this already, but cannot find my post.

Has anyone tried the Greenspeed Scorchers on a Mezzo? They won't fit a Brompton without modification, but they do come in the 349 wheel size. It would be a major selling point for me if I had the option of using these tires. Vik seems to really think that these tires transformed his Tikit.

I ordered one, but cancelled it because professor google told me they wouldn't fit the mezzo.

Sorry I don't have that link anymore.

IF scorchers they are any bigger than marathons they will not fit.

My bike with standard Mezzo or marathans tyres on has marginal clearance from the mud guard at the rear. I do a small regular run over about 100 yards of muddy areas on the school run. The rear wheel/mudguard area gets clogged up even with this small run. This even stops the bike wheels from turning if twigs ect get wedged.

At the front mudguard there is more clearance, so maybe ?

For softening up my bike I sometime use a spare mezzo seatpost tube with a sprung saddle. I am looking for try a cheapish suspension hub for the front.

A suspension seatpost would be great for this option if anyone has an idea. Maybe welding a tube to a thudbuster?
This would add to one of the few advangers of being able to quickly lift out the mezzo post.

That sounds like a definite no, then.

Hello all. As a fan of bikes designed by Mr Whyte (I own a PRST-1) I bought a used I4 recently and have to say its brilliant and I have been using a lot. Here is photo of my bike on the Monsal Trail.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=269275

I have been looking at rack top bags. Has anyone had success using a bag other than the Mezzo specific bags? I would like to buy a universal bag so I can use it with my other bikes but am a little concerned about the side pockets on some of them being too big and hence getting caught whilst pedalling.

you will proberly catch side pockets on any bag not intended to be used on a folder. Brompton and mezzo side pockets are smaller than most.
What about changing your other bike racks to the mezzo system using the mezzo rack but other strunts?. Not sure how practical this would be, but its got me thinking.....

I have an Ortlieb on my Salsa that would work as it has a special attachment plate. However, with the plat on it would interfere with the folding/standing position. The pockets on the Mezzo are a little further back than most others too, but if you fill them full you can still tap them with your heel - of course depending on the angle at which you place your foot on the pedal and the length of your foot.

I would think your could look at The Touring Store website and get some good ideas for a trunk bag. Just find one without side pockets. http://thetouringstore.com/LONE%20PE...ACK%20PAGE.htm this one is 7.5 inches wide. I'm not near the Mezzo so I can't measure the rack width, but that seems close.