what's the smallest, not largest, chainring someone has put on a Swift? (either with or without the front-derailleur kit, which has a 42t bundled).

FWIW, I'm using drop bars on my Swift, with the stock V-brakes, a bar-end shifter and Dia-Compe 287-V levers (intended for V-brakes). I may switch to a brifter myself, at which point I may get the new Sturmey-Archer cassette hub with a drum brake in it. I've heard enough good things about SA drum brakes to give it a try, even though my wife's Nexus roller-brake hub is unacceptably (to me) mediocre in the braking department. I may do this when the time comes for a new rear wheel .... which is looking to be disturbingly soon.

I am using an 11-34 cassette to provide maximum range. Personally, I prefer big gear steps so I don't have to shift as often (or think about shifting as often) and as a former singlespeeder I've gotten used to varying my cadence much more widely than even the 11-34 requires me to. For reference, my previous cyclocross bike had a custom-modified cassette with just 6 cogs. I suspect that the efficiency benefit of being at just the perfectly optimum cadence, thanks to tightly spaced gear ratios, is maybe a couple percent. Critical for racers, but not for me. Not trying to say my point of view is right and everyone else is wrong, just trying to offer a different perspective to the conventional wisdom that close ratios are always better.

Partial answer to mtalinm's question (and another related question) ... I haven't done it YET, but I intend to put a 39t on my Swift this spring once I start getting out to do longer rides and hopefully some touring. Anyone figure out a way to mount a chainguard outside the outer right position? My first thought had been to keep the stock 52t ring and chainguard and move them to a road triple chainring ... but then I realized I'd have to go with a 30t granny. No, on a 20" wheeled bike that's not gonna be so good. I'd really like to avoid a front derailer setup, but I still need a way to keep the chain from dropping off the outside.

I don't mind varying cadence a bit, and I certainly do sometimes shift 2 or 3 gears at a time but if my cadence gets too low it really hurts my knees. That's one reason I haven't tried a fixie.

I'm pretty sure I'll be doing this as well. i too had horrible experiences with the Shimano rollerbrake but hear SA is in another league
here's how I did it: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post11786413. the Xootr folks said they didn't think anyone had done it, so it was the best i could come up with. maybe there are better ways.

That looks like the perfect way to do it. I see that 16mm chainring bolts are easy to find, and affordable at $11. Talk about a cheap upgrade!

While I'm at it, I might consider upgrading the bottom bracket. Anyone know if the stock BB is a boat anchor? If it's much over 300g I might as well swap it out for one of the UN-72 quality BBs I have lying around.

I mounted a 11-32 cog with a 56t chainring. Works great. I removed the chainring guard and mounted a 39t on the inside of the crank, which demands a front derailleur. I had two options. I bought an old front derailleur on ebay with a "suicide shifter." The problem was that the 41mm seat tube did not accommodate the small clamp. Then, I took an old conventional front derailleur, pounded out the clamp on a 41mm pipe in a vice, bent a long thin bolt around the backside, and clamped it on. The shifter is mounted close to it on the seat stay, so it does not create problems when folding. I rarely use the 39t, but it has been a lifesaver on long rides up hills or into the wind. My Swift is now a competitive road bike.
I have also invented a platform for the Samsonite suitcase, which is made out of an old golf bag carrier. These are easily obtained at thrift stores and pretty cheap. This allows me to haul my stuff after shipping bike and trailer mount by air. This makes world touring a lot cheaper than shipping a bicycle at extra expense in a soft bag, which can damage your ride. If anyone questions you about the bike in the suitcase, just say it is bike parts, not a bike.
I can send photos of my bike trailer, if you want.

David

Nice to know, thanks. I did consider having a FD but to start I will try just the RD to begin. In future I can always add one. I do still need to do my research on the suitcase/carrying method.

Thudbuster
 

I'm getting pretty close to my ideal Swift build and am wondering whether I should spring for a Thudbuster seat post.

I've seen reviews on this board for a Dahon and other folders but not the Swift.

I'm interested because my commute into Boston inevitably has a bunch of potholes. I can let some air out of the front tire, but I'm Clyde enough to need to run fully inflated on the rear tire & could use some relief...

I hear a sprung saddle is another possibility, but I already dropped $ on a B17.

Anyone used a Thudbuster on the Swift?

I've got a brown Flyer I'm looking to unload. It's about 6 mos old.

About Thudbusters for road use in general, I've found the ST version better than the LT since the LT has too much front-back motion particularly before it gets into the vertical phase of the arc. If the ST version feels too unresponsive a softer elastomer can be used than the one specified based on rider weight. Whereas going for a firm elastomer with the LT means the travel is too horizontal since it doesn't reach the latter part of the arc.

The 2" Big Apples are good for comfort, maybe worth trying before shelling out for a Thudbuster post.

I had a thudbuster on my previous swift that got stolen.
Couple thoughts:
Had the LT, good not great
Didn't play well with crossrack due to the play.

Second time around i used a Brooks flyer special saddle that is cheaper. I also switched from 100psi tires to 85. Great setup.

Currently, I carry my bike up a lot of stairs, so i use a mid range MTB saddle and have been happy with it.

I had a flyer + Big Apples on my Swift and it was smoooooooth.

thanks chaguzi and horizontal heat for feedback on the Thudbuster. sounds like I should not be in a hurry

maybe the flyer is worth considering - I hear springs are good too. would have to sell my Imperial though, hrm...or move it to my road bike, which I just might do after this morning's painful ride on its stock saddle.

wandt, I'd be interested except the saddle has to be black. this Swift is silver and black all over, except for the name of the bike in yellow lettering (can't change that).

btw is it true that the Flyer is only good if you sit upright-ish, saddle level with bars?

my Swift has drops, and the saddle is maybe an inch higher than them. I still think my Clyde butt makes plenty of contact with the rear of the saddle, so it ought to help...?

is tempting though to have Xootr cut a Thudbuster seatpost to just the right length so that I never have to worry about marking the insertion point again...

Don't get me wrong, I think the ST version is excellent, I wouldn't want to ride my Dahon without it. An additional advantage with the ST is that it tends to sell on ebay for a fair amount less than the LT, plus it's lighter. As with all such things if you can get one second-hand you can sell it on if it doesn't suit you.

My stock BB wore out in less than a year, which was disappointing. I've binned it, otherwise I'd weigh it for you. But maybe you'd still want to replace it for a higher quality BB.

On the subject of comfort, I can't imagine riding around with anything other than Big Apples. I moved my BAs straight from my Dahon onto my Swift when I got it. Been running them for 3 years now (in London), though I did a session last summer to seal up a number of small cuts and scrapes. The front still looks good. Back tire got its first puncture in January, which I could have repaired, but it was looking pretty worn so I changed it out for new.

Michael

Will a Garmin GSC 10 Speed/Cadence Bike Sensor work on a Swift?
 

I was about to order a Garmin GSC 10 Speed/Cadence Bike Sensor for my Swift since I actually ride it more than my road bike. but now I am wondering whether it will actually fit, because the pedal fully extended back is still in the rubber on the tire at least on my '11 frame.

of course the cadence detector will be ok, but I don't think it will reach the speed sensor even if it is mounted at the ends of the spokes. anyone get this working? I have 406 rims.

They roll really well in 'real world' conditions. For a while my run into town always seemed to have me meet a guy about the same size as me on a skinny wheeled road bike. With the rough surface of the roads around here, he regularly mentioned he had trouble keeping up with me -- until we hit an incline, and the Brooks flyer + IGH / drum brakes + rack and bag + fenders on the swift all took their toll.

At one point, I swapped the Big Apple's for Kojaks. Of course, I met the same fellow and we did our silly little race. I was bouncing around the road so badly I couldn't get anywhere near the speed I normally did on that stretch.

Nothing scientific here, but it convinced me that for riding around on less than ideal road conditions, fat 'n light is where it's at!

bendembroski, did you mount your big apples with the planet bike fenders? I'm thinking of maybe a BA on front, but it needs to clear the fenders.

Bendembroski, On the same subject, what size apples? I've got a 2.15 liteskin I am looking to install.

I installed 50mm Big Apples front and rear. There was plenty of clearance up front, pretty tight at the chainstays at the rear. The fenders were the ones sold by xootr. The side walls of the tyres were well beyond the width of the fenders, but this never caused a problem, as the water and muck rode up to the centre of tyre anyway.

What a great thread, thanks for all the insight. I am back to square one in creating a sweet travel bike.

Swift-eans: My old black Swift having been stolen I would like to get another. Anyone looking to offload theirs? Steel or Xootr iteration is fine. Thanks!

Ryah

bendembrowski - when you installed the BA on the rear, did you have to slide the wheel toward the rear of the dropout? The Xootr website says this might be necessary, but it makes me nervous as keeping the wheel straight could be an issue. I don't imagine that play would be much of a worry with a horizontal dropout, but I do worry about getting off-center...especially when changing a flat on the road.