Thanks Jur. The zootr swift version is still in stock.

Heresy on this thread, for sure, but someone tell me why I would buy a SS Swift for $549 (reg price $749!), over something like a Dahon Speed UNO for $399.

You probably won't like the Shimano coaster brake hub after you put a bunch of miles on the Dahon .. The Swift is 132mm rear dropouts, so can run some different hubs if you get tired of SS .. can run 451's ... replaceable chain rings with the Swift ... Black is a nice color .. Jur will be your friend ... next year you won't remember saving $150 by buying the Swift.. but, if you need to fold compactly and often, that's a whole different wrinkle ..

120mm will fit a number of Sturmey-Archer hubs... I prefer 406... Non-replaceable chainring could be an issue... both are black... Jur seems friendly enough, anyway... Compact fold is also a plus on my end...

Hmm...

It'll fit a 2 and 3 speed S/A Coaster or a SRAM Automatix Coaster .. the S/A 5 speed coaster is 126 or 135 depending on model .. unless things have changed, there's no provision for rear V/Brake / Caliper Brake ..


And of course there is the difference in ride ... it'd be worth a test unless you've already done so..

Cool, thanks for all the food for thought.

Just one thought: Ride quality. Put some bullhorns or drops on the Swift, the stiffness will put a smile on your face. If your folding often and want a more compact fold, and just pootling along, then there's nothing wrong with having a Dahon.

I think occasionally about the CAT.HPM Swift , in steel, for the Front cargo load platform.
I like small wheel low trail handling with a front load..

Jan builds(like Bi Fri, sort-of) as the Order is placed , so a lot of options can be discussed..

IDK if by now he has less experienced young apprentice helpers doing the Tig Welding, it is a lot of education focused..

We worked together on a Touring bike build, but that was 20 years ago ..

The crank on the Dahon can be replaced with one that has replaceable chainrings since your talking about future upgrades anyway...

I've had a Dahon, Brompton clone, and Bike Friday. The only one of those that rides as well as my Swift is the Bike Friday but it cost double...

The trade off seems to come down to folded size vs ride quality.

I'm sure people could argue for months over it but you'd be able to quickly tell if you test ride them side by side. Unfortunately I can't imagine that'll be an option for much longer with the Xootr being discontinued.

Not sure where your located but there is a local shop in Philly that has a Xootr in stock to test ride if your close to there...

Hey, folks!

I just picked up a xootr swift this weekend. I've got a small car that my old Trek hybrid wouldn't fit into and aside from the rear window strap--which I wasn't a big fan of--, I didn't really have any other transport options. I started researching folders last year and the swift seemed like the best option since I really just needed something that would fit in my car that I could take on road trips and adventures. Aside from that, I commute a couple miles to work a few days a week and go on the occasional weekend excursion with friends.

I took it on its maiden voyage around Minneapolis on Saturday and did my first commute to work today. So far, I'm really enjoying it. I'm an ogre of a man at 6' and right around 300lbs. So far, the swift feels great and though I'm sure components will wear faster, it feels very robust and rigid.

I perused this thread in the days leading up to my purchase but it's so dense at this point, I thought it might be easier to just ask a couple of component questions here at the tail end. I've found a comfortable saddle height but the bars are a bit low for the more upright riding style I'm used to. In addition to that, they feel rather narrow which makes sense from a design perspective for a folding bike. Since I don't really need the size compromise, would it be possible to configure the bars for a higher and wider style? If so, what sort of aftermarket parts should I look into? I'm new to the concept of swapping components and sifting through this (and other) thread is kind of overwhelming.

I also wouldn't mind upgrading the stock saddle and have seen mention of the thuddbuster post. Is that something you gurus might recommend and could you point me in the right direction saddle-wise? It seems like this could be a classic issue of personal preference vs "best" option.

Basically, I'd like to set up the swift to be a bit more comfortable and since it'll fit in my car with ease, keeping it super compact isn't a huge concern.

Thanks for any information that you may be able to provide and happy riding!

You can get 2 inch riser handlebars that are also wider. You can also change out stem with a more vertical riser or one that is adjustable. These are standard parts that can be ordered off eBay cheap or your lbs.

I'm looking to get a larger chainring in the front, maybe 56 or 58t. First: has anyone replaced their stock chainring with the one of the Litepro chainrings with the integrated chain guard? Is it good? I'd like something with a chain guard so I don't get grease on my pants.

Second, anything I should watch out for when replacing the chainring? i.e. is the litepro compatible with the stock crank, what kind of bolts do I need, do I need spacers or anything? For reference I'm running a 9 speed cassette in the back.

Dis advantage, the trouser guard goes with the worn out chainring..

I have a Bike Friday, they have a source of separate chainguards ..

Schlumpf has separate guards too, that is a 54, the other a 53..

get the bolt circle match ..

single chain ring bolts , if too short , can be mixed with double chainring bolts parts ..

no i did not buy that other thing .

I replaced the stock crankset on my Dahon Dash with a Litepro single-ring 47T crankset. So far, so good. No problems, not heavy, good looks, not expensive. The Litepro chainrings are five bolts of 130mm Bolt Circle Diameter.

Thanks, I'll check these out. I like that a separate chain guard gives me a bigger variety of rings, but I can't find any in 56 or 58t.

Cool. And nice looking bike!

[QUOTE=Abu Mahendra;19460647]I replaced the stock crankset on my Dahon Dash with a Litepro single-ring 47T crankset. So far, so good. No problems, not heavy, good looks, not expensive. The Litepro chainrings are five bolts of 130mm Bolt Circle Diameter.

I'm looking to get a larger chainring in the front, maybe 56 or 58t. First: has anyone replaced their stock chainring with the one of the Litepro chainrings with the integrated chain guard? Is it good? I'd like something with a chain guard so I don't get grease on my pants.

Check out Vuelta who have inexpensive rings in larger sizes in 130 BCD

The Litepro would be a good option. Worn chainring isn't much of a problem with large chainrings. If you have to replace it in 5y then it's a trifling $10 per year. Plus, the Vuelta is hardly less in price if at all, really not worth the bother of buying a separate guard, messing with spacers or longer chainring bolts etc etc.

boe11,
I purchased a Xootr Swift last November. I am 6'4" and added the following to my bicycle. Sorry I can't post websites yet, but you can find these with a quick search.

An adjustable stem.

BBB BHS-28

Handlebars with 70 mm riser.

Spank Tweet Tweet 75 Riser Bar

You can also get bars with a lot more rise.

XLC Components make a bar that is available with a 30, 50 and 100 mm rise.

My current bars are 720 mm wide, but I will cut them down to 680 mm. The XLC bars are 640 mm I believe so you will have no trouble finding wider bars to suit you.

I am a big fan of the adjustable stem since you can adjust the handlebar height and fore aft placement. With the BHS-28 stem and 70 mm riser bars the handlebars are at seat height. I intend to get the 100 mm riser bars later to try out the bicycle with the bars above seat height.

Also you may want to look into get a quill stem riser. An example is the BBB BHP-20, I haven't tried this but a similar one was suggested by Swift. Just make sure you get the correct dimensions.

Regards,
Xootr_tall guy

I added some really nice bar ends to my stock Xootr Swift bars--and the fit is perfect. These are the best fitting bar ends with my hands I have ever ridden.---I have easily had 20 different bar ends since 1987. I like bar ends better than bullhorn bars because I have a wider hand position on the flats with bar ends. The bend in the bars irritates my hands when riding the flats.

Bike Bar Ends Ergonomic Climbing Bars Black Avenir Light Aluminum Barends New | eBay


You can move the stem up and down the steerer tube. Longer steerer tubes are available from xootr and you can go to an angle up stem. On a recent ride I had a HUGE headwind on the way back (about 18 miles left). I lowered the stem on the steerer tube about an inch to get a little lower in the wind and it helped.

I am not a fan of going to an adjustable stem as they are usually about a half a pound extra weight.

Warning

There are two common diameters of handlebars where the bars meet the stem 25.4 and 31.8. If you change stem or bars be sure to get the right size.

Comfortable seats

After 10 rides of 20 minutes or more your butt will get in bike seat condition---don't buy a new seat before getting 10 rides in 3-4 weeks.

Most good bike shops will let you take a seat out for a test ride on a dry day and if it does not work for you return it and try another.

Thank you kindly for the advice, folks. It's still pretty chilly up here in northern MN but I did manage to get out a bit today. I've made some adjustments to the stock configuration and I'm trying to gradually figure out what I should supplement without just buying a laundry list of stuff right away before parsing through all of this (new to me) information. Your posts are making the process a lot easier!

Thanks again, I'll be checking back here and probably posting some updates as I go.

The bar ends that I added were all I have added in the first 400+ miles. I put a couple hundred miles with a studded front tire also.

The bar ends make the very narrow bars the perfect width as I ride the bar ends almost all the time. They also put me forward into the position I am used to on my other bikes.

I used an old MTN bike shifter to replace the SRAM twist shift, added a leather saddle, bar ends, 11-32 rear cluster, Shimano two way pedals and made a bag to hang off the saddle. I also used a longer stem, 120 mm, to replace the stock one, giving me a bit more room to stretch out. If your bike is new I would recommend repacking the hubs and headset and pulling the bottom bracket to thoroughly grease the threads. I don't know why they were so skimpy with the grease as a generous application of quality grease costs almost nothing extra.That is the one thing I would do right away as everything else is just personal preference. Be very careful with the metal hub seals as they are easily bent.

Hi

For anyone looking for a black frame swift in the UK my old one is on sale for charity. The frame is about 3 years old but was only used for about one of them. Same goes for tyres. Rest of the parts are a little older

It is a great cause, but looking at it again I want it back!!!!

But if you are on the lookout then check it out:

shop.thebikeproject.co.uk/products/swift-folder-folding-bike


I am not sure rules on putting items on here for sale but hope this is ok as its not for personal gain

And here's my bike, looking sharp on a sunny day in Chicago.

Upgrades so far:
SRAM 9 speed cassette
SRAM X-7 short cage rear derailleur
SRAM X-5 9-speed trigger shifter
SKS fenders
Profile Design 135mm 20 degree stem
WTB saddle