Polaris43

I emailed him a couple of weeks ago and he responded right away. I don't think he's ill exactly, he's just having difficulty getting around. According to his health log, he's not in pain.

He probably enjoys helping those less fortunate (in terms of bike knowledge) than him.

hulagun

Hmmm... fair question!

The Dahon bike already has some good-to-have parts on it that Swift owners must buy and install if they want'em... parts that often need to be modified to fit the Swift. So if you want a ready-made folder with a redline internal hub, fenders, rack and lights, all under warranty, and you want it NOW, it's an easy decision and prolly not a bad one at all.

OTOH, if like me you want to ride a really handsome bike designed by a rather brilliant American frame engineer, that you can customize to your specifications, and have wiser cyclists look at you in respect (or puzzlement) when they encounter you on your fine machine... you may have to wait (and wrench) on a Swift.

oh yeah, if weight is an issue the alloy Swift is lighter too.

hulagun

Trying to learn more about fixed gear hubs for the aluminum Swift frame I found this useful link:

https://www.63xc.com/hubchoice/zmhubs.htm

law4jba

My new swift folder was delivered this morning! Getting through the day will be challenging....

Peter Reich fitted out an Al-frame swift with a Surly flipflop hub and black powder coating.

More info later.

MillCreek

Being a middle-aged white male cyclist, I get enough respect or puzzlement from others while riding my Indy Fab titanium Crown Jewel. Up here in the Seattle area, I rarely see anyone on a folder.

On this forum and others, I have heard people speak highly of both Swift and Dahons. Perhaps for my use, the Dahon is a better 'out of the box' solution, although so many people think that the Swift rides better. And that means a lot to me.

hulagun

Never heard of it but I'm not a bike geek (yet). Very impressive name tho.
Guess I have to see it. Is it a folder? Post a photo please!

MillCreek

Independent Fabrications is a custom shop in Boston: https://www.ifbikes.com/. They do not make folders but are considered one of the leading custom shops in the country for several styles of bikes. A full Ultegra titanium Crown Jewel will usually run around $ 5-6000 or so, depending on the wheelset, cockpit, paint job, miscellaneous other parts and the markup at the bike shop that is ordering it. It is a really nice bicycle.

james_swift

I hope that info comes with pics!

OziSwift

Hi hulagun

Turning 63 this April; in pretty good shape, not carrying any extra baggage. My Swift is set up with an SRAM Dual Drive (3 speed internal hub and 9 speed cassette). If there is a further incarnation, I may go with just the Shimano Alfine 8 speed or SRAM 9 Speed internal hubs.

Just keep the little wheels turning

OziSwift

MillCreek

I heard back from Peter Reich this morning. The current price for a Swift with a Shimano 8 speed Nexus redband is $ 860. I assume this does not include shipping. Adding the typical $ 50 to ship a bicycle, that would give me a delivered price of $ 910, or $ 100 more than a delivered Dahon Mu XL. Decisions, decisions.....

bigbenaugust 

I haven't been in this thread for awhile, but my Swift was stolen from my house last week, so if anyone (in the South Bay tries to sell you one cheap), let me know.

hulagun

OH CRAP!!! Sorry to hear it. A description would be helpful, since someone might spot it riding around.

On a happy note, mine arrived today from Colorado. It's not stolen as it came with all the original paperwork. WOW! Work ground to a halt as everyone stopped to admire it and ride it. I really like it!

It's a silver one with the abbreviatedshifter and Kenda Kwest 100 psi tires. Looks to be a 132.5mm rear fork spacing. Year of make supposedly 2005.... anybody know for certain? It has a Selle Ti saddle, Cane Creek bar ends, and Power Grips.

I want to experiment with riding it as a fixed gear, with front brake. Per James_Swifts advice, I just sent a note to Peter Reich asking about buying a fixed gear wheel for it.

Heading out in a minute for lunch, it'll be the maiden voyage for me on a Swift. And of course, pics to come in a day or three.

Donkey Hodie

Don't forget that if you want a steel Swift hand-cut frame that is fabricated and built in the U.S. by the co-designer/engineer, Jan VanderTuin, Then buy your Swift from Human Powered Machines in Oregon.
https://www.catoregon.org/hpm/swift.htm

It will cost you 100-200 dollars more than buying the aluminum frame from Peter, but you are getting a steel swift fabricated and built to order by Jan or by his apprentice Mac here in the U.S. If you prefer aluminum to steel, and you don't mind getting a frame made overseas, and you would like to save some dollars, then get your Swift from Peter in Brooklyn.

Basically for a couple hundred more dollars you get the same Swift with the addition of deore LX V-brakes, an all steel frame, and you get built-by-the-designer/made-in-U.S.A. quality. You also get a lifetime warranty on the frame, and your choice of around 20 different powder coating options.

Peter Reich is the person who originally recommended I buy my steel Swift from HPM in oregon since (at the time) he did not sell the steel frames anymore.

Donkey Hodie

looks like HPM lowered the price of their swift from 850.00 to 800.00 dollars on their website!

EDIT: I just talked to Abe at HPM and he said that is a typo error. He said they will fix it. If you download the pdf of their catalog, you should see the correct price of 850.00 dollars.

https://www.catoregon.org/hpm/HPM2007web-catalog.pdf

bigbenaugust 

It was stock, blue, and had bar ends and a seatpost rack, but I'm pretty sure the thug that took it has defaced it by now and it doesn't look like this anymore:

https://picasaweb.google.com/bigbenau...30818240794034

hulagun

[QUOTE=Donkey Hodie]looks like HPM lowered the price of their swift from 850.00 to 800.00 dollars on their website!

EDIT: I just talked to Abe at HPM and he said that is a typo error. He said they will fix it. If you download the pdf of their catalog, you should see the correct price of 850.00 dollars.>>

In case it is helpful:

HPM wants $660 for a steel frameset, made to order, with many choices of color. Begrudgingly.
They told me they prefer to sell the $850 bike.

Peter Reich (Design Mobility) prices an aluminum frame set at $390 off the shelf, add $100 for custom color.

Many other factors to consider, for sure!

Gee - I already had a guy try to buy mine today!

hulagun

Will keep an eye peeled anyway!!!

hulagun

James, thanks for this . Sorry for tardy reply. Looking at the bike in person finally I see it may be possible to space the sprocket inside the crank spider by as much as 6 mm... but it'd get really close to the stay.

Looks like the rear fork width is 132.5mm (approx).

I'm not fixed on a track-width hub (pun intentional ) so I am gonna pursue a 135mm rear hub. Another buddy already says he wants to buy my OEM derailleur and wheel set. If he is serious, that would help finance upgraded wheels/ fixed hub.

james_swift

I think I saw your bike....it was another blue Swift heading towards N. Whisman Rd. coming from Easy St. and E. Middlefield road at about 5:17PM last week (can't remember if it was Tuesday or Wednesday). At first I thought it was you, but then I noticed the bike didn't have it's distinguishing Apex rear fender, and the guy riding it appeared to be wearing a white baggy shirt.

If you don't mind me asking. how was it stolen from your house? Break-in?

james_swift

Just to forewarn you about communications with Peter....it takes a while (sometimes a long while) for him to reply, but he eventually always does. He has his hands full with all the custom builds and all other responsibilities that go with running the business.

If you can't wait that long, aebike.com can build you a custom fixed wheel (where I got mine), and I also read that irocycle.com did a custom fixed rear wheel for a Swift reviewed on commutebybike.com around a 135mm fixed MTB hub with 52mm chainline (which should match the stock front chainline). After shopping around, Peter did eventually quote me the best price, but my impatience got the better of me.

Donkey Hodie

The information that I gathered from a phone conversation with one of the guys at HPM is that the average time it takes to build and ship a Swift folder has been 3 months, but they have been improving on that wait. The expected wait should be more like a month or less in the near future(hopefully).

bigbenaugust 

Yeah, that was totally me, in one of my non-jerseys. The seatpost rack (not in the pic, but on the bike last week) would have obscured your view of the fender. I had been riding it all week, until it was jacked from my carport Thursday night. It was the only bike not locked up, darnit. Whoever it was left me a brakeless, spray-painted 24" Roadmaster in exchange. I guess the motion-sensor light over the back door was like a shining beacon to some passerby. Oops.

hulagun

Years ago I was standing in the checkout line at an AM-PM store to prepay for my gas (pre ATM era). It was a hot day and a bicyclist rode up and came into the store, I'd guess to buy a cold drink. He brought his nice MTB in with him and parked it about 5 feet inside the door. As he turned and walked towards me a second guy rode up on a crappy older bike, parked it outside, strode in, and started to turn and leave with the first bike. The first guy hadn't made it 6 paces yet from his parked cycle. Luckily he was headed straight for me so I caught his eye and alerted him. He spun around and yelled at the thief, who just put the bike back, smiled, quickly backed out the door without a word, and pedaled off. FWIW it was a muscular young white guy who didnt look stereotypically suspicious at all... until he grabbed the bike.

Thieves who steal wheels (of any sort) are often bold, fast and wily. Hopefully there is a special place in hell for them all.

hulagun

Oops... I realized that if my frame really is 132.5, then I want a 130mm hub... not 135. The IRO 130mm fixed gear hub set sure seems affordable. With some ebay rims I could have a decent matched wheel set for about $200 in parts. (I can lace my own wheels and my buddy can true them).

I need to confirm my existing chainline really is 52mm, my rear fork is 132.5 and do some research to see if the IRO hubs are junk or not.

James (or others) do you have an opinion on:
- 32 vs 36 spokes on a 406mm wheel?
- small vs large flange hubs on a 406?
- deeper "aero" rims mated with a large flange hub?
- the IRO fixie hubs?

james_swift

Oh man, that really sucks...so the big question is, do you plan on getting another Swift?