Looks like Calhoun Cylce has the '07 Xootr Swift on sale for US$599.

I saw this just after I bought mine - I guess they are chopping in some (most!) of their margin. My view is to buy direct - the service you get from Swift directly is amazing. Really great guys. I'm not sure you'd get the same if you have an intermediary in there. Eitherway, you get a bargain.

I absolutely love my Swift. It's so quick & nimble. I will post a detailed review after I've completed by first full week of commuting on it, but my initial thoughts are totally positive. Although the fold is not nearly so great as others (Birdy / BF / Dahon) it rides like a fast solid frame bike *and* I can get it through the revolving doors in my office and past the security guys. They reject all normal bikes ("leave it outside, pal") while I stroll past and keep it nice & safe on the 27th floor.

My only upgrade so far is some Crank Bros SPDs. I really need to do something about the bars - I want some kind of bar extension to pull on.

Love it, love it, love it.

What do you mean by buying direct? Exactly where did you buy your Swift, JW?

I think he might mean he bought his Swift from Xootr directly, IIRC Werewolf you got your from Peter himself, you lucky ;)

How do you like your Swift so far, Doco? We received ours at the same time, didn't we? I ride mine every day and like it more and more.

Crumbs, and I was supposed to be there this week! :(

I love it, during each ride I just think to myself what a great riding bike

I don't even ride my big wheeled bikes anymore and I am selling them and all my bike stuff on ebay as we speak

I will end up with my Moulton and Swift...thats all I need

for now ;) n+1 folders

Doco - the only reservation I have about small wheel bikes is that, though I'm used to it now, I still find it more skittish. Even when i take one hand off the bars I sometimes wonder if I might be about to lose control and crash. It's probably more exagerated in my case, since I am rather top-heavy, but in reality I haven't even come anywhere close to having an accident, so far, knock on wood!

I got my new Xootr Swift a couple of weeks ago and have busied myself since then taking bits off and putting others in their place. I've stuck a few pictures on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11490024@N06/

Wow Boycey, that's a mighty fine lookin' fixie you got there. I love your brake setup.

Finally got "Swixie" going
 

OK, my fixed-gear converted XOOTR is finally rideable.

To get it there, I set up my Surly f/f hub initially to match the (132.5mm width dropout) spacing based on measurements James Swift provided (along with more dim's from the Surly website), once I deciphered everything. I ended up with 16m on the right (fixed) side, 14mm on the left, with 102mm overall width on hub. Looks like I have 45mm chain line at front, with drive chain ring inside the spider (unlike James setup). My tire appears to be centered in the stays. This all gives excellent visual alignment of the front and rear sprockets. (Visually sighting down the chain and both sprockets is the best way I know to check chain alignment. Not saying it's accurate, but it's all I have).

Wierd that everything lines up so well with the stock Xootr parts. I was advised I'd need a different b/b and maybe crank set. I MUST have overlooked something...

But, away we go. I can already skid the rear wheel *sort of*. As soon as I have some free time I'll hit a parking lot and get more practice. I'm a newbie to riding a fixie.

I'll post photos or a link to photos soon as I can clean up the bike, it's a lil greasy right now.

Ivan

PS - thanks to James for patiently providing much tech advice and info.

Help,,, I'm frustrated. Tire/wheel problem.

I can't get my new Schwalbe Marathons to center up on the wheels.
I've taken it to the LBS -- they couldn't fix. Then I came home and powered them up. Still no luck. Pumped 'em up to 100lbs psi, and the beads still didn't position properly.

Between me and the bike shop we've got at least 2 hours of failure in the project.

Stats:
Wheels marked -- DINO 20 x 1.5/1.75
Tires marked -- 20 x 1.50 40-406

########

Should I just replace the wheels? If so, you got any?

(BTW: I was gifted a wonderful set of Haro tires that wouldn't center up on these wheels. The LBS couldn't get the Haros to center either, but I rode 'em till one of the tires wore out.)

###

Or do you have a wide gear-range folder you'd be willing to part with?

Thanks,

Bob Gruber
Dallas, Tx

You're also welcome to reply directly (with part or bike proposals) to rpgruber@swbell.net

Thanks, bg

What is it about the Swift that makes it such a great ride? I took my lightweight race bike out for a spin today (Culombus alloy frame with carbon forks) and enjoyed flicking through the Campagnolo group set. It was much lighter than the Swift and rolled easier but....it wasn't the swift! I must get back on the small wheeled folder tomorrow, it is just sooooo much fun!

Bikinbob - I don't understand your problem. What do you mean by center up on the wheels?

Paul - I agree. The Swift is fun. Maybe it's riding the skittish, but responsive, little beast.

Does anyone know if Swift has come out with their new steel frame yet?

nope, I just don't think it will ever come out

but I guess Peter's spending time tweaking it

Just last week Peter told me September for the new frame.

Something about the Swift I've noticed recently is that is has a really small trail (distance that the front tyre contact point trails behind where the steering axis meets the ground). I haven't measured this precisely but it looks less than an inch. This is the case on my 451 wheels and I don't know if the 406 wheels would have a larger or smaller trail than this.

In comparison a random road bike I looked at (cannondale caad9) has a 53mm trail and a bianchi track bike a 65mm trail (for sprinting out of the saddle I expect). This makes the steering very light and responsive (I think) and also unstable no-hands. I find the swift very difficult to ride sprinting out of the saddle (not helped by narrow road bars and a ridiculously long stem). But for seated riding I love the responsive handling.

Anyone got a used swift (in the USA) that they want to sell? Please let me know at rpgruber@swbell.net

Thanks,

Bob Gruber
Dallas, Tx

Bead would not sit properly so tire is not evenly placed on the rim. That bike is going to the LBS for other stuff today. I'm also going to see if they can do better than the other LBS (or than I did) in getting those on properly.

I'm hoping it is big reinforcement around the valve stem that is causing the problem.

I've finally bought my first folder recently (sunday), it is the swift folder in blue. Yesterday I changed the tires and also had to true the wheel (horizontally). I've changed them to big apples, but at what pressure should I run them? I want them to smooth out the tiles without too much rolling resistance. I test rode it today for 20 miles and it's at 3 bars(gas station said 4 bars). It isn't smoothing anything down at all.

For those who bought the pantour hub for the Swift, did you buy the wheel completely or did you build it like a Dahon - Kinetix Pro S Front Wheels yourself? Any purchase links would be appreciated, cause the BA sure ain't smooth.

Btw, I'm 6'3" had to chop 2 inches off the seatpost to fit me and I weigh about 120 lbs.

I find the swift very difficult to ride sprinting out of the saddle (not helped by narrow road bars and a ridiculously long stem). But for seated riding I love the responsive handling.

______________________________________

Maybe it's your narrow bars. I have no trouble sprinting out of the saddle. The Swift is skittish. Took me a while to get used to it.

I've been reading good things about those Big Apple tires. I have a brand new spare pair of Schwalbe Marathons to fit the Swift (same tires I have on it now). In the unlikely event you live near me, Pok (or anyone else who's interested), and want to trade, I'll trade my new unused spare Marathons, just so I can try something different.

I don't understand why you chopped (sawed?) off 2" from your seatpost.

First, I live in the Netherlands, I edited my profile now.

Second, I am trying to find the sweet spot for my weight with BA, not trying to get rid of them. Pantour hub would be a better upgrade, but not until next year.

Third, the seatpot in minimum position is not low enough for my short legs. The minimum position is probably when the seatpost is hitting the bottom bracket housing.
To lower the seat even more, I had to chop off the seatpost. It still hits the bottom bracket housing, but with a shorter length now.

Oh yeah, about the Big Apples. I wanted to use cheap ass plastic fenders for 7.50 euro a set and it didn't fit. I think that I read post that the swift custom fenders will fit with BA 2.0/50mm ?

pokkuhlag: With your weight, you should run very low pressure. Lower than 40psi. You can easily go as low as 20psi with no trouble at all. The rolling resistance of Big Apples is designed to be low, so don't be put off to reduce pressure until you like it. I am 76kg and my bike is a further 17kg, plus 5kg luggage each day; yesterday I finaly checked my back tyre and it was only 20psi :eek:, but it was oh so smoooooooooth!

About that tire that wouldn't seat: LBS #2 was successful getting the tire on properly. Said it was one of the toughest he's done. Best $5 I've spent this month.

Riding out of the saddle: It works good for me because i grab the forward parts of my Delta Ergo bar, which sticks out in front, when I'm standing up on the peddles. I don't think I could ride the Swift out of the saddle with a straight bar.

I think something may have got lost in translation in Pok's posts!

What was the major problem with that tire, Bikinbob?

Any word from Peter in New York regarding the new smaller folding Swift???
I last heard from him in January 2008 about this new tightly folding Swift frame. Nothing since.
I am eagerly awaiting the new improved frame folding.:)