bikinbob

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

bikinbob

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.

pokkuhlag

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.

werewolf

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.

werewolf

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.

pokkuhlag

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 ?

jur

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 , but it was oh so smoooooooooth!

bikinbob

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.

werewolf

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?

pismocycleguy

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.

OziSwift

rickybails, here's the relationships between head angle, fork rake and trail (geometric and pneumatic)

(1) increasing head angle decreases total trail
(2) increasing fork rake decreases total trail
(3) decreasing wheel size decreases total trail
(4) big, fat, soft tyres with flexible sidewalls have more pneumatic trail (increase trail) than narrow, skinny, high pressure, rigid sidewall tyres.

Other factors come into play here too that will impact on bike handling. If you need to calculate trail, try this link for starters <<https://www.kreuzotter.de/english/elenk.htm>>. After that, if you're really interested, try to find this article by Jan Heine. Front End Geometry for Different Speeds, Loads and Tire Sizes, Vintage Bicycle Quarterly, Vol 3, Number 3, pg.28-35.

Some old touring bikes (Herse, Singer, etc.) handled extremely well with large fork rakes (offset) and short mechanical trails. Hope this helps.

OziSwift

vas jr.

Fix your swift.

james_swift

It's been a while since I posted here. Here's the latest incarnation of my swift. Updates include a switch back to 20 x 1.35 Primo Comets (non-kevlar) from the Conti GPs, and a set of VP-One Bebop clipless pedals.

Paul Braithwait

Hi James

I think I've finally found a supplier of Sugino chainsets in the UK. What bottom bracket do you use - make and length - and is the set up better and lighter than the stock chainset supplied?

Cheers

james_swift

Shimano UN-54 68x107. This set-up is definitely lighter than stock, as the UN-54 has a hollow spindle. You can shave a few more grams by losing the chainring guard and going with shorter, single crankring bolts.

Having the VP-One Bebop pedals come in at 210gm/pair is nice, too.

OldiesONfoldies

Judging from the numerous postings on the Swift, this must be one worthy bike that somehow has escaped my radar. I tried reading thru all the postings but got tired after a while. There's just too many!

Forgive me for not having the patience, but may I know if the Swift can fit racks, at least a rear rack to take panniers? Also, mud guards? I look forward to test riding the impressive Swift one day. Thanks.

OldiesONfoldies

TU Itsmoot. Good to know that. How is the Swift as a touring bike?

Paul Braithwait

A standard rack will fit. Use 'P' clips on the rear triangle or use the lower of the two seat Q/Rs to hold the rack "arms".

OldiesONfoldies

Very cool! Thks for posting the great pics, Paul.

noteon 

It's still pretty stock--just some high-pressure tires and a 32 cassette--but here's my new Swift. I bought it in NYC a week and a half ago and flew with it to San Antonio the next day. Here it's taking a rest along the San Antonio Mission Trail, where it impressed a group of guys riding full-size bikes.

It's back home in NYC now, having internal hub gearing installed, after which it'll give me something like 20–120 gear-inches. Then it'll get a B17 (and maybe some matching grips if I'm feeling flush) and go into service on the greenway, towing my boys to preschool and getting me to work.

xootr swift

This is between tours, awaiting the TGV in Nimes France. The Swift is in the black bag that rolls up and 'clicks' on to the back of my pack when I'm riding. On an average day in France, I'd put on 50-100 km with this setup: tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, 3 litre camelback of H2O, changes of clothing and munchies. The pack is vented across the back and makes a good while-riding sunshade. The black bike bag has also been used as a half bivy sac on a cold rainy-snowy mountain night.

A couple times, I have left the bike-in-a-bag in the cafe/rooming houses/hotels found at altitude in the Swiss Alps, and pack-hiked up to mountain tops beyond bikeable trails. I find the Xootr Swift more versatile than a Swiss Army knife, because you can change the Swift's blades/functions at will. Photo is of my Swift above St. Luc Switzerland before the front disc brake, Avid Full Metal Jacket brake lines and Dimension Trekking Handlebars.





I do short tours too, back and forth to the farmer's markets, pack mainly empty heading out. These short runs tend to range from 17 km each way to Nimes, down to 3 km to the next village, depending on the day, and what is in the pastry shops. I'll go another 10 km each way, just for a good croissant with apricots or a bread with chocolate with two bars of chocolate. The almost daily market runs help to burn off the pastries, keep my lungs/heart/legs fit for the longer rides and I always have plenty of fresh bio (organic in the states) veggies on hand for fuel.



myspace.com/xootrswift for more info and photos.




.

tblott3

I was out photographing a site we're working on and had an extra moment to snap one of my Swift. I've had it for about 10 weeks and have been loving it!



Mostly stock stuff plus: Planet Bike fenders from Xootr; Cateye light for my birthday; seat bag and red bell from LBS bone yard; and the front rack from Nashbar by ebay way - as per Yangmusa's setup earlier in this thread.

While the rack is good for strapping stuff, I'm hiving trouble finding a pannier or trunk bag that will hold an 8 1/2" x 11" sized box. Anybody know of anything that might work? Could this be why Nashbar doesn't make this rack anymore?

Additionally, I'm wondering if there might be front rack options that might work (mount a little higher, hold a more 'typical' front pannier) from a more exotic manufacturer like OMM. Any ideas? Any clues?

jyossarian

Get it from NYCE Wheels? What are your impressions so far?

noteon 

I was asked in PM to start a dedicated thread about this, which I was going to do after I got it back from hub gear installation. But since you're asking now...

Commuter Xootr computer tutor

alhedges

Paul - what kind of front bag is that? I've been looking for something like that to use on my BF instead of a conventional handlebar bag.