Yeah... but I think I actually have the mods more or less where I need them. Once I have grippier pedals and wider handlebars, I think I'm done. (Yes, I know, famous last words.)

If it weren't for that one *&$@%!!! hill, the stock model would have been so close to what I needed...

I know what you mean. I think my Swift is just the way I want it ..and then......

No, really. Handlebars and pedals, and then I'm done. Really. I mean it.

I see where you are coming from, but...

For my needs / wants, I'd use my swift more often if it had a wider gear range. I like options, and since a front derailleur doesn't add a lot of weight / complication / expense for me(I've got plenty of spares just waiting to be used), Why not? Different strokes, and all that. Xootr giving people the option can only be a good thing.

I've got two different platform pedals that are wide enough for my big feet and nice and grippy, if that's what you're looking for. I keep forgetting what brands things are, but I'll look them up for you if you're interested...oh yeah, SKS Toruring pedal, and - uh, I forgot the other one.

What big hill, going south on Broadway to 181st Street? (There are some super-steep side street hills just to the east there...almost in the scary San Diego/San Francisco category.

Thanks. I ordered a pair of Grip Kings from Rivendell. They look a little less grippy than my FUNN Soljam Vipers, but they're silver.

No, if I'm thinking of the right ones, it's steeper than those. Up from the greenway to the parkway. It's like the city engineers went Okay, the greenway blueprints are all done--whoah, wait a minute! We forgot to get the bikes back up to street level!, quickly made sure nobody was looking, whipped out their mechanical pencils, and dashed off a connecting squiggle mere seconds before the construction crew whisked the plans away.

I'm guessing none of these engineers were cyclists.

Noteon -

I meant going north to 181 St. Going south is downhill.

That Greenway hill you're speaking of must be something new that i don't know about - but if it's just one little steep hill why worry about special gearing for it? Just walk it.

I lived by the Dyckman Street entrance to the West Side Highway when they were rebuilding it down to the GW Bridge. It was closed to traffic for a while after it was repaved, and it was great for cycling! I also used to do multiple hilly loops around the Cloisters in Ft. Tryon Park for a workout. I also used to put on a heavy backpack and hike in the hills in Inwood Hill Park in the dead of winter for backpacking practice. I wonder if Sebast the Inwood Park hermit is still around. OK, enough about me and Noo Yawk.

Partly because I just don't want to, partly because walking up it with a 20"-wheel bike and 130 lbs. of trailer and child lies somewhere between awkward and dangerous, and partly because the other hills around it, while less steep, are still significant when you're towing that much. (And now that I'm trying to remember all the reasons, also because I think the Swift will be my family touring bike if we ever actually get that family bike vacation together.)

Dyckman is now the connecting street between the two greenways on the east and west sides of the island.

I agree.
I run a 60 tooth sugino grand mighty chainring and a 14 or 15 tooth phil cog on the back.
Done.

Nice. Although I got the sense from a conversation with Peter that cable routing to a road front derailer is problematic since they are generally bottom pull.

Oh, speaking of cable routing, if anybody gets the Sram Dual Drive, be careful running cables near the lock, especially if the seatpost gets strangely harder to adjust. I have two mangled cable housings that I need to have replaced.

Maybe a rollamajig would help with cable routing issues.

I'm looking at it, but I don't quite see how it would help. Here's a picture.

I blame myself for not realizing what was going on when the seatpost wouldn't slide or tighten easily.

I just got an internal gear hub, does anyone have a suggestion of mounting the shifter without a hubjub?

These shifters fit on flat or riser bars, just go the conventional way... or do you have drop bars?

I bought a suitcase from ebay that's 31x20x10 and the swift is snug in that. The case needed a new handle (made easily from parachute cord, but only cost 99 cents !!
That sized case is exactly 1 inch below the typical airline cut-off point, of 62 inches combined, so still should fly free if within the weight limit.

I have moustache bars.

Can you post a few pics?

A nice looking Swift with a 14-speed IGH (not mine, sadly):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikewal...7605035215202/

Case
 

Yes to rear wheel removal, yes to RD removal, yes to all other removals people generally make when packing their folders.
Though the case is soft, I got some sheets of hardboard and reinforced all the surfaces on the inside.....helps with any pointed/concentrated impacts......adds to weight, though it is easily removable if weight matters.
I also fabricated cheap spacers like BF sells that go through the complete bike when packed, to keep the suitcase sides well spaced. Made them out of PVC pipe, plumbing fixtures, hardboard, and epoxy......they work well, they're much more substantial than the BF model.

case
 

Sorry, no pics now, will take some when I next pack.
Most of the time I just do a quick-fold, then pop it into a bag I made that's just the right size for a folded swift.

Crossrack vs. Posthaste
 

Hello all,

I'm buying a Swift at the end of the month, thanks in a large part to the great discussion on this thread. My question is about bags---I am going to be doing a work commute, not far but will need to pack small laptop, lunch, etc. I was wondering if anyone has compared the Crossrack to the Posthaste rack, both sold as accessories on the Xootr Swift site. They both appear to have a max capacity of 25 pounds, and the Crossrack has the advantage of mounting front or back. The Posthaste has the advantage of accomodating 2 panniers and/or a rack bag--but I am wondering if this is a real advantage given the weight limitation.

The commuting thread has lots of material on various types of bags, but am interested in the "Swift" perspective! I've seen some of the comments on the crossrack, but my searches on "Posthaste" have come up blank.

Thanks in advance,
Bill

I haven't used one, but it looks as though the other advantage of the Posthaste is that it doesn't interfere with the fold. The Crossrack might or might not, depending on how high on the seatpost you need it to be, which will depend on both your saddle and your choice of pannier.

In my case, the Crossrack just barely works: I ordered an Arkel Bug (which is a great pannier/backpack for my purposes) online without ever trying one out first. I can get the Crossrack just high enough to keep the Bug from rubbing the rear tire if I put so high on the seatpost that it just touches my butt, put the seatpost so high that it's just at the outside of my good leg extension range, and use a bungee to raise the bottom of the Bug just enough to keep it off the tire. (That's when it's loaded with laptop and clothes. With less payload, I don't have to use the bungee.) The top of the Crossrack also just clears the loops on the back of my Brooks B17 saddle.

So my only recommendation, if you do choose the Crossrack, is to know what pannier you're going to use with it and try the whole thing out before buying either. I'm not bothered much by the tight clearances, and I really love the flexibility, not to mention being able to hang plastic grocery bags directly on the rack, even when there's a pannier there already. But other configurations (eg, a pannier with a smaller vertical dimension, or a rider with longer legs than mine) would work a little better.

I have not used the Posthaste either but I'm into my second week with the Crossrack. I have it mounted on the front. I love it. It will take just about any of my bags. It was the front rack I'd been needing for my Swift.

tblott3, how much weight do you have on it? When I mounted mine on the front, I had steering issues.