I have not loaded it to your level. I'm typically riding with a binder or notebook and then my electronics array - probably 5 or 6 pounds at most. I'm only noticing a steering difference at very low speeds, but nothing that I couldn't get used to. There will come a time soon, when I'll have to stress it - but I'm not there yet.

I'm taking the swift on vacation next week and plan to use it with the Nashbar Grocery Getter pannier for critical 'supply' runs. I'm sure I'll be overloading it then. I will report.

thanks for the feedback! Noteon, I think I have seen some pictures you posted with the Bug on your crossrack--it sure is big!!

I think I am going to give the posthaste a try, and then if I need a bit more capacity look at the crossrack for the front with a lighter load. I haven't actually started doing this commute yet so not sure how much space I will need. I will report back on the posthaste rack once I have it fitted up.

Peter Reich said he's going to start making steel Swifts around the end of September.

I put the Axiom Odyssey (from aebikes.com) seatpost rack on my Swift. It has a 55 lb. limit and has pannier supports. It fits the seatpost without needing the longer bolts that Xootr provides with the Delta. It has worked well for me.

I bought the Posthaste rack from Swift and then discarded it. I did not like it. The main problem was that the slightest leverage on it twisted the seat off center. It also made the popped out seat tube much more awkward. I am much happier with the much more solid standard rack that I put on - picture (not too clear) on my "Saw off Swift handlebar bar?" thread.

Those Axiom Odyssey racks -

http://sporting-goods.pricegrabber.c...es/m/71183871/

- do they attach at the bottom as well as the seat tube? If so, you won't be able to remove the seat and fold the bike, right? And do they fit the Swift exactly? And if they don't attach at the bottom, they'll be even much worse than the Postahaste re those two problems.

I also had the Posthaste and didn't like it. The Axiom fits the Swift very well without modification. If you do attach the bottom, you're right that you can't fold it. I found that lubricating the seatpost quick releases w/WD-40 allows me to tighten them enough without effort to eliminate the 'wiggle' with stuff in pannier bags. I put Boeshield T9 on the seatpost to ease taking it on and off.

My folding method is to take the seatpost out, velcro strap the folded bike together, then put the seatpost in backwards, so the rack straddles the frame. Weird looking but it works.

My fantasy is that someone comes up with a thing to screw into the rear eyelets that will allow the rack to rest on it but not be attached to it. Does anyone have any ideas?

My fantasy is that someone comes up with a thing to screw into the rear eyelets that will allow the rack to rest on it but not be attached to it. Does anyone have any ideas?


_____________________

If you don't need to fold it very often a heavy duty twist tie might be OK.

Thor sells a rack with quick-attach bolts, a bit like a key hole, rattle free.

My sister and I busted our folders (Novarra/Dahon-hers, Swift-mine) out all over Manitowoc, WI last week. I had some extended testing opportunities for loading the Crossrack in front position. We did the longest rides that I had ever done on the Swift with varying weights on the Crossrack. I still didn't get to your weight and size Noteon - and I don't think I would want to after our rides - but somewhat regardless of the weight it seemed to be much more critical for the load to be symmetrical on rack and the bike. Obvious, I suppose. But even the lightest loads arranged asymmetrically caused me problems. My largest load - still not more than 10# - I spent a little extra time arranging things in the bag and had no noticeable steering issues.

On return home I loaded my Ortlieb Office Bag on the front - which has kind of a angled mount for rear rack/foot clearance. The angled mount has all my gear sliding to the low side of the bag - it was immediately noticeable on push off.

By the by, the Swift seemed to just roll and roll next to my sister pedaling and pedaling the Novarra/Dahon thing. The Swift is still so quick off the line and so smooth on the climbs. It's still just a dang fine bike.

What did it feel like when it wasn't arranged symmetrically?

With my Crossrack up front and a loaded Arkel Bug, there was just too much resistance to steering.

Just a noticeable tug to the loaded side. Almost like driving a car out of alignment. Correctable without much effort but noticeable. I could see it being nasty at the weights you are lugging.

That sounds like the same thing I had.

I've been thinking I might want to experiment with splitting my load. Maybe laptop on the Crossrack in back and other stuff in front... or something. But I just had a couple of weeks without income (I'm freelance), so it's going to have to wait a little while.

Interested in LIGHTING ?? More below.

Bought my Swift a treat. I have two other multi-bulb halogen / battery pack rigs (one Nightpro, one NiteRider), both of which have served me well for years. But wanted something lighter and more compact.

##########################################
Purchased from BatteryJunction.com
http://www.batteryjunction.com/t15-olight-aa.html
http://www.batteryjunction.com/twofish-lockblocks.html

1 TWOFISH
Lockblocks
Bicycle
Flashlight
Holder Cross
Channel
$6.95

1 OLIGHT T15
with Cree LED
5 output
levels, 3
modes, 90
lumens! 1 X
AA
$37.95 Subtotal: $44.90 Shipping: $8.83 Tax: $0.00 Total: $53.73
##############################################

Here's the email / initial review I shared with my avid cyclist little brother.....

Carl Willie,

Looks like I may have hit the nail on the head.

I have to temper that statement a bit in that I haven't ridden with it yet. Just blazed the flashlight around the house a little. And tested standing by the bike in the garage, and in the back alley. I had a little procedure today and I'm not supposed to ride for a couple more days.

The medium setting of 40 lumens / 5 hour run-time (on a single AA) seems like a great balance of plenty of light and great run-time. That's much better run-time than with a halogen and big battery pack. And I can carry an extra AA with me.
Turned up to the top setting, it seems like a waste. But I like having that option. If I were on the trail, or riding the roads at the lake house, I'd probably be on that 70 or 90 lumen setting.

And the weight? Including batteries, we're talking roughly 80 grams vs 971. Or about 1/12th the weight. 2.8 ounces vs POUNDS, plural. So groovy.

It provides plenty of light from center of the focal point, all the way back to the bike. Very nice. The scope of the overall wash doesn't seem quite as wide as the flood bulb on either of my halogen set-ups. But I'm guessing that's gonna be more of a -- "checking out the housing to my right" type feature than any form of detrament to actual bicycle riding. I'm thinking most cyclists would LOVE the throw, and the lighting pattern.

This might be real sweet.

rp

################

Here's a nice review of the light I found, AFTER the purchase.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=183792

Cheers all,

Bob Gruber
Dallas, Tx

LIGHTING continued....

Here's the professional review I ment to post:

http://funditor.110mb.com/Olight-T15%20Review.html

Did the really clamp fit the Swift seatpost? The Odyssey specs show a maximum seat post diameter of 33m - the Swift's is 34 mm.

http://www.axiomgear.com/product/rac...uct.php?id=149

My LBS has an Odyssey. Its label shows a maximum seatpost diameter of 32 mm.

Swift Swallowtail??
 

Swift Swallowtail!!!!
Is this the name for the new, smaller folding, model of the Swift? Do you have any further details?
Any release date?
Inquiring minds want to know!:)

I tried that rack with my Swift, but I think I bent the bolts doing so. When it was stolen, it had a different seatpost rack on it.

The clamp does fit. This is my weekly grocery hauler too. The Swift seat post's diameter is 32.9mm.

The currently shipping (August 2008) model from Xootr has a post diameter of 34mm. The Xootr website is outdated, BTW.

Regards
T

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/...bdb3b3.jpg?v=0

Took this to San Fran.

Good idea! Why didn't I think of that?

squito-

Can you share some additional photos and/or details of your handlebar/cockpit set up?

thanks,

ted

Love to but don't have a camera on me. Set up is a Nitto Dove with Tektro quartz levers. The grips are Oury's, the right one is chopped down to make room for the shifter.

Very interesting. Thanks for the reply. If you ever come across a camera again, I'd love to see a couple more shots.

Does this mean that spec changed, or was it always 34mm and the web site always wrong? I went by published specs, and it does fit. I don't have calipers to measure my seat post accurately myself.