What happened to the Swallow???
 

Is there any news from Peter Reich regarding the new, improved, smaller folding, steel, model of the Swift which I believed was to be called the Swallow. The last message I received from Peter, (July 2008), was that it was in the works. Does anybody on this forum have news, updates, or rumors to share?
I have been waiting for this, as have a lot of others. :)

Yes, this is a good question! I am also "really interested" in the progress of this model of the Swift by Peter.:thumb:

Hi all, I recently purchased a lovely Swift -- as my wife puts it, I have a crush on it -- it's nice to meet other people who seem to feel similarly about theirs.

I have several novice questions (I haven't actually owned a bike in 30+ years) but first: how do you maintain your seat post? Do you lube it at all?

Thanks in advance, -Scott

Don't lube it! Wipe it as clean as you can get it, or wash with WD-40 even, and swab the seat tube inside clean as well. Try to keep road grit away from the back slits where the seat clamps are. I stick on a bit of tape to cover the slits.

Meaning you wipe your seatpost down with WD-40, and then wipe it back off? If so,would it be better to use a silicon lube for that? Thanks again, -Scott

Any will work. Just like jur mentioned, I have found that grease makes it harder to install/remove the seatpost and that keeping it clean works much better. While cleaning the seatpost, you might also want to lube the quick releases, as this will smooth the closing/opening of them.

FYI, the Australian Xootr website has reduced their Xootr Swifts from a ridiculous AUD1290 to AUD1000:

http://www.xootr.com.au/shop/index.p...d&productId=23

http://img.skitch.com/20090903-pypj1...xm.preview.jpg
Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

This is an alternative to ordering just the frame from the USA for USD490 ≈ AUD 590 including shipping to Sydney (January 2009 price inquiry + September 2009 exchange rate).

Another question -- my understanding is that one of the nice things about the Swift is that it takes standard-sized parts -- but are the front stem and seat post standard-sized?

ie, apart from Xootr, where can one get replacements for those?

The seatpost is same as Dahon's and you can get light and good quality seatposts for Dahons. You actually need a post/seat combo for the lightest setup as they use the I-beam fitting, like this one http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/inde...=66785&o=85052

Note the standard quick-releases that come with the swift are not that great and don't have great leverage. This is important as the standard Xootr swift is a slightly thicker 34mm than the Dahon ones.

Definately worth sourcing some better seatpost QRs IMO

Juicy gossip you've after eh? Well I think there'll be a few people get excited about this...

Peter has been distracted on another, and IMO more fruitful project (for me anyway as I race on the swift). It's a carbon project with a custom carbon fork (long steerer so no riser needed) and carbon wheels. Not so practical for the daily commute as tyres are tubular but the bike as pictured weights 14.5 lbs. That's if I'm managed to attach the 2 pictures.

Post is a thinwall Dahon one.

Fork is a special order and once Peter has finished testing it he'll be ordering a batch. I'm first on the list BTW.

Hey Ricky,

Any Swift powermeter tire results yet?

You can buy a front stem in any bike store. It uses a 1 1/8 or 28.6 stem. You can also make your own aluminum stem riser to reduce weight. As for the seatpost it uses a 34mm one, which is the same as size as the Dahon bikes. Try thor or gaerlan for the seatpost.

OOOHHHHHHH :love:

The frame looks like a regular aluminum one. No wonder why Peter is mostly away.

Is this the evolution of the "Swifter" project? (Go fast build with 451 rims)

I don't know how "fruitful" this would be as any carbon-aero wheelset would most likely be excessively expensive.

I'm still testing unfortunately. Finding it hard to get enough time at the velodrome - I underestimated how much time it would take. I have tested the wheels from the Mu EX, Greenspeed scorchers, and folding and steel-bead Kojaks. Will post the results as soon as I have some.

If you take a close look at the logo on the top-tube Peter's put a red 'r' after Swift, implying this is for racing. I don't recognise the mag wheels but I recognise the tubs - they are for the front wheel of racing wheelchairs and are neither 451 or 406 but slightly smaller than a 451 I think. The wheels may be 451 which might explain why Peter said he had so much trouble fitting the tyres on.

I'm not sure you need to go to the expense of Mag wheels to loose weight. The Mu EX wheels I borrowed weighed less than 1kg for the pair (and are also quite aero), compared the the standard wheels that weigh more like 3kg.

I'm still trying to find a pantoured Rolf front wheel as used to come with the top-end Dahons.

I like the look of that - and I'm interested in the gearing. How do you think the overall efficiency of the SA hub compares to derailleurs? I wish someone would invent a hub gear that was better in all respects to a derailleur as their are so many chainline problems with derailleurs on folders.

Sorry, I misspoke -- rather than stem, I meant riser -- is that a standard part, or mostly only available from Xootr?

And so it's ok to use the narrower Dahon seatposts in place of the official Swift seatposts (I've seen some conflicting opinions on that).

Thanks again to everybody here -- I've been reading through ALL the earlier posts in this thread, and I'm now up to page 51 of 83, phew!

Only available through Xootr OR you can make your own easily. You just need the right tools.

I don't see any issues using the Dahon seatpost. As far as I remember they are also 34mm. However, I have seen a few labeled 33.9mm.

So it seems that the Swift/Swallow folder was just a "pipe dream"! I guess the project was too big for a small shop.:notamused:
Maybe there will be another individual/company to come out with a break through project bike!
We can only hope!:thumb:

What does that mean?

As for the new improved steel Swift, Peter Reich promised me that he would exchange my aluminum Swift for the new one when it comes out "soon". This was by way of compensating me for the defective Swift I received and then had to ship back, AZ to NY, at my own expense. That was over a year and a half ago. I did inquire about it almost one year ago at which time he told me that "I'm lagging on the steel frames- can't give you a firm delivery date at the moment." And that's the last I've heard.

[QUOTE=werewolf;9622200]What does that mean?

"I've cracked it" is an English expression meaning I've solved a problem or finally come up with the right answer. Nothing to do with defective frames! England and America two countries seperated by a common language! I see you're in Arizona - if you're ever in Sedona call and say hi to my old friend Mike at Eagle Rider motorcycle rentals.

[QUOTE=Paul Braithwait;9623881]
Ha - and sometimes our subtle little linguistic differences can cause misunderstandings - like here! Yes, I thought you meant you cracked the frame or something, at least at first, though reading further and taking it in context I did more or less deduce that it was just one of the quaint and primitive figures of speech that often appear in your amusing island patois.

I'm up in Flag right now, near Sedona, so maybe I will drop by on ol' Mike. I used to ride motor-cycles before I graduated to velocipedes.

P.S. I think "cracked" might be used like that over here too on occasion, perhaps more so in the past. Maybe our linguistic differences aren't all they're cracked up to be.

I guess the Swallow has never left the nest?:D
Or maybe it has returned to Capistrano! For you non-California types, this is a reference to the annual returning of the Swallows, (birds), to the Spanish Mission in San Juan Capistrano, California!:D

Hi all, per an earlier post, I'm on a bike for the first time in 30 years -- a new Swift w/ Alfine hub purchased at Bfold in NYC -- it was 'pre-custom-built' by Peter Reich, but was pretty much exactly what I had in mind, if somewhat nicer than I really deserved!

I've been thinking about changing the configuration of the handlebars (or new handlebars) to make it a bit easier for me to manage hills -- presently I have pretty much straight bars. My understanding is that barends would give me more places to move my hands around, and are useful when going uphill --especially if I'm to stand on the pedals.

On the current flat bars on the Swift, I find it pretty hard to stand -- but perhaps I'm just too much of a novice.

So, I've been thinking about:

1) Bar ends

2) Ergon grips with integrated bar ends

3) a new handlebar -- perhaps something like 'Ergobars' -- http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=7 -- that effectively seems to have barends 'built-in'

I also see that there are lots of options for handlebars, so I don't want to rule anything out.

Love to hear any advice!

PS: I'm also thinking about Power Grips for the pedals -- my understanding is that they "get fairly close" to the benefits of clipless without the dedicated shoe/pedal combos -- and are also fairly easy to get in/out of.

That again to all here! (I'm now up to page 64 of 83)