Attachment 175283

nothing many of you haven't done but proud to say I successfully installed a front derailleur tonight!

got stuck at one point and thought I'd have to take it to the LBS for adjustment, but the Zinn book and a couple of YouTube videos helped me out. Still a tiny bit of chain rub on the cross gears but I'm able to trim pretty well.

what a difference on the steep grades! given that I'm at the frame weight limit and carry 10-15# of gear, that really matters for me.

very tempted to unload my other commuter bike...

Hey Swift-a-holiks! James here once again checking-in with you 406-wheeled maniacs. I see that it's been a while (99 pages of posts on the Swift!) and I'm happy to report that my fixed-gear Swift has been holding-up just fine after 4 solid years of San Francisco commutes.

Here's an updated shot of my Swift. The only new modification is the switch from clipless pedals to BMX platforms with pedal straps. After having been hit by a car while riding my IRO back in June and hitting the pavement with the bike still clipped to me, I've decided that commuting the city clipless is not only inconvenient (skating across slick office floors in Sidis), but the inability to eject the bike in traffic in an emergency can be downright dangerous.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ft_Fixie-1.jpg

The pedals are Shadow Conspiracy Ravagers and the straps are Tramp Straps.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...m/Bike/TS1.jpg

Shoes are Chrome Kursk , which are essentially Converse clones made of the same material as their indestructible messenger bags with a super-stiff insole for max power transfer.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...m/Bike/TS3.jpg

The extra-wide BMX platform provides excellent support and foot stability, and the pedal straps hold my foot securely while still allowing me to intuitively eject without having to think "twist outward to unclip". Also worth mentioning is the absolute convenience of having a street shoe to walk in when going from ride to stride. :thumb:

Rixen Kaul have a new carrier in the offing - available early next year. It clips to their KlickFix handlebar bracket and can be used to carry rucksacs and other luggage. It is light aluminium and may provide a handy method of transporting stuff around. More details on Klickfix.de.

Oooh... nice...

42T chainring
 

[QUOTE=Paul Braithwait;11638851Well, I've finally replaced the stock 52 tooth chainwheel for a 48 tooth model to lower the gearing of my four year old Swift. As I have mentioned on the forum before, I live in a very hilly area and low gears are more use to me than big gears. In the four years I have owned the bike I have never used the top two cogs on the open road but I have sometimes run out of low gears on hills.

I shall be 60 on the 20th October and have given up any thoughts of winning at Alpe d'Huez!

[/QUOTE]

Paul,
I know exactly where you are coming from and where you are going.

I just turned 68 on Oct. 23 and those hills I used to climb now look like mountains.
It doesn't help that I am out of shape and have added some weight.

As a birthday present to myself, I just replaced my chainring with a 42 tooth one.
http://harriscyclery.net/product/ori...2961&alert=OK&

Last year I replaced the cluster with an 11-32.
The result is really a great improvement.

I don't need to go fast anymore. I had rarely been above gear 5 on the flats.

The lowest gear makes it a simple pleasure going up the hills and the highest gear will still get me to 20 mph @ 90 rpm. More than fast enough. I am actually going up the hills faster now than I did with the original chain ring.

I have gotten most of the advantages of adding a front derailleur with a much simpler conversion.

There is actually a problem with using the 60T chainring. Due to the big chainring, the chain is hitting the frame rear triangle (seat stay) when using the smallest gear.
So i would like to check if anyone have any idea to overcome this issue and allow me to use that smallest gear?
Possible to change to a cog with smaller diameter teeth to prevent that from happening?

Hmmm I don't think I have that problem. Maybe that's because I am using a road hub and had to use a big washer on each side between locknut and frame to improve spacing, so that will space the smallest cog away from the frame. It is pretty close though. I may be able to check later.

My smallest cog is 11T - what is yours?

changes for my bike to be "perfect"...for a few months. overall, lighter to lift up and down stairs, quicker to fold and unfold with minimal readjustment, a little faster. feel free to respond or agree.

-faster, lighter tire with some puncture protection(currently marathon plus) - marathon racer? kojak? stelvio? stelvio plus?
-switch from xootr crossrack to carradice sqr mount + super c saddlebag
-swap out longer klickfix mount for klickfix caddy
-try a bunch of fits for saddle angle, fore/aft and for handlebar height, handlebar style (moustache, some other versions of upright)
-swap out for titanium seat post
-better quick releases for seat post - something easier that requires less pressure, that doesn't come out of adjust as much (wonder if brompton's seat post release could be used instead). ultimate seat post would be getting the bike friday folding seatpost on a swift
-swap alfine 8 for a 3 speed hub (i only use a few gears, was fine with brompton's 3 gears). probably sram i-motion 3 speed. - my only hesitation here is that if a 3 speed hub is having issues with 1 gear, it makes the bike unusable.
-brompton folding pedals or other fast folding. a tiny bit faster to use, and easier to fold/unfold with on hand
-maybe custom wheels - i'm only 125 lbs + 15 lbs gear - so could shave off some spokes
-remove rear brake - don't need it/use it
-find a durable tail light, and find a place to install

I am using the stock cog. So putting washer helps? Will that stressed the frame too much?

Mine is the stock cog.
So washer is the key? There is already a deep cut at my seat stay so not sure if putting the washer will cause the seat stay to break?
Well i will have to do it so that i can use the last gear.
Thank you for the advise.

Brilliant looking Swift.

Just hadthis emailed from Xootr by Brian McCoy, the new SS.
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...disp=inline&zw

I manged to resolved the issue at a LBS.
The chainring was put to the inner side of the crank and also a washer was placed in order to create enough clearance.

Dynocoaster, whatever you posted does not appear on my screen! Oh, and welcome to page 100!!

Same here.

Still nix...

Maybe it's time to er.... retire this 5 year old thread.

Machine a new thread, if you will.

i will switch threads if others are into it too. i'm sure this has been tried many times in past, but maybe we can pull it off this time. we could try exotic names like "swift folders 2"

There are longer BF threads such as "Addiction" in the Road forum

What would really e snazzy is an Index into the existing thread!

Here is the link
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...disp=inline&zw

maybe copy and paste the text?

Oh I see, you linked to your personal email account.

Quickly delete that email address you provided, bots will find it and avalanche you with spam!

Then post a new post, and use the attach function for the pic and it will be stored here at BF.

replacement grips
 

I know I should go home and check my posture etc before swapping grips, but I know I'll want to anyway so here goes.

I find the stock Swift grips quite painful. Had the same experience with the stock grips on my hybrid, and replacing them with Ergon-type grips saved me.

Of course the Swift has a narrower handlebar, and I have also installed a front derailleur so there are twist shifters on both sides.

would something like the Ergon GR2 Composite Race Grips Twist Shift Small do the trick? I think I could move the shifters in a half inch or so. would love any other recommendations. the grips from my hybrid are just too long to fit, but I think Ergon has "small" sizes

glance at brompton yahoo talk, they have experience with modifying ergon's (cutting them down) to fit small area for handlebars on m-style bars

Hey, James is back after a hiatus. What are you using as the front cable housing stop? I'm currently using one that's sandwiched between the stem riser and the top locknut, but that means my stem riser doesn't have full engagement with the fork. I didn't think there would be one large enough to go around the outside of the stem riser.

This is the cable stop I have on my Swift: http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A0565

great first experience traveling w/Swift
 

had my first oppty to take the Swift on a trip to Atlanta. very, very satisfied.

packing instructions on the Xootr website were perfect. took me a couple of hours to pack it for the trip, but I had to remove the rear rack, fenders, and kickstand in addition to the usual steps. here is my packed bike:
Attachment 177261
and the parts of the bike that had to be removed (pedals, quickrelease skewers and water bottle)
Attachment 177259
and finally the tools I needed to do it (shouldn't've needed the cone wrench, but my quickrelease pedals were being fidgety)
Attachment 177260

(I should note that the addition of a front derailleur did not impact packing at all.)

Checking the bag itself was easier than I thought it would be. I just checked my vertical 30" Samsonite hardshell as luggage, no questions at all from the agents. on the flight down, with the water bottle and seat bag of tools included, it was 47# and 45# on the way home without those things. I had a couple of unnecessary tools so I'm guessing I could get it down to 43#. but is nice to have all the bike stuff in one case.

When I picked the bag up from the flight down to Atlanta, one of the hinges had come loose and the suitcase had opened partially. I figured out this was due to a couple of screws coming out, so I swung by the Home Depot and replaced them.

Reassembling the bike in my hotel room took 15 minutes at the most Attachment 177262.

I was thinking it would be too much hassle for an overnight trip, and it was a pain to pack the first time, but based on how easy it was to reassemble and then repack for the trip home, I would not hesitate to do this again! only changes I am considering:

1) replace topeak rack with crossrack so I can take it with
2) get riser with mounts for water bottle
3) figure out a way to pack the bike with a kickstand. couldn't make it work this time, but there must be a way...

FWIW, have you considered a luggage strap? I've got the same setup, and I feel much less nervous about hinge or latch trouble when there's a nice tight strap buckled around the whole circumference.