Low budget bikes
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Low budget bikes
Howdy
i'm sure there is a thread on low $$$ folders somewhere, but i did not find it. i'm looking for feedback on buying a folding bike to travel in my Semi truck. i can't get get my mtn bike mounted behind it with out getting in the way on non-yielding objects, so i want something to ride shotgun up front.
i'm not in anyone place for very long, so lurking on Craigslist/scouting for a used one is like playing the shell game. So i'm looking at new 2-350 dollar range. So far this
https://www.foldingcyclist.com/Origam...ding-bike.html
and this seem top be top choices
https://www.foldingcyclist.com/Citize...ding-bike.html
Anyone have any input on quality, likes and dislikes with these or other bikes ?
Thx Cuz
i'm sure there is a thread on low $$$ folders somewhere, but i did not find it. i'm looking for feedback on buying a folding bike to travel in my Semi truck. i can't get get my mtn bike mounted behind it with out getting in the way on non-yielding objects, so i want something to ride shotgun up front.
i'm not in anyone place for very long, so lurking on Craigslist/scouting for a used one is like playing the shell game. So i'm looking at new 2-350 dollar range. So far this
https://www.foldingcyclist.com/Origam...ding-bike.html
and this seem top be top choices
https://www.foldingcyclist.com/Citize...ding-bike.html
Anyone have any input on quality, likes and dislikes with these or other bikes ?

Thx Cuz
#2
We have a Downtube Nova and are happy with it (within your price range).
Do you have special rider weight requirements Do you plan to ride on pavement only? Any plans to ride in very hilly areas or long rides (e.g. > 20-30miles)? If it's 'no' to all, you should not have a problem finding a bike that matches your requirements.
Origami's owner is a regular here so you may get a good deal.
Do you have special rider weight requirements Do you plan to ride on pavement only? Any plans to ride in very hilly areas or long rides (e.g. > 20-30miles)? If it's 'no' to all, you should not have a problem finding a bike that matches your requirements.
Origami's owner is a regular here so you may get a good deal.
#4
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
We have a Downtube Nova and are happy with it (within your price range).
Do you have special rider weight requirements Do you plan to ride on pavement only? Any plans to ride in very hilly areas or long rides (e.g. > 20-30miles)? If it's 'no' to all, you should not have a problem finding a bike that matches your requirements.
Origami's owner is a regular here so you may get a good deal.
Do you have special rider weight requirements Do you plan to ride on pavement only? Any plans to ride in very hilly areas or long rides (e.g. > 20-30miles)? If it's 'no' to all, you should not have a problem finding a bike that matches your requirements.
Origami's owner is a regular here so you may get a good deal.
Last edited by cuzzinit; 05-27-13 at 08:41 PM. Reason: caca pasa
#5
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
J&B under their Origin-8 brand have a Dahon type folder, could even be rebadged by Dahon for those Importers.
find one of these hubs to build up in the wheel in place of a single or 3speed , its got 5..
https://www.sturmey-archer.com/produc.../id/64/specs/1
find one of these hubs to build up in the wheel in place of a single or 3speed , its got 5..
https://www.sturmey-archer.com/produc.../id/64/specs/1
Last edited by fietsbob; 05-27-13 at 10:50 PM.
#7
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
anyone know anything about Citizen bicycles ? i can't find anything good/bad or ugly about them
Last edited by cuzzinit; 05-30-13 at 08:38 PM. Reason: caca pasa
#8
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
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From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Anyone know anything about this ?
https://www.amazon.com/Columba-Foldin...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
Looks like it might be decent for the money
https://www.amazon.com/Columba-Foldin...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
Looks like it might be decent for the money
#9
About the other one: I only know it is a 26 bike and personally I would newer buy a 26" bike if I wanted a folder. It is not smaller when folded, just a different shape..
If you need a cheap bike then look for a fair quality bike second hand instead of a new cheap one.
#10
LET'S ROLL
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,789
Likes: 59
From: NEW YORK, NY - USA
Bikes: 2014 BMC Gran Fondo, 2013 Brompton S6L-X
I borrowed one a few times when I visited them last year, I even went off roading on
some dirt roads and dry river beds. I thought they were ok for the short rides that
I did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...=XUUCaoVUtEI#!
__________________
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
#11
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Thx, that's the type of riding i want to do, out and back for an hour or so
#13
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 139
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From: Berea KY
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Took it to shop to get adjusted, it was kicking out of sixth gear. It rides ok, i'm happy with it but if i had the extra money i would have bought something better..... i named it after a Basset Hound that i lived with
#14
The cable inners stretch and the cable outers compress on all new bikes in the first few hours on the road. On all bikes. This throws the gear indexing out. There's a user adjuster on the rear dérailleur to compensate for this:
Turn the bike upside down, operate the shifter and turn the pedals until the chain is on the smallest rear sprocket, then move the selector one click while turning the pedals. The chain should climb onto the second smallest sprocket. No? Turn the adjuster half a turn, go back to small, and repeat until you get smooth shifts onto sprocket #2, but not past it.
Then check all the sprockets, once you have correct shifting to #2, you should have correct shifting all the way up.
If you get it wrong, start on the smallest sprocket again.
Fine tune by listening for rattling noise on the middle sprockets and see if small turns of the adjuster remove it.
There's loads of vids on YouTube to help.
Cheap bikes can run well. Become the mechanic. Buy grease.
* Note for Dahon Neos users - do the adjustments starting with the chain on the largest sprocket, adjust for jump to second largest.
Turn the bike upside down, operate the shifter and turn the pedals until the chain is on the smallest rear sprocket, then move the selector one click while turning the pedals. The chain should climb onto the second smallest sprocket. No? Turn the adjuster half a turn, go back to small, and repeat until you get smooth shifts onto sprocket #2, but not past it.
Then check all the sprockets, once you have correct shifting to #2, you should have correct shifting all the way up.
If you get it wrong, start on the smallest sprocket again.
Fine tune by listening for rattling noise on the middle sprockets and see if small turns of the adjuster remove it.
There's loads of vids on YouTube to help.
Cheap bikes can run well. Become the mechanic. Buy grease.
* Note for Dahon Neos users - do the adjustments starting with the chain on the largest sprocket, adjust for jump to second largest.
#15
* Note for Dahon Neos users - do the adjustments starting with the chain on the largest sprocket, adjust for jump to second largest.
Thank you. That is the first time Ihave seen a quick and easy description on adjusting the Neos- and I have been searching! I`ll hand it over to my only begotten son and tell him to get rid of the "ratteling" in his drivetrain. The young man is happy as long as the wheels are turning..
Thank you. That is the first time Ihave seen a quick and easy description on adjusting the Neos- and I have been searching! I`ll hand it over to my only begotten son and tell him to get rid of the "ratteling" in his drivetrain. The young man is happy as long as the wheels are turning..
#16
You're welcome. I am a Neos nerd. The Neos is a 'high normal' in that if the cable or shift selector breaks, the mech jumps to the largest sproggit to get you home, so that is where we start.
Tensioning the cable moves it to the second largest, the reverse of 'ordinary' mechs.
Once the tension is correct for the first to second distance, it is correct for all the rest but may need final twiddling at the other end of the sprocket range.
Neos mechs are a superb design and sit under the chainstay to avoid damage. When folding, the trick is to have the mech on the largest sprocket as you stop the bike, the mech is then fully retracted under the frame.
What perfection!
Tensioning the cable moves it to the second largest, the reverse of 'ordinary' mechs.
Once the tension is correct for the first to second distance, it is correct for all the rest but may need final twiddling at the other end of the sprocket range.
Neos mechs are a superb design and sit under the chainstay to avoid damage. When folding, the trick is to have the mech on the largest sprocket as you stop the bike, the mech is then fully retracted under the frame.
What perfection!
Last edited by snafu21; 06-10-13 at 12:52 AM.
#17
You're welcome. I am a Neos nerd. The Neos is a 'high normal' in that if the cable or shift selector breaks, the mech jumps to the largest sproggit to get you home, so that is where we start.
Tensioning the cable moves it to the second largest, the reverse of 'ordinary' mechs.
Once the tension is correct for the first to second distance, it is correct for all the rest but may need final twiddling at the other end of the sprocket range.
Neos mechs are a superb design and sit under the chainstay to avoid damage. When folding, the trick is to have the mech on the largest sprocket as you stop the bike, the mech is then fully retracted under the frame.
What perfection!
Tensioning the cable moves it to the second largest, the reverse of 'ordinary' mechs.
Once the tension is correct for the first to second distance, it is correct for all the rest but may need final twiddling at the other end of the sprocket range.
Neos mechs are a superb design and sit under the chainstay to avoid damage. When folding, the trick is to have the mech on the largest sprocket as you stop the bike, the mech is then fully retracted under the frame.
What perfection!
Been thinking more than once that I want one for my white folder but it is not built for it! I use a Deore that is almost touching the ground.
#18
Ya 'Rapid rise.' Does anyone sell a 'slow rise'?
I put an MTB Deore-like Acera on the DownTube bike of a chum.With 20" wheels the mech looks dangerously low, but the bike never goes near logs, tree-stumps and so forth, so she is safe.
When Nexus 7 hub gears came out a few years ago, the MTB downhillers were all over them. 'Bullet-proof' they muttered, through mouthfuls of leaves and mud. They are now quite tempting, but a faff to retro fit.
Ooops.Way off-topic. Ignore my little rantings.
I put an MTB Deore-like Acera on the DownTube bike of a chum.With 20" wheels the mech looks dangerously low, but the bike never goes near logs, tree-stumps and so forth, so she is safe.
When Nexus 7 hub gears came out a few years ago, the MTB downhillers were all over them. 'Bullet-proof' they muttered, through mouthfuls of leaves and mud. They are now quite tempting, but a faff to retro fit.
Ooops.Way off-topic. Ignore my little rantings.
#19
Ya 'Rapid rise.' Does anyone sell a 'slow rise'?
I put an MTB Deore-like Acera on the DownTube bike of a chum.With 20" wheels the mech looks dangerously low, but the bike never goes near logs, tree-stumps and so forth, so she is safe.
When Nexus 7 hub gears came out a few years ago, the MTB downhillers were all over them. 'Bullet-proof' they muttered, through mouthfuls of leaves and mud. They are now quite tempting, but a faff to retro fit.
Ooops.Way off-topic. Ignore my little rantings.
I put an MTB Deore-like Acera on the DownTube bike of a chum.With 20" wheels the mech looks dangerously low, but the bike never goes near logs, tree-stumps and so forth, so she is safe.
When Nexus 7 hub gears came out a few years ago, the MTB downhillers were all over them. 'Bullet-proof' they muttered, through mouthfuls of leaves and mud. They are now quite tempting, but a faff to retro fit.
Ooops.Way off-topic. Ignore my little rantings.
Trying to teach the young man the pleasure of conducting high quality maintenance we repaired the car yesterday. the rubber in the driveshaft was broken and all grease rapidly disapered. Quick wrap with clingfilm, next layer an old bike tube (28") split open and then kept in place with steel wire- plenty of it. Now THAT is of topic
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