Originally Posted by
bhkyte
how usefull do birdy owners find the suspensionon the road.Would it be better without?
As the current owner of a Birdy and ex-owner of a Xootr Swift, I'm
very happy with the suspension. The Xootr was a faster bike on
perfect surfaces, but I found it jarring and uncomfortable on most of the roads locally. The Birdy is probably a little slower, but I find long rides much more comfortable. I've done lots of 30-60 mile rides on the Birdy and it's a real pleasure.
Actually, I'm considering making it my touring bike too. So I'd need to get the rear rack, and increase the gearing range. I have the 9-speed capreo, and am considering getting a 53/39 double crank. Has anyone done this conversion? I seem to remember reading that putting a double crank on may mean that the chain falls off more often when folding?