Duragrouch

(above) Gosh, your pic, a bit fuzzy, but looks like a black snap ring on the bottom, but I see none in the rebuild kit shot. Is that long pin in a blind hole, or is there a hole on the opposite side to drive out the pin? In the parts shot, again, fuzzy so hard to see, but it looks like the pin is stepped or threaded on the end?

Need41speed

Took the frame to a machine shop and finally my LBS. The pin is internally threaded and further internet research found a YouTube video that showed how to extract the pin. The LBS (who was awaiting response from Dahon on pin removal) got the hinge disassembled and now, the frame members are heading to the paint shop for prepping & powder coating.
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Duragrouch

Sounds great! If you can, please post a link to the youtube video. I'm hoping there is a related video for the steel Dahon frame which has a lateral setscrew below the pin to hold it in place, but the pin is therefore blocked so I can't see if it also has internal threads. That would make sense, as the pin is in a blind hole, can't punch/drift it out. Searching on youtube, I only see instructions for adjusting the latch on various hinges, same in the Dahon Service Manual, nothing about replacing the pin.

Thanks.

Need41speed

In my case also, there was a lateral set screw blocking access that I had removed. Pin removal (2:35) and reinstall (10:00)

Duragrouch

(above) Thanks, but no sound on video, here or on youtube. Says "Better with audio" on screen, tried clicking there, nothing. Commercial at beginning has sound, so not my settings.

Ron Damon

Excellent job. You have the patience of a saint. My only nit-pick is the length of that cabling in front of the handlebar. If you install a rack or bag on the front block, it's gonna interfere. Plus don't forget the capstan equation. Only the coefficient of friction and total change in direction matter.

Good to see another unique 305er.

Duragrouch

That video was not the OP, but the one where he learned how the pin removes. The OP sent his frame off to powder coat, and it'll be great to see that. As far as that video, yeah, ton of work. I chem-stripped a frame ONCE in order to put together my first derailleur bike from a trashed frame, while I was still in school and short of money, never again. I especially liked where they used the Dahon decals as a matte(?) or masking over a base coat, then remove after the contrasting coat, that's slick.

Need41speed

Local powder coater did an excellent job with the frame. My “Jenny” is ready for assembly.

LitePro & SRAM adorned. Rear derailleur & cable adjustments remain. Almost ready for test ride.

Ron Damon

Looks good. Except for that Brompton-type front block on the Dahon- type block. 🤔

That cabling could use some taming front and back too. What is that second loop of cabling around the rear rim brake?
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Need41speed

The pignose is a three hole bracket that utilizes the mount that was part of the original Mu frame. I think Bromptons come with a 2 hole mount? Reviewing the online LitePro site, They offer a strap on bracket for bikes without a mount. Is that what you’re thinking about for Dahon-type?

I’m waiting for a proper cable cutter to finish the cable mounting. The excess cabling has not been trimmed (2nd loop of rear brake cable). The cable housing will also be trimmed. May also be considering internal routing in the future.

Ron Damon

I don't know what to think, really. Except to say that your setup looks unusual. For one, Al-alloy frames usually come with Dahon-type blocks that use two (2) screws to attach the luggage truss. For two, it is steel frame bikes that come with the Brompton-type block which also attaches using two (2) screws and envelops/encases the block completely. 🤔

This is what a Brompton-type block and carrier look like.


Steel frame


Steel frame
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vuurmot

be careful with over clamping the seatpost
I broke my litepro carbon seatpost that way

clamped it too hard, and when I pushed my body weight forward hard, the seatpost snapped
with how long it is, the seatpost is an entire lever after all

Duragrouch

Nice looking! Just your own choices of colors, or is that combo a motif from somewhere?

The untrimmed brake wire in back... black... never seen that before, is that teflon coated?

I like the aero bars, a great addition to flat bars, I just need to find a way to space mine up further than the flat bars, so I can be on the aero bars to take pressure off my hands without being in that tight of a tuck.

Need41speed

To be truthful, I didn’t know what those three capped holes were for until earlier this year & I’ve had the bike for over 10 years! Apparently this is a feature that was offered back in 2012 for the U.S. market. The waterproof mini box will house the electric air pump & the battery for my iPhone.

Need41speed

Thanks for the heads up. I use a carbon fiber gripping paste on the seatpost & the handlebars so I don’t over tighten & still have a secure fit.

Need41speed

The color scheme is just two of my favored colors. The break cables from LitePro are Teflon coated.

The Deda handlebar extensions came with a narrow bridge but I didn’t use them and spaced the bars to my comfort. I go into my “tuck” for strong headwinds & long straight stretches.

Ron Damon

Surprised DG hasn't offered to run the numbers. He's hasn't seen a cantilevered structure he didn't dislike. 😂

Duragrouch

Funny. I do like the accessories that mount close to the pignose, I just saw an aluminum panel with a gazillion slots and small ledge for mounting on a proper brompton tapered bracket there. But I didn't know the differences you cited. I thought all where 3 hole. And difference between steel and aluminum mounts? The pignose blocks are not all the same width?

This looks like a spectacular build, the finish quality is fantastic, I must say. I had not known you could get metalflake in a powder coat. Lovely.

Duragrouch

I feel your pain. Yeah my current one-piece aeros (and I think my bridged original Scott ones circa Greg LeMond on my road bike in storage), now feel too narrow to me for comfort. I have ones with wider flip-down forearm rests, but the pads are on the top half and the bars are from the bottom, so spacing up the top half will put the bars at a weird angle; I may try to use a double-clamp-stem to raise the whole assembly, but that would need to clamp the handlebars in the 22.2mm dia area, so would need shims to grab there. Handlebar setups, due to constraints, are turning out to be the biggest challenges.

Need41speed

End of Apr ‘24

Today July ‘24

Duragrouch

I thought maybe that pic was 20 years ago until zooming in on the placard date. Huh, that's pretty nice looking. I'm conflating your project with a different Mu restoration I think I saw in a different thread, where it was really deteriorated.

Looks like you have enough spare parts to put together another bike on a cheaper frame.

Oh, you switched to disc brake in front only, with new fork. Nice for long downhills.

Need41speed

My local bike club is having a cycle swap meet tomorrow so…
This is my 1st attempt @ disc brakes & always wanted to try.

With regards to handlebar extensions, the stem now folds to the outside (right side) so the extensions don’t interfere with the fold! Only down side is new contact points when folded. Got it covered though with clear adhesive bumpers.
Last thing to do is visit my LBS to properly mount the rear derailleur (retap threading) and add the chain. Can’t wait for maiden ride!

Duragrouch

Yeah a right side handlepost fold may work better for me too. When I last folded it for train travel, I had to remove the forearm pads. I wish, instead of the aero bars swiveling up for folding, I could swivel them all the way down, to nest on each side of the tall handlepost, but I can't because I have 2 brake and 2 shifter cables crossing between the aero bars and the handlepost. Hmm... I really like my dual position brake levers and shifters, but if I could move both onto the bar-ends like a Bike Friday H-bar (with bar-end shifters), and have the cables go behind the handlepost or stay on the same side, or over the aero bars, then the aero bars could nest down against the handlepost. Food for thought. Backup plan is separating the handlebars and handlepost with clamshell clamp like yours, or double clamps, for travel only. Need to order the latter to try, cheap.

Sentinel1

Very very nice

Need41speed

Took to LBS to have derailleur mount retapped. Hole can now accommodate derailleur but the B adjustment screw & stop have extremely tight clearances. Ordered a different hanger to position the derailleur behind the wheel axle. Maiden test ride on hold.