badmother

well done. Some SW magic there

desastar

Ok so I ended up with this nice stainless steel California. Pulled apart the handlebar strut and added a plastic shim and hey, the wobbly handlebar is now ok!
Now, to mod or not to mod??

badmother

Mod . More entertaining for us

jimridesbikes

Thanks for the nice comments! Sadly it's not a Schwinn Qualifier. I didn't know what one looked like so I had to google it... Looks very similar in terms of frame geometry. Mine's just a random mini-velo that I bought in Canada and souped up as a single speed.. Here's an album of it:

Before:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

After:
Little red riding hood - Album on Imgur

jimridesbikes

Loving the look of that brushed stainless steel version. I'd vote mod! I'll be putting better pedals (quick release ones, probably) on mine. What mods have you got in mind?

desastar

If modding, I guess it will be back to the bare frame and go from there. Wheels, crankset and brakes. Where to draw the line $$ wise. Not sure if I would stick to hub gear as well.
How much do you ride yours?

ThorUSA

I wouldn't mod.... keep it somewhat original....
they do fetch astounding prices


modding will just cost a lot of money for a very little improved ride... much easier and much better results and much better riding if you mod something newer...


and while the satinless diva will appreciate over time. you wont get any money extra for modding it, most likely less value for collector


but she is a beauty

smallwheeler

that looks like fun!

desastar

Hi Thor

What you've said makes a lot of sense and I agree. If this was my only folding bike and want to make it more rideable then modernising it would be the way to go. No matter how I look at it, this frame will never be one for long or fast ride, and I kinda like the look of it as it is.

Thanks.

smallwheeler

the only version of this bike that is a collector's item is the original stainless steel version (hon convertible) with the orange fenders and chainguard.



the idea that modding this bike will cost a lot and won't significantly improve the ride quality is nonsense. changing the crankset and seatpost alone will literally shave pounds off the bike.

anyway, i'm pretty sure the vast majority of these folks would agree:

Flickriver: Photoset 'Taiwan Dahon Classic Bike Party' by No5

smallwheeler

a couple of years ago i bought two of these bikes from a guy who purchased them new when he bought his RV in.. 1987. they had been sitting in a storage compartment inside the RV for all that time, never taken out of their boxes. it was like opening a time capsule. the tires were still supple and the grease on the chain and sprocket was still fresh. the gears shifted flawlessly. all i had to do was inflate the tires and i was on my way.

jur

Wow.

jimridesbikes

Lovely photos. Those are some pristine examples!

@desastar : I ride mine quite often, when I'm just out casually and don't care too much for speed or distance (the single-speed Brompton fills that space). Been good fun riding around town to the local cafes.

Unlike the Brompton I find I can get away with rolling it in unfolded, as shop keepers / cafe owners are more receptive to its weird frame.

Edit:

I'm trying to replace the 1-piece crankset with a 3-piece square taper set. Does anyone know what the spindle length should be or is that something that can have a margin of error?

Diode100

It's badged as a Bickerton :-

Bickerton folding bike Vintage New In Box | eBay

badmother

Nice bikes. My first folder was a blue one. Modded it first and then gave it to a friend (woho does not ride it).
Looks like you tend to buy bikes in pairs..

smallwheeler

i always have an extra bike available in case you decide to show up one day.

edelay

I generally dislike the look of those old Dahons, but this is a work of art.

badmother

Be careful. If I do you`ll soon regret it ..

xerman

Hello!!

I'm reopening this thread to see if I could get some ideas from you folks.
I just got a second hand Dahon Classic V, it's quite ok, but some parts are a bit rusty. I want to slowly restore it, step by step since I'm a totally amateur mechanic.


For now my main problem is that there is a bit of movement in the strut-handlebar connection. I have taken some pictures to illustrate the issue since my english is also far from perfect.
There is a broken rubber joint shown in the following picture. It's old and broken.


Should I buy a new O-Ring, will that be enough to stop the wobbly movement? Or should I use other material, like any rubber or I don't know to make it steady?



I have cleaned and lubricated any other part of the bike but I can't open this... Any idea how or what tool should I use?

Thanks!

rhenning

Your pictures do not work and without them I am not sure what you want. See if you can get them to post. The handle bar supposrt on the Classics I have owned have never been a tight fit. A bit loose is pretty normal on the 2 I still have. Roger

rhenning

Still no pictures. Do you have 10 posts with this forum? If not that is the reason why. Did you use the manage attachments in the lower left corner? Roger

xerman

Hello! I have posted again with now the correct pictures and everything. I have edited my previous post for not making this thread a mess.
We could just delete this messages about the broken pictures.

Thanks if anyone could help with this regards with my old but awesome Dahon Classic.

devinfan

xerman

I removed the top-cap for the picture, but I could never realize it was so important for the structure, thanks for telling!
I would like to give some more info about the bike:

For any future reference: If you want to remove the wobble movement of the strout get a new O-Ring, in my case I bough a box of 9.19x2.62 cm (the closes match by eye). They fit well but the strout does not get into position perfectly, but I just sanded it a bit and now the fit is perfect, really feels like a different bike, more stable.



9.19x2.62 for stability

xerman

Well, here I am again asking for your tips and knowledge.
It seems I have some problems with my front wheel. I opened and lubricated the bearings but I find it very difficult to close the hub, if I thighen it too much it does not rotate well, if I leave more space, then the wheel is woobly.
Also I found that the from the following part of the wheel


the thread is somehow broken and the nut stais in the same position forever (I hope this makes sense, sorry for my english again).

1. Is the piece 104 replaceable? Anyone know name and size?
2. Could it we better to get a whole new wheel? What size should I try to find? Totally lost in this matter, but maybe getting an aluminium one will be a good idea.