Abu Mahendra

This is a thread dedicated to my Dahon Dash Altena and its evolution.

It all started with just the frame and fork...




Add and mix:
▪ Shimano 105 5800 groupset
▪ Wheelsport Super 451 wheels
▪ VO Porteur handlebar
▪ VO stem
▪ Ritchey Logic cork handlebar tape
▪ Crank Brothers Candy
▪ Cardiff Cornwall saddle
and the result was this:





L frame
Top tube: 55.5cm
Seat tube: 51cm
Chain stay: 42cm
Seat stay: 54cm
Head tube angle: 73°
Bottom bracket height (on 23mm tires): 28cm
Wheelbase: 103cm

25-99 gear-inches

[the other, original thread will no longer be updated]

nz6666

Nice one

downtube

Beautiful Bike! Are the brake levers comfortable with that bar?

Thanks,
Yan

tds101 

This came out beautifully. I luv the look of it,...a city classic. Around my area I'd be riding the king of folders if I built one of these babies up. Fantastic ride!!!

jur

Really nice build! Good geometry as well. The folding frame makes a good case for a travel bike.

pinholecam

Wow! Very nicely built up.

Abu Mahendra

● Switched to 37-451 Maxxis Torch, folding
● Installed a light, polished kick-stand

Richbiker

Really nice build. How did you get a frameset? I'm in the USA, and the Altena's are not available here. I thought about ordering one off Rakuten or Amazon Japan, but wasn't sure how the shipping would work, import taxes (Rakuten & Amazon Japan both required a 3rd party shipper)--I took a pass. Too many "moving parts" to get a bike that should have been sold here in the USA. If you have any suggestions for how to get the Altena or just the frame, let me know.
Same situation applies to Hasa . . . they seem to make a lot of nice stuff, but their ti folder is not available in USA. Jurien helped me buy a TI Swift from Titan Product in China (check out the Titanium Swift thread--a picture of my bike is on one of the last pages).

Abu Mahendra

Thanks. I struck a deal with the bike shop. Simple as that. They can be had in Bangkok too.



My only suggestion for getting one is to take a vacation in Thailand, and take one back home with you.

Abu Mahendra

pinholecam

What tires do you have on the Altena?
Wide and knobbly ones for 451 seem few in choices..

Abu Mahendra

pinholecam

Thanks.

Really can't say that I have ever heard of Maxxis Torch before.
Its good to have one more option for wide 451 tires when I use my bikes for trips that may involve some light trails.

Abu Mahendra

kidshibuya

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sh...!4d139.5961697

You?

Abu Mahendra

Am I supposed to be seeing something there? Never been to Japan, but would like to tour there later this/next year. You keen to join me on a tour of Hokkaido?

oh, btw, this is how my Altena looks now...

kidshibuya

Ah, thought it looked like your bike, plus the poster wasn't from Japan, so thought it could possibly be you

A tour of Hokkaido sounds awesome actually. I have been there in summer and it was one of my favorite places. How long do you think it would take? You have my mind spinning now, I have actually wanted to ride the length of Japan one day after I watched an anime where a guy did it. Getting time off work is the big challenge. At this stage I am very much up for that

Abu Mahendra

Kid, I've heard that Hokkaido has some rad gravel country roads. I am keen to explore those. On a full-size 29er. I've never ridden a Japanese bullet train so i'd be keen to splurge on the Tokyo-Sapporo run.

If you are interested in radonneuring, there's the Japanese Odyssey to consider. I was interested, but no way i am gonna pay the entrance fee.You've got coin to spare, it seems, so it may be right up your alley.

l

ttakata73

I think redoing the bar tape would be a good project. I bought some cheap $2 ebay bar tape to practice with on my drop bars. You can also get $2 bar end plug led lights for extra car avoidance.

Abu Mahendra

I removed the bar tape, and the underlying foam core which made the bar look too thick. I will wrap it again as soon as i get my hands on white bar tape...

I installed Ritchey Venturemax drop-bars, and a Kore Repute 35mm stem. The former have 7.6cm reach, 10.2cm drop and 24° flare, and though they are 42cm nominal, they are 52cm from end to end. For aesthetic reasons this is probably as wide as one would want on a small-wheel bike. I'd like to try out the 38cm nominal version of the Salsa Cowbell, Cowchipper, or Ritchey Venturemax. Love that 24° flare​​​​​​.

Abu Mahendra

So far, so good. No flats. Not slick fast, but not sluggish either. Running them at 50/70psi. Tried 60/80psi one day, and that was too much. Tried 40/60psi also, but 40psi is too little at the front, and risks snakebite on my 76kg weight.

kidshibuya

Sorry the odyssey website wouldn't load for me when you posted this, then I forgot about it lol. But man I dont get that, you pay a lot of money to have your location tracked?... Thats it? You could just not pay and do the same thing.

On the MTB, are you going to build one up or.. i dont know, rent one here? Also wont it be heavy going on the roads or you planning to get transport from location to location?

Abu Mahendra

yeah, the website is buggy. Doesn't load for me too. The website has the route descriptions so you can do those without entering the event.

i am enjoying Seoul, and enjoyed Taipei, both First World cities, immensenly. An urbanite at heart who's lived in NYC, Mexico City, Singapore and Jakarta, I'd also like to take in Japan city life.

i would probably bring my own bike. I"ve got everything for the build except the frameset. Keen on a Soma Double Cross Disc 2017.

alternatve

Hi there,

Is there space to fit in mudguards with those 37/451 tyres with wider brakes, or does the fork / rear triangle width prohibit it?

I'm thinking of getting an altena for use as a daily commuter and possibly light tourer, and wide tyres + mudguards are a must.

Thank you!

akeb

Hi.
Just lately got interest in Dahon Dash Altena and learned from Dahon Thailand distributor (Nava Bike / City Bike) that they import only size M's. I am 178 cm. tall. So I wonder from which shop and how did you managed to get your size L Altena in Bangkok
Thanks in advance.
Ake