Originally Posted by guydickinson
Hey James. I thought it was sunshine all year long on the west coast of the states? :-)
Are those the recumbent mudguards/fenders that people have posted about? FWIW I bought a cheap $7 mudguard designed for a kid's bike - fits front wheel fine...I got caught in the rain (again) and rear xts was ok, but front wheel threw up loads of grit and rain, so made a beeline for the bike shop and that's all they had in stock. Seems ok though.
Made a few modifications in the last few weeks; fitted some ergon grips - they're fantastic, and the small bar ends help my climbing...easy to cut the left one to accommodate the shifter
I also found myself sitting too far back on the saddle (even after adjustment) so fitted a looong stem. It's only a couple of inches longer than standard (looks same length as yours) but what a difference - the 'snappiness' (squirrely?) steering is gone...much more of a sedate ride with what feels like 'heavy' steering...I'm not sure I prefer it at all actually...may be a getting used to thing, but at the moment I feel like I prefer the 'snappiness' of the short stem.
It really is a versatile bike, you could turn it into any kind of bike you like really, with basic component changes...really impressed with the thought process of the design. I guess that's why I've seen the track bike, fixed gear versions etc. etc.
Also getting a lot of positive feedback....from kids! Not sure what the US is like, but kids seem to be the predominant bike riding demographic here and they're intrigued by the look of the swift - I guess they think it's some kind of weird bmx! Glad I carry it around with me, it would get nicked very quickly if I left it locked up somewhere...!
Hey Guy...I'm not sure if these fenders are for recumbents, although they could be. I assumed they were for BMX.
For the most part, it's sunny where I am...but we had a really strange from-out-of-nowhere thunder storm...the kind that only rained enough to coat the streets with a filthy layer of mucky grime. I actually got grime in the bottom headset (making the steering feel "crunchy"), so after taking apart the head tube assembly, cleaning-out everything and re-packing the bearings, I installed a
headset seal to keep future crud out.
The long stem makes my Swift feel like a road bike with longish geometry...nice and stable, just the way I like it. The roads on my commute are all long, straight flats, so this set-up on my Swift works best for me. I love that the Swift doesn't have that typical pogo-stick stem/handlebar design common on a lot of folders. It's a real stem/handlebar that can take real out-of-the-saddle pulling/pushing forces. I can't say the same for my Dahon.
Yeah, I definitely am sold on the versatility of the Swift. I've been obsessing over converting it to a single-speed with a
Surly Cog,
a set of cassette spacers, and a
Singleator. A lot of the commuters in SF ride ss/fixies, and I think the style is contagious or something. I'm just not sure of the durability of my SRAM cassette freehub (I've ridden Shimanos all my life) enough to subject it to the stresses of a single-speed conversion.
I'm really pleased with my Swift. I get the performance and versatility of a big-wheeled bike, and the convenience/coolness factor of a folder. It easily cruises at 19-20mph, then chucks as easily under my desk at work. Parts options are as numerous as for any standard bike, and the fit is easily tweaked with a saddle with longer rails and/or a longer, lower stem.
My next mod is to change-out the Kenda tires for some fast-riding Stelvios.
Guy, have you updated your picture set with the new stem and front fender?