Origami Swift - Thoughts, Ideas For a New Version of a Classic
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A couple more photos.







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Paul Pinigis
Owner of Origami Bicycle Company
Paul Pinigis
Owner of Origami Bicycle Company
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#153
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Personally I don't like the painted wheels. It makes it look like a cheap department store bike. But I don't see trading my current Xootr for this one (unless the new one is bigger), so that's just a peanut gallery comment.
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Nice bike for sure. As others mentioned...bottle mount on top tube and stem, allow for at least 2.0 inch tires, no matching rim color, rack is fine..some will remove it, 406 tires are most common and most easily acquired?, quick release on stem is black yet silver on seat post..all should be black? It makes me want to sell the zootr and get this one.
I would probably change the chain ring to 40T for below 20 gear inches.
I would probably change the chain ring to 40T for below 20 gear inches.
Last edited by BikeLite; 09-17-22 at 03:29 AM.
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Black or silver wheels please. Painted wheels look like « this is my son’s bike »
A few question:
1. what brakes? Disk, v brakes, both?
2. Available as a frame only so we can decide on components or reuse ones we have?
A few question:
1. what brakes? Disk, v brakes, both?
2. Available as a frame only so we can decide on components or reuse ones we have?
Last edited by jfouellette; 09-17-22 at 08:25 AM.
#158
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Thanks for posting these extra photos, Paul. The bike looks great! And much much prettier without the rack
Like seatboy I'm not over the moon with the green wheels on the green frame. It reminds me of the plastic "Green Machine" big wheel toy I had when I was five, or at least evokes a department store kid's bike that drank a little too much of the Incredible Hulk's radioactive juice. Although green wouldn't necessarily be my personal first choice for an initial production colour, I think black rims would look perfectly good with it. Surely you have some black wheels in the shop you can slap on the bike to see? We discussed anodyzed finishes a few weeks back. If you want a bit of colour to to compliment that green maybe metallic gold, red or even orange might look good? But again, with this green black wheels will look as good as just about anything else.
Regarding the rack I think it's cool you're designing one specifically for the bike. Schwinsta suggested it could act as a stand when the bike is folded which I think is an interesting idea. However, I hope that the Swift isn't ultimately presented as a pack mule. Personally I've always thought Xootr missed the mark by not emphasizing the potential performance of the bike. Yes, the Swift is wonderfully versatile, but at the end of the day it's a speedy fun bike to rip around on. A folding bike that's also capable of comfortably covering long distances at good speed. In my opinion it's a pretty looking machine which derives its good looks from its graceful simplicity. It's said that if you have a high performance bike which might get targeted by thieves, one of the surest ways to ugly it up and make it less appealing to them is to add a rack. While I appreciate the option of having a rack in case I ever need to carry camping gear or add panniers to carry documents (or dissuade thieves) when I go to work, etc, to me the Swift's default is that it's the folding bike equivalent to a sports car. To my eye the rack detracts from tthe bike's core aptitudes like a trailer with a large motorboat hitched to a Porsche 911 laden down with a heavy roof rack would detract from that car's core purpose. Possible, yes. It might even work well if the situation required it But aesthetically it's not great and it de-emphasizes speed and fun for utility. Origami already has plenty of great options for commuting and carrying stuff in its stable of bikes. Maybe the Swift is the sports car bike model? I say, keep it generally naked in the promo pictures anyway.
Ok. Having said all this I essentially love what I'm seeing and the bike looks lovely and I'm excited for the day I can ride it!
Last edited by joey buzzard; 09-17-22 at 10:15 AM.
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#159
Schwinnasaur
Thanks for posting these extra photos, Paul. The bike looks great! And much much prettier without the rack
Like seatboy I'm not over the moon with the green wheels on the green frame. It reminds me of the plastic "Green Machine" big wheel toy I had when I was five, or at least evokes a department store kid's bike that drank a little too much of the Incredible Hulk's radioactive juice. Although green wouldn't necessarily be my personal first choice for an initial production colour, I think black rims would look perfectly good with it. Surely you have some black wheels in the shop you can slap on the bike to see? We discussed anodyzed finishes a few weeks back. If you want a bit of colour to to compliment that green maybe metallic gold, red or even orange might look good? But again, with this green black wheels will look as good as just about anything else.
Regarding the rack I think it's cool you're designing one specifically for the bike. Schwinsta suggested it could act as a stand when the bike is folded which I think is an interesting idea. However, I hope that the Swift isn't ultimately presented as a pack mule. Personally I've always thought Xootr missed the mark by not emphasizing the potential performance of the bike. Yes, the Swift is wonderfully versatile, but at the end of the day it's a speedy fun bike to rip around on. A folding bike that's also capable of comfortably covering long distances at good speed. In my opinion it's a pretty looking machine which derives its good looks from its graceful simplicity. It's said that if you have a high performance bike which might get targeted by thieves, one of the surest ways to ugly it up and make it less appealing to them is to add a rack. While I appreciate the option of having a rack in case I ever need to carry camping gear or add panniers to carry documents (or dissuade thieves) when I go to work, etc, to me the Swift's default is that it's the folding bike equivalent to a sports car. To my eye the rack detracts from tthe bike's core aptitudes like a trailer with a large motorboat hitched to a Porsche 911 laden down with a heavy roof rack would detract from that car's core purpose. Possible, yes. It might even work well if the situation required it But aesthetically it's not great and it de-emphasizes speed and fun for utility. Origami already has plenty of great options for commuting and carrying stuff in its stable of bikes. Maybe the Swift is the sports car bike model? I say keep it generally naked in the promo pictures anyway.
!
Like seatboy I'm not over the moon with the green wheels on the green frame. It reminds me of the plastic "Green Machine" big wheel toy I had when I was five, or at least evokes a department store kid's bike that drank a little too much of the Incredible Hulk's radioactive juice. Although green wouldn't necessarily be my personal first choice for an initial production colour, I think black rims would look perfectly good with it. Surely you have some black wheels in the shop you can slap on the bike to see? We discussed anodyzed finishes a few weeks back. If you want a bit of colour to to compliment that green maybe metallic gold, red or even orange might look good? But again, with this green black wheels will look as good as just about anything else.
Regarding the rack I think it's cool you're designing one specifically for the bike. Schwinsta suggested it could act as a stand when the bike is folded which I think is an interesting idea. However, I hope that the Swift isn't ultimately presented as a pack mule. Personally I've always thought Xootr missed the mark by not emphasizing the potential performance of the bike. Yes, the Swift is wonderfully versatile, but at the end of the day it's a speedy fun bike to rip around on. A folding bike that's also capable of comfortably covering long distances at good speed. In my opinion it's a pretty looking machine which derives its good looks from its graceful simplicity. It's said that if you have a high performance bike which might get targeted by thieves, one of the surest ways to ugly it up and make it less appealing to them is to add a rack. While I appreciate the option of having a rack in case I ever need to carry camping gear or add panniers to carry documents (or dissuade thieves) when I go to work, etc, to me the Swift's default is that it's the folding bike equivalent to a sports car. To my eye the rack detracts from tthe bike's core aptitudes like a trailer with a large motorboat hitched to a Porsche 911 laden down with a heavy roof rack would detract from that car's core purpose. Possible, yes. It might even work well if the situation required it But aesthetically it's not great and it de-emphasizes speed and fun for utility. Origami already has plenty of great options for commuting and carrying stuff in its stable of bikes. Maybe the Swift is the sports car bike model? I say keep it generally naked in the promo pictures anyway.
!
#160
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« It's said that if you have a high performance bike which might get targeted by thieves, one of the surest ways to ugly it up and make it less appealing to them is to add a rack. »
It didn’t for me. They stole my bicycle even with a rack. As for focusing on a speed machine for this bike, I think it s important to have the necessary braze ons and eyelets to offer the ability to add mudgards and rear rack if the user want s them. Folders are designed for practicality. There are already so many performance bikes available.
It didn’t for me. They stole my bicycle even with a rack. As for focusing on a speed machine for this bike, I think it s important to have the necessary braze ons and eyelets to offer the ability to add mudgards and rear rack if the user want s them. Folders are designed for practicality. There are already so many performance bikes available.
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#161
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I owned the Original steel framed Swift folder and loved riding it while I had it. I was wondering anyone owned both the Swift and Xoofr and did they have a similar ride?
#162
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I was reported to the forum, I think reliably, that Peter Reich, the bike's designer, that he could not tell the difference in the ride. It was in the long Swift thread.
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I owned the Xootr Swift, and I loved it. I sold it, and I'm regretting it till this day. The ride was exactly like my full size bikes. I so miss it. 😭
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Yes! Looking good
Vanity stuff:
Vanity stuff:
I'm against the super-serif Swift decal too. I don't like it in two places, which seems a little Ali-Express. I like your font for Origami, it reminds me of 1990s Cannondale. But it's really heavy here. Maybe 7/8 this thickness and overlay Swift right and lower than Origami in the same font with a negative-space border... or maybe kanji... or maybe something entirely else, just not this flouncy little thing that looks like it came from MS Word twenty years ago.

I'm sure that's not correct...
I like the color. The color matched rims though make it resemble a Walmart kid bike, especially since they don't quite match. It kind of says "I am a painted steel rim". Go for black.
The gloss finish on the steer tube doesn't match the satin on the other black parts. Seat clamps stand out being silver.
Functional stuff:
I'm sure that's not correct...
I like the color. The color matched rims though make it resemble a Walmart kid bike, especially since they don't quite match. It kind of says "I am a painted steel rim". Go for black.
The gloss finish on the steer tube doesn't match the satin on the other black parts. Seat clamps stand out being silver.
Did not realize it had welded seat clamps. On aluminum?
Rear brake hose routing looks like it's a risk of pinching in the folded NDS photo.
I like the budget targeting of the build. Functional not fancy. Not sure about SB8's, really depends on your market
Definitely do sizes. It's only the boom length for this thing, not six or nine tubes to cut like a diamond frame
Rear brake hose routing looks like it's a risk of pinching in the folded NDS photo.
I like the budget targeting of the build. Functional not fancy. Not sure about SB8's, really depends on your market
Definitely do sizes. It's only the boom length for this thing, not six or nine tubes to cut like a diamond frame
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#165
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Just goofing around

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Something I learned recently because a kid of mine went through an origami folding phase. People who do it seriously as a hobby are careful about attribution of designs that aren't ancient or standard. A crane is something no one will blink at, not so sure about a swift. Since it's a 2D illustration you can take some liberties, make it sort of stained glass or stealth fighter looking and it doesn't have to be something that could really be folded.
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#167
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« It's said that if you have a high performance bike which might get targeted by thieves, one of the surest ways to ugly it up and make it less appealing to them is to add a rack. »
It didn’t for me. They stole my bicycle even with a rack. As for focusing on a speed machine for this bike, I think it s important to have the necessary braze ons and eyelets to offer the ability to add mudgards and rear rack if the user want s them. Folders are designed for practicality. There are already so many performance bikes available.
It didn’t for me. They stole my bicycle even with a rack. As for focusing on a speed machine for this bike, I think it s important to have the necessary braze ons and eyelets to offer the ability to add mudgards and rear rack if the user want s them. Folders are designed for practicality. There are already so many performance bikes available.
My point wasn't that a rack is a foolproof theft prevention device, rather that adding one makes an attractive fast bike look less appealing generally.
I'm not against having a rack, I just don't think that it suits the Swift to have it on there as a default. As somebody else recently pointed out this frame has braze ons and mounts all over it (which I think is great, btw). There's plenty of practicality and versitility already built into this bike. It really comes down to what to emphasize. The rack just isn't aesthetically pleasing and it's certainly not for everyone who will want this bike.
This Swift is a fast riding folder. Many of the people who love the bike are won over by its ride quality and performance. Its good looks don't hurt either. If performance wasn't important to me I'd probably settle for something more along the lines of a Dahon Boardwalk. Practical though a Swift might be, it's practicality isn't what makes the bike unusually good. Its ride quality and performance on the other hand are stand out characteristics and in my opinion these should be emphasised when selling it. Other folders that offer high performance such as Tyrell, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket, Moulton, Pacific Reach etc all cost a lot more money. The Swift is a very simple and yet effective design. In a screwed up world where quality road bikes cost thousands and people are being squeezed into ever smaller apartments by increasing rent and property prices, how refreshing to have a little bike that can occupy so little space in a room, ride on a train or a metro or in the back of a car and then in seconds unfold into something very pleasurable and sporty to ride. And it doesn't even break the bank. A small bit of affordable bliss!
I think that's a great niche to fill, actually.
Last edited by joey buzzard; 09-18-22 at 08:15 AM.
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#169
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From the welds, it looks like it's a steel frame, not aluminum.
And yes, really hoping for sizes. At least two or three.
And yes, really hoping for sizes. At least two or three.
I'm sure that's not correct...
Functional stuff:Did not realize it had welded seat clamps. On aluminum?
Rear brake hose routing looks like it's a risk of pinching in the folded NDS photo.
I like the budget targeting of the build. Functional not fancy. Not sure about SB8's, really depends on your market
Definitely do sizes. It's only the boom length for this thing, not six or nine tubes to cut like a diamond frame
Rear brake hose routing looks like it's a risk of pinching in the folded NDS photo.
I like the budget targeting of the build. Functional not fancy. Not sure about SB8's, really depends on your market
Definitely do sizes. It's only the boom length for this thing, not six or nine tubes to cut like a diamond frame
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hrmmm hope that means chromoly
Can someone tell me if my understanding is correct about what is going on at the upper headset, or explain to me if I've got it wrong? As I understood it from reading in the old Swift thread, the steerer is tapered 1-1/8 to 1, the upper headset is threaded, and the steerer protrudes enough that the extension can clamp on with a 28.6 QR seat clamp. Is that right?
Can someone tell me if my understanding is correct about what is going on at the upper headset, or explain to me if I've got it wrong? As I understood it from reading in the old Swift thread, the steerer is tapered 1-1/8 to 1, the upper headset is threaded, and the steerer protrudes enough that the extension can clamp on with a 28.6 QR seat clamp. Is that right?
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#171
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The bike as shown, without the rack, is about 28 pounds.
The wheelbase is 39.75"
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Paul Pinigis
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Paul Pinigis
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#172
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Just to set my view and desires, I am not pro rack, unless it is optional. I do not have or need a rack on my Xootr Swift. That said, racks that work on Swift are not that easy to find if you include the ability to fold the bike with the rack attached. On many, perhaps most racks interfere with the seatpost sliding through in the locked folded position. So having the rack as an option is a good idea and if the bike will stand on it, so much the better. I am sure many will want to put panniers on the bike, at least at times.
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Paul Pinigis
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I really appreciate the feedback, and it doesn't hurt my feelings. We are working on redesigning the rack to be more attractive and more functional.
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Paul Pinigis
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Paul Pinigis
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