2_i 

I grabbed the first derailleur for a braze-on mount from the pile—it happened to be my favorite Suntour. I may have 15 different derailleurs for such a mount, and I do not think any would fit. Yes, I primarily use AliExpress purchases as parts or sources of ideas. As to the users/market presence, you will have difficulty finding an established vendor in the US selling merchandise of such quality - maybe Harbor Freight comes close, and people primarily buy there for trying out or occasional use. However, if there is no other choice in the market, you buy this, and I do not blame anybody that they do.

I used that old one myself, and my derailleur's mounting point was towards the top of the mount. With the torque in operating the derailleur, the finger deformed over time into an arc. In my photo, you see it straightened out.

Winfried

My two-speed Shimano Tiagra derailleur is also installed at the very end of the mount, ie. putting maximum torque on it. It's slightly deformed but works fine.

Duragrouch

That's what I use, it's held up well. But it's thick on the drive side, so I was hoping the new styles offer better clearance and hold up well. But they looked inherently weaker, I have an eye for such things. While some have had success with them, there are failures which have not occurred on the old design. I eventually hope to tour on this bike, so robustness is important.

Ali... Good to know it's still available, but yikes, the price is even higher than when I bought from dealer. Not a surprise with inflation, but until now, everything I saw on Ali was way cheaper, though high shipping cost, but the shipping on this is small. I've never used Ali yet.

Winfried

The bad news is that the stupid bosses on the seat tube for a bottle cage make it impossible to install the Litepro B adapter at just the right height → the derailleur's fork is ~2mm too low. Looks like I'll have to order one of the alternatives, with the clamp at the bottom instead of the top so I can raise it.

The good news is that the Shimano Sora seems to work with that double compact. I'll just need to play with the low/high adjustement bolts so it's right above the smaller ring when at rest.

Duragrouch

Good info. A little too high is better than a little too low, on the FD. Perhaps you can clamp above the bottle cage boss, and it works ok. While the FD cage is best close to the top of the big ring, there's much greater clearance over the inner ring(s), so that should tell you something about possibilities. If mounting the FD that high causes the chain to drop outboard of the big ring when upshifting, you could also fit a circular chainguard outboard that prevents that, some cheaper doubles and triples have that.

Winfried

Even with a heavily-packed Brompton bag, no wobble whatsovever.

☑

Schwinnsta

​​​​​​Glad you're pleased with it.

Winfried

I'm relieved, as being unable to carry a bag off the steering tube would have been a showstopper for me. Alternatively, I read H&H's clamp is sturdier, if Litepro's cheaper clamps aren't up to the task.

For some reason, the bike's manufacturer found my suggestion uninteresting ("Just install a Klickfix Caddy on the stem" ).

Duragrouch

What model bike is this? I've only seen bits and pieces in pics, and the downtube configuration I don't recognize. Thanks.

Winfried

Small brand

Schwinnsta

Beautiful bike. I wonder if there is a USA distributor?

Winfried

Doesn't look like it.

Fentuz

I thought I recognized it from the French forum

Duragrouch

Nice lines. Looks aluminum. I expect rear triangle swings under, offset to one side, to overlap the downtube. 1500 Euros, base model. What are those round things in the front triangle and on top of the rear?

Winfried

Turns out, as mentioned by AliE, I did get a full refund for the first/only item in the order, and a modest handling fee for the other items. Can't complain.

Fully aluminum, hence the better performance compared to a Brompton — in addition to a 100% derailleur transmission and the bigger wheels. The (mechanical) disk brakes are nice too. Got one for €1,000 (+ rear rack, recommended © Jerry Pournelle). For touring, ie. the folded size isn't as much an issue, it's a worthy and cheaper alternative to the Birdy.

They're collapsible fenders.

Here's how it (un)folds:

Winfried

We're getting further from the thread's original topic but…being used to the totally silent Nexus 8 gear hub, I find the freewheel noisy.

There's no reference on the hub, and the cassette is a Shimano CS-HG41-7ac.

I know nothing about derailleur gear: Are there (more) silent freewheels, and can I just grab another hub (or preferably a fully-assembled 20" wheel), stick that cassette in there and resume riding?

2_i 

Typical Trustpilot reviews, https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.aliexpress.com, when not counting the 5* ones posted repeatedly by the same people.


They delivered an inverter for 220V, while the order was for the US 110V version, consistent with the delivery address. I cannot quote emails as it is against the BF posting rules. The wrong shipment was returned to them, but the return process is completely fake. You can read any random review involving a return to learn the details of what they do.

Ron Damon

Duragrouch

Most freewheels and freehubs are ratcheting, pawls (little levers) running over the teeth they lock into when pedaling forward, that's what you are hearing. If a Nexus 8 is quiet, either a) the pawls are deep enough inside that you don't hear them, or b) no pawls, instead rollers wedge against ramped surfaces (sort of like the opposite side of the teeth from pawl teeth), this is known as an overrunning clutch, many like the silence, but there is more possibility of slippage with the roller system. Freehubs are incredibly noisy on full carbon wheels with large carbon "spokes", the big spokes are hollow and magnify the noise.

My folder has just enough high gear that I can pedal down mild grades, saving wear on the freehub mechanism, but steep downs, I need to coast.

Duragrouch

Ahooga: Just watched the video. Fenders, hilarious. I see a couple good innovations:
- Split downtube so rear tire swings between; However this could be problematic with a wider rear tire.
- Bracket on driveside chainstay to clip dismounted front tire to, which cuts the fold size significantly, without having to put a hinge in the main tube like Brompton. And, it also shields the drivetrain like on Brompton, that's huge.

Downside of the design: No eyelets for a rear rack, for good reason (so should not improvise using P-clamps): Having a rack with pannier weight would make the rear triangle constantly try to twist laterally at its pivot, and having flex and wear issues. On a Bike Friday, after swinging the rear triangle up (unfolding), the top of the seatstays are locked to the seat tube, and BFs handle touring loads no problem. My folder has no swinging rear triangle and may be even better, no pivot to loosen up, but it's a larger fold.

Winfried

I have the latter (roller clutches). Totally silent, no issue so far. Hence my looking at possible alternative freehubs for that new bike.

It comes with 35mm wide tires. Since there's 45mm between the downtubes, I might try 40mm for a more comfy ride.

Change bikes also have a bracket on the chainstay to stick the front wheel.

I don't use panniers, just a bag lengthway on the rack so possible lateral twisting of the triangle is not a concern for me.

I read 1) Shimano's freehubs are on the quiet side, and 2) noise can be cut down by filling it with Phil Wood Tenacious Oil..

Duragrouch

I just posted on a different thread, asking about lubing a Shimano SG-700 hub:

There's one place in this city that is renowned for IGH service, they can fix them, but probably not if serious corrosion or surface galling. Aaron's Bike Repair, the following is from their website. Notably, they also say they no longer service Rohloff, as the company will no longer send them seals and other parts, so I can't say if the following applies to those:

Winfried

Yes, and this bike has… a derailleur — which I don't intend to replace with a gear hub since the goal was to get a better performing alternative to the Brompton for touring :-p

Duragrouch

OK, that's right, I had forgotten your original post. You're looking to do like I have, 50/34 2X derailleur gearing on a 20" folding bike. Yep, I've done it, love it. Used the old Litepro FD adaptor.

I still haven't seen what model bike you're doing this with.

Winfried

For touring, I can live with a bigger fold than the Brompton. After hooking the front wheel to the bracket, the bike can be made smallest by removing the seatpost and attaching it horizontally between the frame and the front wheel.

~100km maiden ride scheduled on Sunday.