The best folding bike I could get
11-01-21, 08:30 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
The best folding bike I could get
Hi,
Just wanted to share my experience in trying to get the best folding bike I could think of.
For some context, I already had a folding bike in Paris (France), that I used to commute. It is a Birdy City (8 sp IGH) that I really like for commuting and taking with me in stores or on the tram.
However, I wanted to get another bike so that my wife, my 2.5 yo daughter and me could go on bike rides outside of Paris in the weekend.
I wanted to be able to fold/pack it to easily take the local train and leave the city, and to attach a baby seat to the seat tube (not seat post).
I love the way the Birdy folds "under", turning a potential liability (flex) into an asset (suspension).
I wanted an IGH, both because if I used the bike in the city, being able to change gear while stopped at a red light is nice and for consistency with my other bike (the Birdy City).
I also wanted to get drop bars to use the bike for intense / long "workout" sessions.
I wanted 406 wheels to be able to get some tires that could absorb some of the road imperfections (or even cobble stones !).
I could not find any bike that would check all those requirements / wants, but I could find a frame that would allow me to get close enough : Pacific Cycles Reach frame.
Thanks to this forum, I learned that a Trickstuff Exzentriker Bottom Bracket and an online gear size→chain length calculator could allow me to avoid using a chain tensioner as the fold does not change the distance between the cranks and the rear wheel. So I could also use a Hebie Chainglider (cut to length, obviously). and completely encase the chain : no risk of grease stains when folding / transporting the bike ! (The fit is not perfect because I went fro a 46 / 16 gear ratio to go very high as I like to pedal very slowly and Hebie only does 44 and 48. A more reasonable 48 / 18 gear ratio would work even better).
I was a lot of work to decide / find each and every part of the bike, but it is by far the most pleasant bike riding experience I've ever had !
The bike is not actually complete yet, as I got a dynamo front hub (SON 28) but I haven't received the forumslader powerbank/USB to go with it.
Also, I'm not happy with the bike stand yet, as it slightly hinders the fold and prevents me from re-attaching the front wheel on the frame when folded). Finally, I'm still waiting for Pacific Cycles to sell the rear rack to go with it.
Also, this bike cost me quite a bit of money and I feel somewhat silly for spending that much money on a bike : just the frame in now $1450 (was $1350 when I got mine) and the rear rack is $240
). So for $1690 you only get a frame and a rack form Pacific cycles, while I got a complete bike with 11 IGH and belt drive (and rear rack, obviously) from downtube !
I guess I'll just have to ride this bike as much as possible to make it worth the expense !
I could detail the components if anyone is interested. The parts that were the most pleasant finds are the bike seat (Berthoud Aspin) found online a slightly used one) and the KLamp light.
Just wanted to share my experience in trying to get the best folding bike I could think of.
For some context, I already had a folding bike in Paris (France), that I used to commute. It is a Birdy City (8 sp IGH) that I really like for commuting and taking with me in stores or on the tram.
However, I wanted to get another bike so that my wife, my 2.5 yo daughter and me could go on bike rides outside of Paris in the weekend.
I wanted to be able to fold/pack it to easily take the local train and leave the city, and to attach a baby seat to the seat tube (not seat post).
I love the way the Birdy folds "under", turning a potential liability (flex) into an asset (suspension).
I wanted an IGH, both because if I used the bike in the city, being able to change gear while stopped at a red light is nice and for consistency with my other bike (the Birdy City).
I also wanted to get drop bars to use the bike for intense / long "workout" sessions.
I wanted 406 wheels to be able to get some tires that could absorb some of the road imperfections (or even cobble stones !).
I could not find any bike that would check all those requirements / wants, but I could find a frame that would allow me to get close enough : Pacific Cycles Reach frame.
Thanks to this forum, I learned that a Trickstuff Exzentriker Bottom Bracket and an online gear size→chain length calculator could allow me to avoid using a chain tensioner as the fold does not change the distance between the cranks and the rear wheel. So I could also use a Hebie Chainglider (cut to length, obviously). and completely encase the chain : no risk of grease stains when folding / transporting the bike ! (The fit is not perfect because I went fro a 46 / 16 gear ratio to go very high as I like to pedal very slowly and Hebie only does 44 and 48. A more reasonable 48 / 18 gear ratio would work even better).
I was a lot of work to decide / find each and every part of the bike, but it is by far the most pleasant bike riding experience I've ever had !
The bike is not actually complete yet, as I got a dynamo front hub (SON 28) but I haven't received the forumslader powerbank/USB to go with it.
Also, I'm not happy with the bike stand yet, as it slightly hinders the fold and prevents me from re-attaching the front wheel on the frame when folded). Finally, I'm still waiting for Pacific Cycles to sell the rear rack to go with it.
Also, this bike cost me quite a bit of money and I feel somewhat silly for spending that much money on a bike : just the frame in now $1450 (was $1350 when I got mine) and the rear rack is $240
). So for $1690 you only get a frame and a rack form Pacific cycles, while I got a complete bike with 11 IGH and belt drive (and rear rack, obviously) from downtube !I guess I'll just have to ride this bike as much as possible to make it worth the expense !
I could detail the components if anyone is interested. The parts that were the most pleasant finds are the bike seat (Berthoud Aspin) found online a slightly used one) and the KLamp light.
Likes For un.passant:
11-01-21, 09:53 PM
#2
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Nice.
You might know this already, but Stéphane Régnier who is 1) is an engineer by trade and 2) runs the Strida shop in the 14th also carries (carried?) Pacific Cycles. Incidently, I seem to remember his other half is from Taiwan.
Out of curiosity, could you list the parts and how much the whole thing cost you? As a reference, the Rohloff-powered Birdy currently goes for €4k.
You might know this already, but Stéphane Régnier who is 1) is an engineer by trade and 2) runs the Strida shop in the 14th also carries (carried?) Pacific Cycles. Incidently, I seem to remember his other half is from Taiwan.
Out of curiosity, could you list the parts and how much the whole thing cost you? As a reference, the Rohloff-powered Birdy currently goes for €4k.
Last edited by Winfried; 11-01-21 at 10:06 PM.
11-02-21, 07:01 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Nice.
You might know this already, but Stéphane Régnier who is 1) is an engineer by trade and 2) runs the Strida shop in the 14th also carries (carried?) Pacific Cycles. Incidently, I seem to remember his other half is from Taiwan.
Out of curiosity, could you list the parts and how much the whole thing cost you? As a reference, the Rohloff-powered Birdy currently goes for €4k.
You might know this already, but Stéphane Régnier who is 1) is an engineer by trade and 2) runs the Strida shop in the 14th also carries (carried?) Pacific Cycles. Incidently, I seem to remember his other half is from Taiwan.
Out of curiosity, could you list the parts and how much the whole thing cost you? As a reference, the Rohloff-powered Birdy currently goes for €4k.
Trickstuff Exzentriker : 140€
** Light
*** Front
75€
*** Rear
16€
** Drop bars
used : 75€ ?
** Wheels
*** Front
SON 28 hub : 301€
HP Rim AM1 19-406 36H : 35€
36 DT Champion 2mm spokes 23€
Rim tape : 3€
Building cost : 44€
*** Rear
Alfine 11 hub : 472€
HP Rim AM1 19-406 36H : 35€
36 DT Champion 2mm spokes 23€
Rim tape : 3€
Building cost : 44€
** Chain guardglider
30€
* Frame
1150€
So parts are already above 3100€, plus the forumslader (around 200€), plus the rear rack over 200€, I'll be over 3500€ just for parts.
I can't remember if I actually checked the store you mention in Paris or just thought that they didn't carry the Reach anymore from what I could gather online.
