2_i 

Yes, I was told about those expectations before the capital that it can never meet .

The Chemist

My Dahon posing with the world's second tallest building during my first ever folding bike metric century today.

velojym

My Montague Fit at our town hall, where I started doing a bunch of base miles after Covid knocked everything outta whack.

JulesCW 

My Brompton in its element -- multimodal use.

Brompton waiting for the train.

The Chemist

Back when my bike was new it spent a lot of time on the Metro, as my apartment and office were both quite far from Metro stations and it was a perfect solution to the 'last mile' problem. However, as I now work from home, have a Metro station only a few minutes' walk from my apartment, and there are a large number of dockless public shared bikes available at every Metro station to solve the last mile problem, I don't need to take it on the Metro anymore. But here's my bike posing with its former stomping grounds for old times sake.

2_i 

What has been the acceptance of folding bikes on the Metro? I had an impression, formed long time ago, that they were not allowed. However, this might have changed over time. Of course, the share bikes change reliance habits on own equipment drastically.

Barchettaman

Ready to return from Brussels to Frankfurt:

The Chemist

They're not allowed anymore, unless they're in a bag. But back when I was taking my folder on the Metro (circa 2008) they were allowed to be carried without being bagged.

2_i 

Oh, OK, that explains it. Also, I had more experience with Beijing's underground system than Shanghai's and there might have been a difference. One event that struck me was seeing in parallel a passenger in a boarding queue for a domestic air flight with a folder completely in the open. He then placed it casually in an overhead bin. It might have been VIP/first class section of the plane, whether formal or informal. I thought the issue was of class difference, of a folder as a caprice on the plane and as a hint of low income in the train system. One other shocking experience that I had in Beijing was of bike parking being banned in a block dominated by a Walmart supermarket, with guards running you off if you tried to park. Apparently the means of transport of low-lives did not stack up with shopping at a posh Walmart store. I am aware that the perceptions changed with the share bikes as they became popular means of convenient transport across the classes.

Incidentally, the Dahon pictured earlier in the Polish Stairway to Heaven photo was bought in Beijing for about $100. It is a Chinese version of Boardwalk. Pedals cracked quite soon and low-level Shimano shifter turned out to be of low quality too. However, after the situation got stabilized with some parts replacements, the bike became a faithful friend. Incidentally, the Stairway site, where the photo was taken, became a few days later the site of a ceremonial meeting of the Polish government on the eve of passing a law aiming to shut down the last independent TV station in the country. Well, if you take Afganistan as a reference, maybe you should not complain.

denaffen

This is the vintage German folding bike I restored this spring. Tough restoration, but it came out pretty nice. And it's a hoot to ride. Puts a big goofy grin on my face every time.

sjanzeir

This morning: Drove to Asfan, a town about 40 miles to the north-east of Jeddah. Parked at the Municipality of Asfan's parking lot where there's an uphill-downhill loop nearby. Gave me legs (and those disk brakes that I've been having some issues with) quite a good workout. Explored the town of Asfan and did some more climbing; ended up at a Pakistani restaurant and had mutton stew for breakfast:



One of the awesomest dishes ever!

Barchettaman

Happy memories of those Peugeot estates from family holidays in France in the 70s and 80s!
they just seemed like another world compared to our old Morris Marina, and utterly gigantic.

The Chemist

sjanzeir

Yeah, she's a big ole girl. Of the many things I love about her, two stand out. For one, it's practically an SUV without the SUV: Curvature-of-the-earth ground clearance and a mile of suspension travel with none of the cost, the complexities - or the stigma, for that matter - of the modern (pseudo)SUV.

The second thing is how completely, unabashedly analog it is through-and-through. There isn't an electronic control unit, modcon-actuating solenoid or proximity sensor to be found anywhere; no fuel injection, no electronically controlled ignition, and no power steering or ABS. Just an all-cast iron OHV engine with ignition points and a synchronous double-barrel carburetor and unassisted rack-and-pinion steering. It's the kind of car that makes you think about what it is that you're doing behind the wheel; the kind of car that you drive. You've got to lock and unlock each of the doors yourself. To open the trunk or adjust the passenger-side mirror, you need to exit the vehicle. It's all as silly and unappealing to the younger generations as downtube shifters and non-indexed derailleurs.

joey buzzard

2_i 

Web search brought up a Hippie Commune for Orgiva.

joey buzzard

Open air mental asylum perhaps.

Orgiva is a town. There are other communities dotted around the surrounding mountains. Some more 'hippy' than others.

joey buzzard

Sopetujar.

velojym

Now that my Fit is comfy enough, I hit it with a Brooks saddle and microfiber bar tape. I liked the brown, but this is good too. I also added an FSA Adventurer flared handlebar.

sjanzeir

Seaside art: "Waves" by Mansour Jan.


Fisherman's wharf.



Ironclad.



Sky's the limit.

Barchettaman

That looks absolutely fantastic. 26” wheels?

i thought about going with a drop-bar setup on my Dahon Espresso but got flat bars and ergo grips in the end, as the Magura hydraulic rim brakes and Tiagra shifter pods were working so smoothly.
I wouldn’t rule it out for a future rebuild of the bike though!
oh, and those flared drop bars are the absolute business.

velojym

Yeah, I'm really likin' these drops. The wheels are 700c, but I do have some 650x42 that I can swap in if/when I want.

tcs

There and back again on Vail Pass, Colorado, USA: 10666 feet = 3251 meters elevation.

mingo

In Granada, Spain, with Alhambra in the background


By one of many of Granada's fountains


The Albacicín neighbourhood of Granada without tourists


Up in the mountains around Granada, Spain



My Brompton makes an excellent shopping cart at the supermarket.. Gazpacho anyone? A great trip made better by having my folding bike with me in Spain.

SteveKB

I just got this Giant FD-806, have done a few mods, and took it for a short ride this afternoon to check the adjustments.
All the other Giant Halfways I've seen have that funky single fork, but this one is just a conventional folder.