Jon Senior <jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk>typed
Quoted message said:
Simon Brooke said:
DKUATB. Helen suffers a progressive degenerative disease, and can't ride a bike any longer. She recently bought a Brompton for her partner, who can.
Quoted message said:
Apologies Helen. I did recently clear huge swathes of news, by marking as read, and I have tended to avoid Brompton related threads (Apparently there's a regular here who was intending to get one... do we know what happened?).
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 20:12:30 +0100 someone who may be Phil Cook <[email hidden]> wrote this:-
Quoted message said:
Yes I was under the impression that the Brom had really small ones but they are 16 the same as the D9 and my favoured Birdy has 18 only a smidgin larger.
The outside diameter of Birdy wheels is little greater than those of the Brompton, far less than the difference between the claimed 16" and 18" wheel sizes.
6 mm difference in rim diameter. Depending on the tyres fitted, the Brompton may even have a larger overall whel diameter than the Birdy.
Right I'm off to Phoenix to get a test ride... -- Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"
I have multiple sclerosis & can't ride anything. I bought the Brompton for boyfriend when full-size bike in bag seemed unmanageable for forthcoming holiday.
Do you have a rickshaw in which he can pedal while you are seated safely? If not ....
Reminds me of a few weeks ago, I was out on the bike and met a lady on an interesting-looking trike. I remarked on it, and she told me she was unable to ride a bike for medical reasons: she couldn't balance reliably. I'm sure her condition is far less severe than yours, but it serves to remind us that it may be worth looking for workarounds.
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 20:12:30 +0100 someone who may be Phil Cook <[email hidden]> wrote this:-
>Yes I was under the impression that the Brom had really small ones >but they are 16 the same as the D9 and my favoured Birdy has 18 only >a smidgin larger.
The outside diameter of Birdy wheels is little greater than those of the Brompton, far less than the difference between the claimed 16" and 18" wheel sizes.
6 mm difference in rim diameter. Depending on the tyres fitted, the Brompton may even have a larger overall whel diameter than the Birdy.
Right I'm off to Phoenix to get a test ride...
Birdy are doing a Rent a Birdy for a Day for £5 offer at selected dealers if you want to give on a proper try.
-- Tony
"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't" Anon
"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Tony W said:
Perhaps the rate at which he was folding the frames of his Streetmachine
Point Of Order: Guy has been folding Optima Stingers, not HPVelotechnik Streetmachines. Just don't want people going away thinking SMGTs aren't built like rather strong tanks...
I thank the honourable member for that clarification.
He might... Darth Ben managed to slightly misalign the rear triangle on his original Streetmachine by taking it stunt-jumping Big Air on a few occasions, so it's /possible/ to bend them.
At this point it is worth noting that (with the utmost respect) Darth Ben is lunatic! He was telling me once about how he nearly went straight down a set of steps on his On-One singlespeed. The reason? He normally did on the bent!
At this point it is worth noting that (with the utmost respect) Darth Ben is lunatic! He was telling me once about how he nearly went straight down a set of steps on his On-One singlespeed. The reason? He normally did on the bent!
The Streetmachine does weigh a lot, but the weight goes on some tangibly useful stuff. Not only is the build very strong, but the suspension is excellent as well!
You could be forgiven for thinking it was delicate if you read HPVel's manual, which suggests riding it off a kerb is the End Of The World, but experience suggests it isn't...
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
OK so it has probably been covered before.
The location at which I start work is shortly to be changed. Where I finish work will remain the same and I'll be blowed if I'm going to use public transport to get back from where I end to where the bike would be if I carry on as now and use my road bike commuter to get to work. So I'm in the market for a folder. The thing is I'd like to kill two birds with one stone and get one that will be OK on roughish tracks in a Sustrans-towpath-Scottish-Hill-Track stylee as well as commuting in London.
So I think I can discount the Brompton, that seems to have two things against it in my book: small wheels and lack of stiffness in the frame. I am leaning towards either a Birdy Red or a Mezzo D9
Comments?
MANY excellent websites have reviewed dozens, perhaps hundreds of folding bikes. I'm rather fond of http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/
I did a review there and a mini-buyers guide outlining my test ride and buying experience. http://www.halffg.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/foldsoc/canada.html As the editor mentions, KHS may be difficult to find in the UK. I've heard they ride comparably to a Brompton at half the price - now I just need to find a Brompton to compare it to firsthand.
