OT folding bikes

Breezer is a cool company with a great mission (bikes as transportation). The Dahon bikes are also
looking very good. I've also read that Brompton will have better North American distribution (new
dealers) in 2004. Bob Bryant recumbentcyclistnews.comrecumbentcyclistnews.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Bicycles as transportation: what a concept! I wish them luck. ;-)

john riley 1 at rogers dot com

I wish them luck indeed! The truth of the matter is, as Americans we have a long way to go before
bicycles are taken seriously as transportation in this country. I have been commuting to work for
the past four months plus and have gotten some really great compliments and admiration but nobody
else seems to want to do it.

I do admire Joe Breeze and hopefully he'll get the message across.

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

"Americans we have a long way to go before bicycles are taken seriously as transportation in
this country "

Very true ! Have heard that folding bike sales for Amsterdam is a few times more than the total of
US sales. We either think of them as toys or status symbols. Hopefully it changes for the best

J Gaerlan - Gaerlan Custom Cycles gaerlan.comgaerlan.comOpen ↗ "home of travel bikes and bike travels"
(415)362-3866: (415)677-8943 fax [email hidden]

IF you slap an e-motor on a Folder with a lightweight Li-ion or Ni-mh battery pack...sales will go
through the roof as a viable alternative to short hop commutes for lazy people.
************************************
"Jfreewheel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Americans we have a long way to go before bicycles are taken seriously as transportation in

this

Quoted message said:

country "

Very true ! Have heard that folding bike sales for Amsterdam is a few

times

Quoted message said:

more than the total of US sales. We either think of them as toys or

status

Quoted message said:

symbols. Hopefully it changes for the best

J Gaerlan - Gaerlan Custom Cycles gaerlan.comgaerlan.comOpen ↗ "home of travel bikes and bike travels"
(415)362-3866: (415)677-8943 fax [email hidden]

Dahon's lineup gets better every year dahon.comdahon.comOpen ↗ One problem, as noted here
gaerlan.comheliosxl.htmOpen ↗ is that most Dahon bikes, and the Helios XL in
particular, have hard-to-change tires, since the wheels have no quick releases, so you need tools.
So I just put a set of Airfree tires on mine airfreetires.comairfreetires.comOpen ↗ No more flats! The ride is
a bit harsher. I don't have any miles on it yet, we'll see how I like the handling. But I sure like
the increase in reliability.

Alan Weiss NJ Gold Rush, E2 tandem, and Leitra rider (and Dahon Piccolo, too!)

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Evsolutions
IF you slap an e-motor on a Folder with a lightweight Li-ion or Ni-mh battery pack...sales will go
through the roof as a viable alternative to short hop commutes for lazy people.

Hasn't happened so far:

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/main/panasonic.htm

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/main/roo-el.htm

As well as others.

John Riley

With the younger generation of the Dahon family now taking over, we have seen a vast improvement.

For folder owners with bolted on axles, you maybe able to convert to quick releases by replacing
axles. Just did the conversion on a few bikes and all you need are hollow cromo axles and quick
releases. For the narrower 74mm front hub, you have to cut down the std 100mm axles. We also were
able to get hold of quick releases designed for the 74mm hub.

J Gaerlan - Gaerlan Custom Cycles gaerlan.comgaerlan.comOpen ↗ "home of travel bikes and bike travels"
(415)362-3866: (415)677-8943 fax [email hidden]

John a lot of things take time to catch on when it comes to getting car drivers to be seperated from
their addiction to cars. Everytime the price of gasoline goes up in a big way...bike sales pick up.

The more car gridlock you get in the urban core, the more cycling to work makes sense....give it a
few years longer.
**************
"John Riley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Evsolutions said:

IF you slap an e-motor on a Folder with a lightweight Li-ion or Ni-mh battery pack...sales
will go through the roof as a viable alternative

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

short hop commutes for lazy people.

Hasn't happened so far:

electricvehiclesnw.companasonic.htmOpen ↗

electricvehiclesnw.comroo el.htmOpen ↗

As well as others.

John Riley

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

I think you're right. However it will take more than just trying to "convince" people or "educating"
them away from their cars. We need to reform our infrastructure to support alternative
transportation modes. It's come one day. Slowly but surely;-)

Today I seen a ray of hope. A fellow co-worker of mine "confessed" to me this morning that he has
put a bicycle on lay away and the intention is to commute to work like me.

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

"EVSolutions" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

John a lot of things take time to catch on when it comes to getting car drivers to be seperated
from their addiction to cars. Everytime the price of gasoline goes up in a big way...bike sales
pick up.

The more car gridlock you get in the urban core, the more cycling to work makes sense....give it a
few years longer.
**************
"John Riley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Evsolutions said:

IF you slap an e-motor on a Folder with a lightweight Li-ion or

Ni-mh

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

battery pack...sales will go through the roof as a viable

alternative

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

short hop commutes for lazy people.

Hasn't happened so far:

electricvehiclesnw.companasonic.htmOpen ↗

electricvehiclesnw.comroo el.htmOpen ↗

As well as others.

John Riley

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

[email hidden] (Jfreewheel) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

With the younger generation of the Dahon family now taking over, we have seen a vast improvement.

For folder owners with bolted on axles, you maybe able to convert to quick releases by replacing
axles. Just did the conversion on a few bikes and all you need are hollow cromo axles and quick
releases. For the narrower 74mm front hub, you have to cut down the std 100mm axles. We also were
able to get hold of quick releases designed for the 74mm hub.

J Gaerlan - Gaerlan Custom Cycles gaerlan.comgaerlan.comOpen ↗ "home of travel bikes and bike travels"
(415)362-3866: (415)677-8943 fax [email hidden]

I was hoping this thread would include some folding 'bents or semi'bents but no such luck. I'm going
to drive the 6 hours to Quebec next week in order to try out the Belize folding semi'bent.; I'll let
you all know how it rides, folds and carries.

C.C.,Rider

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Carol Cohen

I was hoping this thread would include some folding 'bents or semi'bents but no such luck. I'm going
to drive the 6 hours to Quebec next week in order to try out the Belize folding semi'bent.; I'll let
you all know how it rides, folds and carries.

C.C.,Rider

There doesn't seem to be much interest in the recumbent community. The Doppler Beamer received very little interest. I wrote an article for RCN about my folding Rans Wave and got no response. I think Calhoun Cycle and Angletech both will put S&S couplers in a Rocket, and one would assume other models as well. If anyone is going for it, they aren't talking about it.

John Riley

I take it this post means you are back from Europe safe and sound.

What happened there? How are the Eurobents with big wheels for short people?

Inquiring mind want to know.

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone High Racer Clone
www.gate.net/~teblum

Quoted message said:

. I'm going to drive the 6 hours to Quebec next week in

Quoted message said:

order to try out the Belize folding semi'bent.; I'll let you all know how it rides, folds and
carries.

Quoted message said:

There doesn't seem to be much interest in the recumbent community. The Doppler Beamer received very
little interest. I wrote an article for RCN about my folding Rans Wave and got no response. I think
Calhoun Cycle and Angletech both will put S&S couplers in a Rocket, and one would assume other
models as well. If anyone is going for it, they aren't talking about it.

Pics/links? All folding recumbents I was aware of (Phazer, Sat'rday, Brompton conversion, M5,
Raqdnabel) are too upright for my taste :-( Quite happy with my Brompton BTW, only the handlebars
are a bit low.

Quoted message said:

One problem, as noted here is that most Dahon bikes, and the Helios XL in particular,
have hard-to-change tires, since the wheels have no quick releases, so you need tools.

With the kind of milage you're likely to do on a folder, and with proper tires, punctures should be
very rare. Wouldn't leave home without at least a multitool anyway!

Mark van Gorkom.

"Tom Blum" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I take it this post means you are back from Europe safe and sound.

What happened there? How are the Eurobents with big wheels for short people?

Inquiring mind want to know.

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone High Racer
Clone www.gate.net/~teblum

Sorry to have to tell you guys but I saw only 2 recumbents in Belgium: 1 commuter in Brussels, 1
parked bent in Bruges.

C.C.