Tikit questions (related to fold)

[mls2ge...@yahoo.com]

Hello BF fans

i own two BF tikits.  These are somewhat more unusual than most BFs, which are unusual enough. Among the things that makes them unusual is that they fold differently than most BFs. I mention this upfront because I am looking for advice from someone who hopefully will understand what I'm talking about, even when I don't know the technical terms.

(Walter,,,* please* chime in!!)

Of late (last couple years--these are older bikes) I've been having increasing difficulty folding and unfolding  both bikes. And I fold and unfold them a lot (sometimes in a hurry as my brain is arriving etc)

Which is to say, the rear wheel folds "under" fine, and the front end folds down fine and latches after I release the Twiddley clamp and the Pacman...  

But then the seatpost sometimes (but not always) won't fold down  without  pressure l. So I started looking at the bikes to try to figure out what was the hangup.

See 2 photos below.

What is the purpose of the white "thingee" that is attached by a bolt, below the main hinge in the first photo, and which has a white  "wart" sticking out in the second photo? 

Is the thingee supposed to be positioned such that when the bike is being folded. the wart can go into the hole in the red (except where the wart has scraped off the paint...) plate??  

On neither bike does the thingee look like it has moved from where it was originally installed..But it isn't brazed in place like a permanent part would theoretically be and it was very easy for me to release the bolt and remove the entire thingee, wart and all. And when I did that, the bike folded much easier. 

Maybe too easily. My concern is that the thingee wouldn't be there if it weren't serving some purpose....like maybe keeping the bike from folding up while I'm riding it.??.

It looks like the wart on the thingee is supposed to go into the hole,  but the wart on both bikes is quite worn down (no gender jokes here, please) and at least now couldn't o line up to reach the hole.

And what's going on with the bare metal on that plate with the hole--should i be concerned that the wart has obviously scraped off a lot of paint (and some metal)? 

Also, there's another "plate" (plate #2, for lack of another term) that plate #1 pivots against and past when the bike folds and unfolds and I'm wondering whether I've managed  to bend something??  And on both bikes??

Ideas? Suggestions?? 

Marti Scheel,

Minneapolis

[Walter Lapchynski]

It sounds like you're trying to fold the bike and not unfold it. That's important because the answers differ, depending.

I'm not clear if you're having trouble releasing the seat tube or if you're having trouble lowering it or if you're having trouble with it latching in place when in position. Knowing that will go a long way in anyone being able to answer your question.

Either way the thingee has nothing to do with it. Its purpose is to hold the rear end in place when folded so if you've removed it, it means you can't pick up the folded package from the top without the rear end folding under.

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Walter Lapchynski
Sales Consultant | Information Services Assistant

Green Gear Cycling dba Bike Friday

direct line +1 541-234-5126

[mls2ge...@yahoo.com]

Walter, Thanks so much for jumping in!!!

Starting with your last paragraph: 

  After I pressed Send on my inquiry. I went back to tinkering and voilà--I easily folded the bike (with the thingee loose, so that the wart was barely touching the plate with the hole in it)  And as you predicted in your reply,  when I then tried to roll the folded bike, it immediately unfolded on me!  That has been happening to some degree fairly often lately,  but not that quickly or completely!  Maybe because even when the thingee was securly in place, the wart is worn down and not doing its intended  job?? 

In fact, I, the queen of repurposing strips of old inner tubes, had already taken to tying the wheel to the bottom tube to avoid exactly that sort of unplanned unfolding.  I suspect I'll be continuing to do that...it just takes a bit of extra time (and has drawn a few chuckles from Brompton owners who have observed my contortions 😁) 

As to the first 2 paragraphs of your reply:  I didn't specify folding or unfolding but I was MOSTLY thinking of folding.  I can have problems unfolding as well, but it's more common during folding.

- Releasing the "locked" seat post is not a problem. If anything. It releases too easily.  (For example when I'm not trying to fold the bike, just trying to lift the back end a bit to lean it to park.it. And Yes, this is worse with the tikit that BF retrofitted to be an e-tikit in 2018. It weighs a ton with the batteries hanging under the seat) 

- Lowering the seatpost isn't a problem UNTIL it's maybe halfway down. That's when I sometimes have to force it. 

- Once it does go down, latching is not a problem.  I know how the latch works and how to adjust the latch. Latch holds fine. 

Unfolding is not as frequent a problem, but occasionally things can get stuck then, too. In that case the seat post comes up when unlatched and the handlebars come up fine also, but I then have difficulties getting the "back end" of the bike to swing around to complete the unfold, with the back of the bike is sitting on the rear tire.

My suspicion is that this unfold problem happens when I'm in a hurry or inattentive and I do something in the wrong order?? I think I usually deal with this by refolding the bike and starting the unfold all over. 

Does this make any sense?  

Should we take this conversation offline and talk on the phone?

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