Re: [yak] Digest for yak@bikefriday.com - 9 updates in 2 topics

[(null) nwestr]

Re: Bike Friday your only bike. 

This has been a great thread. I went through a couple years where my Pocket Companion was my only bike ( due to an accident- long story). As I moved forward with recovery I ended up with a Specialized 700C road bike. It’s definitely faster, but does worse in overall usefulness. Gravel paths, bag hauling etc favor the Bike Friday. I’m still running Schwalbe Marathons, so trying other tires is something I need to do. But my my PC would definitely be on my short list for a quiver killer. I could see it with E assist added down the road. 

Dan

Pocket Companion 9x3,  drop bars

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On Dec 15, 2022, at 6:27 PM, y...@bikefriday.com wrote:



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• Is your Bike Friday your only bike - 7 Updates
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Is your Bike Friday your only bike

robert clark <ro3ert...@gmail.com>: Dec 14 07:46PM -0800 No, but it's my rain winter bike hub dynamo lights , disc brakes & Rohloff hub (linear shifting sequence) in heavy rain my rain cape covers my hands legs and butt in one thing... hat on my head [Small house with unheated basement]

robert clark <ro3ert...@gmail.com>: Dec 14 07:48PM -0800 I have no clubby group riding situations any more , you say you do..   On Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 7:46:36 PM UTC-8 robert clark wrote:

Geof Gee <geo...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 07:50AM -0500 I should add that for a few years, it was also my trailer puller for the kids and I did lots of errands pulling the kids all over the place. The small wheels gave me the low gears for touring and hauling!   I'll second what the others said about tires. Lots of high performance BMX tires improve the ride and speed of the bike. I have Tioga PowerBlocks on my NWT now.   -G     --   "Sometimes I forget things. Who I am. Where I am. Unimportant things. But I'm not insane. "

Rick Mason <rick.a...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 08:24AM -0700 Thanks all,   Exactly the kind of response I was looking for.   The key message being tires. I'm feeling a second set of wheels coming on.   For reference, I have a new NWT on order - took advantage of the November 20% off March delivery offer. Basically the "stock" 18 speed, Disk brake version with just a few changes:   Add the Brompton front bag attachment bracket to the Head tube; Switch from flat bars to drops; Substitute Sun Rhyno rims, and Schwalbe Kojak Folding Tires (20 x1.35).   I see that several of you don't like Marathons. I'll look into that though I do have a new pair of them now.     Rick   Two wrongs don't make a right; But three rights do make a left.

Ken Preston <ken...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 01:07PM -0600 Is anyone out there looking at selling their tandem. Something in the $1,000 range.   My buddy is looking to get one for his winter residence.   Ken   On Dec 15, 2022, at 9:25 AM, Rick Mason <rick.a...@gmail.com> wrote:      Thanks all,   Exactly the kind of response I was looking for.   The key message being tires. I'm feeling a second set of wheels coming on.   For reference, I have a new NWT on order - took advantage of the November 20% off March delivery offer. Basically the "stock" 18 speed, Disk brake version with just a few changes:   Add the Brompton front bag attachment bracket to the Head tube; Switch from flat bars to drops; Substitute Sun Rhyno rims, and Schwalbe Kojak Folding Tires (20 x1.35).   I see that several of you don't like Marathons. I'll look into that though I do have a new pair of them now.   Rick   Two wrongs don't make a right;   But three rights do make a left.   On Wed, Dec 14, 2022, 10:17 AM John Thurston <y...@thurstons.us> wrote:   If I had to pare my stable down to a single bike, my Friday (a V-brake Llama from the previous century) would be on the short-list of candidates. I currently have it rigged with 44mm tires and drop bars. It easily handles any surfaces I'm comfortable riding. When once I hit a +20% downhill of washboard covered with 1 1/2" gravel, it wasn't great, but those conditions are rare.   It is heavier than my preferred road bike. It doesn't roll over obstacles as well as my larger-wheeled trail bike. But any single bike is a compromise, and I think it makes a reasonable compromise.   https://flic.kr/p/LzM9cE   Your NWT will be lighter, and have a lower bottom bracket, than my Llama. So yours will probably do better on the road than mine, and less well on the trails than mine.   I'll get out my soap box, once again, and say . . "tires". Did I mention tires? If you really want a one-bike stable, ditch those Marathons! Get yourself some lighter, wider tires. Some candidates are:   Tiogo Powerblock https://www.tiogausa.com/bmx-tires-main.html   Tioga FastR https://www.tiogausa.com/bmx-tires-main.html   Maxis DTH https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/dth/   Maxxis TORCH https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/torch/   I've ridden the Powerblock, which is my second favorite tire. I want to try some of the others, but can't justify the experiments until I burn up some more of my inventory. My all time fav (Schwalbe Shredda) is no longer made.   I've preached on-list before about tires. I'll let you search the archives.   --   John "Go wide. Go light. Go soft." Thurston   Juneau, Alaska   On 12/14/2022 7:43 AM, Rick Mason wrote:   For Gravel, I have ridden some shorter stretches (a mile or 2) using 40-406 Marathons. Acceptable, though not as stable as my full size touring bike on 700 by 35 Marathons. New disk brake equipped NWT bikes can fit larger diameter tires; I believe >= 48-406. Do any of you have experience using a Friday with fatter tires? Do you see much difference.? Yes, I know a NWT will never be a mountain bike. I'm mostly looking for what you folks have experienced first hand.   --   another great conversation from the Bike Friday Yak!   ---   You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Bike Friday Yak!" group.   To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yak+uns...@bikefriday.com.   To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/bikefriday.com/d/msgid/yak/e99f058e-4bcf-898c-f26b-f5a784151f01%40thurstons.us.   --   another great conversation from the Bike Friday Yak!   ---   You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Bike Friday Yak!" group.   To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yak+uns...@bikefriday.com.   To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/bikefriday.com/d/msgid/yak/CALq7ebcpmiyxwvhTKVkG6HUm1WgTiMYtnkp4X5ROdsBDDBZv6w%40mail.gmail.com.

Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 02:15PM -0500 I happen to have a BF tandem for sale:   https://bikingtoplay.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-for-sale-post.html?m=1   Eric

robert clark <ro3ert...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 11:38AM -0800 I would have liked a new type NWT , for the Silk option, but I got a NOS Llama instead. Ordering guy wanted black but actually ordered the anthracite metallic a rather dark grey, so did not take it when done... or so I was told..

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Digest for y...@bikefriday.com - 7 updates in 4 topics

Alister Sharp <alister...@gmail.com>: Dec 15 04:15PM +1100 Is your Bike Friday your only bike <http://groups.google.com/a/bikefriday.com/group/yak/t/bfd87df69c749d3a?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email> I don't yet need to reduce my stable, but if I had to reduce to a single bike, Yes, I would keep my Bike Friday Crusoe.   Admittedly, smaller wheels are slower on soft surfaces such as sand and gravel (the BF trailer, with 12" wheels, is such a drag on such surfaces that I no longer use it), but you can do a lot better than Marathons if you can accept the trade-off with durability.   Looking at the Schwalbe catalog (https://www.schwalbe.com/en/reifensuche) I see that you can get a huge range of tyres for Bike Friday 20" (406 ETRTO), in widths ranging from 1.10 to 2.25" in width.   But I believe weight is only one of the problems with Marathon; the other is the relatiely stiff sidewalls: lighter tyres, with more flexible sidewalls, seem to roll more freely.   Cheers, Alister     Alister Sharp Mob: 0422 468 108, Tel: 02 9879 3664 11 Martin St, Hunters Hill, NSW 2110, Australia

Peteholden <peteh...@aol.com>: Dec 15 01:48PM As I am downsizing, I have gotten rid of several (and been 'relieved' of one, involuntarily - what a headache!).  The BF is the one I will keep.  Compact (for my new digs, and for transit).  Foldable.  And versatile more than the Brompton. I do most of my riding on streets and highways.  Having a Llama, I was dissuaded from mountain biking the first time I dipped into a rut (and almost didn't come out).  Small wheels in those settings are not optimal. As for tires, you will have to pry my Marathon-Plus out of my cold, dead hands.  Not having to constantly (monthly or more!) deal with flats is a game-changer.  I'll give up 'performance' (use it for exercise anyway) in favor of increased certainty that I"ll get where I'm going on-time.  Thank you, Marathons!     .     _/\_Peter Holden   H-415-626-9465C-415-866-6191         -----Original Message----- From: Alister Sharp <alister...@gmail.com> To: y...@bikefriday.com Sent: Wed, Dec 14, 2022 9:16 pm Subject: Re: [yak] Digest for y...@bikefriday.com - 7 updates in 4 topics   Is your Bike Friday your only bike I don't yet need to reduce my stable, but if I had to reduce to a single bike, Yes, I would keep my Bike Friday Crusoe. Admittedly, smaller wheels are slower on soft surfaces such as sand and gravel (the BF trailer, with 12" wheels, is such a drag on such surfaces that I no longer use it), but you can do a lot better than Marathons if you can accept the trade-off with durability.   Looking at the Schwalbe catalog (https://www.schwalbe.com/en/reifensuche) I see that you can get a huge range of tyres for Bike Friday 20" (406 ETRTO), in widths ranging from 1.10 to 2.25" in width.   But I believe weight is only one of the problems with Marathon; the other is the relatiely stiff sidewalls: lighter tyres, with more flexible sidewalls, seem to roll more freely.   Cheers, Alister     Alister SharpMob: 0422 468 108, Tel: 02 9879 366411 Martin St, Hunters Hill, NSW 2110, Australia     On Thu, 15 Dec 2022 at 13:26, <y...@bikefriday.com> wrote:   | y...@bikefriday.com | Google Groups | |   Topic digest View all topics - Is your Bike Friday your only bike - 3 Updates - Craigslist Outing - 1 Update - Swytch kit - 1 Update - Express Tikit For Sale; including $539 worth of accessories - 2 Updates Is your Bike Friday your only bike | Rick Mason <rick.a...@gmail.com>: Dec 14 08:43AM -0800   I need to reduce my number of bikes due to my current housing. If possible, I'd like to have only one bike, so I'm interested in knowing how many of you have a Bike Friday as your only bike. What compromises you needed to make? What you miss (or don't)? Things like that.   I do know what my uses are. The ones most on the "fringe" would be faster club rides, and gravel (loose gravel as opposed to crushed limestone like used on rail trails. I do understand that no one bike, small wheel or large can do everything perfectly. I'd just like to see from the forums collective wisdom, how close I can get on a Bike Friday.   For club rides, my experience tells me that I am OK up to the limits of my "motor", though there is *some* speed loss from smaller diameters. I know thinner/lighter tires will help.   For Gravel, I have ridden some shorter stretches (a mile or 2) using 40-406 Marathons. Acceptable, though not as stable as my full size touring bike on 700 by 35 Marathons. New disk brake equipped NWT bikes can fit larger diameter tires; I believe >= 48-406. Do any of you have experience using a Friday with fatter tires? Do you see much difference.? Yes, I know a NWT will never be a mountain bike. I'm mostly looking for what you folks have experienced first hand.   I do recognize that the too above uses are somewhat opposed to each other, but I assume tires will make a difference, and for this, I am not opposed to having 2 sets of wheels or barring having 2 wheel sets, changing tires.   Thanks for your thoughts here. | | John Thurston <y...@thurstons.us>: Dec 14 08:17AM -0900   If I had to pare my stable down to a single bike, my Friday (a V-brake Llama from the previous century) would be on the short-list of candidates. I currently have it rigged with 44mm tires and drop bars. It easily handles any surfaces I'm comfortable riding. When once I hit a +20% downhill of washboard covered with 1 1/2" gravel, it wasn't great, but those conditions are rare.   It is heavier than my preferred road bike. It doesn't roll over obstacles as well as my larger-wheeled trail bike. But any single bike is a compromise, and I think it makes a reasonable compromise.   https://flic.kr/p/LzM9cE   Your NWT will be lighter, and have a lower bottom bracket, than my Llama. So yours will probably do better on the road than mine, and less well on the trails than mine.   I'll get out my soap box, once again, and say . . "tires". Did I mention tires? If you really want a one-bike stable, ditch those Marathons! Get yourself some lighter, wider tires. Some candidates are:   * Tiogo Powerblock https://www.tiogausa.com/bmx-tires-main.html * Tioga FastR https://www.tiogausa.com/bmx-tires-main.html * Maxis DTH https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/dth/ * Maxxis TORCH https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/torch/   I've ridden the Powerblock, which is my second favorite tire. I want to try some of the others, but can't justify the experiments until I burn up some more of my inventory. My all time fav (Schwalbe Shredda) is no longer made.   I've preached on-list before about tires. I'll let you search the archives.   -- John "Go wide. Go light. Go soft." Thurston Juneau, Alaska   On 12/14/2022 7:43 AM, Rick Mason wrote: | | Geof Gee <geo...@gmail.com>: Dec 14 01:11PM -0500   For a few years, my Bike Friday was my commuter and club ride bike. Eventually I started doing enough club rides that I picked up a road bike, but my times on the training routes in Arlington changed as one might think with a 5-7 pound lighter bike ... hilly rides were a few minutes faster.   Out west, I used the Bike Friday with 47 mm wide tires sans fenders on "fire road" rides and it did well. Not sure if I would do better than modern gravel bikes -- I do very little sport riding nowadays so I don't have one -- but at a minimum it's serviceable over a broad range of surfaces. Given the usefulness of folding and packing, it would be my do-everything-bike.   -G     --   "Sometimes I forget things. Who I am. Where I am. Unimportant things. But I'm not insane. " |   Back to top Craigslist Outing | Squire Black <apb...@ownmail.net>: Dec 13 08:25PM -0800   I noticed this on Craigslist Atlanta:   https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bik/d/atlanta-bike-friday-pocket-rocket-pro/7567433132.html   Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro ... Shimano 105 10 speed Rim Brakes   Includes suitcase $900   I am *not* the seller, and have no connection with them. If you are interested, follow up using the above Craigslist link. |   Back to top Swytch kit | Squire Black <apb...@ownmail.net>: Dec 13 08:19PM -0800   I bought a Swytch kit for my wife's Pocket Rocket. Hence, mine is a 451 wheel, not a 406. But the hub spacing will still be 100mm, so you should not have any trouble.   Note that I *did* have to file the sides of the axle that came with the Swytch kit, got get it to fit in the front dropouts. This is actually *good,* because you can make sure that the wheel fits snugly in the fork blades. This is essential, to stop the axle from rotating.   Incidentally, my wife didn't like the whole electric bike thing, so my Swytch kit will be for sale, as soon as I take it off her bike. Send me an email if you are interested.   Andrew Black Portland, OR |   Back to top Express Tikit For Sale; including $539 worth of accessories | Robert Kaminski <robertw...@gmail.com>: Dec 13 06:47PM -0800   Thank you Walter for answering that question   On Tue, Dec 13, 2022 at 6:26 PM Walter Lapchynski <w...@bikefriday.com> wrote:   | | Walter Lapchynski <w...@bikefriday.com>: Dec 13 08:14PM -0800   No problem.   I should elaborate: dual pivots are necessarily lighter because they don’t need brazed on mounts and so the fork and rear end does not need to be beefed up to handle the extra heat.   The calipers themselves tend to be lighter, too. For example, Origin8 makes dual pivots that are about 30g lighter than their linear pull brakes. Even Tektro Mini-Vs (short pull like the dual pivots so shorter arms) are still heavier.   On Tue, Dec 13, 2022 at 18:47 Robert Kaminski <robertw...@gmail.com> wrote:   >> Green Gear Cycling dba Bike Friday >> direct line (text ok) +1 541-995-0541   > --   Walter Lapchynski Sales Consultant | Information Services Assistant Green Gear Cycling dba Bike Friday direct line (text ok) +1 541-995-0541 |   Back to top | You received this digest because you're subscribed to updates for this group. You can change your settings on the group membership page. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it send an email to yak+uns...@bikefriday.com. |       -- another great conversation from the Bike Friday Yak! --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Bike Friday Yak!" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to yak+uns...@bikefriday.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/bikefriday.com/d/msgid/yak/CAHVW-fKnDv0xc84Q7k70VKUi%2B%2BzebuZcHF-iQGTrDa6fweMUew%40mail.gmail.com.

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