Sizing Bike Friday NWT to replicate 54 cm Hunqapillar
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EWBONSELL
Jan 23, 2020, 1:24:05 AM1/23/20
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I'm sorry if this is a bit off topic, but I noticed that a number of members of this group also own a Bike Friday.
My favorite ride is my 54 CM Hunqapillar. Unfortunately NJ Transit does not allow full size bikes on trains during peak commuting hours, so I need to buy a folding bike. I have decided on Bike Friday and would like to dial in the fit as close to my Hunqapillar as possible. Bike Friday only does 73 degree seat tube and head tube angles, so I can't match the Hunqapillar's 72 degree angles. The open question is the top tube length. I believe the Hunqapillar has an effective top tube of about 60 cm (nominal 58+ cm). Based upon my measurements, Bike Friday is recommending an effective top tube length of 54 cm, but I am afraid that will be too cramped. I am inclined to think the top tube should be somewhere between 56 and 60. If any one reading this has tried to size a Bike Friday to match their Rivendell ride, I would love to hear about it.
Thanks,
Ernie
Joe Bernard
Jan 23, 2020, 3:57:59 AM1/23/20
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Hi Ernie,
I'm 5'-7" 79/80-ish PBH and owned a 54cm Hunq for a short time. With its 700C wheels the standover was nil (why I sold it), but the reach to the Bullmoose Bars was perfect.
I also owned a 52cm NWT which was way too small, and currently have a Bike Friday Tikit 56cm that fits great for the upright position I need now (arthritis) with an 8cm stem, and felt good with its original 10cm, too. I don't know how much taller you are - tall enough to comfortably straddle a 54 Hunq - but I'm fairly certain you need at least a 56cm Bike Friday.
A note about folding bikes and "folding" bikes: If you're hopping trains every day I can't recommend most BFs, including the NWT. The fold is slow and finicky, and the steering mast pops off with no place to attach it to the bike. It's really more of a packable bike, which was BF's original mission..it was intended to break down into a suitcase for touring journeys. The only quick-fold bikes they make are the current Pakit, and my Tikit which is out of production. For the kind of commuting you want to do I think you would need one of those, or maybe a Brompton.
Chris L
Jan 23, 2020, 6:45:38 AM1/23/20
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RBW sometimes gets the top tube length wrong on their geometry charts (often using actual length instead of effective) and such is the case with the 54 Hunqapillar.
Years ago, I found this schematic somewhere online and it shows both actual and theoretical top tube lengths. I have also rendered the 54 Hunqapillar into BikeCad and the front-center matches RBW's chart when using a 599.3 cm ETT instead of the 584 cm listed.
Bill Schairer
Jan 23, 2020, 9:37:57 AM1/23/20
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Ernie,
I have an older NWT that I purchased second hand. I also have an Atlantis and have never ridden a Hunq. I have no idea about angles or other measurements. With all my bikes, I just try to get the seat at the same height, the reach from the tip of the saddle to the bars the same, and the height of the bars the same. After that, they all ride a bit differently. The NWT is easily the twitchiest of my bikes but my feeling is that one adjusts to that sort of thing in very short order. My gut tells me you will not be able to duplicate the ride of the Hunq no matter what with the NWT but I wouldn’t count that as a negative.
As far as foldability, I commuted with mine for a couple years because I didn’t feel safe locking my bike up in the neighborhood I worked. Every day I folded the bike up to ride up in the elevator and store it my office, then back down to unfold and ride home. Once one gets the hang of it, it is really quite quick and easy. I have no basis for comparison with other folders. That said, if I had to go out right now and fold mine up it would definitely take some time - I don’t do it anymore. It now serves me well as a travel bike which I plan on taking to Japan in March. I’ve credit card toured on it. It is not my favorite bike. It is my slowest bike. It has served its purposes well. No regrets.
For whatever it is worth, mine is an older model with a SA IG 3 speed cassette (7 sp) hub. I think my gear range is sub 20 to 90ish GI. I believe the rear brake configuration was a custom alteration that may have even added an extra step to the fold and unfold process yet I did it daily. Mine came with flat bars and that is how I commuted with it. I since switched it over to drop bars and I think that makes the folded package a bit more cumbersome but then again I haven’t done it on a regular basis so never had practice developing a routine in that configuration. Why is it slower? I don’t know. Is it the smaller wheels? Is it the hubs? I think some efficiency is lost in the IG rear hub except in the middle gear but is that really the issue? I’m not sure they even build them that way anymore anyways.
BILL S
I have an older NWT that I purchased second hand. I also have an Atlantis and have never ridden a Hunq. I have no idea about angles or other measurements. With all my bikes, I just try to get the seat at the same height, the reach from the tip of the saddle to the bars the same, and the height of the bars the same. After that, they all ride a bit differently. The NWT is easily the twitchiest of my bikes but my feeling is that one adjusts to that sort of thing in very short order. My gut tells me you will not be able to duplicate the ride of the Hunq no matter what with the NWT but I wouldn’t count that as a negative.
As far as foldability, I commuted with mine for a couple years because I didn’t feel safe locking my bike up in the neighborhood I worked. Every day I folded the bike up to ride up in the elevator and store it my office, then back down to unfold and ride home. Once one gets the hang of it, it is really quite quick and easy. I have no basis for comparison with other folders. That said, if I had to go out right now and fold mine up it would definitely take some time - I don’t do it anymore. It now serves me well as a travel bike which I plan on taking to Japan in March. I’ve credit card toured on it. It is not my favorite bike. It is my slowest bike. It has served its purposes well. No regrets.
For whatever it is worth, mine is an older model with a SA IG 3 speed cassette (7 sp) hub. I think my gear range is sub 20 to 90ish GI. I believe the rear brake configuration was a custom alteration that may have even added an extra step to the fold and unfold process yet I did it daily. Mine came with flat bars and that is how I commuted with it. I since switched it over to drop bars and I think that makes the folded package a bit more cumbersome but then again I haven’t done it on a regular basis so never had practice developing a routine in that configuration. Why is it slower? I don’t know. Is it the smaller wheels? Is it the hubs? I think some efficiency is lost in the IG rear hub except in the middle gear but is that really the issue? I’m not sure they even build them that way anymore anyways.
BILL S
EWBONSELL
Jan 26, 2020, 2:03:17 PM1/26/20
to RBW Owners Bunch
Hi Joe,
Thank you for the input. What you said confirms my suspicion that I need the longer top tube.
I have had concerns that the BF NWT is not the most compact folder (especially the steering mast), but I think that I can live with that for a better fit/ride. I tried a Brompton. Its fold is beautiful, but I wasn't crazy about the 16" wheels and proprietary parts.
Thanks Again.
Ernie
Joe Bernard
Jan 26, 2020, 3:17:05 PM1/26/20
to RBW Owners Bunch
Good call, Ernie. I've owned both and can verify the NWT rides much more like a big-wheel bike. I happen to like the way Brommies ride for the short distances I use them for, but they're definitely... different.
Justin, Oakland
Jan 26, 2020, 5:04:52 PM1/26/20
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Try BikeInsights.com to compare geometries. Works perfectly.
Eric Daume
Jan 26, 2020, 6:56:44 PM1/26/20
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Except Bikeinsights doesn't list Bike Fridays or other folding bikes.
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Justin August
Jan 26, 2020, 8:48:50 PM1/26/20
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