CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Touring on a cheap folding bike?

(62 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by crowriver
  • Latest reply from crowriver
  • This topic is resolved

123

  1. crowriver
    Member

    @gembo I am trying to picture you at the train station with the folding bike, the folding trailer, luggage and panniers. Does seem like a fair bit of kit, I would probably forget something

    I've done it with a full sized bike, it just means turning up in plenty of time and being organised. Yes, lists definitely help!

    I guess your idea is not that a folding bike makes it quick and simple to hop on and off trains [a la tammytroot] but that it makes it possible to do so without protracted bookings subject to vagaries of cancellations etc.

    A bit of both, really. I have had some horrendous experiences with East Coast trains, even when I've had a cycle reservation. One time at Dundee station there was apparently no guard in the guard's van and the guy on the platform was extremely unhelpful. He could see that I had to load a a bike on, I also had a five year old child with me. Yet he ignored my reservation, treated me as an irritation, blew his whistle and the train left without me. Thankfully the Scotrail service following was half empty and we got on no problem, but we had to wait in a cold station with no facilities open for over an hour...

    For family trips we'll still use the full sized bikes, as fitting child seats to folders may be possible, but I'm not sure it's advisable whilst hauling camping gear, etc. too. The folder I plan to use for more solo, shorter tours or with my partner, assuming we can decant the kids to relatives.

    EBC claim this works like a zip tie without slackening

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=3657&f_FullProductVersion=1&f_SupersetQRY=C173&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003133c003197.

    Thanks for the tip, alas I have already used these on the folder. They are rubbish. It's a nice idea, but they're very fiddly to fit. Also if you don't have a circular cross section tube to fit them to, it's very difficult to get them tight enough to stop them slipping - the Raleigh has an elliptical cross section downtube. Ironically I've beefed up the clips with additional cable ties. It's better, but still slips sideways. Probably just cable ties, with a few bits of old inner tube under them to stop slippage, would work better.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "Probably just cable ties, with a few bits of old inner tube under them to stop slippage, would work better."

    I think proper metal jubilee/hose clips with a bit of inner tube would be even better.

    One of the 'selling points' of the EBC things us that they don't scratch the frame - but at that price....

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. gembo
    Member

    thanks crowriver and chdot - I nearly forked out for that/ I have many old inner tubes, jubilee clips and cable ties I will set to work. I have a crudcatcher on bake of the shiny red but cheap halfords bike that has many shims but still wobbly so will add more innertubes to that too from the one I cut up

    Spent many unhappy times in Dundee station waiting on trains - very windy.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. crowriver
    Member

    @chdot I think proper metal jubilee/hose clips with a bit of inner tube would be even better.

    I've considered this, but rather like the 'Elite' clamps, jubilee clips are designed for a circular cross section tube. and tend to be quite thick at the larger sizes. Don't know how easy it would be to tighten them properly on a tube with the cross section of a flattened ellipse. Cable ties are a bit more flexible...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "Don't know how easy it would be to tighten them properly on a tube with the cross section of a flattened ellipse."

    Tighten to approx diameter (off bike) and squeeze - or stand on!

    With a decent screwdriver should tighten nicely.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. wee folding bike
    Member

    When I was at the wind farm on Royal Avoidance Day a guy asked if I had any zip ties with me. His chain ring had come loose from the spider and he was trying to tie it on with strong. I'm not sure how he managed it as the bolts seemed to be in place and I didn't see it moving.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. cb
    Member

    I've got a set of those bottle cage clips. I've used them on the stem of my Birdy. It was a bit fiddly to set up but worked well once it was up and running.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    @cb I've got a set of those bottle cage clips. I've used them on the stem of my Birdy.

    Interesting. Does this not interfere with the fold?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. cb
    Member

    "Does this not interfere with the fold?"

    I had to mount it slightly offset, so it looked a bit odd, but folding bikes look a bid odd anyway.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    @cb I had to mount it slightly offset, so it looked a bit odd, but folding bikes look a bid odd anyway.

    This may give me a way out of this conundrum. I did consider mounting on the handlebar stem, but got set on putting it on the frame, like you're 'supposed' to. I'll persevere a bit longer, stainless steel jubilee clips next. Hopefully that will work. The stem could be the perfect place for a second bottle cage... :))

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. tammytroot
    Member

    Took the wee folder for a bit of a pootle. Thirteen miles (approximate) took 2 hours. Changed the saddle for a better one. One obvious issue was the gear changes which every now and again threw the chain off the crank. Have adjusted the derailleur but still keeps happening. Part of the problem seems to be too much clearance between the plastic/ polythene chainguard and the crank. Went into LBS to see if I could get a better guard, but they said nothing could be done?? Seemed strange but I have no experience of this kind of bike. Anyone know how to stop this? It only happens under "load" never when changing gears on stand. Overall I quite like the bike but I can see putting the chain back on every. Few miles will get annoying very quickly.
    Any suggestions?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. wingpig
    Member

    Could be a chainline issue.

    If it's towards the chainguard/away from the frame/towards the right-hand pedal, presumably it's only happening when you're in a smaller-rear-sprocket gear? Depending on where there's any space/leeway you could use appropriate spacers to either nudge the cassette cluster outwards a little or do the same to the chainring, or vice versa, so that the chainring is roughly in-line with the middlemost sprocket so that it's less laterally-bothered by being in top or bottom gear; if the chain is being pulled too far away from the ideal line of the chainring when in a higher gear it could be enough to persuade it to slip off under load. A smaller clearance between chainguard and chainring might just make it clank and scrape without stopping it from unshipping.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. crowriver
    Member

    @tammytroot What make/model is it?

    My chain did bounce off one time while shifting gears under load. Simple enough to pop it back on the chainring. If it's a recurring issue for you, maybe the chain is too slack?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. tammytroot
    Member

    Thanks for the advice. Yes it is throwing off away from the wheel when changing to a higher gear/ smaller sprocket and the LBS said it was a chainline problem. Afraid my diy on bikes only extends to fixing p'''tures and tuning brakes/gears but I will google fitting spacers etc. I thought maybe a better chainguard would bounce chain back on but obviously not. Thanks again.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. tammytroot
    Member

    Mmm, chain does seem a little slack now you mention it. Bike is new so maybe I can tweak the tension. ( bike is a proteam folder).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. crowriver
    Member

    Some snaps of the Raleigh Swift project in progress below.


    Swift in stock configuration. Various improvised bags for commuting strapped to the rack or hanging from the bars.


    Swift at stage 1 of modification. Rear rack swapped for a standard sized alloy rack. Full size panniers hooked on. Front rack is a Dahon traveller. A cheap handlebar bag, a seat wedge bag and somewhat shoogley bottle cage also added. Oh, replaced the basic stock bell with a nice push bell. Ching ching!

    I've also added Schwalbe Marathon tyres, but no pics of that yet. Next time I'm out with the trailer I'll take a pic of the articulated rig...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. crowriver
    Member


    Swift at stage 2 of modification

    Replaced the stock tyres with a pair of Schwalbe Marathons. Ride is faster and surer as a result of higher tyre pressure and bettter tread pattern. Trying out a pair of double panniers hooked and strapped on the rear carrier, they just stay on the bike. The shoogley bottle cage has been strengthened with cable ties: will now hold a full bottle of water, but prone to budge sideways if knocked by a foot or object...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. kaputnik
    Moderator

    @crowriver perhaps a bike buddy might work for your bottle cage? The Mk. 1 is for where you don't have cage bosses. I've got the Mk.2 for carrying an oversize flask under the downtube of my touring bike. Well made, flexible and not too expensive.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. wingpig
    Member

    Hmm. Maybe splint the bottle-cage tie-things so that the bits which should be along the larger-radius sides of the downtube stay there...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. crowriver
    Member

    @kaputnik The bike buddy looks like it won't fit this oversized downtube. I have some stainless steel jubilee clips on order, will try them next...

    @wingpig Maybe strips of inner tube would do the trick?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. druidh
    Member

    http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lejog

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    On Bromptons too!!

    http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lejog#post-2533668

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. kaputnik
    Moderator

    On Bromptons too!!

    Other sorts of folding (and collapsible) bicycles are available

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. cb
    Member

    Lots of LEJOGs listed here:

    http://www.pewseys.co.uk/lejog_trip_links.htm

    Including a Brompton trip trip, which I remember reading before. On his first big day he did 97 miles instead of 73 as planned - he had used some crummy map measurer to measure the distances. That would be a bit of a blow to discover that particular flaw in your planning!

    Other sorts of folding (and collapsible) bicycles are available

    A Birdy one (not quite end to end actually)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  25. wee folding bike
    Member

    A friend from the US and his wife did JogLe on a Twosday about 13 years ago. Their trailer broke a wheel near Thornhill which seemed fitting.

    They asked me for route ideas and I suggested Arran which they enjoyed. They weren't in a hurry.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  26. cb
    Member

    Only time I ever saw a Twosday was locked outside a hotel in Lerwick when we were going in for food.
    The owner(s) was quickly identified on the next table, boring his other half to tears with endless folding bike stories.

    Er, hope it was no one here.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  27. crowriver
    Member


    Dunsapie loch

    Test ride (unladen) at sunset. She's quite a good wee climber!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  28. crowriver
    Member


    Dundee to St. Andrews.

    This doesn't really count as touring. Maybe 'light touring' at a stretch. Actually it counts as extended commuting. Yesterday my working day finished a little earlier than usual, and it was a lovely afternoon so I decided to cycle to the next station to get the train. Destination Leuchars! Here's the wee folding bike in the middle of Tentsmuir forest on NCN1.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  29. crowriver
    Member

    A quick update for anyone who may be even vaguely interested. Went shopping with the wee folding bike this evening, loaded it up with a medium sized load (weighed when I got back, 22kg in total). I made sure that the weight was reasonably distributed (around 10kg on the front carrier/handlebars).

    The wee Raleigh performed admirably well. The ride was a little bit more sluggish, as you might expect. However steering and manoeuvrability were not compromised, being quite crisp and responsive. No real problem getting up to reasonable speed either. Nary a creak from the frame. I suppose this is the same design as Raleigh's current Shopper folding bike, so a balanced load seems to be the way.

    Bodes quite well for the potential of loaded touring, methinks.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  30. crowriver
    Member

    Another shopping trip with the 'enhanced' Raleigh Swift. 24kg this time! 10kg on the front carrier/handlebars, the rest on the rear carrier in panniers/on top.

    Ooh, I'd be sorely tempted to do a spot of cycle camping soon if the weather wasn't so crap.

    Posted 13 years ago #

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