Folders ... ?

[John B]

Tony Raven wrote:

> John B wrote on 01/09/2006 15:07 +0100:
> >
> > i agree the BF packs quite large and takes longer to fold and bag (about 4-5
> > mins) but it does fit easily into all trains I have travelled on - it is not
> > just a car and plane machine.
> >
>
> You've had more luck than me then. I have taken the BF on two trains.
> One was the Oxenholme to Lancaster train at the end of the Cyclefest
> Folder ride in 2004 (which Bike Friday's CEO joined). There it had to
> be wedged (folded and bagged) onto two seats. Fortunately the train was
> not crowded. Another journey on Virgin I just about managed to squeezed
> it bagged and folded onto the luggage rack in the middle of the carriage
> although it stuck out into the corridor some way.

I have become very suspicious of SWT recently.
I take my BF on 3-4 trains a week and have only once had to bag it up this year -
last Tuesday when they had a strike and said 'no bikes at all'.

My DF does the same number of journeys and again its as easy as pie. Three years
ago the guards checked reservations strictly, but no more.
It is now so easy on SWT that I am highly wary of their motives as I don't think
many people now book - despite the 'requirement' on certain trains. SWT could
easily say no one takes a bike because there are no records of reservations :-(
Of course it may be that they don't want to upset cyclists as the franchise is up
for grabs.

> The Brompton OTOH goes on the trains into and out of London several
> times a week.
>

ditto, but not London.

> However I have ridden centuries on the BF but would not even start to
> contemplate it on the Brommie although I know people do.

Ditto.

John B

 

[Peter Clinch]

Erik Sandblom wrote:

> The titanium Brompton S2LX is 9,5kg while the Birdy Speed is 10,4kg. The
> Brompton only has two speeds though, the Birdy has nine. I think a
> six-speed Brompton, S6LX, would still be lighter but I'm not sure.

Lighter, possibly, but it depends to what end you're getting light. For
carting it about, yes, clearly better, but for performance there are
other factors that would have more effect than a couple of hundred of
grammes. I think the Birdy will easily outperform the Brom if you're in
a hurry.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Peter Clinch]

daren wrote:

> Birdy: Light, good fold, expensive, I found them rather too twitchy and
> I'm 5' 10".

To what extent is twitchy handling related to height?

I'm 5'8". I found the Birdy to ride like a "normal" sporty bike (with
the standard bars, haven't tried the swept-back "comfort" bars).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Peter Clinch wrote:
>daren wrote:
>
>> Birdy: Light, good fold, expensive, I found them rather too twitchy and
>> I'm 5' 10".
>
>To what extent is twitchy handling related to height?
>
>I'm 5'8". I found the Birdy to ride like a "normal" sporty bike (with
>the standard bars, haven't tried the swept-back "comfort" bars).

I'm 6'3" and found a Birdy much less twitchy than a Brompton with
extended seatpost. I only had short test rides though.

 

[daren]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> daren wrote:
>
> > Birdy: Light, good fold, expensive, I found them rather too twitchy and
> > I'm 5' 10".
>
> To what extent is twitchy handling related to height?
>
> I'm 5'8". I found the Birdy to ride like a "normal" sporty bike (with
> the standard bars, haven't tried the swept-back "comfort" bars).
>

Just didn't like the handling with comfort stem. The forward stem might
put more weight over the front wheel and that may help. This was
indoors at last year's Cycle show, and the contrast with the Mezzo
ridden immediately afterwards was enormous. I had to try both twice as
I was so suprised.

My Brompton is fairly twitchy too I supose, but I just couldn't take to
the Birdy at all.

regards,
daren
--
remove outer garment for reply

 

[David Damerell]

Quoting Peter Clinch <[email protected]>:
>daren wrote:
>>Birdy: Light, good fold, expensive, I found them rather too twitchy and
>>I'm 5' 10".
>To what extent is twitchy handling related to height?

I'm 5' 10"; the Brompton's fine with both hands on the bars, but a little
edgy when signalling.
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