My Kick-ass Folding Commuting Bike.

On a trip to Germany/Amsterdam last year in 2005 I became enthralled with folding bikes. I was in the Hamburg Dammtor Station and this guy walks down the stairs from the platform with a handful of bike parts, wearing a helmet. He set his parts on the floor and in less then 10 seconds had unfolded a bike locked all the parts together (insert Transformers sound effect), and took off peddling. I just stood there in with my brow twisted and my mouth open. It was very cool. I spent the rest of the trip looking for the bikes on the trains, ferries, trolleys, and scanning the net for any reference of such a machine. I learned that they are somewhat popular in countries with good public transit systems. All over Europe and in Japan people ride their bikes to the train station or subway and then ride the rail to work or home. So many bikes are stolen every year that most people just leave clunkers locked up at the stations because during commuting hours bikes are banned from the trains, subways, and trolleys so that there is more room for paying passengers.

A few people get around the “No Bikes On-Board” rule with a folder. That way it follows them from doorstep to cubical and back again with out them worrying about it getting stolen or being out in the weather. In most cases folders are allowed because the can sit in a lap or be stuffed under or behind one’s seat. I am a nut for “the most noble machine” and look for any reason to ride a bike instead of driving somewhere. I am also somewhat of a techie and gear head. Smush all those things up together and it was like folders were put on this earth expressly for me.
I started dreaming and plotting to have one of my own before my plane ever landed back in California. I poured over the websites of custom makers. Looked in bike forums on-line to see other’s opinions and complaints about different models and makes and how they had modified their machines for their own needs. I rented one to get the feel of the frame, visited four shops that carried different models, and went to two manufactures facilities and got custom quotes.

In the end, it was a toss-up between Bike Friday, Giant, and Dahon. Bike Friday’s are hand-built in Eugene, Oregon; they have exacting road-bike specifications and perform at least as well as my current Specialized training/racing bike. Their only issue is that while they are technically folders, one has to almost completely disassemble the thing to travel with it. I wanted and needed a fast bike, but I wasn’t willing to give up packability (they also cost a fortune!). I had talked to a local SoCal shop owner about modifying a Giant Halfway and he was up for it, but by the time I had saved up the down payment, the bike that I wanted to build up was gone. I was sad for exactly ten seconds: while leaving the shop I spied a Dahon Helios 8. Dahon was actually my second choice after Bike Friday for performance, but the two models that I had looked at were also pricey. One look at the Helios and my brain went into overdrive concerning the modifications that were possible.

Dahon bikes are designed in America, but built in Taiwan and China. They produce 16-inch wheel, 20-inch wheel, and full-size 700cm road and mountain bikes. Dahon is best known in Europe for its 20-inch (406mm) folders, and there are a bunch on their website (I really liked the Speed-Pro and Speed-TT) to choose from. The Helios is a middle of the road bike in price, but has almost all the frame features as the top-end models. I talked to the shop owner again; we brainstormed some and came up with a plan to make my modest Helios into a 20-inch speed demon.

I few months and $650.00 dollars later, I brought “Bridget” home (all my bikes get women’s names because they are temperamental and one of them will kill me one day). Richard at Richard’s Cyclery in Garden Grove is a wizard and truly hooked me up!! He took some parts that I had, some new gear, and some free stuff – mixed it all together and handed me a fast, light, compact folder that was so much more than I had expected. I had him remove the strait bars and put triathlon cow-horn bars on to both allow me to use quality shifters and to make it so that my seated geometry closely modeled that of my standard road bike. After the Dura-Ace shifters were on we ran into two problems: one, they bottomed out when breaking: the rear wheel would not lock up. Two, they were nine-speed shifters and the rear cassette on the Helios was an eight–speed. Not a problem. Richard added a rolling brake booster to double the travel distance on the brakes, making the bike stop on a dime and then he pulled the 13-36 rear-cassette off and dropped on an 11-23 nine-speed in its place. After putting on a narrower chain and tweaking the derailleur adjustment a touch, the thing shifted so smooth that one would think it came from the factory that way.

In addition to Richard, a designer and business owner in England, Philip Robinson, of Zorin Intl., sent me the coolest seat post for FREE! I needed an aftermarket one because I didn’t want to use the Dahon proprietary post and overly cushy Dahon seat with it. The Zorin Pump has a VERY COOL internal air pump, is compatible with standard two-rail bike saddles, and in lieu of payment, he would just wanted some shots of my bike and his post at or in front of some California landmarks. Phillip hooked me up and I sent him some great photos of the bike in action and in front of the requested LA landmarks!

After bringing her home, I took a quick ten-mile shakedown ride and Bridget was all that I expected her to be: Fast enough to pass weekend riders, she had a comfortable riding stance, and smooth shifting – even while standing in my peddles climbing. I am planning on taking it on a few longer rides and will be taking Bridget with me to Germany and use her as my commuter bike since my morning commute will include a train, bus/subway, and ferry ride into the office. Below are all the custom components that are on her and a few more pictures can be hound here.

Dahon Helios 8
Zorin Seat Post pump
9-Speed Dura-ace shifters
Tri-bars
Wireless cycling computer
Leather-based bar tape
Travel Agent brake boosters
SPD road pedals
5” dérailleur arm
11-26 Custom Dura-Ace sprocket cassette
Dura-Ace chain
Specialized Avatar 143 saddle

Footnote: I have been in Germany and commuting with Bridget daily for almost eight months and I have few observations: I have learned that while she will fold in about ten seconds, I hate to have to fold the bike all the way down – it is just a pain in the ass to have to do it six times a day. I usually just fold the frame in half and carry it on, but now and again I have to drop the seat and collapse the bars. During my Christmas break and the move the folder was my only bike. I dreamed up ways to make it lighter and faster: carbon forks and bars, removal of the pump from the seat post, racing quality wheels and tires, a custom rear hub to accommodate a 9-26 sprocket cassette, a 60-tooth front chain ring, a custom milled front dérailleur, ect… Cycling OCD and the pursuit of “faster” had taken hold of me and it took Ross Brown to talk some sense into me. I could have spent a chunk of change to make it just a little faster and a little lighter, but it would have altered it from its original purpose as a tough little commuter and made it into a dainty and expensive niche bike that I would have been afraid to ride on anything but smooth asphalt. His exact words were, “You are trying to make a Porsche out of a Honda Civic.” He was right. I abandoned my plans to sup’ up the bike. I have accepted the fact that Bridget will only be a moderately fast commuter and not time-trial worthy. The acceptance was freeing and it let me get on with other nerdy endevors. The only changes that I have made are to add an adjustable rear fender and I removed the carbon bottle cage: my pants kept getting caught on it.

The bike is PLENTY fast and climbs hills great. I blast by 700cm wheeled bikes everyday and cyclists will talk to me at red-lights and on the ferry about how sweet the bike looks and ask how it performs. I let a couple guys ride it and both are now folder converts. My only real complaint is that because of its foldability and portability I can’t lock it up and leave it anywhere for even a minute – someone will either walk off with the whole thing or the seat or the wheel skewers. I have to carry it from the house to my office and if I stop on the way to or from work I have to take it in with me. Most people are fine with that, but it is still very cumbersome to have to tote a bike into the bank. That said and all things considered, Bridget is a terrific commuter bike.

Betty at home in Hamburg in Feb. 2008 just before I fitted her with shorter, narrower bullhorn bars.