Dahon Folding Bicycle Forum: Bags and Luggage

Burley Urban Transit System

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:59:35 -0600

I was at my LBS and noticed a new trailer from Burley that looks like it was made for a Dahon.

What Makes The Eco 3 Incompatible With Airporter Mini?

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:52:15 -0600

I got a JetBlue "all you can jet" pass, and I'm organizing my travel as a tour of the best ice cream in the USA (reachable by Jet Blue). There will be work and visiting too, but it's getting to some out-of-the-way ice cream shops that makes me want to have my bike.

So I'm trying to figure out whether I can pack my Eco 3 into a US-airline legal suitcase (H + D + W <= 62"), and I'm hoping someone can guide me before I go out and buy a suitcase. I'm concerned that if the Eco doesn't fit in the Airporter Mini, maybe it won't fit in any US-airline legal suitcase. The folded dimensions are 11.7" x 31.2" x 25.7" (68.6" total), so I'm sure that means I need to remove the tires, as shown here.

But the Eco bike has fenders too. Would I need to take those off?

Is there any other aspect of the bike that would make it hard to break down?

Thanks!

RA

Packing The Dahon D7 Folding Bike In A Samsonite Suitcase

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:29:54 -0600

Packing the Dahon D7 Folding Bike In A Samsonite Suitcase
In Almost 6 Min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmx_EXsBzag...feature=related

Topeak Adaptor For Dahon Truss?

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:30:53 -0600

I have fitted a Dahon truss to my bike. Before I buy a new bag I was wondering if there is an adaptor to fit my Topeak handlebar bag to the Klickfix mount.

Mini-airporter

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:08:10 -0600

I would really like to fly with my MUp8 without paying any surcharges, and the mini-airporter sounds like a good thing, but this completely disassembling the bike sounds daunting. Does this mean that the frame could not just fold and it would have to be completely separated as well? Is there any video somewhere that shows what to do?

Anyone Using Front Traveller Rack With 20" Frame?

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:11:16 -0600

I was hoping to get some feedback on using this rack with 20" wheels. IE how stable is bike with loaded front panniers, how much weight is feasible, & how pleased are you with the front Traveller rack? TIA Will

Packing Dahon 26" Folding Bikes

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:01:55 -0600

I was wondering has anyone attempted or succeeded packing anyone of the folding Dahon 26" wheeled bikes: Espresso, Matrix, jack into a "checkable" airline suitcase, (some disassembly required) or one of the 26x26x10 cases availbale for Break apart/ foldable bikes.

Is it even feasible?

Or what is the preffered method to travel with these models on airlines?

Any or all input appreciated. Thanks!!

Two 26" Dahons In A Cessna 152

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:52:37 -0600

The wife and I have made several 30-mile flights from Los Angeles to Santa Catalina island with her 26" Mariner and my 26" Espresso in the back of my tiny Cessna 152 2-seater. That put us right at the gross weight & balance limits for the plane, but wow what great trips. It's a challenging runway to land on (cliffs on both ends) and a challenging ride. It's a hilly 10 miles from the "Airport in the Sky" at 1600 feet down to Avalon at sea level. Obviously there's 1600 more feet of climbing getting back up to the airport, but there is lots of climbing just getting to Avalon. VERY steep climb out of Avalon, triple chainring required. Wild buffalo roam around on the VERY VERY VERY rough roads (fat tires required by park rangers). You have to buy bike permits, and pay an airport landing fee, but all in all a fun day trip. Recommended! Pics attached.

Airporter Suitcase And 2007 Jetstream Xp?

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:07:45 -0600

Dear All

A simple question for you, I hope someone has an answer.

Does a 2007 Jetstream XP (65-90-45 cm) fit into the AirPorter suitcase (69-85-35 cm)? My biggest concern is the width (45 vs. 35 cm), quite a big difference! Perhaps some more disassembly could help?!? What exactly?

Or can you suggest me another particular suitcase?

Thanks,
Bali

How To Cover Dirty Chain If Trolleying?

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:31:33 -0600

Some folding bikes have no chain guard. If you ride such a folder as a suitcase trolley in a crowded area with hurried people, there is a risk that someone's clothes are stained with mud or teflon spray from the bike chain.

How can you best prevent that? For example with a large bike bag that is open from the underside? Or with plastic that just covers the chain? Or with another method?

Avenir Folding Bike Bag

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:08:11 -0600

Hi
Will the Dahon 20" D7 speed folding bike fit into the Avenir Folding Bike Bag.It's on Ebay at a really nice price.Hope someone has exsperiance of this bag...........Many thanks Paul

Tour Bag/luggage Truss On Speed Tr 2005

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 04:44:52 -0600

Hi folks,

Does anyone know if the luggage truss will fit straight onto my Speed TR 2005 frame or will I need some sort of adapter?

I seem to remember a separate adapter was needed for older frames.

Thanks,

Andrew

Traveller Rear Rack Measurements?

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:22:47 -0600

Hi there,

Still trying to find a rear rack for my Eco 3. I bought a very cool wine crate on ebay measuring 13-1/4" L x 11W x 7 H that I am hoping to attach to the rack to be able to cart groceries, etc. (Of course it will have to be removable to fold,etc.)

Concerned about length to fit and heel strike. Will the traveller work? Measurements for this rack? I emailed gaerlan a week ago asking about their racks but so far no response. Other posters have replied that the curve on the Arclite will hinder the fit of a crate or basket that is longer.

Thanks for your advice!

Michelle

Ebay Has Those Great Oversized Inexpensive Bike Bags

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:05:59 -0600

Just saw this folding bike bag on Ebay for my Mu:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zippered-Folding-Bike-...=item41501b6968

Looks like the bag Ikea used to sell (the 39x26x9 rectangular bag - not the square bag given with the Bromptons) so it would fit a Dahon easily when folded. I tried to get this from Ikea but it's a discontinued item, not even in the catalogue any more, and the stores I checked were all sold out.

Looks like this:
http://forum.dahon.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=4695
http://forum.dahon.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=4696

Trek Folding Bike Bag Review

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:03:11 -0600

So, the other day I was browsing the net to see what I could find in terms of bags specifically made for folding bikes. Remembering that they did a few for Trek not too long ago, I was able to find a bag that Trek engineered themselves. They don't sell it any more, but you can see the old product page here on Trek's website. It used to retail for $80, and for some reason, Trek seems to have made more than the bikes they were selling... they're not hard to find on eBay and in Trek dealers if you're persistent.

I tracked one down about an hour away from me in Seattle for $35, and picked one up to see what I'd think. Here's a brief review.

Description
The bag comes in two parts. The bottom is described as a "tray" that you're supposed to be able to use to keep your bike in (folded) around the home or office to avoid getting mud or dirt on the floor. Uh... okay. It's lightly padded vinyl, not too thick, but enough that it's not going have bike parts poking through it after some use.

The top, which clips onto the tray in four spots (one front, one back, one on each side), is also mostly vinyl, but thinner. It fits over the bike and tray, has two pockets (one big enough for maybe a couple water bottles, the other pretty large -- enough for a jacket and lunch, maybe), and a padded carrying strap. It's hard to explain, but the strap doesn't just clip onto the top part on either end; it kind of loops through and clips back onto itself. It's kind of odd, and makes it more cumbersome to remove and attach. The strap itself is comfortable enough. One side is padded if you'll be carrying it for a while and don't like to get bumped around. There are three ill-placed handle straps as well; one of front, one the outside (to hold on to while you're using the shoulder strap), and one up front. There's also a window for a business/ID card on the shoulder strap, but since you'd need to remove the strap if you were checking the bag, it's not very useful.

There are two more clips up at the top so you can pull it tighter, although their placement is awkward and cinching them down didn't really seem to have any effect whatsoever -- it just kind of scrunched up the top of the bag without making much different in size. Inexplicably, the top also opens up thanks to a velcro flap. I guess that's if you wanted to get in there without removing the whole top for some reason, but it's a bizarre design feature that serves no practical purpose. It also creates two large holes on either side of the flap -- again, hard to describe, but it looks like this: <>----<>. The holes expose your bike to whatever elements (dirt, water) maybe be outside, and are a major issue to me. Because of them, you can't seal up the top, and I could see parts of the bike poking through after moderate use has worn down the velcro some. The bag itself isn't terribly heavy -- under 10 pounds -- and could probably be rolled up to fit into an average-sized backpack, although it'd be a little big for most pannier bags I've seen. Each piece in a separate bag would work.

The bag fit my Novara Fly By (about the size of the typical Dahon 20 incher) with plenty of room to spare. Too much, actually, as it makes the bag unnecessarily large and bulky. I don't recall which size the Trek folders were, but I'm pretty sure they were 20" as well, so I wonder why they designed such an oversized bag. Because of this, the bag would be useless for even smaller folders, although it'd probably fit a 26" bike like the Espresso comfortably. There was enough room in the tray for me to pull out the seat post/saddle entirely and lay it between the wheels, which conserved a few inches of space on the top.

Impressions
Really, this bag was a major disappointment. I love Trek stuff, but there were so many strange decisions made here. The first was the size -- I'm 99% sure it was meant for a 20" folder, and it's just too big for that. It's too large and bulky to carry around comfortably for long, and it'll push you into the oversize baggage category if you're trying to check it on a plane. Speaking of which, I wouldn't recommend it for that anyway -- the only cushioning is the marginally thicker bottom tray, and because there are only four poorly-placed attachment points between the tray and upper bag, it wouldn't take much to have parts of your bike slip through. I had it happen to me just carrying it from my car inside my apartment -- I can't imagine it going through the rigors of baggage handling. I suppose you could use all of that extra space to wrap it in egg crate foam or other packing material, and solve the issue of openings with some heavy use of tape, but come on... a bag shouldn't be that complicated. And it's still going to end up with that oversize charge.

There are other strange design decisions. Why not size it for the bike it was meant to fit? What's with the holes on the top? Why would I need an access flap to the top of my packed bike? Why not just have normal attachments for the shoulder strap? The awkward placement of the handles keeps you from transporting it around any way other than the shoulder strap, too... the middle one is just on one side, which doesn't work, and the front and back ones would only work if two people were handling it.

Overall, this bag is just a bizarre, confusing mess. I don't think that it was really tried out before being put into production. The only two plusses are the comfortable shoulder strap pad -- big deal -- and the roomy pockets. If you just need a bag to carry it yourself over a short distance, I suppose it'd work, but the Bolsa looks like a superior product and is much easier to use. Shoot, an Ikea bag would work better. It's unsuitable for checking on a plane.

That's about it. Hope this helps out some of you who've seen this bag and wondered if it'd be a good fit for your ride. It didn't do the trick for me, and I'll be putting it up on eBay myself in a few days to get it off my hands.

Q: Which Klickfix Adapter Can Be Used With Glide?

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:50:16 -0600

Dear all,
please share your experience which models of Klickfix adapters can be used with the Glide model? As i understand, not all of them will fit 1) without obstructing the folding 2) the distance between the bag/basket mounted with the handlebar adapter, and the front wheel may be too small.

Is it possible to use the handlebar adapter? Ot the stem adapter is a better option? Please help me to decide.

Thank you very much in advance,
Anna

Tips On Checking Your Bag From An Airline Employee

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:12:32 -0600

Hey everyone. First post, excited to have a Dahon, etc etc.

I recently got the Dahon made for REI after a Memorial Day sale, and I've been looking through the web for the past hour or so looking for a bag I'd like to pack it in. I stumbled across this part of the forum, and after reading through some of the stuff here, I realized that it might be helpful if I offered some tips on packing your bike safely. I work for a major regional airline in Seattle, and I've seen all sorts of things packed -- some done right, some not so much.

So, here's some advice from an airline employee on how to protect your bike:

1. First, and most important: no matter how much you complain, no matter how egregiously negligent the baggage handlers may have been, the airline isn't going to be responsible for any damage. It's all part of the Contract of Carriage (COC), the terms you agree to when you purchase and use the ticket. I know, it sucks. You might be able to successfully argue a damage case -- look at the United Breaks Guitars guy -- but in most cases, you're gonna be out of luck.

Now, I've handled bags before. Nobody wants to damage your stuff. When things get broken, ground crew will get heat for it. Despite stories you may've heard, no one is purposely trying to screw with your things. But put yourself in their place; these guys will handle more stuff than professional movers in the course of a few hours, and they have to do it on a very tight timeline. If a bag is marked fragile, they'll try to be a little extra careful. But the reality of things are is that it's not feasible for airlines to go too far out of their way to protect fragile goods, and bikes, even a nice rugged Dahon, are breakable. Sometimes it's not even a baggage handler's fault -- you'd be surprised at how rough some airport's automated equipment is.

Why bring this up first? So you know that the burden lies on you to keep things safe, and so you know the mindset of the people who're handling your bike. We want to keep it safe, honestly, but sometimes bad stuff happens. Prepare accordingly and things'll almost always end up well for you.

2. Let's talk packing materials. Airlines will differ in baggage allowances, but almost any 20 incher or below will be able to fit into something small enough that'll let you check it (although rarely will it work as a carry on). Same goes for weight -- even on the tightest international restrictions, your Dahon is good to go. But that doesn't mean you should just toss it in anything.

Good for packing: The Airporter line, or other bags with a hard or semi-hard shell to it. This'll help keep your gear safe from bumps and added weight.
Not great for packing: The Bolsa and other soft, vinyl bags. These are fine for carrying stuff around, but your bike may be crunched between other bags, or, worse, may have heavy bags on top of it. That can add up to as much as 300-400 pounds on top of your bike. Dahon's are tough, but if it's sitting on a weak component, you need more protection.
Generally okay for packing: The Bolsa/other bags with a little work. Go out and get yourself some memory foam at Walmart or Target meant for a bed, get creative with scissors, and boom, you now have a padded case. Much more secure than a bare Bolsa, even if you can't cram it into the little seatpost bag that it once was. It's worth the tradeoff. There are other good protection solutions I've seen here on the forums as well.
Generally unacceptable for packing: Cardboard. Serious, I don't know why anyone who likes a bike well enough to take it with them will do it in cardboard. Things break through, it provides little protection, it's flimsy, it can come apart easily, it's not very reusable, it might cost more to check if it's too large, it's trickier for baggage handlers to carry safely. If you can fit your Dahon into a box and you pad it in a way in the way mentioned above, cardboard'll do, but there are better options. Also keep in mind that boxes are often not allowed on many international flights, and some airlines won't check them at all.

3. Protect flimsy/fragile components. I love the Novara Fly By, since a lot of the fragile stuff is protected already, i.e. the hub shifters. You may want to detach something like a derailleur altogether. If not, wrap it in something soft but firm which'll keep it from moving around. It may scratch your frame, or if enough weight is put on it, come apart. Nobody likes departing with an eight speed and arriving with a one speed. You may also want to remove "custom" or aftermarket parts, like bottle cages or racks.

4. Label, label, label. Like I said, we airline employees really do want to take care of your stuff, but we can't do it if we don't know that it's something more than dirty clothes. Having an agent add a fragile tag is a plus. Even better is taping a few on the sides of your bag (with heavy duty tape, all four sides so it won't come off). You don't need to be obnoxious, coating it with "FRAGILE!!! CAREFUL!!!! THIS SIDE UP!!!" warnings; just make sure that a Fragile tag/note is prominent, even if the bag is flipped upside down. You may also want to put a note to "Please pack on top" on the tag. No guarantees that it'll get noticed (or it'll end up there even if it is -- baggage handling is like a cramped, uncomfortable, sweaty, awful game of Tetris), but they might try to keep weight off of it if possible.

By the way, whether you choose to identify your bag as a bike is your choice; some airlines may try to charge you extra (they shouldn't, since it's packed as a regular-sized checked bag, but they may not realize that). If they ask me why I want a fragile tag, I'll tell them it's "bike equipment" if it's someone who I suspect'll try to add on that charge. Again, it just varies by airline.

5. Don't use a skycap. Take your bike in. Skycaps are third-party employees and tend to be a little less careful with your stuff than an airline employee will be. It varies by personality, of course, but it's just my experience. Besides, if your bike does get damaged, that way its been in the airline's hands the whole time. More on that later.

6. If whatever you're choosing to pack your ride in is overweight or oversized, we have to charge you the associated fees. Sometimes you may be lucky and we'll be lenient -- I'll do it on occasion -- but we're under no obligation to do so and we may well be risking our jobs if we let it slide. I don't care if you think I'm a jerk for not letting you get by for free when the limits are clearly posted on every airline's website. You're not the one feeding my wife and kids. Check the limits (usually under 50 pounds and 62 linear inches) at www.seatguru.com BEFORE you leave home.

7. Verify that it's going to the right place. A few ticketing agents might roll their eyes if you're the kind to stay and watch them put it on the belt, but big deal, it's your stuff. Me, I don't mind. Keep an eye on the baggage tag and make sure that it has your final destination marked properly on it. Almost every tag will show it prominently in the airport's three-letter code: DEN for Denver, LAX for Los Angeles, SEA for Seattle, and so on. If you don't know which code is yours, try www.airnav.com, check Wikipedia, or ask the agent. Mix-ups are uncommon, but they occasionally happen. Avoiding them is one less chance for your bag to go through additional handling. The less people other than you who touch your bike, the better.

By the way, speaking of lost bags, make sure you have identification (most important: name and phone number) both outside AND inside your bag. On rare occasions, tags will get torn off the outside by automated equipment. In a case like that, we'll look inside to try and find some sort of ID, but if it's not there, it's a lot harder to track down who owns it. Better still, print a copy of your itinerary and toss it on top of your stuff when you close up your bag.

8. Avoid connections whenever possible, especially cross-airline connections. Sometimes this is unavoidable, but if the difference is only a few dollars, pay the extra for fewer segments. Again, it means fewer opportunities for something to go wrong.

9. Get to the baggage claim as soon as possible when you arrive. Hold off on bathroom or food stops. Baggage theft is uncommon, but it happens -- and there's little that can be done about it other than getting there before a thief does. This applies to any checked bag, not just bikes, and is a good reason to carry-on as much as possible, especially essentials like medicine. It can help to make your bag look as uninteresting to a thief as possible -- ditch the fancy Armani case for something with ugly print that screams "tacky, ill-fitting, hideous clothing".

10. Finally, if the worst happens and your bike is damaged, head immediately to the Baggage Service Office (BSO), which may be the ticket counter for airlines with a smaller presence in that city. Almost every airline will have at least one employee assigned to handle baggage issues for arriving flights. You'll hear the same line about it not being covered by the COC, but file a report and press your complaint anyway. You might get nothing, but who knows. If you are compensated it's likely to be in travel vouchers -- cash payouts are rare and usually just happen in cases of extreme negligence (and even then, not often) -- but it's better than nothing. Remember, legally, they're not obligated to give you a thing. Whether or not that's good business practice is a discussion for another thread.

And if you do file a complaint, remember: you attract more flies with honey. As airline employees, we see people at their absolute craziest. We have to break up fights, pull drunks off of flights, deny people boarding for issues that are often not out fault, and withstand the anger of people who don't understand that weather delays are acts of God, not man. In other words, we've heard it all. I've yet to meet an airline employee who can be intimidated by a customer, and no, no matter what you threaten, you won't be able to get us fired. While I personally do my best to help out every customer, no matter how much of a jerk one might be, I'm going to be more inclined to go out of my way to help one who's polite and respectful. Even if your bike shows up folded in a more permanent fashion, or worse, not at all, don't let your anger get the best of you -- the person you're speaking with probably had nothing to do with it and wants to help you out. Remember... flies, honey.

---

There you have it. I hope this helps some of you out when traveling with your bike. If you have any questions, ask, and I'll try to answer. Me, I'm looking forward to my first day off, when I'll be flying down to somewhere with sunny weather just to ride for an hour or two before hopping a flight back home.

Blue skies and safe roads, y'all.

Dahon Sport We Need To Buy Luggage

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:20:32 -0600

Hi, I'm new. we just bought a pair of Dahon Sports in the hopes that we can travel with bikes without paying huge penalties.

The airporter bag is big, so we have not yet purchased it. I'm wondering if anyone else has managed to get a Sport (it has fenders and racks) into a suitcase.

Thanks.

Racktime Foldit Rear Rack

Wed, 26 May 2010 10:05:13 -0600

I recently mounted a Racktime Foldit rear rack on my 2009 Novara FlyBy (essentially a 2008 Dahon Mu XL Sport). The rack is available in black or silver, and has a 25kg load limit (55 lbs). I recently used it on another (non-folding) bike during an 8-day ride of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the rack worked wonderfully. Mounted on my folder, it fits perfectly and provides sufficient heel clearance with my Ortlieb Front Packers. The best part about it is that it folds flat, and therefore fits in the suitcase with my bike and panniers.

Kevin

Dahon Carry-on Cover - Big Enough For 20"-frame 2009 Jack?

Sat, 22 May 2010 09:05:26 -0600

Is the Dahon Carry-On Cover OK with a large-framed (20") 2009 Dahon Jack?
If so, is it OK with just a simple fold, i.e. without taking wheels off, folding up pedals, removing saddle, etc.?
Or is it too small?

Thanks!

David

Body Bag

Thu, 20 May 2010 05:07:12 -0600

Just saw the video on Dahon.com; is Dahon actually suggesting that people hang their 14-kilogram bike on the back of a door? that should be some door to support such a weight!

Airportersuitcase & Espresso Bike

Sat, 15 May 2010 15:56:52 -0600

I've traveled with my Espresso by car and now want to travel by air with my new Airporter suitcase. YouTube has no videos on steps to pack an Espresso (26" wheels) into an Airporter. The description for the case says bikes with 26" wheels will fit if you remove the wheels. What I'm looking for is someone who has actually traveled with an Espresso, or similar, in an Airporter. The photo on the website shows a smaller bike in a Airporter case, so it's no help. So I'd like to know: Are the handlebars removed from the steering post and hanging loosely alongside the fork, as when you fold it with wheels still in place? Is the seat pushed all the way down into the frame or removed? Is the frame set into the case derailleur side down? I'd appreciate any tips, other than "why not just experiment."

Thanks from Albuquerque, NM

Airporter For Mec (dahon) Origami

Sat, 15 May 2010 11:22:26 -0600

I just bought an MEC (Dahon) Origami folding bike. I travel and need to be able to transport my bike. The Airporter or Mini Airporter look like the hard side solution.

Has anyone tried to fit this bike into a hard sided case like the Airporter?

Where can I get one, and are there any here with a used one they want to sell?

Thanks,

Bill
bfulbright
bill@billfulbright.com

2007 Vitesse In A Suitcase

Mon, 10 May 2010 11:36:49 -0600

A couple of months ago I picked up a Curve D3 while on a biz trip and was able to bring it home in a bigger suitcase I had. Well this biz trip I have found a 2007 Vitesse D7 with Bolso bag, baskets, pump, and helmet for only $250. However I didn't bring a larger suitcase with me. Has anyone had experience packing a Vitesse or similar sized Dahon into a suitcase? I am going to hit the thrift shops this afternoon.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Arclite Rack And Rear Basket Size

Sat, 01 May 2010 16:11:23 -0600

I have an Eco 3 and would like to get a rear rack that I could fit a larger wicker-type basket onto to hold groceries. I cannot find any measurements for the Arclite rack anywhere.

Can someone tell me if these possible baskets would fit sturdily onto my bike with the Arclite? Or any alternate ideas?

Cynthia's Twigs rear basket: Large: 14L(base) x 11W x 11�D Has no clamp, just openings to attach cable ties (or arclite bungee?)

http://www.cynthiastwigs.com/bike_baskets.htm

Basil Pasja rear basket: Dimensions of the base of the basket: 17 in. long x 8.5 in. wide
Dimensions of the upper portion of the basket: 20 in. long x 12.5 in. wide
7.5 in. tall on the lowest end and 12 in. tall on the highest end. The basket is somewhat tapered which is the reason for these dimensions.

The Basil has a "universal SENNA clamp device makes removing the basket a breeze and attaching it to your rear rack even easier" Fits tube-diameters 6-20 mm

http://www.amazon.com/Basil-Animal-Basket-...l/dp/B000YO5RQ4

BTW, no, I am not trying to put a dog into this thing! Strange that the only baskets I liked were for pets!

Thanks for your help!

Michelle

Packing A Hub Geared Dahon Into A Suitcase?

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 05:31:20 -0600

Hi everybody,

I've just purchased two Dahon Vitesse D7HG's for holiday use and a couple of American Tourister cases for packing them into, as there aren't any Dahon cases available in the UK at all...

http://forum.dahon.com/index.php?showtopic=8429

Last week I packed my Speed Pro TT into a standard 29" trolley suitcase with ease for it to go to Croatia, and I was actually surprised how easy it was to fit with plenty of excess space around for padding etc.

But, I'm having a few problems doing the same with the D7HG's...

My two problems are:

How to remove the rear wheel? I can obviously get the rear wheel off, but is there a quick release mechanism I've not spotted for the cable to the Nexus hub gear? I've tried everything with no success, and I really don't want to undo the bolts holding the cable on, as I imagine that I'd have to get it back in exactly the same place, and if I don't I'll have to reset the gears, which I don't fancy doing on holiday.

Is the Vitesse frame larger than the Speed series? When trying it in the case, it seems a lot bigger and the handle bars don't fold down as well as the Speed Pro TT and are a lot more awkward, and the Speed Pro TT has the funky bull horn bars. I thought the Vitesse would be far easier.

The cases I purchased are 1cm thinner than the Dahon Airporter Mini, but aside from that, they're the same, and the Airport Mini states it holds the Vitesse, thus I'd just like to know, how? Or if anybody has any previous experience, please share?

If you could help, that would be fantastic.

Cheers

Adrian

Non-dahon Rack For 20" Bikes

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:10:26 -0600

It's the 'Ventura' adjustable pannier rack - suits bikes from 24" wheel upwards. They're very cheap and made in Germany so I took a chance. It fits on the lower of the mudguard stay holes, with the mudguard (fender) stays behind it. You may need some longer screws, my rack annoyingly was missing the four screws which hold the top plate to the uprights. It's not as pretty as the Arclight rack, but it was only �11.00. It has a 'mousetrap' spring for guillotining your luggage.

It should take small size panniers ok, and of course it's height adjustable

The handlebar bag is a cheap M-Wave 8 litre bag. It's not a good fit on the bars, the clips are too small in diameter to go fully around the bars, so it's a bit of a lashup. The zips are a bit feeble, too. How long will they last? But, again, it was only �10.00. Unfortunately, the plastic bracket prevents the bike from folding properly, so the M-Wave H/Bar back is frankly, of little use. ;-)

Speedpro Tt Bags?

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:53:02 -0600

Dear Riders,

I need your help!

After a great 20km ride over the weekend I am now planning to take my bike on a 100km charity ride and was wonder if anyone can recommend any saddle or handle bar bags suitable for the SpeedPro TT.

Thanks in advance.
stay safe and keep on rocking.

Front Loads On 2010 Speed Tr

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:07:59 -0600

Hi- Some advice please- I was going to mount an Ortlieb handle bar bag on the Speed TR 2010 model but there appears to a light where it would fit in the top of the handle bar assembly

Can I fit this Ortlieb bar bag on the ALLOY LUGGAGE TRUSS accessory with its additional connect bracket???? Its out a bit from the frame- will it wobble about you reckon??

Also- with the front traveller rack being HIGHER than the previous one - maybe the Ortlieb will be knocking down on my front panniers??? I've had a look at the accessories photos but each is in isolation- like this
http://www.thorusa.com/dahon/accessories/baskets.htm

I want to load up!

Any ideas
Thanks

Traveller Rack Has Arrived!

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:52:37 -0600

For years now, Dahon has been teasing those of us who want to use panniers on our 20" folders, with the picture of the Traveller rear rack that you could never order. They are finally shipping. My local dealer got one for me, and I put it on my Helios XL. It does everything I'd hoped for. It's perhaps half a pound heavier than the Arclite with which the bike came (I didn't measure it, that's by feel). Standard shopping bag panniers, Jandd in my case, fit fine once I moved the retaining bungee mounting points to the top position so that I got enough tension. They clear my heel, even in ordinary running shoes (9 1/2 US size). They have two rails, so that the panniers fit on the bottom rail and the top bag still fits on the top one. They are specified to carry 20 Kg, so two really full shopping bags will be fine. I'm extremely pleased.

Best,
David