FS: Bike Friday Pocket Sport

[busy2bee]

I'm planning a self-supported tour in April so this is a perfect time for me to get a bike! I'm pretty sure this has a triple crank and the frame has braze-ons for attaching front and rear panniers, right?

Did you ever ride it loaded with panniers?

Curious, what do you mean it never felt "right" -- sizewise, or you just didn't like how it rode?

[Tri Girl]

Busy2bee- I'll post more pictures tonight. I came down with the flu and have been in bed for a few days and didn't get around to taking more pictures.
It does have a triple and braze ons for rack and panniers. I have ridden with loaded rear panniers before many times. Nothing too far (longest distance was 20 miles) and it was always full with groceries or farmer's market items. Handled very stable, just like my commuter with full panniers.

I need check and see if it has front braze ons for a front rack... I'm not sure.


It never felt right for me because I felt like I didn't have the same speed/power as I do with my big wheel bikes. I did LOTS of research and everyone said it felt the same as a big wheel bike because of the difference in gearing. I don't know if it was just mental, but I always felt I worked harder for the same distance/effort on the little bike. I also think I was a little too stretched out to feel totally comfortable- even with a shorter stem put on (could have been the reason it felt more difficult). My LBS helped me with the sizing, but couldn't do a true fit on it once it came in because the little wheels wouldn't fit on the trainer for the fitting. I was just never totally comfortable on it- not like other bikes when you jump on and just *know* it's the perfect fit.

For shipping, I'll have my LBS pack it professionally.

Let me upload some pictures tonight so you can see it up close better- then we can talk if you're still interested.

[tulip]

TriGirl, is this a stock bike or one made for you according to your measurements? I do not have those issues at all with my Bike Friday, as it was made per measurements based on my position on my Luna. It's a perfect fit for me. It's a bit heavier than my Luna, but that's it. I don't even know I'm riding a small-wheel bike unless I look down at the wheels (or see the amused looks on people's faces).

If you don't feel good on it, that's good enough a reason to sell it. I just don't want folks to think that all Bike Friday's don't feel right.

[Tri Girl]

It's stock- not custom.
I tried everything I could do to make it fit right, but it just doesn't. I think some bikes are for some people and some are not. I just don't think that a BF was right for me. I wanted it to be. Desperately.
The smallest stock frame is 50cm, and I just think it was a little too big. I probably shouldn't have gotten it in the first place. Man, I love that little bike. There are thousands of people out there who fit their BF just right and LOVE it. I'm sadly just not one of them.

[Tri Girl]

There ARE braze-ons on the front for a front rack. There are braze-ons for a rear rack, too. There are also spots for fenders. Bike Friday sells fenders. I have one extra presta tube I will send with the bike. The rims are drilled for schraeder valves, but I bought a rim conversion piece that converts the rims to presta valves. I *had* two initially, but have lost one. The rear tire is schraeder, the front tire is presta. The conversion piece is about $5 on the BF website.

[Tri Girl]

more pics

[Tri Girl]

wait- there's more!

The last two pics show important details. This is where the rear rack rubbed the frame. Had I known this was going to happen, I would have put clear protective stickers where the rack touched the frame. It rubbed the paint off, and I used model paint to paint over the area where the paint was rubbed off. I asked my LBS and they said the damage is only cosmetic.