This was good strength training!

[laura*]

You're the second person I've seen (or heard of) in the last week doing some big climbs on small wheels... maybe that's a sign that I should give it a try.

Me three!

Last week I went shopping on my Dahon Speed TR (20 inch wheeled folder). I tried out a "new" route. This had me dive down into a valley and back up the other side - 200 feet down, 180 feet up, all in half a mile. That means the climb averages just under 14%.

The Speed TR with all its commute goodies weighs 30 pounds. Add a big "New York" lock and panniers to that.

Because it is a folder, I have to climb sitting down. I've changed the gearing, so it was just lots of spinning - and zigzagging to make the hill less steep.

[luv2climb]

Because it is a folder, I have to climb sitting down. I've changed the gearing, so it was just lots of spinning - and zigzagging to make the hill less steep.

I have heard that people have broken the handlepost by climbing out of the saddle on Dahons, but I wonder if that applies to the new ones as well? My new Speed D7 has three different latching points on the handlepost, so it's a lot beefier than the old first-generation Da Bike I used in the video.

I haven't taken the bike on any long climbs yet, but it did great on the very, very short steep hills we have in one neighborhood here. I'm guessing that if I end up needing lower gearing I'll have to change the chainring, not the derailleur, due to the unique design of the rear derailleur. It wouldn't be as simple as buying a Shimano Deore long-cage mtb derailleur like I did with my road and hybrid bikes.

[alice]

Loved the picture of the folder in the folder! With proper precautions, I can actually strap my folder on the rear rack of my non-folder... I've never taken it anywhere, but I have considered it. It's a bit... meta. Bike on a bike!

As to the handlepost issue on the Dahons (I don't have one, but) my understanding is that that was a manufacturing issue regarding a specific model year (2008?), and the offending bikes were recalled/removed from stores.

Still, I sit down to climb on my folder (though my SO stands up to climb on it, so I guess it's a matter of preference).

[luv2climb]

That's cool! I love utility cycling. It's so much more fun and stress-free than driving.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'm safe then, as I suspect my Dahon is really a 2010 model, not a 2011. Why? Because when I looked at the tech specs for the 2011 Speed D7 on Dahon's website, it listed the tires as Dahon Roulez 20x1.5. For the 2010 they were Dahon Rotolo 20x1.75. I have the latter. Also, REI no longer lists any Dahon bikes on their website, so I'm pretty sure I bought a 2010 model since they no longer carry folding bikes. I can't understand REI. First they quit carrying the best camera mount I've ever used, the Pedco UltraClamp. Now they don't carry folding bikes.

[laura*]

I have heard that people have broken the handlepost by climbing out of the saddle on Dahons, but I wonder if that applies to the new ones as well?

I think so. I already had to replace the headset on mine and thus had that part of the bike all apart. The clamping area (height? width?) between the handlepost and steerer is about half that of a conventional threadless stem. There is just a single smallish clamp bolt - it's there to transmit steering forces, not resist flex. Finally, a large custom "bolt" threads into the inside of the steerer - it'll do a good job of keeping the parts together, but not so good at resisting flex.

Then add a 16 (14? 18?) inch lever arm on top of that wimpy connection, and you have the recipe to break parts!

I suspect my Dahon is really a 2010 model, not a 2011.

Dahon model years don't really have much relation to reality. My Speed TR is a 2008 that I bought in 2010 as "last year's" model. I think Dahon never even brought any 2010 TR's into the USA - there were too many older ones still in the warehouse.

[luv2climb]

I already had to replace the headset on mine and thus had that part of the bike all apart. The clamping area (height? width?) between the handlepost and steerer is about half that of a conventional threadless stem. There is just a single smallish clamp bolt - it's there to transmit steering forces, not resist flex. Finally, a large custom "bolt" threads into the inside of the steerer - it'll do a good job of keeping the parts together, but not so good at resisting flex.

Then add a 16 (14? 18?) inch lever arm on top of that wimpy connection, and you have the recipe to break parts!

Dahon model years don't really have much relation to reality. My Speed TR is a 2008 that I bought in 2010 as "last year's" model. I think Dahon never even brought any 2010 TR's into the USA - there were too many older ones still in the warehouse.

Thanks for letting me know about this I'll try to avoid climbing out of the saddle. I did it once during my first real test ride a couple days ago (after the bike was actually mine), and it felt solid. I won't push my luck though. If the gears aren't low enough I'll get a smaller front chainring.

If your Dahon is a 2008 I hope it doesn't still have the recalled handlepost clamp.

[laura*]

If your Dahon is a 2008 I hope it doesn't still have the recalled handlepost clamp.

It came with the improved handlepost already installed. (They are stamped with an "R".) If it ever had the defective one, then it was swapped out by Dahon at their warehouse.