I've made lists before I know and been putting this project off for months, but now I have a pressing need with my osteoarthritis...I absolutely need a smaller lighter bike, so I'm determined to get a bike asap...
Here's my current candidates...in no particular order..
Dahon Mu Uno
Dahon JetStream P8
Raleigh Access
Oyama St James
Mini (BMW)
I don't want to send more than £450 (ideally £350-ish...) most of these bikes come within budget (with a couple of second hand bargains I'm lookin at)..
My main aim with this conversion is to get a bike as light as possible, and one that has a chain guard and rear carrier would be a bonus...
The Dahon Mu Uno wins hands down on being the lightest (9.9kg), but the other bikes are all fairly light around 11.5kg and could be made lighter still, once I've stripped off the gears - single speed is fine for me I think.
The Raleigh Access ticks all the right boxes (11.4kg, rear rack, mudguards, and is £350) so is a good economical choice, as is the Oyama St James (with its 3-speed hub gears and chain guard), except they don't have the cool wow factor of the Dahon models..(I rather like the white frame and black handle bar/seat stem look!)
If anyone has any experience of these bikes or can see any reason why they wouldn't make good conversion candidates let me know.. I'm planning to do a rear wheel conversion probably (250W 36v), 10Ah battery to be stored in rear panniers or possibly handlebar bag.
The one bike I would love to get and add to my list is the Downtube 9FS, but they're now only available in the States as far as know, and although cheap bikes, shipping is extraordinarily expensive to UK!
Finally, one bike I am considering is one of the ready-built 8Fun 20" folding bikes sold by "ecosmobike" on eBay...these are budget bikes from China but look ok..I would probably remove the kit off it though and replace with my own, if I did buy one..it would be purely for the bike.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Please, no Brompton suggestions! It's not a bike I like, even if I could afford one ;-)
Here's my current candidates...in no particular order..
Dahon Mu Uno
HTML:
<strike>]Dahon</strike>
Raleigh Access
Oyama St James
Mini (BMW)
I don't want to send more than £450 (ideally £350-ish...) most of these bikes come within budget (with a couple of second hand bargains I'm lookin at)..
My main aim with this conversion is to get a bike as light as possible, and one that has a chain guard and rear carrier would be a bonus...
The Dahon Mu Uno wins hands down on being the lightest (9.9kg), but the other bikes are all fairly light around 11.5kg and could be made lighter still, once I've stripped off the gears - single speed is fine for me I think.
The Raleigh Access ticks all the right boxes (11.4kg, rear rack, mudguards, and is £350) so is a good economical choice, as is the Oyama St James (with its 3-speed hub gears and chain guard), except they don't have the cool wow factor of the Dahon models..(I rather like the white frame and black handle bar/seat stem look!)
If anyone has any experience of these bikes or can see any reason why they wouldn't make good conversion candidates let me know.. I'm planning to do a rear wheel conversion probably (250W 36v), 10Ah battery to be stored in rear panniers or possibly handlebar bag.
The one bike I would love to get and add to my list is the Downtube 9FS, but they're now only available in the States as far as know, and although cheap bikes, shipping is extraordinarily expensive to UK!
Finally, one bike I am considering is one of the ready-built 8Fun 20" folding bikes sold by "ecosmobike" on eBay...these are budget bikes from China but look ok..I would probably remove the kit off it though and replace with my own, if I did buy one..it would be purely for the bike.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Please, no Brompton suggestions! It's not a bike I like, even if I could afford one ;-)
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