If you are using the Speed P8, you don't have to get another crank set, just buy another 39 teeth chainring and bolt onto the existing one. That will save you a few hundred bucks. The complete parts list is the RD, FD, FD adapter, and the set of shifters. If you buy 8 speed shifters, it is hard to get quality ones as nowadays 8 speed is only used on cheaper bikes. Go for a 9 speed if you want to save some money and Alivio or Accera are decent components.

If you are using 406 wheelsets (20 inch) , I think the biggest cassette is 32 teeth and maybe 34 teeth if you shorten the chain a bit. This will pull the cage to the front rather than position itself vertically when on 34 teeth setting. It will also be very near the rims and if you are using Big Apples, the cage will be rubbing the tires on this setting. So, recommended to use 1.6 maximum tire width. If you can afford go for 10 speed off course. The Tiagra components should be OK and get the original Tiagra 12/30 cassette should be sufficient even for Fraser's Hill ride.

Happy Modding.

If you decide to use 8 speed, any RD capable of 8.9 or 10 speed can be used. The shifter determines the distance for the RD cage travel, not the RD itself. So, 8,9 and 10 speed is within the 8 speed's travel. There are the upper and lower limiting adjustments to adjust the cassette's distance window. Also, 8 speed means the maximum size cassette is 11/32 but there are smaller ones and for 32 , you will need long cage. If you choose 28 or 30 as in road bike cassettes, a medium or short cage (road bike RDs) is sufficient.

I don't think this is intended for off road riding although it does describe itself as mountain bike. The main drawback of this bike is the pivot where the folds turns. It's very weak in construction and the main complaints is the pivot and the pivot clamp (the thing you use to tighten the bike when unfolded). This is even when they do not do off road so imagine if you were to use it often offroad. Secondly it is the weight of this bike. It is really heavy. You going to get hernia riding uphill on offroad.

I think for foldies, the widest tire is the Schwalbe Big Apple which is 2.0 and the narrowest is Kenda Kontender which is 1.0. Definitely smaller wheels are easier to ride uphill. I just got a mountain bike and it really takes more effort to ride even with much lower gears! If you really want something good, you won't go wrong with Dahon, any model for that matter. Tern is good too but it's more expensive for the same specs and performance. Nowadays Java Cafe is selling well because of the higher specs for the lower price. You can get 16 speeder for less than 900 bucks!

For a good selection , I suggest Kimbell Jaya near Bandar Tun Hussein Onn. I can see Dahon, Terns, Java, Garion, Oscar, Wheeler, MIT , TXed and a few more I can't recalled. It's all displayed there. Rodalink is Tern only now, they don't sell Dahons or other brands, foldies , I mean.

Hahahaa. Sensitive on 40km/h. Careful loh at this speed. A small twig will send you rolling. I can attain this only when coming down Genting Peras. Usually cruising , I can do 28km/h max. Measure your shoulder width and cut the handle bar at the same width. Try to eliminate too wide handle bars and this will cut off the twitchiness to a smaller extent. Anyway, twitchiness is a matter of getting used to it. After a year or two riding, it never occurs in my mind at all. But after 2 years riding the foldie, after I shifted back to mountain biking, the mtb seems super stable.

This is just my opinion!

If you want to go for 26 inch foldie or 24 inch for that matter, might as well go for non foldable ones. Then again, you must also consider why you want a foldie, because it is in trend nowadays? If storage is the concern, the 26 inch doesn't make sense. One cannot have the cake and eat it as well. All have their pros and cons. Dahon do make 26 inch folding bikes but I don't see the logic in it. when it folds, it cannot fit into most car's boot, only a certain few models which has car boot that fits 3 corpses.

My experience, when I used the 20 inch, I usually ride with my wife, and we can fit 2 of the bikes into my car boot. No problem at all. Then when we packed the bike for a train ride to Penang, I was struggling to carry the bike, although they say it is portable and so on, and so on. we are riding Dahons, one of the most compact 20 inchers and my friend's Java FIT was even ridiculous! He was hugging the bike all the way. AND we were envious of the Brompton, so compact but you know lah, EXPENSIVE! Ask me to spend 6K on a Brompton, I just can't but I just spent 7K on a mountain bike, hahahahaha.

BUT another 2 friends, use XDS 16 inchers. And the bike was inside the IKEA Dimpa bag. Also as compact as the Bromptons. We were actually considering to buy another 2 16 inch folding bikes. But we are not happy with Trink or XDS and we were hunting for better 16 inch. Then we just gave up. But I did presented the idea to another lady and she requested me to assemble one for her but it must be less than 9kgs. I did but it cost 3.5K. So, my advice is ,consider your needs, why do you want the bike for?

Another forummer who rides the Tern Link N8 modded his to N20 now. He got Shimano 105 groupset with Tiagra 10 speed straight bar shifters. His FD was a new model one though, just like the Ultegra unit and the Lite pro adapter was not suitable. So, I got the Gang adapter which is more FD friendly BUT has no cable housing stop , so has to improvise and make one. Check the pixs.



The GANG FD adapter. This adapter can adjust left-right , up-down and also adjust position of the FD over a small arc. Drawback, no housing stop!


I advised him to change to Tiagra 12/30T cassette for much lower gear ratios. Naik bukit, easier!



The improvise cable housing stop !

Most Trinx frames already have a FD braze welded on. Check and see. I got those FD adapters from Kimbell Jaya. There's 3 type of FD adapters sold there. The one in the picture is the most user friendly one and also the latest. It adjust all ways, front/back, up/down and also the angle of the braze. Too bad they did not make a hole for the cable housing but I use a lug nut to clamp between it as a cable housing stop.

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This post has been edited by etigge: Apr 3 2015, 03:36 PM

Your budget allows you to a whole range of choices BUT what is your purpose? Where are you riding it, will you join a group eventually, how often will you ride, your storage space, how you want to carry your bike etc,etc. You need to set a guideline before anyone can actually advise. Off coursr I can say, get the Brompton which is incidently within your budget, but will it serve your purpose?

If you want to try out first, then get a Dahon or Tern first and see if you are still gamed in riding after riding for a while or maybe join a group for their weekly rides. Only then, you can pinpoint what you actually want and also by then, I don't think you need advise from here. You can already form an opinion of your own.

OK that narrowed down to fast folding bikes and that's velos, folding velos. If I have the budget like yours in one go, I will go for the Pacific IF Reach. But that's just me. Other than that will be the Dahon Dash. Also you need to consider what kind of bar, drop bar, bullhorn or straight bar?

For straight bar, you need the straight bar shifter and for drop bar you need brifters or TT shifters. So, it is prudent to actually decide first instead of modifying again later. And since touring is in your mind, probably the straight bar or the butterfly bar is more ideal. I would say if you want to do touring, it is better to get a chromoly frame as they absorb bumps better and also rides more comfortably. Aluminium is too rigid and very bumpy for long rides. Also for touring , it is better to get 406 (20 inch) wheelset as tire choices are more where else 451 (22 inch) is only limited to slick tires. Schwalbe produces good touring tires, notably the Marathon series.

One of the most versatile and proven foldie for touring is the Dahon Speed. Shown here is a unit used extensively all over Malaysia and even from Raub to Cameron Highlands via the Sg. Koyan route. This unit is fitted with a Rohloff 14 speed internal gear hub for easy maintenance and also the butterfly bar. Frame is also chromoly.



Shown here is also the same bike with another two Dahon Speeds which we rode from Kampar to Sitiawan and back.

All the stuffs you mention is available in most bike shops in Malaysia. Order only those hard to get or special stuffs from internet. Now even special adapters can be found locally already. Bothersome lah, remittinglah, Pay pal lah, credit card verification lah etc. etc.

In Malaysia, you get the privilege of checking the stuffs first before paying. Also, although it might be more expensive, at least if it is wrong or defect, you can change. From Taobao, once packed and delivered, you have to accept it as it is. I actually have a few items that is still with me when they sent wrongly or mis-communicated. Even a whole folding bike frame That's why I said, if can find locally, get it locally. Save a lot of headache. I also have a friend who gets everything from Taobao, even inner tubes. In the end, he still have to get locally. Eg. a Lezayne pump. While I got it for RM120 locally, he got it for RM60 from Taobao. Looks the same but it is not the same! Hahhaaha.

Just take out the crank and then head to Central Nuts and Bolts in Jalan San Peng or there are two more Nut and Bolts store in Jalan Balakong. They can measure it and suggest the appropriate size. They have this kind of insert which is larger than the existing tread size. You need to drill the crank to the size and then tap treads to the size of the insert. Then you screw it in the new treads and you just screw your pedals into the new insert. Yes, it is call the helicoil. Buying the tappers and such might be a bit expensive,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anjDQJtWFc8

Easier still is just sending it to a foundry but , you know lah, foundry fellas don'f really look at this kucik-kucik jobs. Better if you know a foundry worker. It's actually very simple. Alternatively,

You can just buy old cranks from BBS. You don't need the chainrings actually , just the cranks. So, an old one with different size doesn't matter as you already have both the chainrings and locking bolts. Make sure you get BCD 130 cranks, that's your size and it has 5 locking bolts and not 4 as opposed to mountain bikes which has 4. Lagi senang just go get a Shimano hollowtech crank, only RM250 from Kimbell Jaya with BB.

There's only 110 BCD and 130 BCD for road bike cranks. No confusion there. Usually it is the 130 BCD as the 110 BCD is for the compact cranks, usually housing 50/34T chainrings. BCD means Bolt Center Diameter. That means if you connect all the 5 bolts in a circle, the diameter is 130mm.

Something came on my FB page today, I think I should share too here.

" PLEASE BE AWARE. ALERT CYCLIST. PLEASE SHARE.

A lone cyclist was robbed in Kesas Highway by 2 suspected Indians armed with parang at 7.30 AM this morning. Both suspects were on a motorcycle. Please do not cycle alone. "

Something came on my FB page today, I think I should share too here.

" PLEASE BE AWARE. ALERT CYCLIST. PLEASE SHARE.

A lone cyclist was robbed in Kesas Highway by 2 suspected Indians armed with parang at 7.30 AM this morning. Both suspects were on a motorcycle. Please do not cycle alone. "

Go for the Dahon Vigor P9. With the extra 1K, less than that in fact , you can upgrade to full SRAM X5 specs. 20 speed! at the same price as the Verge P9. The extra bucks, you can change to Shimano Deore V-brakes and levers.
Your call.