desastar, this is how the Birdy looks like now. Still has many components to collect before actually riding it.  The RD hanger is stuck but I didn't bother trying to take them out. I sprayed the new color over them. Also the roller bearings at the rear pivot was stuck too but after a wash with WD-40 and some work , they are turning smooth again. Also, this frame can't accept a 20 inch wheel but I have already got the 20 inch front fork. SO, still figuring what my next step will be. 

See how the Thais make their Dahons. They want a suspension system for their front fork and you have a few choices actually. You can get the Kilo fork, or the RST capa 20 (not available here) or the chokia 20 inch .China brand suspension fork which can get from one seller in BBS. OR you can get the Birdy or Rhine's front fork 

This fork actually works well. You can see the fork absorbing the bumps and you don't feel them when riding. More friendly to the wrist when riding long.

Yeap, I have decided to move the rear stay bracing an inch higher so it can accommodate a 20 inch wheels. I still prefer 20 inch over the 18 inch.    My wife has a Rhine now which is also a 20 inch, so no need to carry a different sized inner tube when riding. After riding the Rhine, she's all thumbs up   To be frank, to get an original Birdy is a bit steep. After fiddling with the Birdy and Rhine, they are SO SIMILAR    One is RM6000.00 while another is RM3,500.00 from Taobao. What's more suprising is the Rhine actually gives better spec-ed components and they are all inter-changeable with Birdy.

Also, once you tabulate the components on the Birdy Classic, the OEM components is less than RM1,500 and even less if they are OEM from suppliers. My guess is Riese and Muller gets a big chunk too. Imagine you get a Rhine, full frame set with handle post, fork and frame from Taobao. Other components get locally, slap a 11 speed Deore XT right hand side shifter, Sunrace 11 speed 11/40 cassette, XT RD, Lite pro 53T chainring, 11 sped chain, Avid SD 1.1 brake calipers with FR5 levers, 20 inch wheelset........let's say a Machete set with Schwalbes,  cables and handle bar, it is still much much lower than the cheapest Birdy.

The darn Birdy frame is very expensive   

Anyone here knows any aluminum fabricators?  I can take out the rear stays bracing but need someone to TIG weld it back. Just 2 circle along the end of 3/4 inch tube.

Not just TIG weld, also must have post welding heat treatment oven. Aluminum. What grade aluminum is that?

I have decided to get the braqcing shifted up higher and from what I gather, aluminum to aluminum brazing is even stronger. I an going to get some aluminum rods and a canister of propane and a flame nozzle to do it myself. MAybe won't be neat but I can dremel it later. But I will do it after the CNY.

Here's the mindboggling problem. The cables for MU is internally routed. The RD and brake cables is inside and to route the extra FD cable outside is really ugly. So, like what I did for Vigor the last time, I enlarge the front inserts larger to fit in 3 cables. The Vigor has an outlet but not this MU so I have to drill a hole just above the FD to bring the cable housing out. Took me a few hours to route this 

The yellow house. All bikes repainted. Phew! My pelvic bone is killing me, all the squatting and getting up. That's 4 bikes within this 3 weeks. Need a rest , maybe half a year. 

I don't know the actual size of the Rhine's 18 inch front fork but the half piece you gave me (the old one) is smaller than the 20 inch that I ordered. The new Birdy Classic has the same dimension as the Rhine and also the design for the rear stays are also similar both Birdy and Rhine. The older model stays (the one that you brought me) have longer stays than the newer models. Both the Rhine and Birdy uses roller bearing in the rear arm pivot.

Suprisingly, they both rides the same. This was a good sign, meaning you don't actually have to spend that much for a Birdy kind of ride. A Rhine would suffice. I took the RHine for a 40 km spin today to Kuala Sepetang and it was comfortable. The suspension actually helps absorb the bumps and jarring. I can see the spring at the front contracting and rebounding all the time. I need a harder rear elastomer, maybe I will change to spring type as I ride hard, I was pedal bobbing when riding faster.

As for my conclusion, the RHine or the Birdy for that matter is nice to ride, comfortable and can actually go long distances. Whether it is worthy to spend 6K for the classic, 9K for the Mk 2 or 11K for the Mk 3 Birdies, that is up to individual. As for me, I think I am happy with the RHine. Even the rider who came for his Dahon MU was quite impressed with the Rhine as he rode 10 kilometers on it to Sepetang.

My neck hurts.... haha

i didnt open the hub. lack of tools. my toolbox only provide max size 16 cone wrench. i got a pedal wrench size 17, but i still have no clue how to clamp the weird shaped bottom nut.



somehow, my gut feeling is telling me that this hub is beyond saving, but still usable. just have to bear with that annoying sound.

My usual recommendation is to buy a bike that you don't mind giving it away to strangers...

Don't waste time on selecting your 1st bike, just get one, find out what you hate about it and figure out how to love it. If 6 month down the road and you still cycling, than you go about a better bike, be it upgrading or just junk the old bike and get a new "perfect" bike.

About perfect bike, don't worry, perfect bike is a myth or sales pitch, they don't exist in real life.

For most ppl, buying bike and mod bike is the main hobby, real cycling is just an excuse… so, what the fun in getting a "best bike" as your 1st bike? Leave some room for improvement la… *ps, "best bike" also don't exist…

It's a hobby, since when toys don't waste money?

Re-mortgaged your home for a few kilos of tubes and metal parts....................hahaaaa. That's a bit far fetched isn't it?    Doing so for a automobile, maybe yes but bicycles.........unless you are nuts about Alex Moultons and their limited edition series. I know Billy here, the bike shop owner paid RM23,000 for his and still needs to wait 8 months for delivery. But his logic is for investment as he said, " Another few more years , it will even cost more ".

The subject leading to this tread was his first bike and he has budgetted 1.5K for his first venture. So, no need to buy a junk bike and then gets fedup with it because of the ride it gives and TOTALLY abandon riding altogether.

Many of us rides because we like to do it and many of us do not ride because the doctor told us to do so. No, we may not be smarter than a bicycle manufacturer but we do know what we actually want and the bike manufacturer cannot please all in general. They have to make many, many, many , many , many .................many, many  sacrifices to the quality and rights to make a bicycle affordable to most of the general riders. Like, skip the heat treatment process, steal other's design, hire cheaper un-skilled welders or painters, skip quality control procedures and so many more. So, if someone CAN AFFORD a better bike, why not, even if it is his first ride. 

Waiting for boarding 

desastar the one on the foreground is the frame you brought from Oz. The one leaning at the rear is a Rhine actually. Looks similar , right? The real Birdy is 17 years model already with the newer one having a different rear stays design. The latest Birdy Classic also uses the stays from Mk 2s.

The ride, the feel is actually very similar on both bikes. This led me to think that t is not worth to actually buy the Birdy, ie. if you don't mind riding a Rhine. All accessories from Colorplus, Ridea and another brand (can't recall) are inter usable. Bolt treads are the same. I can confirm the Classic is made by Rhine but Pacific bikes still reserves making their Mk 2s and 3s in Taiwan  , else it replicas would have hit the market already.

The latest Birdy Classic main frame is also smaller now compared to the older models. The old frame circumference is definitely bigger. One point that can distinguish the Rhine from Birdy is the cables of the latest models are  internally routed. Also the rear suspension is also mounted differently. The geometry is slightly different but the ride, not much difference. The main tube is horizontal but mine is not because I have modded it to 20 inch so the front is slightly higher. Both the bikes are 10 speed with 11/40T cassette. The Rhine has a little chain rub on the rear stays at the lowest gear ( I have to file off to thin it a little ) while the older MK 1 Birdy has a lot of space to accommodate.

I did a 50 kilometer ride last weekend and it was good. For me it is though but my average speed is just 15 km/h. That little contraption that bolts near the BB to hold the chain slack when folding , cost over 200 bucks    I am still waiting for mine from Taobao along with the chain guide and the V-brake adapter. Birdy's parts are a bit hard to source locally as it is not popular but I managed to install a Brompton's rear suspension on the Rhine but can't work on the Birdy MK 1.

One good point though, both the bikes weighs around 11 kgs.

I have got one Fnhon 305 16", one Tern P24H, one Brompton M6R, I kept all 3 because each of them has got very different characteristic.
Fnhon is very light and agile, tern p24h is damn good touring bike. Brompton is the best balance between portability and rideability.

You spend all those money on a bike so that it suit others? Not to suit you?