New Toy, Old Bike

[Duroon]

I picked up a 1988 Dahon Folder today.

[attachment=2535]

Needs a bit of work, the headset has a few issues (indexed) and they have the rear brake hooked up to the left side lever instead of the right, and of course the front brake is attached to the right side lever. The sturmey archer rear end could use an over haul. But it is in really good shape otherwise.

[nfmisso]

(06-15-2011, 09:07 PM)Duroon Wrote:  I picked up a 1988 Dahon Folder today.



Needs a bit of work, the headset has a few issues (indexed) and they have the rear brake hooked up to the left side lever instead of the right, and of course the front brake is attached to the right side lever. The sturmey archer rear end could use an over haul. But it is in really good shape otherwise.

Cute

the left rear/right front is common in countries where they drive on the left side of the road (England, Japan, etc).

[Duroon]

(06-15-2011, 09:13 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  Cute

the left rear/right front is common in countries where they drive on the left side of the road (England, Japan, etc).

Which would explain it except it was designed in California for sale in the USA. It was made in Taiwan of course lol!

The brake lines have been redone at some point, I can tell because they did a pretty poor job of terminating the cables (too long at the ends).

[Bill]

Cool little fold-a-way!

[doctordee]

Cool wee bike, love bikes that appear to have "characters", and your wee folder definitely has one.

[Duroon]

I got the brake lines switched to the proper levers and a good oiling freed up the pawls in the hub so all the gears shift great once again. I took apart the headset because it felt crunchy and somewhat indexed, it was just put together too tight by however worked on it last. That and a fresh repack of the bearings has the bike running like a champ. It can even extend enough to fit my 6'3" frame, though the front brake cable could be a couple inches longer for that much extension and it would be better.

Fun to ride it around at least! I am going to ride it down to the cycling center I do volunteer work at this weekend.