Long Term Look at Design Details and Improvements.

After 3 years of use, These are some of the areas I would like to see improved on.



Frame Locking Lever

Replace the plastic levers with an alloy die cast metal type like the one used on the seat post assembly. With the right metal, they would stronger then the plastic type being used now.

The seat clamp design needs to be improved. As it stands now, I have just tightened up bolt to get the seat post to stay in place. The quick release lever is now basiclly locked close and acts as a nut, not lever.The lever lacks a well designed cam set-up to allow a tight smooth seat post tightening.



Rear Tube scar lines

Seat Clamp assembly.

The rear tube has a very tight fit and from day one has caused the upper rear tube have scar lines on the rear upper clamp assembly has always been coming off when the bike it is unfolded. When the hose clamp was put on to the stop the lower rear tube from splitting it also clamped down a small tab on the clamp assembly preventing it from moving out when the bike was unfolded. Some sort of factory installed part should be placed there to beef up the frame structure.

Repaired Rear bottom tube with hose clamp.

Rear Tire Wear at about 700km.

Tire wear with the solid tire design has lasted better then I thought. The rear tire is taking the bulk of the load but is holding up well. The only problem with this set-up is once the tires wear out and become unuseable, the bik can no longer be used. The same can be said any part on the bike. Since there is no support from the manufacturer, once any part goes on it, it is just junk after that. Given the amount of wear so far, it should last a while at this end anyways.



Folded Bike Frame.

The stiff rear tube assembly has me now just folding the bike down to middle section without taking the locking clamps off to lower the upper tubes into lower frame tubes. It makes it easier touse the bike. The upper rear tube pulled up the plastic clamp assembly before the hose clamp was installed to fix rear lower frame crack..




The A-Bicycle next to 20" tired folding bike.

The last picture shows my A-bicycle next to a 20"(405mm) tire sized folding bike. Althought they look different, they share about the same gear ratio. The two bikes have about the same top end speed. The frame structure is far stiffer on the Schwinn folder and although it is slower then a non-folding bike, longer rides can be done on it. It lacks the light weight portable design set-up of the A-bicycle but each one is fun to use. As with all bikes, each will have there own weaknesses and strengths.

The Bike after Three Years of Use.

Here is proof that with a bit of bit of TLC these bike designs types can withstand the test of time. This picture of the as of Oct. 11, 2012.  

Old Ideas Become new Again.

One of the last notes on this blog before starting something new. In the mid 1990's I was looking up the history of the bicycle design. One of the designs I noted was a bike designed in 1919 by Charles Haskell Clark and patented in 1921. Although the bike used a solid fixed frame and a shorter wheel base then the new age A-bike, it shared the same base design used in the newer folding A-bike has cashed in on. A bike that can be carried on to public transist without any problems.

It is great to see old ideas be reborn into new product designs to be used by the public.

2012 Bike Design Up-date.

The bike has been reduced in use since the last post but it is still alive a kicking! The overall design is still holding up with a a few signs wear. I still like the design and feel that with copy version of the bike is useable with a bit of TLC. Some small cracks have started on the front lower tube section on the upper areas by the frame locking sections. So far no problems has come from it but I will take a look at it early next year. I hope the people reading it this blog have a good idea how this bike design is holding up.

This is small crack starting on th front steering tube section.