tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8108651391192844365..comments2024-03-18T08:41:35.438-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Small Wheel Shoppers: Wren and BobbinVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42996881039159430652015-08-23T08:22:52.506-04:002015-08-23T08:22:52.506-04:00The small-wheeled shopper bicycles were introduced...The small-wheeled shopper bicycles were introduced in the 1960s. My favourite is the Raleigh Twenty, and I've owned three of them over the past few years. In fact, Raleigh have even introduced a new version of the classic design. I love the little bikes. Yes, the handling is slightly different to regular big-wheelers, but it is something that you get used to quickly.~Mad Marty~https://www.blogger.com/profile/11177399718292541570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-23949983562761571772013-02-15T19:39:11.716-05:002013-02-15T19:39:11.716-05:00I'm with you BB, I love those old shoppers and...I'm with you BB, I love those old shoppers and folders. If you are after nostaligia, I have a whole blog dedicated to them. Little Bike BlogAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49507601718510066432012-09-04T23:29:56.727-04:002012-09-04T23:29:56.727-04:00I missed this post originally, but should have kno...I missed this post originally, but should have known that you would be a fan of small-wheelers, given your affection for the Brompton. A new thread popped up on Bikeforums that I thought you'd be interested in:<br /><br />http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/842533-The-Mini-Velo-Reference-Thread-discussion-about-20-quot-wheeled-road-bikes?highlight=mini+velo<br /><br />As a walk-up dweller, I have to think about these things! Have you seen or ridden the Mercier Nano? I'd be interested to hear your impressions of that compared to your Brompton.<br /><br />As always, thanks for doing such a stellar blog.<br /><br />RudyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-31388565588176251452012-06-06T10:48:13.445-04:002012-06-06T10:48:13.445-04:00Hi!! Have my heart set to buy a Shopper, but would...Hi!! Have my heart set to buy a Shopper, but would love to get a feedback on how it behaves uphill? Currently living in Oslo - where it's not all that flat, thus quite affraid of a 3 gear bike! <br />Looking forward to your feedback! :)R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03062079202963260322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-52720730161011449532012-05-10T03:17:28.091-04:002012-05-10T03:17:28.091-04:00Hi Velouria,
I love the wren bike! What would yo...Hi Velouria,<br /><br />I love the wren bike! What would you recommend for generator lighting? Is it possible to get a drum/dynamo hub for the front wheel? Also, would you need a dress guard for one of these tiny wheeled bikes? Or what about a chainguard? The new components are looking tempting as I live in Seattle and ride a vintage bicycle.<br /><br />Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-66772774085684784552012-05-09T18:37:57.856-04:002012-05-09T18:37:57.856-04:00I personally love this style of bike! I am about t...I personally love this style of bike! I am about to move into a tiny apartment in Chicago and will also be giving up my car. I had been considering getting a 20" wheel folding bike for a really long time, but I feel like to get a decent folding bike with fenders, rack, etc. you have to pay a lot of money just for those feature and the added folding mechanism. So now I'm really looking into the Bobbin Shopper. Still compact and easy to lift/stow but can also carry a load of stuff.J. Martínshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14824368887127431968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-66243310153756104772012-05-03T10:26:30.032-04:002012-05-03T10:26:30.032-04:00Thanks for the weight info!Thanks for the weight info!Hobbes vs Boylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03745006035218212607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48616342230849190162012-05-03T08:37:38.562-04:002012-05-03T08:37:38.562-04:00I just saw this post after being away from the com...I just saw this post after being away from the computer for a few days. Coincidentally I've been living in Raleigh Twenty world for the last few weeks. I've got a vintage 1969 Folding Twenty and have been messing around with it a bit this spring. When you ride something like that around it brings others out of hiding. A number of people in town have them but I've never see them in spite of knowing all about the bikes their owners usually ride.<br /><br />I made a set of racks for mine that are sort of similar to the ones on the Wren (with a couple of goofy flourishes) and now I have to build similar ones for 2 bikes here in town. I wonder how many of these old things are still out there looking for work? The owner of one of them used it for years for shopping till the alloy rack broke and parked it 3 jobs and a husband ago. Now it looks like it will come out of retirement and be a productive citizen again. <br /><br />There's something very friendly and practical about this type of bike and people who are open to looking and doing something a little out of the ordinary seem to find them to be pleasant company. I really like mine and am trying to resist the urge to make a fast Hot-Rod out of it. Would seven speeds and linear pull brakes turn it into a better bike or just a faster bike? I have an old brass squeeze horn from a 1929 Whippet that I'm tempted to put on it. It weighs 9 pounds and is louder than a saxophone so maybe I'll just install that and leave the rest alone...<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82715993884571830112012-05-02T19:34:05.725-04:002012-05-02T19:34:05.725-04:00I am very pleased with my 2011 Cannondale Hooligan...I am very pleased with my 2011 Cannondale Hooligan 8. It's used daily/nightly for commute, 3 miles each way, and occasional "...oh, and pick something up from the store on your way home." I only paid US$ 519 for it and with US$ 200 compulsive upgrades (mostly the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires and the Banjo Brothers Waterproof Saddlebag),it's become a workhorse that is still nimble and fun for short to medium rides and not the least bit hoitytoity and the whole tres chic thing. Fits in my office, fits through the corridors, and fits in the conference room we took over from the stacks of obsolete computers. The frame is aluminum, the bike is magnetic--gets lots of interest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73485701495328340592012-05-02T16:52:52.078-04:002012-05-02T16:52:52.078-04:00I love the Brompton... I've sold nearly all of...<i>I love the Brompton... I've sold nearly all of my upright bikes recently thanks to this acquisition.</i><br /><br />With this bike and dressed to the part, the Mary Poppins effect should be strong enough to disrupt the local gravitational field.Christopher Fotosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40935991018401863822012-05-02T16:40:35.673-04:002012-05-02T16:40:35.673-04:00Nobody let Velouria test ride a recumbent. I just ...Nobody let Velouria test ride a recumbent. I just couldn't take it...MaxUtilitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-87381503650651805182012-05-02T16:00:19.843-04:002012-05-02T16:00:19.843-04:00You are making me dig deep in the memory bank. We ...You are making me dig deep in the memory bank. We narrowed the BB on my old Twenty. Can't remember how far we took it. There were clearance and chainline issues but not too bad. This was long enough ago that Stronglight BBs were dirt cheap and there were still Italian bikes rolling on 72mm BB shells. If you could get the BB to normal 68 narrow there's unthreaded meat in the shell. Use a triple crank/spindle, outer position for the chainring. Keep messing around, you'll find somethingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76928188387827101242012-05-02T15:42:56.826-04:002012-05-02T15:42:56.826-04:00Got the info from both manufacturers now. The fram...Got the info from both manufacturers now. The frames for both bikes are made in Taiwan. I have added this to the post now.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-105168142005478142012-05-02T15:40:41.994-04:002012-05-02T15:40:41.994-04:00Got the weight info: Each bike weighs around 30lb....Got the weight info: Each bike weighs around 30lb. I have added this info to the post now.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44905256463167599112012-05-02T15:22:08.800-04:002012-05-02T15:22:08.800-04:00I am serious : )
Will write about all of this soo...I am serious : ) <br />Will write about all of this soon.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44152164982866620982012-05-02T15:16:50.785-04:002012-05-02T15:16:50.785-04:00Wait. You aren't serious. Are you?? Is that wh...Wait. You aren't serious. Are you?? Is that why you were selling the Gazelle?Annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-68165394136600956012012-05-02T15:11:46.072-04:002012-05-02T15:11:46.072-04:00Finally!
Yeah if there is a place in the market...Finally! <br /><br />Yeah if there is a place in the market for all of these...if the market is big enough. Some of these will die and some may succeed. The good stuff endures - Brompton. <br /><br /><br />From a design functionality standpoint <br />a revealing and interesting experiment would be to load all these shoppers with, y'know, shopping and see which one performs best.<br /><br />Of course there is the "oh it's so cute crowd" whose minds might change over time but hey it's their lives.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-27948284056148007722012-05-02T14:58:04.545-04:002012-05-02T14:58:04.545-04:00It is probably pertinent to this discussion to dis...It is probably pertinent to this discussion to disclose that I have recently become a part of a 2-Brompton household. I love the Brompton, my husband loves the Brompton. I've sold nearly all of my upright bikes recently thanks to this acquisition. And I do use the fold feature, though the husband enjoys that aspect far more than I do. Still, I do see a place in the market for bicycles like the Wren and the Bobbin Shopper and the D2R Boogie I reviewed earlier, for all the reasons stated earlier. Both the folding and the non-folding designs have their benefits in my view.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-4054548469583736882012-05-02T14:55:17.571-04:002012-05-02T14:55:17.571-04:00An eensie bird, apparently.An eensie bird, apparently.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-14229439548683391572012-05-02T14:52:44.799-04:002012-05-02T14:52:44.799-04:00"Of course if you stretched out the frame a b..."Of course if you stretched out the frame a bit and modded the geo it could go Shopper."<br /><br />Yeah that's what I'm talkin bout.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40498303429301932982012-05-02T14:47:45.620-04:002012-05-02T14:47:45.620-04:00What do you eat?What do you eat?stevep33https://www.blogger.com/profile/10442696805007475062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-68595906235227149542012-05-02T14:46:13.349-04:002012-05-02T14:46:13.349-04:00I dunno. The Brompton is a superb design that car...I dunno. The Brompton is a superb design that carries cargo terrifically. That said, I can see how those who never fold would prefer the simplicity of a shopper frame over the complexity of a folder.<br /><br />Either way, small wheels are the way to go to a nimble cargo hauler.stevep33https://www.blogger.com/profile/10442696805007475062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-21375991662073934762012-05-02T14:41:00.474-04:002012-05-02T14:41:00.474-04:00With regard to handlebars with sweep on a folding ...With regard to handlebars with sweep on a folding bike--I ride a BikeFriday tikit that I've fitted with albatross bars. So, not impossible to do, though might be on a Brompton.<br /><br />Love the blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46644411041544806102012-05-02T14:20:16.750-04:002012-05-02T14:20:16.750-04:00I've thought of doing just that (and likely us...I've thought of doing just that (and likely using a BMX spindle and crankset to make it easy to set up with that wide BB). <br />The thing about the small wheels is that short spokes and tight circles mean they're actually pretty darn strong, and can take the extra stress of a heavier rider, components like stems and seatposts take a bit of strain when cranked out to big-and-tall proportions. <br />I wouldn't necessarily want a 20"-wheeled bike as my primary transport, unless I had an even tinier living space than I already do, but they're a useful addition to one's stable that by nature don't take up too much extra room.Matt DeBlasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17666227904684289223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-45450658875340739242012-05-02T13:55:13.525-04:002012-05-02T13:55:13.525-04:00Cute and practical. If I had to lug my Breezer up ...Cute and practical. If I had to lug my Breezer up some steps I think there would be one of these small guys in my life. What a great option.<br /><br />A clip which joyously advocates cycling for all ages, mostly shot in Amsterdam with full sized models, “why cycle!: or "go ride a bike” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou1AvKDicxAd nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12175151668915666824noreply@blogger.com