My bike (actually this time)

I gave the Dahon a wash and check over this afternoon and took the opportunity to pinch my wife's iPhone in the process for a few snaps.  So here is is:

I've changed one or two things since buying it such as:

• Removing the awful plastic chain guard
• Taking off the rack.  Useful but it places the load too close to the pedals meaning your heels hit whatever it is on every rotation
• Fitting lights and a bottle cage 

But other than that it's standard.  Here are a few more images:

Here's the "clickety, clickety" Sram 3 speed hub:

  

The front and back brakes - both bite hard, even in the wet:

...and fifteen effortless seconds later, here is folded up.  

I love it to bits but as one of life's "modifiers" there are a couple of other changes I'd like to make.

It could really do with being higher geared.  It's fine for tootling around town I suppose but even in third (top) gear on a modest downhill you end up spinning out and coasting a lot.  Conversely, first gear is so low it's rarely ever used - only at the top of a steep hill when I'm knackered and carrying a lot of weight.  Such occasions are few and far between and could be dealt with equally well by gritting my teeth, standing up and heaving in a higher gear.  So I'm planning to add a 46 tooth chainring and crankset soon to increase the gear range by about 20%.

I'd also really like a set of bar ends on it to increase the number of positions that I can rest my hands.  I think it may effect how well the bike folds though so a little experimentation is in order before shelling out some hard-earned.

Finally I'm not keen on the pedals.  Most of the time they are fine and, on the plus side, fold really easily.  However, they are made of a hard smooth plastic so if riding in anything other than trainers or in the wet, your feet tend to slip about a bit.  Again it's livable with but ideally I'd like a set of metal ones from MKS.

However, they are only a few minor mods really and without any of them it's still a great bike.