I test rode one of these today...

[Mice]

The ori-cr87 fully carbon folding bike. And unlike Brompton, they have no problem having a measure for seat position on all their models. They let me take the aluminium one for a spin along Great Portland Street and I rode the fully carbon one around the shop. Was loveleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

http://www.bikerepublic.com/ori-cr87-folding-bike/

Just wondered if anyone has come across these already?

Mice

PS No purchase was made in the making of this post!!

 

[ianrauk]

Am I missing something here Mice?
Why cant you mark the seat post of your Brompton?

 

[srw]

£2,600! And unless I've missed something in the picture you have to take out the front wheel to get the fold - not sure I fancy that with a carbon frame.

The design is a knock-off of one of the other brands of folder - the kink in the steering always looks horribly ungainly.

 

[Mice]

Am I missing something here Mice?
Why cant you mark the seat post of your Brompton?

Well, it has now been marked. Firstly with a permanent marker pen which was washed off in the rain and yesterday by a man in a shop with a sharp object who has scratched a mark on it. You would think tho' that given the expense of a Brompton the manufacturers would have come up with something a bit more sophisticated than customers making their own scratches and marker pens. I sprained my knee in March by wearing spds and not knowing what the correct measurement was - and my knee still hurts (even after a round of physiotherapy).

Im not in a position to change but when I saw the Oribike today I wondered whether anyone had heard/reviews about it. I thought it was pretty awesome!

Mice

 

[Mice]

! you have to take out the front wheel to get the fold - not sure I fancy that with a carbon frame.

The design is a knock-off of one of the other brands of folder - the kink in the steering always looks horribly ungainly.

I'm not sure about the front wheel. I just like looking at new bikes and seeing what manufacturers are doing. It rides pretty well and I loved that it was full carbon. And yes it is right up there in expensiveness but it was lovely!!

Mice

 

[HovR]

I imagine it gives a nice ride, and is amazingly light.. But when I think "Tough commuter bike that could potentially get knocked around on trains/planes", I don't think carbon fibre!

 

[Banjo]

I wouldnt have any worries about its toughness. CF is a lot tougher than people give it credit for.Almost all high end alluminium road bikes come with carbon forks and the fork is a highly stressed part of the bike.

Its a gorgeous looking bike and no doubt really flies but I wouldnt be very comfortasble about it getting the inevitable scrapes and scratches lugging it on and off trains or car boots etc.The lock I would want for it would also negate any lightness.

Could be perfect for a flat dweller who wants a fast light bike but doesnt have space to store a full size road bike.

 

[martint235]

I must be lucky. All the seatposts I've ever bought have been pre-marked. I assume the ones on a Brompton are too. It usually says something like "Minimum insertion point"

 

[arallsopp]

I'm not sure about the front wheel.

Deciphering the image, it looks like the front wheel is still between the brake bosses, so although clearly removed from the dropouts, it appears to have pivoted away from the blade on the matte black bar. There's a QR skewer on show, so I'm guessing the fold isn't a major undertaking. Looks like you spin the bars and push the wheel back towards the bike.

More worrying would be that in the real world, bikes don't balance on one wheel like this. 2 degrees either way and you're bumping parts that really don't want to meet the ground. I'd give the painted dropouts a week before they flake on the flats and scab on the base. That little claw on the bottom left is presumably there for a reason. Couple of exuberant pick up and put downs, and it won't be there any more.

 

[StuAff]

Not impressed, frankly. Tern Verge X20 is £2,300- a bit heavier at 9.3 kg, but SRAM Red (everything except the chainset) & quality finishing kit, a much less complicated fold (no wheel removal necessary), a more elegant design IMHO, and produced by people who know what they're doing (the Tern team were previously part of Dahon). The Verge X30h (Ultegra 10 speed plus SRAM DualDrive hub, so 30 useable gears with a huge range) would be my choice (the successor model to Chutney):

 

[biggs682]

do carbon folders suffer like all other carbon bikes when exposed to the elements !

 

[jefmcg]

Ori is just the Taiwanese branding for mezzo, though I think this model is Ori only. Either way, the fold will be similar:

Takes 10 to 15 seconds.

As for the marks on the seatpost, in my experience they last less than a year. In the wet, grit comes up the seatpost tube, and as you move the seatpost it polishes off the numbers. If you ride in all weathers, it doesn't take long to polish them off.

 

[TheDoctor]

do carbon folders suffer like all other carbon bikes when exposed to the elements !

Well, they get wet. That's about all that happens to carbon when exposed to the elements.

 

[martint235]

Well, they get wet. That's about all that happens to carbon when exposed to the elements.

And it melts. Don't forget the meltling. Just look at a Pino Dogma, you can tell someone left the whole consignment out in the rain

 

[TheDoctor]

Oh Lord yes!! I thought they'd got that Dali bloke in as a design consultant...