KneesUp
Guru
I've had a bit of time on my hands recently and have been reading up about 'Rinko' bikes. For those of you who, like me 3 days ago, had never heard of such a thing, it's a normal bike that it optimised for partial disassembly. It's a 'thing' in Japan where bikes are not allowed on trains as a complete bike, and is based on the idea that the actual frame isn't massive, and if you break down the bike by removing the fork and wheels you can package it all up in a space not massively bigger than the frame itself.
There is quite a good guide here: - How to Rinko
I thought it might be fun to build one up - it would mean I could stick a bike in the boot of the car when we go away for the weekend without having to use a bike rack - but there are certain components you need that are quite hard to source.
The guide I've linked to shows a headset for threaded forks which you need a headset spanner for but you can get them that are optimised to use with an Allen key as a tool - such as this one. Obviously I can just use a normal headset and take a normal spanner, but this looks quite neat, so if I'm doing it, I might as well see if I can get a 'proper' one. The frame I'm thinking of using has threaded forks (and slotted cable guides).
Aside from that, I just need slotted cable guides (although I think you could use any old cable guides if you put breaks in all the cables), some cable breaks to allow the handlebars to come loose, and (optionally) a rear mudguard that splits at the bridge, which seem impossible to get in the UK but I might have a go at making my own.
So - does anyone know of a supplier for one of those funky headsets in 1" threaded, and has anyone built a 'Rinko' bike and how often do you Rinko it?
There is quite a good guide here: - How to Rinko
I thought it might be fun to build one up - it would mean I could stick a bike in the boot of the car when we go away for the weekend without having to use a bike rack - but there are certain components you need that are quite hard to source.
The guide I've linked to shows a headset for threaded forks which you need a headset spanner for but you can get them that are optimised to use with an Allen key as a tool - such as this one. Obviously I can just use a normal headset and take a normal spanner, but this looks quite neat, so if I'm doing it, I might as well see if I can get a 'proper' one. The frame I'm thinking of using has threaded forks (and slotted cable guides).
Aside from that, I just need slotted cable guides (although I think you could use any old cable guides if you put breaks in all the cables), some cable breaks to allow the handlebars to come loose, and (optionally) a rear mudguard that splits at the bridge, which seem impossible to get in the UK but I might have a go at making my own.
So - does anyone know of a supplier for one of those funky headsets in 1" threaded, and has anyone built a 'Rinko' bike and how often do you Rinko it?
