grantoury
Kona Fan
I hadn't watched this one yet. I thought it was a Neutrino, but no. Kyoot Itty Bitty, frameset is $699. Not bad.
Folders! Foldable bicycles, minivelos and demontables
- Thread starter grantoury
- Start date
I doubt it. Minivelos has been around for a long time and always seemed to enjoy a niche following. There's certainly more of a push now, and the last 3 to 4 years I find a much larger concentration of videos and articles about them, and more companies manufacturing them, but I think it's merely an attempt at tapping into the folding market which is obviously thriving, and for a good reason.
With a fat bike there were several limitations.
1) The bikes were very practical only for a very limited type of riding.
2) it required custom rim sizes, wider hubs, therefore wider frame spacing
3) a huge mistake of the fat bike production was to change standards drastically from the original bikes marketed (spacing, clearance), without the fat bike really being cemented in the minds of the consumers, rendering old crops of fat bikes obsolete, unless opting for expensive hand built wheels.
Minivelos largely use 406 20" wheel size, while some frames are designed for the more racy bur less versatile 451. But you can use 406 wheels on a 451 frame. As 406 is the common size for folders and kids bikes, everything is readily accessible, affordable and so parts can easily be swapped over to a folder should one wish to, or vice versa. All standards are pretty normal and common.
Also a minivelo has far more applications. Super pacy on the road, great for commuting or just sightseeing, it handles decently enough off road provided you're not taking it on "mtb trails" or some shit like that. They're compact enough to be ideal for storing indoors in small flats, or to take on the train or bus, but they offer a slightly more to-scale riding experience than a folding bike.
I think it'll remain a niche option for those who genuinely have the need for a bike with the features of a minivelo.
Looks burly that. Love the colour. Great clearance too. My cheapo high tensile minivelo yet to be build can run 2.5s
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
so, basically the same as a fat bike but with more use?
I don't understandso, basically the same as a fat bike but with more use?
The most expensive part of a fat bike build was the wheels and other than using it for a fat bike they have zero use. Which is why 170mm fat bike frames go for chip money because its long since replaced and your options are hand built fancier stuff or gutrot at extortionate prices when it comes to wheels. A 20 inch wheel can be sold on for usage on folders, kids bikes. It's not like folders are going anywhere soon, so it's a universal size for small wheeled bikes, and I think we can all agree that small wheeled isn't a fad, but a long lasting niche cycling culture.
The rest of the componentry you put on there is the same as what you'd put on any other bike
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Yes, Moulton have been doing it for 60 odd years.
There are examples of folk converting various small wheeled frames to minivelo esque bikes dating back over a decade, because the frames were hard to source. In sharp contrast to how fat bikes were basically drummed into the minds of consumers by every major manufacturer, promising something truly unique which essentially was just better riding on snowy ground and sand (the former is debatable) where as minivelos are versatile and can be built far cheaper, with easy access to spares. And in the future they'll be even cheaper.
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
I tell a joke.
No joking about small wheelies pleaseI tell a joke.
