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Encycleopedia Home > Encycleopedia 2003 > Portables > Birdy

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Birdy

Birdy

Birdy

Birdy

First impressions are important, but not always. Take wide-screen televisions for example, the enhanced viewing they offer soon makes you wonder how you ever managed to watch the old square ones, but it certainly was not love at first sight. You even begin to appreciate their clean lines.

The Birdy is another exception to the rule. The first thing you notice is the robust front suspension, which gives it an ungainly look, but brings out the best in the high performance 18 wheels. The one-piece, elastomer-dampened rear swing-arm evens out the bumps beautifully, while the ovalised, over-sized single main frame tube combines with the triangulated bottom bracket to give a lightweight, responsive ride. Fast bikes need fast wheels, and the high-pressure 1.5 Road Reflex tyres with the latest skinwall technology, reflective sidewalls and a Kevlar anti-puncture band really deliver performance.

An extra-long seatpost allows one frame size to fit all, although there is a choice of two handlebar stems the comfort stem is an option for those who want a more upright riding position.

Folding is a bit quirky, but it only takes about 15-20 seconds once you get the hang of it - a demo video is supplied with the bike. The Birdy still looks a little ungainly when folded. But slip over the lightweight, waterproof shroud, and it transforms into a handy suitcase-sized package. And weighing-in at less than 11kg means that even walks down long railway platforms are easily manageable.

The optional lightweight aluminium propstand is a real must, especially if you fit a rack, as otherwise it can be quite frustrating keeping the bike balanced while you load up. The propstand cleverly attaches to the rear dropout and flips away without interfering in the folding process.

Sidebar

Each model has its own colour and there are now five different variations to choose from:

Red: Entry-level, 8-speed Shimano Deore derailleur. 1149. £740

Green: Low-maintenance, Shimano Nexus 7- speed coaster hub. 1249. £800

Blue: Touring-oriented, wide-ratio SRAM 3x7 hybrid gear with Shimano Deore derailleur. 1349. £870

Black: Lightweight (only 9.8kg), 9-speed Shimano Deore XT. 1699. £1100

Grey: The new Rohloff 14 speed hub gear deluxe model. 2499. £1600

Manufacturer

riese und müller GmbH
Haasstraße 6
D-64293 Darmstadt
Germany

phone: +49/(0)6151/366 86 0
fax: +49/(0)6151/366 86 20
email: team@r-m.de
web: www.r-m.de

Author

Alan Davidson

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