Bike Friday tikit upgrades

Its been a while since I last posted on the blog.  I had since made some upgrades to the Bike Friday tikit.  I added some MKS EZY Superior Lambda Pedals.  The stock pedals started losing their rubber grip and were always slippery when it rained.  This had plenty of grip and lots of surface area for the feet.  Plus, they are removable for travel.  Note: you will need pedal washers to install this on your cranks.

I acquired a pair of Ortlieb Front Roller Panniers.  Upon looking for a solution to carry stuff on rides, I abandoned the ever popular messenger bag for this option.  It keeps the weight off the back and puts it on the bike.  Messenger bags are nice, but for long distances in Florida, you end up having a very, very sweaty back.   With the Ortlieb panniers, you have a waterproof solution that carries far more and still allows the bike to be folded and carried around WITH the panniers still on.  I guess the final nail in the coffin for the messenger bag was a conversation I had with an actual bike messenger who also switched to panniers.

I also made an investment for a Park Bike stand.  If you are serious about biking, go get one.  It’s about $100, well-built and will pay for itself.  The Tikit, a well-built machine, has a lot of mechanical joints that you would periodically want to inspect and lube.  Take care of it and it will take care of you.

If you can’t tell, I am a very happy user of the tikit.  Some have asked if it is my main bike and the answer is YES.  Other than mountain biking, it does everything I have needed it to do.  What would be my next bike, if I wanted to get a new one? 

A fixie.  There are some rides where the pace is much faster.  I miss the workout I used to have with the fixed gear folding bike, the swift folder.  In fact, I miss that bike all together, I should not have sold it.