A rider on the way to today's (Sunday 15th) ride in Battersea Park stopped off to look in the window of nearby Phoenix Cycles, and reports two new developments. The first was an unsuspended folder with 20 inch wheels, 3x7 gears, folding in the centre of the frame and very reminiscent of a Strutt, except for the 20 inch wheels. It seems to be a new machine, and one which has not been announced previously.
The second machine in the window at Phoenix was a Brompton, apparently standard except in colour: this was in a chrome/silver colour, which is not a colour we have ever heard of Brompton using before. Apparently everything is in this colour - no black parts at all.
No more news has emerged yet on the aluminium Brompton reportedly on show at an exhibition in Japan a week ago. We'll let you know as soon as we know any more about any of these bikes.
A number of new pages and changes to existing pages have been made in the last few days, although there is still a lot more to add when time permits. Some of the latest items include updates to the Brompton pages, particularly on accessories and modifications (currently to be found on the page on choosing the model), portable paraphernalia (text only of the first version on tools now available, pictures and additional copy to follow later), sales and wants, and, on the origami page, a photographic report on yesterdays visit to the National Motorcycle Museum. To look at the web pages, start from http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc
Email sent to my usual address still seems rather erratic, with a much reduced amount reaching me in the last 10 days. A number of people who have sent messages report having problems, and receiving messages from demon saying that the email address is not recognised. I've not yet received any reply from demon after querying them about possible problems. If you have any difficulty sending me email at my usual address (mike@whooper.demon.co.uk), either try again and it may work (it seems an intermittent problem) or try sending the message to MikeHessey@netscape.net instead.
Rob Cope has emailed to some people detailed information on travel options for those going to Portmeirion, with some other useful facts. If you need this information (probably only necessary if you haven't been before), and you haven't yet received a copy from Rob or whoever's house you are in, I suggest you email Rob and ask for a copy - Rob is rob@mrportly.demon.co.uk
In previous years those who could get away earlyish on the Friday arranged to travel on the same train from Birmingham, which provided the opportunity for lots of interesting chat. I haven't as yet heard anything about a preferred train, but I'll let you know if and when I do (based on previous years, the one leaving Birmingham New Street at 10.20 seems likely).
I don't expect any of you travelling to Portmeirion will want to take any more with you than necessary, but I'd like to appeal for an opportunity to see and photograph other folding/portable paraphernalia for inclusion in the appropriate section of our web pages. If it's portable enough to bring with you to Portmeirion I'm sure others would be interested in seeing it, and it would be a good opportunity to take photographs for the web pages.
A picture of the aluminium Brompton referred to in recent issues of FS News is available at http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~nasci/FoldingBikeFun/98CS02.html
The accompanying text is currently only in Japanese, though we hope a translation will be available soon.
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Copyright (C)1999 Ferrets Anonymous
Last updated: 31 January 1999
URL: http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/fsn/fsn009.html