10.000km reise mit MIFA klapprad!

Hallo, ich bin Englisch und kein Deutsch sprechen - Entschuldigung für die Verwendung von Google übersetzen!

Ich plane eine lange Fahrt auf einem MIFA Klappfahrrad - 10.000km quer durch Europa. Ich verstehe diese Fahrräder sind nicht gerade für solche Fahrten ausgelegt, aber es ist eine Herausforderung!

Ich werde bald nach Deutschland reisen, um mein MIFA kaufen. eBay hat viele von ihnen zum Verkauf. Meine Forschung sagt mir, ich sollte ein Modell 904, das Finale zu kaufen - es hat zwei Gepäckträger und (noch wichtiger) einen Sattelbremse am Vorderrad (alle anderen haben schrecklich "Löffel" Bremsen).

Ich möchte das Fahrrad Original zu halten, aber aus Erfahrung, ich denke, es ist eine gute Idee, um das Tretlager zu ändern. Diese Thompsons sind schrecklich. Ich weiß, ich kann einen modernen quadratischen Innenlager mit Kugellager zu kaufen. FAG und Thun produzieren sie. Weiß jemand, welche Größe ich für einen MIFA Klapprad?

Ich denke auch, es wäre eine gute Idee, einen der zwei Geschwindigkeiten Duomatic Torpedo-Nabe für das Hinterrad zu installieren. Ist das eine direkte fit?

Vielen Dank im Voraus für Ihre Hilfe!

Ich werde den englischen Text hier ein:

Hello, I'm English and don't speak German - apologies for using Google translate!

I'm planning a long ride on a MIFA folding bike - 10,000km across Europe. I understand these bikes are not exactly designed for such journeys, but it is a challenge!

I will be travelling to Germany soon to buy my MIFA. eBay has plenty of them on sale. My research tells me I should buy a model 904, the final one - it has two luggage carriers and (more important) a caliper brake on the front wheel (all the others have terrible "spoon" brakes).

I want to keep the bike original, but from experience I think it is a good idea to change the bottom bracket. These Thompsons are awful. I know I can buy a modern square bottom bracket with cartridge bearings. FAG and Thun manufacture them. Does anybody know which size I need for a MIFA folding bike?

I also think it might be a good idea to install a two-speed Duomatic torpedo hub for the rear wheel. Is this a direct fit?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Hi farnsworth,

why such an old folding bike? I also had this idea too, for an greek holiday, but i give up this idea after biking 50km in 5 hours with the mifa folding. The origin gear ratio is very slow for the plain and unusable for the mountains...

torpedo hub on the rear wheel: i think you need some eyelets on the frame for the bowden conrol cable --> welding on the frame.

i am not sure that a cartridged pedal bearing will fit into the frame, i never see this up to now.

The caliper brake is much more better than the spoon brake, but i think you will still disappointet by the brake.

Additionaly this little bike is very heavy, much more than it looks like.

But if you want still do it, you have my unrestricted respect for this performance!

Many thanks Otto! I didn't realise these MIFA klappis were also heavy, to add to their other problems...

As you say it will not be easy - but I am determined.

Will one of these 4-kant bottom brackets be OK: http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_odkw=innenl...ompson&_sacat=0

Also, do I really need a bowden cable for a duomatic hub? I thought they were "automatic". For example: http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_odkw=innenl...tic&_sacat=7294

Would these 20" wheels with a duomatic hub fit a MIFA klappi? http://www.ebay.de/itm/20-zoll-laufrader-k...=item4ade4a88e7

Hi farnsworth,

ok, i revise my statement about the duomatic, it looks like it works without a mechanical order by an bowden cable.

The 20" wheels will fit in the mifa klappie, the support for the backpedal brake is different by the klappie-wheels, but i think you can fix it - somehow.

Maybe the 4-kant bottom brackets will fit into the klappie frame. I never seen this befor in real life. I will give you tomorrow the measures of the klappie pedal bearing. If it fit in the frame, you will safe a few pounds by using an alloy (aluminium) crank treadle.

regards
Sven

Exciting quest here
If it must be a Klappie, just take one from west-germany with the two gears for this travel. In general, I suppose the core problem might be the weakness of the frame. You need lots of package for this mega-trip- so, please avoid the klappi, it'll become a horror-trip!

What's the reason of your plannings, or - how did you come to the idea to take a klappie from GDR? Maybe, we can give you an advice.. some other nice old vehicles more effective for travelling

Sven - thanks very much, look forward to your measurements! I think a 4-kant bottom bracket with an alloy crankset will make a big difference. Cottered cranks (wedges) are a nightmare.

mulchhüpfer - you're right, of course! A "wessi" bike would certainly be more reliable, and probably superior in most respects. However... I am planning to ride EV13, a route along the old Iron Curtain ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EV13_The_Iron_Curtain_Trail ), and I really REALLY want to do it on an old DDR bike. It seems an appropriate challenge! The MIFA klappi was the "signature" DDR bike - I've read that over 3 million were manufactured, which would make it the most "successful" bike in history, outside China.

I can see it's going to be difficult - even more difficult than I first thought. Perhaps to make the frame stronger (yes - I will be carrying all my own kit) I will need to weld the hinge closed. I have read that many owners have done this to their MIFAs...

Hi Farnsworth,

first of all I´m sorry for my bad english!

That`s right! Mostly the Kid`s Dad or Uncle welded the hinge and sometimes also add a strut. Similiar to the BMX-Bikes. Because MIFA builded a BMX not until 1988 and the famous Movie "BMX-Bande" had already excited the youth in the GDR!

Many regarts
Robert

Hmm ok, Klappi is eye-catching, and could be useable with a strenghtened, stiff hinge. Alternatively, just look at the standard models of 26" Mifa bikes, with classic steel rim of wheel, lacquered steel mudguard and so on. Thats really GDR-like as well examble http://ddr-fahrradwiki.de/Datei:Mifa107Referenz-1.jpg
best original GDR-bike for travelling might be one of the sport bikes with gears http://ddr-fahrradwiki.de/Datei:Mifa214-87-2.JPG

That's a great travel plan you have there. I would love to read more during your trip. Will you blogg somewhere or even post pics and short reports here from time to time?
I totally understand your idea of riding a DDR-Mifa along the former border. It's as logical as riding a Wessi-Bike but DDR-bike is more adventurous for sure. Have a great time.

Thanks both!

I agree 100% that a MIFA touring bike would be more sensible - that was indeed my original idea. But then I discovered that the klappi was a true phenomenon, with 3 million manufactured and shipped all over the socialist world from Cuba to Vietnam... and I'm now determined to challenge both myself and this DDR classic with a truly epic adventure.

I will indeed be writing about this journey - details later!

We're full of expectations

good evening sir!
Chapeau for this adventure!

Perhaps it an idea not to fix all the luggage at the bike but to ride with a small bicycle "trailer".

I hadn't thought about that. Won't a trailer slow me down a lot? I plan to "travel light" - really just one set of spare clothes, a toothbrush, plus tools & a few spare parts!

Hello all,

OK, my MIFA is finally here in London. A long story. The interesting thing is that it isn't a "klappi" - in some ways I'm happy, because the folding-hinge is (as many people here have said) a weak point, and I was going to weld it anyway.

Still a small mystery though. I'm pretty sure it's a MIFA - it has the badge on the front - but it doesn't look like a "converted" klappi, more like it has never been one. Did MIFA make a 20-zoll bike that wasn't a klappi? I haven't found one.

The chain ring looks wrong, but it does have the correct Renak rear hub. The mudguard paint-stripes are black, when most MIFAs have red stripes.

Can anyone help?

Angefügtes Bild

Hm interesting. Mifa produced a lot of bikes for kids as well, just look here, maybe this? Its written there thats the same frame like Klappies one, except the folding-hinge. http://ddr-fahrradwiki.de/Mifa_Modell_401_L