Have you ever ridden a mini velo bicycle before? What did you think? Here is a video of our first ride and first impression with this bike ruclips.net/video/9SaU13qXZFQ/видео.html A big thank you to Stijn Cycles for lending us these sweet bikes while we were cycling in Taipei. Check out their website / social media for more info.
I think compact bikes like this are very under-rated. For security I've had to bring my 'everyday' bike into my apartment and I really regret not having a more compact bike thats easier to bring in lifts, trains, etc. The only downside I can see is a little loss of stiffness and the issue with smaller wheels, but modern wide tyres are so good now they can overcome some of the latter problems.
That’s exactly what minivelos excel at imo - compact size without sacrificing too much performance. They and folding bikes are fairly popular in places with space constraints I believe - Tokyo, Singapore, I guess London has Brompton…
For several years, I rode a Bikerton bike here in England to get to the school where I teach. It also has a long seat pst which makes you feel like suspended in mid air on two small wheels. However, the two bikes you are showing us look much slicker and better designed, and I would be very happy to try either of them. By the way, the clever storage of your own bikes in the apartment is super slick too !
After slacking off during the holidays, I'm back with the bike on the rollers indoors, and you are my go-to guy for nice calm content to keep me company during a 10-20 minutes workout 🙂
It is quite ingenious in design in that one frame fits both of you quite well. The key is in the seat post angle. I think it would be a great travel bike because you can still get it small enough to put a cover on it and travel by train, or pack it up in a box that will fit inside an ordinary car. I think I'd go for the road version, as the tires seem wide enough. I think it better than a folding bike because the wheels can be bigger, it is stiffer, simpler to manufacture and it looks like the handling is quite good. It looks like you could ride this at 30km/hr all day. Stijn is also very smart to sell this as a rolling chassis (frame and wheels) so that you can customize your setup. I think this is a better option for smaller riders and one bike shops should stock because they don't need to mess with XXS and XS sizes from different manufacturers and sloppy handling from a 700C wheel geometry. For travel, you don't really need instant compact folding. Just removing the front wheel and the two posts on this bike gets the package quite small.
I am over 6 feet tall, and ride my 2012 Soma Mini Velo with a smile on my face everywhere in Las Vegas. It travels easily in my Honda Fit for summer and short vacations, and weighs 24 pounds with the stainless steel front rack. A stiff carbon fiber frame and wheels could reduce the weight considerably...
I really want a minivelo as my daily commuter but they’re extremely hard to come by in the US. Thanks for one of the few reviews for this kind of bike I’ve seen.
I have the Velo Orange Neutrino mini-velo. It's designed as a versatile all-rounder with space for wide tires and lots of attachments. I have it set up as a mini-cargo bike with a Surly front rack. The small wheels means lots of height over the front wheel for cargo. As an apartment dweller, I find the smaller overall size is really convenient.
I like these bikes a lot! Personally i have both Mountainbike and roadbike. But gut myself a folding bike with 12 inch wheels a year ago and it is my favourite since then😆
Can you explain why the 12 inch is your favorite? I'm deciding between a cheap full suspension mountain bike for our gnarly sidewalks or a fold up small wheel fold up bike hoping for maneuverability (plus apartment space) around the cracks like on my kick scooter. So would love input on why you love the 12 inch more. Thx!
@@rashb3994 because it is so convienient. I can always have it in the back of my car and ride the last few kilometers to work. So i don't have to wait in traffic. And because of the small wheels its easy to carry large bags. But on bumpy roads it can be a little uncomfortable
I like your yellow bike best but I love the front rack on the blue bike. Makes carrying stuff, like groceries or a backpack very easy. It would be great if the front rack were detachable.
Awesome bikes! I’d go for Thuong’s frameset and accessories but with your gear train, for hybrid commuter use. And flip the stem whenever I want more relaxed or aggressive positioning.
Never ridden a mini velo, but I put a drop bar on my Dahon Boardwalk D7, upgraded it to 9 speed and put a front rack to use it for longer rides/weekend tour. But if I'm to pick, I'll go with Thuong chan's setup.
I'm really liking the looks of Thuong's for a utility-commuter; too bad you guys didn't have a chance to test the handling and balance while it's got some bags on board, but the low step-over and low center of gravity for baggage would be handy! I wonder if you could use a folding or telescoping head tube and seatpost like a lot of folders have to get this stored in an apartment - rolled under a desk or upright in a closet.
That's pretty awesome to have the wireless Sram Red option on that bike. Sorry to hear about all of the rain, but it could be worse: you could be in Michigan, shoveling snow! 😅😁
Guys! Bite the bullet already. Go to the Philippnes. You guys will definitely enjoy your stay there and cycle vlog from there. Its close to Vietnam. The big thing if you go there is that cycling is really popular there. People are friendly. You can use Enlgish anywhere. Good and beautiful places to cycle and discover. Manila has terrible traffic but on bikes you can go anywhere and anytime. If ride in Vietnam, you can definitely ride in Manila. If can ride in Manila, the rest of the country is easy.
Good job on bike review. I like the Cruise bike a little more, but One by has nice features for off-road. Hopefully you will get better weather before your trip ends.
Thank you for reviewing a mini velo. Love riding the Giant MR4 (discontinued)and was wondering if you have any plans of reviewing a folding mini velo ?
Thanks for this video. I hadn't heard of mini velos before. I wouldn't be able to ride in the yellow bike's slammed position, so I'd choose the blue one. Really interesting to see high end components on these bikes.
406 or 451 ISO 20 inch wheels? I have a restored 2012 Soma Mini Velo that has a 53 cm frame running the larger 451 iSO 20 inch wheels. I certainly enjoy riding this bicycle to the shops, but wish it had the brompton front bag mount install. That Taiwan Mini Velo looks great with disc brakes, they would be a nice upgrade to the next Mini Velo I acquire...
There is a company in the UK that makes space frame mini velos, because of the space frame they are very stiff like a roll cage. They are all hand built so can be expensive and were so fast that they were quickly banned by the UCI. The current record is just over 82kph which is 51mph
Kakkoii!!! I'd like a road bike for longer rides, but lack space. I am considering one of these mini velos from Stijl. I would be setting it up more as a touring bike for brevets and such. Also on the list is either the Pocket Rocket, All-Packa, or New World Tourist from Bike Friday in the U.S. My daily rider is a Brompton H6L, which I might just modify for trips--this would be both more space-efficient and cost-effective than getting another bike. But those Stijl bikes are so slick, they are calling me, even though a folding bike would fit better in my little studio. The anime, Long Ridiers! , and Yowamushi Pedal have inspired me to get back to cycling as a sport, not just short A-to-B hops like I do now. Have you seen these anime? I especially liked Long Riders!.The sports anime tropes in Yowamushi Pedal got to me after a while, and I might not finish it. The non competitive distance cycling in Long Riders! is more my thing. I hope I can even go to Japan and duplicate some of the rides from Long Riders! one day. For now I am just setting my sights on longer local rides, and testing my 60-plus year old body to see what it can still do.
Awesome! I of course watch all cycling anime, but yeah not enjoying the latest season of Yowamushi pedal as much as earlier ones. More non competitive cycling anime would be great.
This one is more performance oriented with high end components, so it's much better than most 20" folding bikes. But those would be better likely for casual riding or commuting.
Nice bikes. I think I'd go for the adventure type setup. But would probably have internal gears, 7 or 8 speed. Checked the price and that's not bad either
Even without folding, they are still more compact than larger wheeled bikes. This makes them easier the store and transport. They accelerate faster, because you can build the wheels lighter for less money for the same weight in a bigger wheel. Also some physics thing about the smaller diameter makes them easier to spin up faster. The handling is quick and agile; it's super fun to flick them around. I've been riding 20 inch and smaller wheels for over a decade now. It reminds me of being six years old and riding my Schwinn Stingray.
I do not have a chain guard on any of my road bikes, have had one on first bicycle. I learned to ride a bike, using a women's step through frame, and the handlebars were above my head, it had a chain guard. My first english road bike, I always rolled my pant leg up, because I would always snap the plastic rings made to tighten my pants so they did not get caught on the chain or chain ring.
@@jrnamida5470Right. Looks like things are way more specialized nowadays than they were 70 years ago when all we pretty much had were Schwinn bikes (or versions of them) and English bikes for the everyday bicyclist. And just about every such bike had a chain guard. I'm a hybrid adventure cyclist around town, and my bike has a chain guard that's barely noticeable to keep my pant leg from getting caught between the sprocket and chain. Today’s road bikes are a whole 'nother animal.
Just looked, & my Mongoose Hill Topper does not have a chain guard, nor tab, or bolt holes for a chain guard. Early 80ies version when Mongoose bikes had decent quality...
Spent about 500 miles on it and so far so good. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA Pros:1. Very light2. Solid quality build3. Fast delivery: It arrived 5 weeks earlier than expected.4. Easy assemblyJust a few cons but nothing major:1. Cheap tin tubes and had flat on first day... but not a big deal. I replaced the tubes.2. Seat is a bit uncomfortable but that's pretty much the same situation with most bikes.3. Seat post is a bit long/high for a smaller size 48 bike - had to saw 2 inch off to fit properly. The lowest setting is too high. The post locking system does not seem to hold well (perhaps because I saw 2 inch off).4. wheels are not tubeless compatible (from what I can tell)
I feel confused about mini bic’s market position, Because its speed cannot match with road bic while size is not compact as folding bic… And price is not really attractive…
Do not use your bike tower on the false ceiiling. The false ceiling will crack and your bicycle will fall off the rack damaging both bicycle and ceiling.
Have you ever ridden a mini velo bicycle before? What did you think?
Here is a video of our first ride and first impression with this bike ruclips.net/video/9SaU13qXZFQ/видео.html
A big thank you to Stijn Cycles for lending us these sweet bikes while we were cycling in Taipei. Check out their website / social media for more info.
Looks like they are a great option for people who don't want a folding bike but still want something compact enough for easy travel.
Exactly
That yellow mini velo is incredible! If I still had to commute by train from San Jose to San Francisco, I'd get one of these in a heart beat!!!
I love mini velo. I wish they were more popular and mainstream worldwide. Thank you for making this awesome video! 😃👍
Thanks for watching! Hopefully they become more popular
What are the pros ?
I think that the yellow is a classy and visible colour that looks awesome with the black rims.
Agreed, yellow bikes are awesome
I think compact bikes like this are very under-rated. For security I've had to bring my 'everyday' bike into my apartment and I really regret not having a more compact bike thats easier to bring in lifts, trains, etc. The only downside I can see is a little loss of stiffness and the issue with smaller wheels, but modern wide tyres are so good now they can overcome some of the latter problems.
That’s exactly what minivelos excel at imo - compact size without sacrificing too much performance. They and folding bikes are fairly popular in places with space constraints I believe - Tokyo, Singapore, I guess London has Brompton…
I'm not a biker, Cruise, but as usual, I play your videos in the background for the calm narration~
Thank you!
For several years, I rode a Bikerton bike here in England to get to the school where I teach. It also has a long seat pst which makes you feel like suspended in mid air on two small wheels. However, the two bikes you are showing us look much slicker and better designed, and I would be very happy to try either of them.
By the way, the clever storage of your own bikes in the apartment is super slick too !
After slacking off during the holidays, I'm back with the bike on the rollers indoors, and you are my go-to guy for nice calm content to keep me company during a 10-20 minutes workout 🙂
I'm not sure if "calming content" is what you want for your workout 😂
tough 'choice'...but the dual purpose 'Adventure'...is the Way To GO!! Cheers from Canada!
It is quite ingenious in design in that one frame fits both of you quite well. The key is in the seat post angle. I think it would be a great travel bike because you can still get it small enough to put a cover on it and travel by train, or pack it up in a box that will fit inside an ordinary car. I think I'd go for the road version, as the tires seem wide enough. I think it better than a folding bike because the wheels can be bigger, it is stiffer, simpler to manufacture and it looks like the handling is quite good. It looks like you could ride this at 30km/hr all day. Stijn is also very smart to sell this as a rolling chassis (frame and wheels) so that you can customize your setup. I think this is a better option for smaller riders and one bike shops should stock because they don't need to mess with XXS and XS sizes from different manufacturers and sloppy handling from a 700C wheel geometry.
For travel, you don't really need instant compact folding. Just removing the front wheel and the two posts on this bike gets the package quite small.
I am over 6 feet tall, and ride my 2012 Soma Mini Velo with a smile on my face everywhere in Las Vegas. It travels easily in my Honda Fit for summer and short vacations, and weighs 24 pounds with the stainless steel front rack. A stiff carbon fiber frame and wheels could reduce the weight considerably...
True, a quick release front wheel is all that's needed.
I really want a minivelo as my daily commuter but they’re extremely hard to come by in the US. Thanks for one of the few reviews for this kind of bike I’ve seen.
There’s a bunch of them in Japan and Taiwan
i love mini velo especially the classic bruno, bianchi and gios
Just another bike to add to my stable, Road, MTB, Touring Gravel, Mini, Folding,.
Never enough haha
I have the Velo Orange Neutrino mini-velo. It's designed as a versatile all-rounder with space for wide tires and lots of attachments. I have it set up as a mini-cargo bike with a Surly front rack. The small wheels means lots of height over the front wheel for cargo. As an apartment dweller, I find the smaller overall size is really convenient.
sounds like a nice setup
I like these bikes a lot! Personally i have both Mountainbike and roadbike. But gut myself a folding bike with 12 inch wheels a year ago and it is my favourite since then😆
Never enough 😂
Can you explain why the 12 inch is your favorite? I'm deciding between a cheap full suspension mountain bike for our gnarly sidewalks or a fold up small wheel fold up bike hoping for maneuverability (plus apartment space) around the cracks like on my kick scooter. So would love input on why you love the 12 inch more. Thx!
@@rashb3994 because it is so convienient. I can always have it in the back of my car and ride the last few kilometers to work. So i don't have to wait in traffic. And because of the small wheels its easy to carry large bags. But on bumpy roads it can be a little uncomfortable
@@TheDuspast Okay thank you so much for your input. Super helpful!
Great review! I've always fancied getting a Minivelo. I like the adventure set-up better.🤙🚲
It looks quite awesome!
Very nice ! God Bless you and say safe on your travels !
I like your yellow bike best but I love the front rack on the blue bike. Makes carrying stuff, like groceries or a backpack very easy. It would be great if the front rack were detachable.
Awesome bikes! I’d go for Thuong’s frameset and accessories but with your gear train, for hybrid commuter use. And flip the stem whenever I want more relaxed or aggressive positioning.
Never ridden a mini velo, but I put a drop bar on my Dahon Boardwalk D7, upgraded it to 9 speed and put a front rack to use it for longer rides/weekend tour. But if I'm to pick, I'll go with Thuong chan's setup.
I'm really liking the looks of Thuong's for a utility-commuter; too bad you guys didn't have a chance to test the handling and balance while it's got some bags on board, but the low step-over and low center of gravity for baggage would be handy! I wonder if you could use a folding or telescoping head tube and seatpost like a lot of folders have to get this stored in an apartment - rolled under a desk or upright in a closet.
That's pretty awesome to have the wireless Sram Red option on that bike. Sorry to hear about all of the rain, but it could be worse: you could be in Michigan, shoveling snow! 😅😁
I’ll take a snow ride over a rain ride any day 😂
Guys! Bite the bullet already. Go to the Philippnes. You guys will definitely enjoy your stay there and cycle vlog from there. Its close to Vietnam. The big thing if you go there is that cycling is really popular there. People are friendly. You can use Enlgish anywhere. Good and beautiful places to cycle and discover. Manila has terrible traffic but on bikes you can go anywhere and anytime. If ride in Vietnam, you can definitely ride in Manila. If can ride in Manila, the rest of the country is easy.
Good job on bike review. I like the Cruise bike a little more, but One by has nice features for off-road. Hopefully you will get better weather before your trip ends.
Thank you!
These look so cool! Hard to decide between the two.... Maybe the adventure setup for me, if I could only have one...
definitely wish mini velos were more popular in the US. These are so sick!
Thank you for reviewing a mini velo. Love riding the Giant MR4 (discontinued)and was wondering if you have any plans of reviewing a folding mini velo ?
I like minivelo bikes, but prefer when the frame is designed so they can use standard length seat posts & handlebar stems.
Thanks for this video. I hadn't heard of mini velos before. I wouldn't be able to ride in the yellow bike's slammed position, so I'd choose the blue one. Really interesting to see high end components on these bikes.
I didn't know about them until I moved to Asia. It's as simple as flipping the stem for changing the position.
Beautiful bike.!
It sure is!
Some legit spec! I prefer the comfy setup of the bigger tires. Part of being 58 years old 😎
Can’t go wrong with bigger tires
@@TwoWheelCruise That's what I would do. Maybe a rear rack if possible. I've done that with 20 inch wheels before.
406 or 451 ISO 20 inch wheels? I have a restored 2012 Soma Mini Velo that has a 53 cm frame running the larger 451 iSO 20 inch wheels. I certainly enjoy riding this bicycle to the shops, but wish it had the brompton front bag mount install. That Taiwan Mini Velo looks great with disc brakes, they would be a nice upgrade to the next Mini Velo I acquire...
It's compatible with both rim sizes. Easy to put a front basket on, but yeah the Brompton bag system is really nice
There is a company in the UK that makes space frame mini velos, because of the space frame they are very stiff like a roll cage. They are all hand built so can be expensive and were so fast that they were quickly banned by the UCI. The current record is just over 82kph which is 51mph
Yes, a Moulton Double Pylon! CRAZY! Check it out.
Kakkoii!!! I'd like a road bike for longer rides, but lack space. I am considering one of these mini velos from Stijl. I would be setting it up more as a touring bike for brevets and such. Also on the list is either the Pocket Rocket, All-Packa, or New World Tourist from Bike Friday in the U.S. My daily rider is a Brompton H6L, which I might just modify for trips--this would be both more space-efficient and cost-effective than getting another bike. But those Stijl bikes are so slick, they are calling me, even though a folding bike would fit better in my little studio.
The anime, Long Ridiers! , and Yowamushi Pedal have inspired me to get back to cycling as a sport, not just short A-to-B hops like I do now. Have you seen these anime? I especially liked Long Riders!.The sports anime tropes in Yowamushi Pedal got to me after a while, and I might not finish it. The non competitive distance cycling in Long Riders! is more my thing. I hope I can even go to Japan and duplicate some of the rides from Long Riders! one day. For now I am just setting my sights on longer local rides, and testing my 60-plus year old body to see what it can still do.
Awesome! I of course watch all cycling anime, but yeah not enjoying the latest season of Yowamushi pedal as much as earlier ones. More non competitive cycling anime would be great.
cool color 💛
The Adventure style looks more to my style and practicality, would love to haul a small trailer and just have 20" tires all around!
I notice that Thuong's cassette has a wider range, much bigger cogs, than Cruise's. How do the 20-inch wheels affect gearing?
Yeah, that's how the single chainring setups are. She was a little under geared on the downhills and flats though.
Sweet looking ride 👍
Thanks 👍
Like your mini velo cycling
Awesome bikes, I want one 👍
How would you compare the Mini Velo 20" with a foldable bicycle (bi-fold) 20"?
This one is more performance oriented with high end components, so it's much better than most 20" folding bikes. But those would be better likely for casual riding or commuting.
Whats the max wheel size? 406 or 451?
Did u test out tyrell pkz or pk1? In terms in handling and stabilit.
Nice bikes. I think I'd go for the adventure type setup. But would probably have internal gears, 7 or 8 speed. Checked the price and that's not bad either
Not bad especially considered they are not mass produced
Planning to visit Taiwan in March. Can we rent Stijn bikes?
Yeah, check with Taipei Bike Works.
Did your heel ever hit the chain stay?
I thought I saw you couple riding folding bike, you've switched to mini velo?
We only used these bikes during this trip as rentals
Very neat. How do they feel when riding out of the saddle compared to a conventional road bike in terms of frame flexing and balance?
It felt a little different at first, but was fine once you got used to it.
Pls kindly, send me the bike shop where i can inquire about STIJN mini velo.
Thanks
But if it does not fold up, what's the pro then?
Even without folding, they are still more compact than larger wheeled bikes. This makes them easier the store and transport. They accelerate faster, because you can build the wheels lighter for less money for the same weight in a bigger wheel. Also some physics thing about the smaller diameter makes them easier to spin up faster. The handling is quick and agile; it's super fun to flick them around. I've been riding 20 inch and smaller wheels for over a decade now. It reminds me of being six years old and riding my Schwinn Stingray.
Very cool-looking bikes! Didn't see a chain guard on either bike. Is this a big deal nowadays?
I do not have a chain guard on any of my road bikes, have had one on first bicycle. I learned to ride a bike, using a women's step through frame, and the handlebars were above my head, it had a chain guard. My first english road bike, I always rolled my pant leg up, because I would always snap the plastic rings made to tighten my pants so they did not get caught on the chain or chain ring.
@@jrnamida5470Right. Looks like things are way more specialized nowadays than they were 70 years ago when all we pretty much had were Schwinn bikes (or versions of them) and English bikes for the everyday bicyclist. And just about every such bike had a chain guard. I'm a hybrid adventure cyclist around town, and my bike has a chain guard that's barely noticeable to keep my pant leg from getting caught between the sprocket and chain. Today’s road bikes are a whole 'nother animal.
Just looked, & my Mongoose Hill Topper does not have a chain guard, nor tab, or bolt holes for a chain guard. Early 80ies version when Mongoose bikes had decent quality...
High performances set up please
the steerer tube or handlepost seems unique ?
I wonder how much flexing is happening. If you are a heavier rider folders like Dahon can flex quite a lot.
Just watched this video. Where can I get in California?
Try contacting them to see if they can ship or if they have any local distributors
I love minivelo
Think I like the adventure one
How much?
How much does the frame cost?
Spent about 500 miles on it and so far so good. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA Pros:1. Very light2. Solid quality build3. Fast delivery: It arrived 5 weeks earlier than expected.4. Easy assemblyJust a few cons but nothing major:1. Cheap tin tubes and had flat on first day... but not a big deal. I replaced the tubes.2. Seat is a bit uncomfortable but that's pretty much the same situation with most bikes.3. Seat post is a bit long/high for a smaller size 48 bike - had to saw 2 inch off to fit properly. The lowest setting is too high. The post locking system does not seem to hold well (perhaps because I saw 2 inch off).4. wheels are not tubeless compatible (from what I can tell)
Hi,how fast?Tks!
Hi. What is the color of your wife's bike? It has a beautiful & uniques color. Pardon, I don't know how to spell her name. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! What is the wheelbase length?
And what's your height?
How much estimate price
How fast can you go with this bike? Thanks!
About the same speeds as a normal road bike. Possibly faster on the downhills.
Why don't they sell in Brazil?
They are not mass produced
What is the top speed? 🚴
Do they sell them to the states? I want one !?
I'm not sure, but try asking them.
adventure.
It looks like fun but I wouldn’t want to get laughed at.
I feel confused about mini bic’s market position, Because its speed cannot match with road bic while size is not compact as folding bic…
And price is not really attractive…
I like the way those
Look compared to other mini bikes. Feed your wife she is getting tiny also ha ha
We ate so much during this trip 😂
how’sl ife?,bro.Super. so epic ,talk you later,
Always an adventure
Bikes shrink when they get wet 🙄😄
Do not use your bike tower on the false ceiiling. The false ceiling will crack and your bicycle will fall off the rack damaging both bicycle and ceiling.