Tinker By Riese & Müller: versatile in the city

Reviews

Jul 2

The key-word to describe the Tinker, the compact bicycle by Riese & Müller, is versatility. The German manufacturer’s model can be adapted to any rider’s profile and a multitude of contexts in the urban environment.

QUICK RELEASE SYSTEM FRONT

FOLDING OPTION

QUICK RELEASE SYSTEM TRIGGER

IN THE PRESENCE OF A BICYCLE THOUGHT TO THE DETAIL

The customizable options are immense: we can adjust the handlebar to the desired angles, as well as the gel saddle. It is possible to do so fast and at any time, without the need for a super-specific key as the Tinker has a quick release system. So with simple hand gestures, we can guide the saddle and handlebar for most comfort (whether tall, short, man, women and even kids).

This foldable option is quite useful to store the bike in our home when there is no garage as an option, to better accommodate it when public transportation is packed or to keep it inside our friend's car trunk when's our lift home!

ENVIOLO — CUSTOMISING EVEN THE SHIFTS

The continuous gear system by Enviolo is managed by an internal gear hub with CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). That means we have intermediate shifts without an index, that is, we don’t go from gear 1 to 2 but - kind of - from 1 to 1.1, 1.5, 2, 2.4, etc.

THE TINKER IN GAIA

To test this bike, we decided to use it in one of the typical commuting travels from home to work. Our test model was a Tinker Vario (219).

For starters, Schwalbe’s 20-inch tires are a standout, as they did fine in asphalt roads, transitioning to stone-paved parallel roads within steep hills, to later return to asphalt roads that also go up…

According to the brand, the tires’ material was designed to better endure puncture, hence the “ballon” format that has natural suspension properties even in low pressures. Because they have somewhat smaller measures, they “help” taking those narrow paths more safely.

FRONT SUSPENSION — SUSPENSION AND SAFETY

From the constant ups from our store till Avenida da República (Gaia’s downtown), Bosch’s Performance Line CX proved to be up for the task. Generally associated with mountain bikes, this engine has a stronger torque to better support the pedal resistance. It was without stops, between the Tour and Turbo modes, that we beat those so complicated paths even on foot!

YOU CAN’T BE TOO CAREFUL

The cafe-lock AbusShield “blocks” the rear wheel with a steel lock. For a fit thief, and whether that may sound impractical, even with a blocked read wheel, it is still possible to carry the bike. If we end up leaving it for longer while we go take a coffee or “park” it before working, we have the Abus’ BORDO BIG option (about 85€), to lock the bicycle with a 5-millimetre thick steel chain (it is foldable and silicone coated, so we don’t end up with unwanted damage to our frame).

CAFE-LOCK

BORDO BIG

CICLO | THE TINKER IN LUIS I — BUT WE WANTED TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER!

So it was decided to test the urban multimodality concept applied to the electric bike. In the train station, after finding the elevator to get to General Torres’s peer, it was required to lift the bike to place it inside the wagon. The **compact bicycle** is relatively easy to pick up, thanks to the practical frame design that has several straight lines distributed all around the model. Although we understand that this extra effort can discourage some, it is a matter of accessibility that is beyond the bicycle usage (how many times have we helped lift a baby carriage inside a wagon, or carry some groceries bags?).

CICLO | TINKER IN A TRAIN — INSIDE THE TRAIN WAGON

It is possible to use the cafe-lock for **better stability** with the blocked rear wheel, that prevents involuntary displacements thanks to the train movement.
Once we arrived at our destination, it was perceivable the time and effort difference compared to other “regular” days: that steep hill, to which we own our ripped quadriceps, was overtaken by the Tinker in Sport mode, reducing our 20-minute average to a mere 4 minutes!

CICLO | TINKER IN A TRAIN STATION — THE FOLLOWING DAY

There was an opportunity to do the opposite way. If we went up, now we are going all the way down (using much more the **hydraulic brakes** that we want to admit). Again a record time, but to be honest around this time of the day we usually have a car available. Although, this time there was neither fuel consumption nor need to look for that strategic parking slot near the train station.

IN SHORT:

The commuter life can be way more practical with the use of a compact bike, especially one like the Tinker. Beyond that, there is an undeniable bigger picture about happiness: not only we have our conscience clear, for not polluting while moving, but our wallet “happier” with the saving!