Birdy Blue improvements?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

HK has the long-term loan of an old but nearly unused Birdy Blue with a view to purchase for multimodal touring (Eurostar, etc.). It has a 3x7 hub (Gripshifts), mudguards and front and rear racks but appears to be missing the lower pannier hooks for the front rack. Are these available as a separate item or do I need to bodge something? The newer Birdys appear to use a similar but non-compatible fixing.

The handlebar stem is the adjustable comfort stem but even at the lowest setting is too high for her. Another bodge job or is there an aftermarket solution?

The grips will be swapped with some Ergon bar end combination.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Various bits cleaned, greased and adjusted. Rack light and Ergon grips/ barends fitted from the garage stockpile.

Big Apple tyres ordered to replace the existing Marathon Racers.

I think the handlebar stem will get shortened as it is above HK’s seat height even at the lowest adjustment.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tI6jdfLL0bc shows it is straightforward enough.

There seems to be play in the handlebar stem even as the headset seems correctly adjusted. The Aheadset is adjusted and clamped at the fork crown, rather than above the headset as normal.

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/6927921/owners-manual-birdy and
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/812155/Ped-Bicycles-Birdy.html
seems to be the correct vintage manual for this Birdy Blue. I am not quite getting my head around the correct stem hinge clamp adjustment yet. What should be an easy adjustment seems to have more resistance than I’d expect, so I am stopping for a bit of a think.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Headset and handlebar stem clamp adjusted properly. The missing lower pannier rack hooks have been found by the owner and fitted.

I just need to hack away at some Nylon rod to replace the missing seatpost clamp blocks and the bike should be fully functional. Long-term might be to replace the 3x7 gears with 1x10 or 1x11 to 'simplify, then add lightness', provided I can find a suitable rear derailleur that doesn't hang too low for the 355 wheel.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Missing plastic seatpost clamp blocks replaced. I think the rear rack is slightly twisted and a plastic rack washer is self-destructing but not enough to cause problems yet. The washer prevents wear of the rack as the rear suspension moves and the swingarm is folded.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

HK took the Birdy rough-stuffing over the weekend and asked for fewer high gears and a lower gear (and a new saddle). It looks like I need to reduce the single front ring from a 56t to 52t but still fit 11-36t or 11-40t cassette. Chain retention might need some careful thought, given the dual chainguards and braze-on peg, both sized for only a 56t chainring.