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I had a test ride on one today and liked it (apart from the weight!)
Has anyone on here got one? Anything to be aware of?
had a test ride on one today and liked it (apart from the weight!)
Tried one of a friend of mine and thought exactly the same, pretty heavy for lugging around.
I have one. I really like it. I bought it to mix train and bus journeys with bikepacking. I have just ridden from Basel to Lyon on it via the Jura Mts.
It is a bit heavy - but it doesn’t ’ride heavy’. I have changed the handlebars and added a mount on the seat post to carry a second Brompton bag on the back. I put a smaller chainring on the front, to help with climbing.
I am tempted by one
I tried an electric G line and loved how it rides, feels as stable and capable as a proper bike, the all round bigger proportions improves the ride
However, I decided to stick with my electric C line
For me, G line loses the essential Brompton characteristic of folding small for storage in office/restaurants/urban settings, and the C line electric is already heavy, so the additional G line heft was unwelcome
I always felt G line would be great for campervans and yachts, looking to explore
However, if I could only have ONE bicycle (n+1) I would likely choose an electric G line
I'd really like one, can't really justify it though. @terrahawk has one in the classifieds mind you...
Sold mine because it's sort of ok off-road but really heavy and big. So a bit crap for commuting.
Sold mine because it's sort of ok off-road but really heavy and big. So a bit crap for commuting.
Funny that quote never made the advert.
I've been tempted having ridden my Carrera Intercity hydro disc 20" folder for a few years now, but jeez they're heavy compared to the Carrera. The G Line folds slightly smaller but not enough to balance the downsides. I have to carry the Carrera onto the odd tube or up office stairs and that is heavy enough after 5 mins. The extra weight of the Brompton would be far to much for me.
I looked at them in a shop this week (have been thinking of adding one to our fleet or having one instead of a standard Brompton when we replace in next few years). I'm sure it rides way better/more like a normal bike and the parts on it all look 'better'/more standard. But it's a couple of kilos extra on an already heavy bike* and it's larger in a way that seems like it will make it far less easy to deal with.
As others have said - it's a good folding bike, it'd be great for a van lifer, but it seems to lose a lot of the benefits of the OG Brompton by being taller and wider when folded
*although they do seem to have shaved some weight off the OG compared to mine. Even the weight saving on the lighter rack is significant. And much as I love the dynamo lights I have now, they do add another chunk (they don't even seem to offer them now)
It is definitely not as easy for multi mode travel as a normal Brompton: compromise is that whilst it is a fair bit bigger folded up and is no lightweight, it still folds just as quickly as a normal Brompton and rides much more like a normal bike. Indeed, I found it comfortable for all day riding over a week+ and it still got me to the start and finish of a ride via TGV with zero hassle.
For commuting and shorter rides a normal Brompton wins.
