Brompton curious

Off the back of the Brompton G-line launch, I’ve become curious about a normal Brompton. It would be quiet useful for the office commute, especially as I can take it on public transport should the weather turn unfavourable.

However I live in Edinburgh, in places the roads are terrible and there’s quite a few hills. Can’t say I’ve seen many Brompton’s about…. maybe the G Line would change that.

If I did get (a normal) one I’d probably look to get one second hand, at least initially to try one out. Any advice?

I don’t know if it’s offered in Edinburgh, but you can rent one in some places to try it out.

They are very sketchy to ride first time but you get used to it. Having a bag on the front helps.

Having ridden a normal bike in Edinburgh I’d recommend a 6-speed.

The classic Brompton wouldn’t be my first pick for Edinburgh but they are a very useful bike to have for that kind of commuting, just to get you out more with reduced faff or having to dress for bad weather. One of my best bike buys even though it doesn’t get regular use since a move and job change.

I’ve got Conti Contact 1.35 tyres on mine which help on bad roads. Putting the P Clip and saddle position into the fwd position makes it feel a bit on the short side (I’m 184cm) but also weights the front more so the steering feels less sketchy and having a bag on the front makes a big difference there. I’d be tempted to get one with the 3s hub and gear it for the hills, my 2s has the smallest ring they offer (44T) and that’s always felt like a good choice but the 2s shifter and mech is a bit crap unless you tune/mod and take care over the set up.

Or just get the new 20″, which is what I’d go for now. I’d miss the way the 16″ stows so easily on a train or in a pub/cafe etc though and the added weight wouldn’t be welcome but I think it’d be more useable overall esp  for rides over a few miles long or with hills. A 20″ with a 4s system, small front ring and a few lightweight upgrades maybe?

I’m also Brompton curious.

Currently drive 4 miles to the station and pay £3 to park. Should really be cycling that, but it includes a half mile 5% hill.

No space on the train for one of my regular bikes, plus faff at the office. Wouldnt want to leave even a beater bike locked up at the station which is unmanned. Would be interested to try a Brompton as a possible solution.

Does it have to be a Brompton? I have a Decathlon tilt 500 folding bike, which i use both ends of a rail commute. It’s a great bit of kit and can be picked up for less than £200 second hand, but it’s also cheap new. 20 inch wheels are better than the tiny Brompton’s (not G line), and it’s quick with a speedy 7s grip shift . It doesn’t fold as small as a Brompton (not G line) and the v brakes can be sketchy when you’re used to 180/200mm disc brakes!

It climbs ok, and the bigger wheels deal with small potholes.

There’s also the option of: Home – Brompton Subscription 

A P-line four speed might be more suitable if you ever plan to carry it. They aren’t light but do fold very quickly. The fold is their USP (which is now off patent). The new 20” G line is a lump. Fold is good but you won’t want to carry it very far at all. One observation I had with mine is that you WILL ride it more than you think. Partly because it can always be on hand as it’s stored folded but is no hardship to unfold. Quick errand to the shops? Take the Brompton.

Luggage carrying is unparalleled, but others like Tern and Dahon have adopted the luggage block. It’s that good.

I love mine.Agree to all the bits about light front end, small wheels, etc but you get used to it, and I had tried one before so knew that and still went for it because of the small fold for SE England commuter trains.

The bit I think overlooked is just how useful it is. I’m on it now, wife’s Fiat500 is in for service and the garage is 2 towns away. We could have both driven there and dropped car off but instead I drove there with B in the back (of a 500), 10 min ride from the out of town ind estate garage to the station, and now on my way to work by train with a 10 min ride the other end.

Son wants a lift to town and the going out with mates later. No pbs, he can drive himself in, tell me what floor of the car park he’s on, I’ll take the spare key and ride in later to rescue it. Just so useful for stuff you wouldn’t actually buy one for.

On gearing. Mine is 3spd, bombproof, and I actually upped the gearing (I was 5 years younger and fitter) and the low is still plenty low. Bear in mind standing climbing is not the easiest, so set to the lowest you’ll need and live with what it gives you other end. And get used to variable cadence, it’s not like a road bike with 5% steps where you can stick to 90rpm whatever the road does. Just accept its anywhere 60-100 and you’ll get there whenever you get there.

I’ve got a Brompton 2 speed..

got it second hand and even then it was £600.
years back i’ve had a Dahon folder – all I can say is that the Brompton IS significantly better.

Less flexy (despite smaller wheels) and the fold is much smaller.

I keep mine in my boot and use it for home visits, as well as little trips here and there.
I might look into a smaller chainring as i only really ever use the 1st gear!

Also.. you can 3d print cool bits for it like speed knobs etc!

Makes doing it up a bit faster as can stick the finger in and spin!

i’ve actually got an Ali express Ti seatpost in transit as we speak…wanted something a bit longer and lighter..

DrP

Got an older S3L. Hardly use it these days.

It was bought (s/hand) as a device for a long train commute, then crossing London. I eventually realised that no one ever booked the 2 actual bike spaces on the train, so went back to using a grown up bike.

The only real redeeming feature I found was the fold, which is genius. Everything else is just a little bit shit. You either spend ages fettling the thing to try and keep it working nice, or you let it slide and accept that its all a bit clunky and crunchy.

Riding it was OK. Yes its a bit of a shock initially, but they’re good fun in heavy traffic as so short and nimble. Riding out the saddle and trackstands require a bit of comitment. I had spds and Schwalbe Kojaks at 100psi on mine and it went off the lights like a scalded cat. They’re flexy as **** – the original M-bars mine came with were like wet noodles, and its still pretty easy to move the bars back and forward an inch or more relative to the saddle. The Sturmey Archer hub 3sp was rubbish. 1 – too low; 2 – ok for pulling away, but then spin out; 3 – needed legs like Chris Hoy (I’d go SS or 2sp if I was buying new). The big problem was that the brakes were terrifying, especially in the wet. I tried all sorts – different levers, pads, assorted cables, the works. They never got past poor and were abysmal in the wet. Which is worrying given quite how fast the thing could go. I had more proper pant-filling near misses on it than any other bike in 25 years of london commuting. The single Ultegra caliper on my fixie is WAY more powerful and way more reliable.

The downsides – its not a light thing to cart around. The best solution was to unfold the bars and drag it along on the roller wheels. But then it’s like every carry-on bag everywhere and the rest of the world hates you.

I was also finding that an increasing number of shops wouldn’t let you take it in (folded). To have to put up with all the annoyances of a folding bike AND carry a big lock around. Well sod it. Back to a real bike then.

I’d say overall they’re a great means of transport, but a pretty average bike. If you have a long train commute and a short bike commute to a fixed location, thats ideal, but sod riding one for “fun”. Mine only gets dragged out now as it fits in the frunk of my mid-life-crisis hairdresser car when I need to leave it at the garage.

Makes doing it up a bit faster as can stick the finger in and spin

nice, but for for even faster, my Mezzo (RIP) uses self closing latches as per airline seatbelts. It is a nicer solution and no folding mainframe makes for stiffer ride and longer wheelbase. But Brompton won the folder wars of the early 2000’s and have since gone from strength to strength.

There is a T-line single speed in my life.

I used to commute to the Royal Mile from Stockbridge on one.  Managed it fine, Big downsides were: they rust very easily and puncture mending is a pig.

I see a guy doing Deliveroo in Edinburgh on a standard Brompton quite regularly. Just folds it up at the restaurant. Seems to manage.

Hey @moredashthancash – that’s totally doable on a Brompton, and I’d recommend either hiring one (go via Brompton for the Brompton Dock thing), borrowing a demo from a local dealer or borrowing a friend’s one if you can. I got one for a 7 mile each way mixed commute (train to Wimbledon, ride up Wimbedon hill, which is plenty steep, then down to Putney and across to Hammersmith) years ago and demoed a shop one before buying. I’ve since leant it out to a few friends who wanted to give it a go for their commutes, and every one of them has bought a Brompton after.

I did, however, wreck three Sturmey Archer three speed hubs in the first two or three years – the pawls are just not up to it. The two speed hub is basically a mini-Hope and very robust in comparison. You can gear a long way up – 44t front and quite a lot on the rear – if you are concerned with gearing for hills and / or getting sweaty in work clothes. I’d recommend treating it like a full sized bike commute and riding in one set of clothes, then changing at work. I used to roll out of bed, into some riding trousers and a top, and shower at work before I began my day.

Someone in tne club must have a Brompton I can test ride.

The £50/month flexi rental is a good option for a month or two to see how you get on – think you get a discount off buying one after too.

I used to ride mine across London, get the train out to where I was working then ride the last mile to there. Bag on the front definitely helps the weight balance. I sold it a couple of years after that commute ended and it wasn’t getting used as much, but then wanted another folder after and got one of the Carrera ones. It rides a little nicer but the fold is awful.

Be wary of secondhand though, while there’s some mint barely used ones about there are some owners (like an old flatmate) who use them everyday, ride them into the ground then buy a new one. Plenty get stolen too.

@tired

nice, but for for even faster, my Mezzo (RIP) uses self closing latches as per airline seatbelts. It is a nicer solution and no folding mainframe makes for stiffer ride and longer wheelbase.

Still surprises me that the Mezzo wasn’t more successful, and no one has copied or licensed the design since as there was a lot to like about it (not least solid mudguards and rack which many folders lack).

I was also finding that an increasing number of shops wouldn’t let you take it in (folded)

That’s a suprise actually? I’ve never had anyone ask me not to, often take it in half-folded and regularly used to wheel it round various supermarkets unfolded. Particularly in cities I always thought the Brompton was one bike that people didn’t really see as a bike / me using it as a cyclist. Mine’s kept clean which might help, partly as it used to get stored inside while at B+Bs or offices.

I’ve got a 6 speed 2×3 which I’ve converted to 7speed derailleur with bits from Ali. I’ve done a three week tour through France on it with a Borough front bag and a tent on the rack. It gets used around town and taken on holidays being SNCF and DB compatible. I put it in its bag when taking it into shops, hospitals, hotels etc. It’s not the nicest bike to ride but I’ve got used to it, fond of it even. Buy some really stiff tyre levers.

@jameso – it was getting to the point in London where any place that had security on the door wouldn’t let me in (so most supermarkets). The one that really boiled my piss was the big M&S in the back of St Pancras. There’s literally nowhere in the station to lock a bike up even if I had a lock and all I wanted to do was spend under 2 minutes buying a damn sandwich, but little adolf in in his hiviz wasn’t having me going in with the folded Brommy. Wouldn’t tell me why I couldn’t. Just no. Pret got the business instead…

never had anyone apart from lloyds Bank Head Office cause me any issues with taking in a Brompton. They let me in eventually after they’d ‘enacted the folding bike protocol’.

Think they are perfect for what your suggesting. Yeah, the hills can be a bit of a slog but it’s all good training for the weekend ride :)

I have a one mile uphill ride home from the station.  It’s no fun at all and I have to admit I’ve even walked it a couple of times after a couple of beers. But for all the other benefits and cost savings it’s easily worth it. Get one.

@JonEdwards, it’s been 3 yrs since I was in and out of London with mine often but I never had any issues or challenges on taking it in places like that, supermarket near Euston for ex. Not doubting you though. TBH I always just walked straight in with it so maybe got lucky.

Almost everything’s been covered about them. My vague notes:

– whilst people do big things on them, they make most sense in a city / commuting / small hops sense. I love razzing around on it; more than about an hour in the sadle at a go feels a bit much

– mine came with S (flat) bars, which I hated. S-bars have a different (longer) stem to M/H bars. I ended up buying some Kuosac mid-rise bars, which I love, stuck some Ergons on it, muuuch more comfortable.

– they’re convenient, but they’re not that light. You want to minimise the amount you carry them. Yes, you can carry them, but you want to ride them as much as possible; lugging that thing around gets tiring.

– the front bag mount is great. Whilst Brompton bags can be a bit ugly, I have the basket/bag thing and it’s great for chucking odds/sods/shopping in.

– in one sense, they are twitchy, but in another, they’re like a little go-cart; you can put some power down on them and they get speed up fast. I grin a lot, still, when I get on after a while not riding them.

– You have to be a lot more diligent about things like potholes / raised grates. It’s fine dealing with a moderate amount of road chunter, but small wheels = need less of an obstacle to throw you around.

– the hub gears (3-speed, old 4-speed) are quite heavy. I just have the two-speed derailleur verison, and those two gears are basically “starting/going up things” and “along/down things”. The more modern bikes, with four-speed derailleurs, will likely have more impact on your gearing. I’d take the derailleur gears over the hub, or, indeed, the hub+derraileur combo.

If you are curious, the other thing I’ll note is they hold their value well.

Still absolutely love mine.

Originally got it for a ride/train/ride commute, but it’s used for so much more.

Popping to the shops a mile away – Take the Brompton

Going to London – Take the Brompton – no need to use the tube.

Going away on holiday – Take the Brompton just incase

I’ve got the S6L (3 speed hub gear with 2 speed cassette) and have never had any issues with gearing. Just keep the tyre pressures correct as seen quite a few with, especially the rear, run too low which kills the tyre quickly. Never had any issues with it apart from the usual replacement brake blocks etc. Do around 1,000 miles a year on mine.

I use my Mezzo as part of my train commute when too tired or busy to ride the full way. The thinking mans folder. Very much the Betamax of folders, technically superior to the Brompton in every way but lost the marketing war.

Seriously if you are unsure about a folder pick up a bargain Mezzo on ebay and see how convenient folding life is.  Once you are converted you can splash £1.5k pus on an inferior product or carry on with the Mezzo.  Only word of warning, most components for a Mezzo are standard bike parts but a few are Mezzo specific and as said they are discontinued so I am not sure about sourcing these spares, but i have had no need to yet.

I’d second the Mezzo, until you lift a T-line ;-) . The seat post on mine has a habit of getting stuck (unlike the Brompton, the seat tube is not lined), and the front wheel unclip doesn’t always unlock (the frame has no hinge, but you fold the front wheel assembly instead), but after I upgraded to the Continental tyres, it rides MUCH better than a Brompton (longer wheelbase and reach). But it is not light, my i4 with hub gear is 12 kilos. Spare parts are available by buying another for spares or repair. I paid £150 last Christmas for one of the original demo versions from the supplier. I use it all the time. It won’t carry luggage, Rucksack only. They made a rear bag, but 1) I’ve never found one and 2) it has to be removed to swing the rear wheel under to park/fold. Loved it since I first rode one at the Bike Show at the NEC in about 2005.

Brompton is still a better fold/luggage option, but Mezzo wins on ride quality by a long way. The thinking man’s folder is an Airframe. You’ll be thinking just how much the bottom bracket moves when you pedal!

I’ve owned:

Airframe

Airnimal Rhino

Brompton M6

Tactic Panache

Btwin Tilt 100

Mezzo i4

and will own a Brompton T-line single speed next

Others for a full list might include……(Dahon/Terns obvs.) and

Birdy – great ride, getting cheaper used.

Bike Friday – foldable rather than folding

Airnimal Joey – commuter

Montagu – full sized wheels

Hummingbird – CARBON BLING MACHINE – lightest production folder

Helix – TITANIUM FOLDER – and folding monofork

Xootr Swift – frame only, decent ride

STRIDA – still in production, A frame fast folding walking stick like.

Panasonic made a titanium folder some time ago

Fold-it 20″ wheel, rare now made by Pashley

Micro – before Brompton as above

Mobiky – super fold, heavy but I like them

And my Spanish favourite the Ossby – nearly brought one home!

Head to the now defunct foldsoc website for some nostalgia

I’ve had my brompton for about 15 years, not planning on getting rid of it, mainly used on train trips.  Some parts used 15 years ago were a bit crap so they’ve been replaced by now.

Brompton chainrings are standard 130mm road fitting, so you don’t have to stick to Brompton’s selection, I have 42t at moment which was for a little camping tour in Austria, you can fit down to 39t, but of course lose speed in top gear.