Brompton Folder – Conversion to off road. XC ?

Dear Sir / Madame,

The venerable Brompton Folder is indeed a robust bit of kit.

Would it stand up to the rigours of riding off road ?

Any feedback on technical alterations if indeed required re this proposed usage would be gratefully welcomed.

Softee

I would recommend fitting a clip around the rear triangle to fix it in the open position otherwise when you get some gnarly air, there is a tendancy for the bike to “auto-fold” making nailing transitions a real challenge.

My teeth/jaw- I wouldnt.

Lots of very bespoke parts on a brompton which limits how you can chop and change components – you’ll be particularly limited for tyre choices.

My sister in law has ridden parts of Mabie on a Birdy folder.

Might have to get some stronger bunjees to hold the briefcase that the owners of these monstrosities all seem compelled to carry…

And a hose-clean pinstripe suit

Do Rockshox even MAKE a 140mm-travel Pike fork for 12″ brompton wheels? 😯

If you’re serious, have a wander around Rough Stuff Fellowship material. I remember seeing a copy of their journal which featured pictures of a ride where a load of the blokes were on Bromptons. It’s a solid bike, it’ll do things, and is incredibly easy to carry. For a very long day with a lot of unclimable paths it would be entertaining. Or for hike-a-bikes in the lakes where you could blast through those long road transitions you sommetimes end up doing, then carry it up a sheep path. Loads of potential.

🙂

There is a man somewhere out in south west England who specialises in converting Bromptons. A partialy sighted mate of mine uses his Brommy for everyday transport and he had one converted by this fella. His has a Rohloff hub and V brakes (the critical weakness of Bromptons has always been pathetic gears and brakes)with the bars converted to incorporate a suspension post. All new Bromptons come with the clip Stoner requires or you can retro fit one. Mudguards would have to go and you might struggle finding a suitable tyre BUT why not?
I’ll text my mate now and try and get the blokes details. I’ll post later.

The Brompton Conversion specialist is……

Steve Parry Tel. 01934 516158

He’s a Yorkshireman but lives in Weston Supermare. He doesn’t advertise but if you google SP Brompton or Steve Parry Brompton my mate says you will come up with articles on his work. My mate is very pleased with his converted Brommy and he says that if he were given the “you can only keep one bike” ultimatum then that’d be the one he’d opt for, but that probably reflects his specific needs given that he can’t drive.

I’ve seen a mate pilot his folder down some pretty good singletrack, inc a nice drop (which floored the following rider). Was wicked seeing him weave thru the trees on it – though it is the most caned Brompton I have ever seen.

there is a tendancy for the bike to “auto-fold” making nailing transitions a real challenge.

We were obsessed (for a while) with a drunken combination of Brompton folding and BMX flatland.

I’d be quite concerned by the leverage on various parts of the bike given that the seatpost is about 80ft long, as is the stem thingy.

Besides, you’d look like a nobhead on one.

Why Softee, why?

Tiny wheels will sink in the mud and stop dead at the slightest obstruction. It will be an uncomfortable, ustable ride.

Your bike is engineered to go on flat surfaces and fold up for easy transportation/storage. I doubt if it would stay in one piece if you took it offroading on a regualr basis.

If it was a good idea to use bike like yours for offroading, mountain bikes would have all been made like a Brompton, but it just isn’t!

Even a really cheap and nasty fixed frame would surpass the performance of your folder.

A good windup matey!

Are you trying to tell me it’s not possible or not pheasible ?

Most reaction is quite positive…….

I bet Sir Christopher of Hoy never gave up just because of a little bit of mud.

Yes he did! That’s why he rides indoors!

Sorry, not wishing to sound overtly negative or disrespectful. Merely highlighting the fact that there are different bikes for different activities and that there is a very good reason for this. I did think you were joking, but I apologise for being flippant.

Spending a lot of money on adapting a design that is already highly compromised for use on road is, in my opinion, a waste of time and money. If you have space, spend what you would have spent on the Brompton and get a mountain bike. I have a freeride MTB, XC MTB and a hybrid for commuting. I used to think one bike for all uses was sufficient and ended up with extra bikes because I kept getting it wrong. I now have three rebuilt machines that are very good bikes (not the latest and greatest). Each is suited to their respective areas of use. I have thought about a quirky bike project just to be different, but this would be an excess beyond excess.

Getting a bike with geometry to suit your physique and intended use will make a massive difference to your ride! Brompton’s, by comparison to a large wheeled bike are about as far away from a tailored experience as one can get. Please try out some other bikes to see what I am getting at (if you haven’t already).

It doesn’t have to cost the earth to acquire a new machine if you are able to pick up an old bike/frame online. All the bits you could need are available online (www.ebay.co.uk, http://www.wiggle.co.uk, http://www.chainreactioncycles.com). Frames can be bead blasted and powder coated for as little as £35 if repainting is required. There are also cheap bikes in most stores, which would be the simplest and easiest route. I try and support my local independant bike shop, but I find they mostly cater for entry level stuff. The ones that don’t are great. If you have one such shop locally, give them a shout. They should help you whatever your needs and wants.

Good luck in whatever route you take!

http://www.airnimal.eu/News/Home.php

Look at the White and Black Rhinos! I’d love to try them…

My brother has the black Rhino. Very good fun, with road tyres on its also one of the most comfortable ways you can put in a lot of miles.

Not a fast folding / commute bike though – a really compact fold can takes ages – and is more of a dismantle than a fold.

stop it you lot, they’ll come and catch you with giant butterfly nets and keep you safe and warm in a cosy room with soft walls!

Dear Mr Spongebob,et al.

Whilst light hearted my enquiry was quite genuine I can assure you. I COULD almost sense your frustration as to my making a potentially costly if not painful mistake with the Brompton. I too where possible like to support my local cycle shop and where possible would buy British or British / UK designed bikes. Thank you for sharing your concerns and encouragement in equal measure.Am lucky enough to own a small selection of bikes but am always on the lookout for something different if not a little bit eccentric…. The Airnimal I do recall seeing featured in Cycling Plus features and articles some years ago but as always the mists of time, etc. the memory is not always so sharp. Fantastic bit of kit and if it’s good enough for the Illustrious Miss Pooley, well…..
softee – East Angular

Sorry,

Also forgot to mention Mr Ives as well. If it’s good enough for Mr. Ives the Airnimal must be a fantastic bit of kit. Would be curious though if he’s thought about attempting his ride on a suitably adapted Brompton Folder.

Softee

By comparison the Brompton is very much inhouse manufactured and very idiosyncratic – which means it does its specific job very well but the ideosyncracy makes it trick to play around with as other stuff doesn’t really fit. The Airnimal is the opposite – all the bits that bolt to the frame are bog standard, they are just arranged in an unusual manner. The forks, brakes, gears, shocks, wheel, tyres. seatpost, stem, bars etc are all common or garden, giving lots of choppy-changey upgrade potential.

Sheldon Brown had some converted Raleigh Twentys he rode off-road. He used BMX wheels, tyres and, I think, fork.

Softee… it has been done. I read an article in an AtoB magazine re the conversion etc. You could order it from here http://www.atob.org.uk/back_numbers.html look under technical features /brompton off rd conversion issue 33 2002. I might be able to dig it out and send you a scan.
also you could research at the folding society (google it) or Bromptontalk …loads off innovative chaps there doing all sorts of stuff. good luck.
mail in profile if needed.
bill

Herr Kaiser,

You truly are the font of all knowledge for Folding Cycles. This new information is going to take a little bit of time to digest.

May well take you up on your kind offer re scan but I know only too well what its like trying to dig through old cycling publications for articles.

Thanks for posting info. and link appreciate it.

softee