Gravel Brompton

I need a folding bike, which I can hope on and off public transport with and ride on bridleways/bike paths etc to connect me back home or to work.

I live in a rural area and its for commuting. My normal commute is 10 miles to a station, but the trains are often on the wonk, so its either ride another 10 miles, wait till they fix them or jump on bus;  St Albans Abbey to Watford is the line.

I am settling on a Brompton, as its bus friendly, an Airnimal is not really.

So what set up? Tyres, bars, gears?

Good luck. 16″ wheels won’t mix well with potholes and loose surfaces: they don’t roll over big things well and the weak gyroscopic effect makes for fun times when it gets a bit squirrelly. So I’d be cautious on the expectations front—but if it does work tolerably, great.

Personally I’d suggest Marathon 365s (not used them, but they’d be the first place I’d look if I was taking a Brompton away from tarmac), whatever bars suit you, and whatever gears suit the terrain. Coming from an S2L I’d suggest that unless your off-road bits are pretty flat you’ll probably want the 6-speed.

Definitely take the 6spd option, possibly low geared depending on the terrain.

The Brompton is alright on some bumpy stuff as the rear elastomer takes up quite a bit of buzz, but I wouldn’t put too much through it as you’ll risk damaging the bearings. How bumpy are the bridleways, i.e. would you be happy taking a road bike down them?

Try riding a Brompton before committing. I don’t use mine for any distance riding at all as any full sized bike rides better.

Its kind of an emergency bike idea, that I can take with me to join up some dots, today it took me 3 hours to go 20 miles; everything was SNAFU on a Monday morning.

I am sure it could get a bit tricky, but calm seas never made a good sailor…

How about a pair of On One Marys on it?

Trying to think outside the box here, or maybe its the beer!

The tricky thing with a Brompton is that it doesn’t take much tinkering with bars to knacker the fold. Even adjusting the angle of the brake levers can bugger things up.

There are ways round it: I adapted the stud on the stem to allow more clearance, for instance, and some people have replaced the bar clamp bolt with a QR (which I didn’t want to do as it’s an extra thing to do every time you fold and unfold: the thought of having to align my bars six times a day didn’t appeal). But a seriously bendy bar might need some thought. Have a google: people have put weird bars on Bromptons, it’s just a question of what gets compromised as a result.

Certainly if you’re planning on heavily multi-modal commuting they’re normally the best option; I think you’ll just have to accept their significant limitations in terms of more challenging terrain. You could always buy secondhand as an experiment and if you buy carefully you won’t lose out if it doesn’t work.

Custom modified Brompton from Kinetics. The discs allow Big Apple tyres to be fitted, and it has a Rohloff with matching Son dynamo hub.

As the saying goes, if you have to ask how much it costs…

Personally I would like the (off the shelf) very similarly specified Birdy Rohloff, which is also available from Kinetics.

No-one likes a show-off 🙂

(PS. Nice.)

Wow! love the illustrated custom Brompton…always

1st I’d recommend getting a test ride , to make sure it suits, and decide on gearing options based on that.

I run a 2speed for lightness, and carrying, (some titanium helps too ;-)…)

Schwable tyres are really reliable, and available in a range of styles depending on terrain–speediness.

Something I find really helpful is adding some micro barrends , like X-Lite ‘knobbies’ from a long time ago, and being  a mtb ride I squeezed some cut down X-Lite XC risers in as well — however handlebars is an area that Brompton has really progressed, and there are numerous styles availible now.

I used mine a lot, commuting, ragging around the Glastonbury Festival site (when not muddy)…even offroad following friends around the LeighWoods tracks. Some fairly long rtouring type rides too, made comfortable because I was running my preferred mtb saddle / grips / and nice Shimano XT pedals. Overall lots of fun, to be had and very useful too. Happy Bromptoneering!

Cheers everyone so far,

When are Brompton going to do discs?

I think tyres will be crucial, riding qualities will be up to me and balance!

Ha ha I know that rail line. That wee train went past my house, I regrettably bought in Garston. My advise is to move!

Brompton wise, none of its that hilly really so you dont need that many gears, 2 or 3 at most. I find a 2 speed fine for my needs and glad of less weight.

Bars wise, look at an S type, but add some 40mm risers. Mine are 600 wide which works fine. Cheap alloy things, but the width and height works without the floppyness of M type bars.

Garston is Garston; the security guards ( what train has these!) always say once you have gone past there, all problems stop!.

I also live no where near there

Anyhow, what diameter is the stem?