Brompton foldaway-any good?

David Wood said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one. Anyone have
experiences with them and which model to go for? Or are
there better foldaway bikes?

For rapid use on and off public transport there is not
anything better (save perhaps the new model which Brompton
have hinted might come out in a year or so). Some of the
Dahon range comes close.

For longer range riding, off road, and situations where
rapid and compact folding isn't as critical there may be
better alternatives. Some of those alternatives are
considerably more expensive.

Read lots of advice on relative advantages of each Brompton
model at the Folding Society webpage:
foldsoc.co.ukfoldsoc.co.ukOpen ↗

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newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

David Wood said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one. Anyone have
experiences with them and which model to go for? Or are
there better foldaway bikes?

If you want a folder to take on the train for commuting
nothing comes close to being as well thought out, compact
when folded and quick to fold/unfold as the Brompton which
is why they are the folder of choice for commuters. If you
want a performance bike for the car book, boat or to take on
holidays then Birdy's, Airnimals, Dahons or Bike Fridays
will give you better performance and a reasonable fold but
not one you want to do every day.

As for models, the L3 is the best option. If you need more
gears the bike shop can upgrade it to the six speed for more
or less the price difference between the L3 and L6 although
I have not felt the need. Go to the T's only if you need the
luggage rack and lights. The C3 is a false economy

Tony

NC said:

David Wood said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one. Anyone have
experiences with them and which model to go for? Or are
there better foldaway bikes?

For rapid use on and off public transport there is not
anything better (save perhaps the new model which Brompton
have hinted might come out in a year or so). Some of the
Dahon range comes close.

Quoted message said:

For longer range riding, off road, and situations where
rapid and compact folding isn't as critical there may be
better alternatives. Some of those alternatives are
considerably more expensive.

How rapid does folding need to be? On Friday I didn't start
folding my Birdy until the train was already pulling into
the platform I was waiting on, and I managed to remove both
the panniers, get the bike folded and get on the train in
plenty time. R&M claim something like 15 seconds. Not
anything like as compact as a Brompton, but Bromptons aren't
available with 24 speeds.

Simon

Simon Proven said:

How rapid does folding need to be? On Friday I didn't
start folding my Birdy until the train was already pulling
into the platform I was waiting on, and I managed to
remove both the panniers, get the bike folded and get on
the train in plenty time. R&M claim something like 15
seconds. Not anything like as compact as a Brompton, but
Bromptons aren't available with 24 speeds.

Most commuters don't need 24 speeds (24 speeds on a Birdy?)
and it costs 2-2.5x the price of an L3. Particularly on
crowded commuter trains I'd rather have a bike that tucks in
the space between back to back seats out of everyone's way
than one that has to sit away from me at the end of the
carriage or block the aisle. YMMV

Tony

Tony Raven said:

Simon Proven said:

How rapid does folding need to be? On Friday I didn't
start folding my Birdy until the train was already pulling
into the platform I was waiting on, and I managed to
remove both the panniers, get the bike folded and get on
the train in plenty time. R&M claim something like 15
seconds. Not anything like as compact as a Brompton, but
Bromptons aren't available with 24 speeds.

Most commuters don't need 24 speeds (24 speeds on a
Birdy?) and it costs 2-2.5x the price of an L3.

Birdy's available in 8, 14 and 24 speeds iirc. The 24 speed
is an SRAM dual-drive (I think they've now changed to a
similar Shimano system). 6 speeds would be perfectly
adequate around Cambridge, but the other end of my regular
train journey has hills I usually go up in the lowest of the
24 speeds. I pretty much discounted the Brompton as soon as
I discovered there were no more than 6 speeds available.

Quoted message said:

Particularly on crowded commuter trains I'd rather have a
bike that tucks in the space between back to back seats
out of everyone's way than one that has to sit away from
me at the end of the carriage or block the aisle. YMMV

It does vary. The Birdy is much better at carrying luggage,
and without a decent set of gears I wouldn't be getting up
the North Downs. I don't use it for commuting, I use it for
going away for a weekend. I'm considering using it to do a
trip to St Malo on Eurostar/TGV (this will be considerably
faster than the ferry). I also wasn't going be able to fit a
hub dynamo to a Brompton without rather more in the way of
modification.

Simon

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 20:00:58 +0100, "Tony Raven"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Most commuters don't need 24 speeds

Speak for yourself ;-)

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
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88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

"Simon Proven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:7Fjac.112$74.31@newsfe1-win...

Quoted message said:

I also wasn't going be able to fit a hub dynamo to a
Brompton without rather more in the way of modification.

It isn't that much - but yes, the required fork spreading is
a bit scary, and filing the dropouts to fit the slightly
larger axle is tedious.

cheers, clive

David

The Brompton is a superb bike. I would highly recommend it.
Quick fold, small size, and as far as I am concerned it's
extremely comfortable for up to 50 miles. Now it may be that
as a 55 year old "slow" rider who prefers a more upright
position I am biased but for me its perfect. Hope you enjoy
yours. Recommend the L6 with reduced gearing. The Brompton
luggage system is unbeatable for convenience but conversely
the Brompton saddle is a pain in the bum for me but the
Brooks B66 made all the difference.

SW

"David Wood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one. Anyone have
experiences with them and which model to go for? Or are
there better foldaway bikes?

Simon Proven said:

I don't use it for commuting, I use it for going away for
a weekend. I'm considering using it to do a trip to St
Malo on Eurostar/TGV (this will be considerably faster
than the ferry).

In that case the Birdy is a sensible choice but if you are
commuting as I beleive the OP was asking the Brommie wins
hands down.

Tony

Just zis Guy said:

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 20:00:58 +0100, "Tony Raven" <junk@raven-
family.com> wrote in message <[email hidden]-
berlin.de>:

Quoted message said:

Most commuters don't need 24 speeds

Speak for yourself ;-)

You are hardly "most" Guy ;-)

Tony

"David Wood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one.

There is only one reasonable response to such temptation,
and that is to yield to it.

Quoted message said:

Anyone have experiences with them and which model to go
for? Or are there better foldaway bikes?

To the best of my knowledge there are no better foldaway
bikes. There are cheaper ones which aren't as good, there
are ones which are nicer to ride but take longer to fold,
but if you stand on the station platform at Reading any
weekday the only folders you will see are Brommies.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

David Wood said:

I'm seeing more and more Bromptons on my train journey to
work and am slightly tempted to get one. Anyone have
experiences with them and which model to go for? Or are
there better foldaway bikes?

I couldn't see any *real* use for one, though was looking
out for one for a friend. Found one at a great price, we
went to look. Pal wasn't sure, so since I had some spare
cash at the time I said I'd get it and give the option of
selling it on at the same price if pal changed her mind. She
did, but in the intervening couple of weeks I'd quickly
proceeded to "how did I ever do without it?" stage, and
bought myself a new one. Mine is my "hack bike": for
convenience, easy security (don't lock it up, fold it up and
take it in!) it's hard to fault. For big loads I use a
freight bike, for longer runs a recumbent tourer, but around
town the Brom is my mount of choice.

I agree with Tony's assessment of model: C is a false
economy unless you really can't afford more and the case
for the T is rather undermined for me as I much prefer
Brom's own pannier system to fiddling with a rear rack (if
you're carrying boxes the rack would be good, for light
shopping the pannier/basket is much easier IMHO). For
lights I prefer a dynohub to the bottle dynamo on the T, so
I got a dynohub fitted.

Unless you live in an incredibly flat place I'd get the gear
reduction. I have an L3 with the -18% and it lets me get up
some pretty big hills here in Dundee. The 6 is nice but not
really necessary if long term reliability is more important
than neater gear steps.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Simon Proven said:

Birdy's available in 8, 14 and 24 speeds iirc.

Red: 8 speed derailleur Green: 7 speed hub Blue: 3x7 SRAM
dualdrive Black: 9 speed derailleur White: 9 speed
derailleur (Shimano's new Capreo set for small wheels) Grey:
14 speed Rohloff hub

Quoted message said:

much discounted the Brompton as soon as I discovered there
were no more than 6 speeds available.

What the ratios are is more important than "how many". Lance
has ~20 gears on his race bike, I *very* much doubt if his
1st is as low as the 1st on my L3 with the standard -18%
reduction!

Quoted message said:

It does vary. The Birdy is much better at carrying
luggage,

It depends... it doesn't have anything as handy as the
Brompton's front frame mounting pannier/basket system

Quoted message said:

and without a decent set of gears I wouldn't be getting up
the North Downs.

Again, it's what they are, not how many. I don't see any
problem getting up most hills on an L6 with the -12%
reduction available for a few pounds extra, and if you got
whichever of sprocket and chainwheel used for the -18% it
would be lower still.

Quoted message said:

I don't use it for commuting, I use it for going away for
a weekend. I'm considering using it to do a trip to St
Malo on Eurostar/TGV (this will be considerably faster
than the ferry).

For which it is a better bike, I'll certainly grant you. A
B-Grey is well up on my list of "if I had one bike to do
*everything*", certainly higher than the Brom. But it does
cost more and it doesn't fold as well, both of which were
very significant points for me.

Quoted message said:

I also wasn't going be able to fit a hub dynamo to a
Brompton without rather more in the way of modification.

My L3 has a SON in the front. Ben "Kinetics" Cooper built
the wheel up for me in advance and had it fitted for me
while I played on his various 'bent demonstrators. The forks
are slightly spread but the only way I know that is because
I was told: no other obvious effects on the bike (except
riding it in the dark!).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Simon Proven said:

Birdy's available in 8, 14 and 24 speeds iirc. The 24
speed is an SRAM dual-drive (I think they've now changed
to a similar Shimano system). 6 speeds would be perfectly
adequate around Cambridge, but the other end of my regular
train journey has hills I usually go up in the lowest of
the 24 speeds. I pretty much discounted the Brompton as
soon as I discovered there were no more than 6 speeds
available.

I get around hilly Durham just fine on a 5-speed Brompton
with a 12% reduction. You spin out on the descents but that
isn't a problem for commuting.

Colin
--

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Simon Proven said:

Birdy's available in 8, 14 and 24 speeds iirc.

Blue: 3x7 SRAM dualdrive

Mine's a Blue, bought in April 2003; it's 3x8. I don't know
how long it's been an 8 speed block.

Simon