Brompton - Panniers

Richard Bates said:

I'm presuming that large rear panniers are a no-no on a Brompton?
What about front panniers used on the rear - will they have sufficient
ground clearance?

I don't think you can use any kind of wheel-side pannier on the Brompton.
There are plenty of bags that will fit on the rack.

Tony.
--
f.a.n.finch <[email hidden]> http://dotat.at/
VIKING NORTH UTSIRE SOUTH UTSIRE FORTIES: NORTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8, DECREASING 5
FOR A TIME IN VIKING AND FORTIES. RAIN DYING OUT. MODERATE OR GOOD.

Tony Finch <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Richard Bates said:

I'm presuming that large rear panniers are a no-no on a Brompton?
What about front panniers used on the rear - will they have sufficient
ground clearance?

I don't think you can use any kind of wheel-side pannier on the Brompton.
There are plenty of bags that will fit on the rack.

I've seen someone on a Brompton around Norwich more than once with two
small rear panniers. He's always going the other way so I haven't managed
to ask him about them. Maybe he has unusally small feet....

John.

insert <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Tony Finch <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Richard Bates said:

I'm presuming that large rear panniers are a no-no on a Brompton?
What about front panniers used on the rear - will they have sufficient
ground clearance?

I don't think you can use any kind of wheel-side pannier on the Brompton.
There are plenty of bags that will fit on the rack.

Quoted message said:

I've seen someone on a Brompton around Norwich more than once with two
small rear panniers. He's always going the other way so I haven't managed
to ask him about them. Maybe he has unusally small feet....

Quoted message said:

John.

I have used small Karrimor panniers on a Brompton. I think these were
the sort with an elasticated hook at the bottom and I think I had to
mount these the other way up.

It is possible, with care.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Richard Bates said:

I'm presuming that large rear panniers are a no-no on a Brompton?

Large ones, yes, unless you don't mind scraping off the bottoms on the
road and leaving the contents behind...

But have you got the touring pannier for the front yet? That's a pretty
big bag, and Bromton's own pannier mount is a really good, working design.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:47:51 +0000 someone who may be Richard Bates
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

What about front panniers used on the rear - will they have sufficient
ground clearance?

As others have said, some can be fitted. The main problems are heel
clearance and how to fit them.

Far better to use the Brompton front luggage and if you want more
space a bag on the rack. A smallish rucksack can be fitted so ut
rests on the rack and is also attached to the seat.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

I have 50 litre panniers (pair) on my other bike and I reckon the front pannier on my Brompton probably has the same or possibly more capacity. It is very well designed.

In message <[email hidden]>, David Hansen
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Far better to use the Brompton front luggage and if you want more space
a bag on the rack.

Without wishing to sound too my like one of those "met too"! Posting,
this is very much my experience, with my Brompton, too. The front
pannier is surprisingly large and - although a bit difficult to get used
to at first regarding steering, soon feels "right".

Although pricey, Brompton's luggage "collection" really is very good
indeed.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Ian Jelf said:

The front
pannier is surprisingly large and - although a bit difficult to get used
to at first regarding steering, soon feels "right".

There are two front panniers available, the standard and "touring". The
standard is a good size for day to day jobs, but you'd want the touring
one for, errr, touring.

I use the standard one, and find it only dents the steering at all if
it's full to the brim of heavy stuff. Good size can of paint and two
bottles of wine weren't enough to keep me off a former railway line
coming home on Saturday.

Quoted message said:

Although pricey, Brompton's luggage "collection" really is very good
indeed.

It's made by Carradice, so that speaks for the quality of build, but
it's the design where it really scores, being easier to mount and
dismount than most panniers. Being carried on the frame, rather than
the bars, means the steering effect is less than well-laden bar bags.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Richard Bates said:

I'm presuming that large rear panniers are a no-no on a Brompton?

Large ones, yes, unless you don't mind scraping off the bottoms on the
road and leaving the contents behind...

But have you got the touring pannier for the front yet? That's a pretty
big bag, and Bromton's own pannier mount is a really good, working design.

No, I don't even own a folding bike yet. Luggage carrying capability
is one of the deciding factors.

Richard Bates said:

No, I don't even own a folding bike yet. Luggage carrying capability
is one of the deciding factors.

As you may have already gathered from other answers, a good luggage
machine which happenes to fold is probably a better than a folder that
happens to carry luggage, at least for the work you've described...
Though the Brompton does okay on straight capacity, note that it doesn't
do "out of the saddle" very well even /without/ a good load on board, so
if you need to stand up to keep it rolling (which you might as the gear
range isn't huge) then that's where it suffers IMHO rather than basic space.

If you do still go with a Brom then probably best get a T6 with the gear
reduction and the pannier mount plus touring pannier, but I'd be
inclined to find something with more gears and a stiffer frame
(specifically less bend-prone handlebars).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Being carried on the frame, rather than the bars, means the
steering effect is less than well-laden bar bags.

A little weight on the front can also help keep the front wheel on the
ground when climbing steep hills. The biggest negative of the front pannier
seems to be that it hides the wheel, which some people seem to find
disconcerting.

James Thomson

James Thomson said:

A little weight on the front can also help keep the front wheel on the
ground when climbing steep hills. The biggest negative of the front pannier
seems to be that it hides the wheel, which some people seem to find
disconcerting.

I certainly lost my ability to wheelie up kerbs for a while. With
rather more experience I find I know where the wheel is, even with it
out of sight, so no longer a problem for that or jumping potholes at
speed. However, I can appreciate that not everyone will be happy with this!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 13:27:03 +0000 someone who may be Peter Clinch
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

it's the design where it really scores, being easier to mount and
dismount than most panniers.

It is worth adding for those that don't know. Attaching the Brompton
front pannier to the bike takes about a second. It is simply a
matter of lowering it onto the mounting block and it clicks in
place. Removing it may take as much as two seconds, because the
release lever has to be pulled before the pannier can be lifted off.
If only all bike luggage was so easy to put on and off the bike.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

James Thomson said:

Peter Clinch said:

Being carried on the frame, rather than the bars, means the
steering effect is less than well-laden bar bags.

A little weight on the front can also help keep the front wheel on the
ground when climbing steep hills. The biggest negative of the front pannier
seems to be that it hides the wheel, which some people seem to find
disconcerting.

I find that a fully loaded touring pannier makes the bike a *bit*
front heavy. Not only will it AutoFold (tm) as soon as you dismount,
road holding is impaired too, as I noticed when I tried to cross some
wet tramrails.
My current plan is to use a Ortlieb rolltop bag on the rear rack.
Choose a bag that just fits between saddle and rack, thread the
buckles through the saddle rails and close (Having first replaced the
Brompton seat with something decent), mount nylon hooks low on the
sides of the bag, hook Bromton's bungees over said hooks.
To park, unhook bungees.

Mark van Gorkom.

Mark van Gorkom said:

Not only will it AutoFold (tm) as soon as you dismount,

I hadn't noticed that, but I've got a clip to stop the rear end folding:

http://home.tiscali.be/zweistein/brompton/pictures/josh_fold_stopper.jpg

I did once ride across London with an 80 litre rucksack strapped to the
front rack. That would cause the rear wheel to lift when I dismounted, but
it was only a problem when I dismounted.

James Thomson

Peter Clinch said:

If you do still go with a Brom then probably best get a T6 with the gear
reduction and the pannier mount plus touring pannier, but I'd be
inclined to find something with more gears and a stiffer frame
(specifically less bend-prone handlebars).

A six-speed Brompton with speed-drive[1] works very well for long rides.
The speed drive provides two overlapping ranges of gears. If you get a
small chain wheel you end up with a lowish set of gears for hills and a
higher set of gears for normal riding. The overlap means you don't have
to keep hitting the button on the speed drive too often. I also have a
three-speed Brompton with a mountain drive, the extra gears are very very
low and don't interact well with the rubber bung suspension (you get
resonances between the suspension and pedaling).

[1]: <http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/mountain_drive.shtml>

--
Jose Marques

Jose Marques said:

A six-speed Brompton with speed-drive[1] works very well for long rides.

I'm sure it would. But it would also cost the same as a Birdy Blue or
thereabouts, which has a SRAM Duladrive to cover the gears, a stiffer
frame and full suspension, which would, I'd say, make a better overall
touring machine.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

I'm sure it would. But it would also cost the same as a Birdy Blue or
thereabouts

It's 200 quid less than the birdy blue. However, you are right the ride
would not be as good. I'm prepared to comprimise that in return for
having a bike that folds better (which is useful when not using it for
long rides). I think a birdy grey would be my ideal touring bike.

--
Jose Marques

Jose Marques said:

I think a birdy grey would be my ideal touring bike.

Though on the basis of having tried ther Kinetics dem last year when
Roos was deciding if she wanted a Rohloff or not, I'd certainly want a
different saddle! Bloody 'ell! (Ben's comment along the lines of "R&M
see it as a high performance bike, so think it should have a sports
saddle on it. I think I'd swap it for a Brooks though". Quite...).

Shame about the colour as well, though at that sort of money I'd think
it wouldn't be too hard to arrange a change of colour without affecting
the financial ballpark too much.

And I'd want to try out a Moulton, Airnimal and BF before dropping the
cash if the job was a tourer that stows away. For a tourer that doesn't
stow away I already have an ideal touring bike: a Streetmachine GT.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/