Folding bikes, the hour approacheth

As an avid Brompton fan (I own three!) I have tried lots of other folders.
The mentioned Ridgeback is absolute rubbish IMHO. It is a simply version
similar in 99% respect to OYAMA not Brompton. An OYAMA is pictured on my
webpages-its cost is approx £150 and its worth-approx £30.
John.
pbase.comjohn28julyOpen ↗

John and Pauline at Thornbury said:

As an avid Brompton fan (I own three!)=20

Is this the same John Shackford at Thornbury who previously posted to=20 uk.rec.cycling concerning
Bromptons "Rip off time indeed. I really=20 wanted a Brompton..I rode it twice. Sold it after 3
days11 why you ask?=20 I ripped both my ankles on the stupid rollers on the rear 'rack'. Total=20
dismay. Absolute rip off. Failed to m,impress[sic]"? I think we should=20 be told! ;-)

Quoted message said:

The mentioned Ridgeback is absolute rubbish IMHO. It is a simply versio=

n

Quoted message said:

similar in 99% respect to OYAMA not Brompton. An OYAMA is pictured on m=

y

Quoted message said:

webpages-its cost is approx =A3150 and its worth-approx =A330.

Though Ridgeback are a brand I trust to a fair extent fact is it still=20 doesn't fold as well as a
Brom judging by the pictures (AFAICT still=20 nothing else quite there that will ride as well), and
as for "a lot less =

money", a Stowaway is =A3450 and an L3 is =A3468. You do get a rack as=20 standard on the Stowaway,
but as with the Brompton T it'll be a bit low=20 to use panniers and Brompton have their purpose
designed and very well=20 executed front bag (I have one of these, and it's brilliant). You could =

put a Klickfix bag on the Ridgeback but it'll sit on the bars rather=20 than the main frame like the
Brom bag so will affect the steering more=20 with loads in.

If you want a neat folder that goes really compact Brompton still seem=20 to be the one to beat.
Birdys are nicer in many respects but don't go=20 so small and cost a lot more :-(

Pete. --=20 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 ↗

Peter,
It is indeed the same John of Thornbury. After mt previous attempt at
Brompton, I bought another and modified it. as you have probably seen on my
webpages! Just as a matter of interest, how on earth did you dig out such an
old message? Please tell me I could look for things I lost years ago.
Best regards,
John.
pbase.comjohn28julyOpen ↗

John and Pauline at Thornbury said:

It is indeed the same John of Thornbury. After mt previous attempt at Brompton, I bought another
and modified it. as you have probably seen on my webpages! Just as a matter of interest, how on
earth did you dig out such an old message?

Go to groups.google.comgroups.google.comOpen ↗ and thence to Advanced Groups Search. Fill in the boxes, push the
button, Robert's Your Parent's Male Sibling...

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 ↗

MartinM said:

Not many months left now before all former Southern Region guards van trains are withdrawn.
Surgically removing myself out of one yesterday I noticed a Brompton with V-brakes (unfolded) on
its way in, before I realised it was a Ridgeback Stowaway. They appear to have cloned the Brommie
design with a few improvements for a lot less money.

According to C+, the Ridgeback Impulse (£249.99) is very good but the Brompton L3 (£505.50) is the
daddy if you can afford it.

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

Quoted message said:

John and Pauline at Thornbury said:

As an avid Brompton fan (I own three!)

Is this the same John Shackford at Thornbury who previously posted to uk.rec.cycling concerning
Bromptons "Rip off time indeed. I really wanted a Brompton..I rode it twice. Sold it after 3
days11 why you ask? I ripped both my ankles on the stupid rollers on the rear 'rack'. Total
dismay. Absolute rip off. Failed to m,impress[sic]"? I think we should be told! ;-)

Quoted message said:

The mentioned Ridgeback is absolute rubbish IMHO. It is a simply versio

n

Quoted message said:

similar in 99% respect to OYAMA not Brompton. An OYAMA is pictured on m

y

Quoted message said:

webpages-its cost is approx 150 and its worth-approx 30.

Though Ridgeback are a brand I trust to a fair extent fact is it still doesn't fold as well as a
Brom judging by the pictures (AFAICT still nothing else quite there that will ride as well), and
as for "a lot less

money", a Stowaway is 450 and an L3 is 468. You do get a rack as standard on the Stowaway, but as
with the Brompton T it'll be a bit low to use panniers and Brompton have their purpose designed
and very well executed front bag (I have one of these, and it's brilliant). You could

put a Klickfix bag on the Ridgeback but it'll sit on the bars rather than the main frame like the
Brom bag so will affect the steering more with loads in.

If you want a neat folder that goes really compact Brompton still seem to be the one to beat.
Birdys are nicer in many respects but don't go so small and cost a lot more :-(

Thanks for that. You have me intrigued about the Oyama now: it appears similar to the Ridgeback but
with nastier components. Its folded guise looks v similar to the RB.

Re price, the RB is 369 and the comparably spec'd Brom over 500, but I'll need to have a really good
look at both now; got a few months yet.

Zog The Undeniable <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

MartinM said:

Not many months left now before all former Southern Region guards van trains are withdrawn.
Surgically removing myself out of one yesterday I noticed a Brompton with V-brakes (unfolded) on
its way in, before I realised it was a Ridgeback Stowaway. They appear to have cloned the
Brommie design with a few improvements for a lot less money.

According to C+, the Ridgeback Impulse (£249.99) is very good but the Brompton L3 (£505.50) is the
daddy if you can afford it.

I suspect that the Impulse is the 20 inch one similar to the Phillips/Raleigh folder. IMX these are
not really any good for sliding in next to a seat/sliding door. Funnily enough I bought an
absolutely awful Daewoo just before I started using the old trains, and they relaxed the bike ban
almost immediately so I hardly ever used it folded. I'm hedging my bets that they do the same with
the new trains.£505.50 is probably the difference between a straight train season and a Travelcard
so I could in theory afford to buy one every year with the money I save by taking a bike.

MartinM said:

Re price, the RB is 369 and the comparably spec'd Brom over 500

I took my price from the RB website. If you can get it for less, more power to you! One of the
things about Bromptons is that it's very difficult to get a discount because they're sold as fast as
they're made, pretty much. The price I quoted was from the Kinetics website (the shop where mine
came from), Bikefix have the same price.

The T Brompton has dynamo lights as standard as well as the rack. I wasn't bothered about the rack
and prefer a hub dynamo which I bought separately. If you don't have the money then the RB looks a
good machine, but if you do the Brompton is king of the pile for a good reason...

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 ↗

Do not buy an Airframe, as they are made from 100% Lymeswold.

--

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

[email hidden] (MartinM) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Zog The Undeniable <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

MartinM said:

Not many months left now before all former Southern Region guards van trains are withdrawn.
Surgically removing myself out of one yesterday I noticed a Brompton with V-brakes (unfolded)
on its way in, before I realised it was a Ridgeback Stowaway. They appear to have cloned the
Brommie design with a few improvements for a lot less money.

According to C+, the Ridgeback Impulse (£249.99) is very good but the Brompton L3 (£505.50) is
the daddy if you can afford it.

I suspect that the Impulse is the 20 inch one similar to the Phillips/Raleigh folder. IMX these
are not really any good for sliding in next to a seat/sliding door. Funnily enough I bought an
absolutely awful Daewoo just before I started using the old trains, and they relaxed the bike ban
almost immediately so I hardly ever used it folded. I'm hedging my bets that they do the same with
the new trains.£505.50 is probably the difference between a straight train season and a Travelcard
so I could in theory afford to buy one every year with the money I save by taking a bike.

Aren't Phillips, Ridgebacks and a few others simply rebadged Dahons?

With that in mind, its worth a look at www.dahon.co.uk which has a prety wide range of models to
suit different requirements. The Speed Pro is nice machine for faster rideers. Also
www.foldsoc.co.uk has a few favourable reviews by owners.

Regards

TB

Trealaw Boy ([email hidden]) wrote:

: Aren't Phillips, Ridgebacks and a few others simply rebadged Dahons?

Phillips, certainly. Don't know about the RBs, the Impulse quite possibly, the Stowaway I'd suspect
not as Dahons are all basically fold in two AFAICT.

: With that in mind, its worth a look at www.dahon.co.uk which has a prety wide range of models to
: suit different requirements. The Speed Pro is nice machine for faster rideers. Also
: www.foldsoc.co.uk has a few favourable reviews by owners.

Dahon are the biggest manufacturer of folding bikes in the world, and they do know what they're
doing from what I see of them. What none of them really do is go especially small: that's fine if
it's an under-stairs cupboard you want to tuck it into, but if you want to slide it between two back-to-
back train seats then forget it, that's where a Brompton comes into its own.

But if a Dahon will do as much as you need foldwise they have a bigger range and probably better
bangs per buck than just about anyone.

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 ↗

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Do not buy an Airframe, as they are made from 100% Lymeswold.

I've not seen that for a while. I remember the blue mouldy bits were all equally spaced through the
cheese where they had been injected in ;-)

MartinM said:

I've not seen that for a while.

What, Lymeswold or an Airframe? If the former, it's coz it's all being used to knit bicycles
nowadays...

--

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

[email hidden] (Pete Clinch) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Trealaw Boy ([email hidden]) wrote:

: Aren't Phillips, Ridgebacks and a few others simply rebadged Dahons?

Phillips, certainly. Don't know about the RBs, the Impulse quite possibly, the Stowaway I'd
suspect not as Dahons are all basically fold in two AFAICT.

: With that in mind, its worth a look at www.dahon.co.uk which has a prety wide range of models to
: suit different requirements. The Speed Pro is nice machine for faster rideers. Also
: www.foldsoc.co.uk has a few favourable reviews by owners.

Dahon are the biggest manufacturer of folding bikes in the world, and they do

Quoted message said:

But if a Dahon will do as much as you need foldwise

It won't, that's the whole deal. Only the Brommmie does that, which returning to the OP begs the
question is there anything of a comparable size/cost to it.

BTW, the Ridgeback is fundamentally different to the nasty nasty Oyama although cosmetically similar

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:08:41 -0000, "John and Pauline at Thornbury"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

🙂As an avid Brompton fan (I own three!) I have tried lots of other folders.

I think three is quite normal 😉 Simon Baddeley will agree 😉 Mine are black, his aren't. What's
yours ? Are we in the right group ? 😉

LOLlies.
--
Comm again, Mike.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:53:42 +0000, Peter Clinch
<[email hidden]> wrote:

🙂John and Pauline at Thornbury wrote: )> As an avid Brompton fan (I own three!)=20 ) )Is this the
:same John Shackford at Thornbury who previously posted to=20 )uk.rec.cycling concerning Bromptons
:"Rip off time indeed. I really=20 )wanted a Brompton..I rode it twice. Sold it after 3 days11 why
:you ask?=20 )I ripped both my ankles on the stupid rollers on the rear 'rack'. Total=20 )dismay.
:Absolute rip off. Failed to m,impress[sic]"? I think we should=20 )be told! ;-)

Your loss, someone else's gain. Should've trained your feet to grow straight. Blame yer Mum.
--
Comm again, Mike.

(MartinM) said:

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]-
berlin.de>...

Quoted message said:

Do not buy an Airframe, as they are made from 100% Lymeswold.

I've not seen that for a while. I remember the blue mouldy bits were all equally spaced through the
cheese where they had been injected in ;-)

Private Eye, 19eighty mumble.

Answers to our Christmas quiz:

The odd on out is Lymswold. All the rest are cheeses.

Tim

Tim Hall <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(MartinM) said:

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]-
berlin.de>...

Quoted message said:

Do not buy an Airframe, as they are made from 100% Lymeswold.

I've not seen that for a while. I remember the blue mouldy bits were all equally spaced through
the cheese where they had been injected in ;-)

Private Eye, 19eighty mumble.

Answers to our Christmas quiz:

The odd on out is Lymswold. All the rest are cheeses.

Well I finally saw a RB in its folded guise today (having determinedly ridden all of NCN 21 from
Gatwick to Greenwich, is this a first?),

right next to a Brommie, no comparison, it's the Brom or else a cheapo 20 inch
Phillips/Dahon/whatever. Also saw an Airframe in Decathlon, what's all that about?? £689 for a load
of space shuttle parts with a £25 groupset! And my ideal train bike, a £109 hybrid for when the
train company decide not to enforce the folders or nothing rule ;-)