 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I've recently started a new design project involving the use and problems associated with Brompton folding bikes or other folding bikes, we are looking into problems that the user may experience when using the bike, this includes riding, assembling and disassembling the folding bikes. I personally havent rode one yet and just wanted to get an idea of the image of the company to people and if you own one anything that annoys you or that you are pleased with the bike.
Cheers
I have a Brompton & love it. Its for when I am in London & use it for getting about. In fact I am just planning my next trip & hope to cycle along the Thames & Wey Nav canal to Guildford & return on the bus.
It does have limitations of course but the above trip would not be possible on anything but a folder. I used to commute on one - 13 miles each way. It was a bit far tbh but I didn't have access to a bike store so I folded it up under my desk.
They are a bit expensive for what they are, but I have been all over London canal paths, parks etc & couldn't do this on my other bikes (I cycle one way & return on public transport).
Hope it helps
I sell Bromptons, and wondered about how to improve the design - no dieas yet!
The price is a reflection of "made in UK" and the level of quality - seems fair to me.
Having owned bromptons and dahons the fold and folded size of the bromptons is superior
The the fold speed is great.... But the catches are a bit antiquated .... Although they work... And I had a Dahon one which would jam....
Dahon had 20" wheels which IMO rolled better
A 18" wheeled brompton would be perfect all they have to do is make them....
Whoa - what happened to my post???
EDIT - ah - there are two threads running. oops.
Rachel
Picked up a 2nd hand Brompton - and it's made a massive difference to getting around, going into work, visits home etc.
I'd be lost without it, tbh.
My Brompton is the only bike I have not touched in 3 years - keeps going great.
we are looking into problems that the user may experience when using the bike, this includes riding, assembling and disassembling the folding bikes
Well, you'll have to look pretty hard to find them!
Brompton for work, used on Tram days where other bikes banned. Ace. Bit too heavy to carry any distance, but v.easy to unfold & wheel it.
I sell bromptons too. We do over 100 a year...
The design is second to none in the folding bike world. Its been refined over 30 years and is a triumph of design. They are not for everyone and are pretty specific in their application. Theres a few things i would change but only in terms of materials (eg rubbish plasticy shifters).
Next year theres a new round of improvements. Including new wheels/cranks/brake levers.
Folding bikes are a huge compromise. So many designs have tried to overcome this (Birdy, Dahon, bike friday, Brompton) but none will ever be perfect.
Just my opinion.
I like my Brompton - perfect for multi-mode travel.
Shifters are rubbish (as mentioned above) and I wish they did an 8 speed hub option as OE (which would be possible, as an after-market conversion exists made by some bloke on a narrow boat).
By way of how the other half live, I have a cheapo folder - shove it in the car on my 30 mile commute then ride in the mile or so from the free parking
Heavy, folds up pretty big and doesn't "clip" shut when folded but I don't really carry it anywhere so irrelevant to me (would be irritating if I did cary it)
Bit too short in the "top tube" to ride properly (I'm 6ft 1)
Wheelies easier than anything Ive ever ridden ! - nearly couldn't get the front back down when I lifted over a kerb on the 1st day
(oh, and makes you look like a bit of an arse - design [i]that[/i] out !)
Birdy here.
-ves:
the suspension link on the front fork could be a bit better - it is possible to get some left/right shimmy on it.
the rear suspension has some bob as it is a single pivot design, depending on suspension stiffness chosen, tyre choice and pressure, and pedalling style. Probably no worse than most and better than many.
having 18inch wheels the fold isn't as small as the brompton.
+ves:
no central hinge(s) (big plus) so no creaking
monocoque frame so pretty stiff.
front suspension smooths the ride
fast and fun to ride
sport stem gives similar cockpit size and position as an XC mountain bike
good for distance
My Brompton is the only bike I have not touched in 3 years - keeps going great.
You hate it that much? I'd at least wheel it out every six months and oil the chain...
😉
The only 'problem' with my Brompton is that although it folds small my shoulder starts to ache when I've been wandering around the shops with it in one hand for a while... Close enough to perfect for what it is.
Mezzo here.
Rides nicely but it's too heavy to carry any distance and perhaps more importantly, it's a difficult shape to carry with bits sticking out and no obvious 'handle'.
I wish they did an 8 speed hub option as OE (which would be possible, as an after-market conversion exists made by some bloke on a narrow boat).
Hey! It's not a narrow boat, it's a proper shop and everything! 🙂
I also do Rohloffs, disc brakes, electric assist and stuff like that to Bromptons, plus welding broken ones back together (today's job). As a basic design, a Brompton is unbeatable - nothing folds smaller and quicker, yet it's still good to ride. Where it falls down is the finishing kit - some of it is a bit plasticky and unimpressive for a bike of that quality.
Birdy does everything better IMO. We own both, Mrsflap a Brompton, me a Birdy.
The way I describe it is that if you want something that folds as quickly and small as possible, then got a Brompton. If you want something that does everything pretty well, get a Birdy.
Most Brompton owners have other bikes, to do other things, most Birdy owners I know of have only the Birdy.
I had a Dahon which I liked. Folded and unfolded in no time. Tried Bromptons and found them slower and fiddlier to fold, and the flappy wheel drove me nuts (though I know it's fixable). They do fold impressively small, though, and ride well.
The main design issue I found with all folders is that because the seat tube goes behind the BB shell, the seat angle is steep. Which means if you're tall like me, the seat is waaaay forward of where you want it. On my Dahon I struggled to keep my feet on the pedals. Also the bars on folders always seem to be batsarse mental high, though these days I notice Dahon have telescopic stems.
nice one guys some helpful points here, just curious what are the Brompton's or folding bikes like puncture wise, especially when commuting to work has any experienced punctures or technical issues and how easy they are to fix whether it could be a quick DIY job or a bike mechanic job ?
Depends on the tyres - no more puncture-prone than any other bike, really. Repairing them is a bit trickier than on a bike with quick release wheels, so depends how good you are with a spanner.
Marathons plus Slime. Affects ride feel, but saves puncture fixing etc.
6 spd Rear wheel is a pain to remove until youget the knack, but with above combo is rare event.
Marathon Plus tyres are even better - fun to fit, but once fitted they're very, very unlikely to puncture.
Big Apples on my Birdy - rear wheel is 8speed cassette so QR so fixing is no worse than a mtb with V brakes.
Previously I had a nexus Birdy, rear wheel removal more of a pain but also no worse than a mtb with an alfine and pretty straightforward, just carried an adjustable spanner (cool tool) as not a QR.
I also had HS33s but they don't make wheel removal worse than a V brake.
Bromptons must be more hassle - I have known people with bromptons get a puncture and then not use the bike for months...
Brompton rear puncture only takes 5 mins
Only likely to get a puncture if using the cheap tyres or schwalbe kojaks which are light but fast
Having the puncture resistant marathons makes punctures a non issue
The size of the fold means there's usually a space in the racks while other folders are acting as trip hazards on the train....
Brompton rear puncture only takes 5 mins
looks a bit of a faff - more than the nexus, and loads more than my current Birdy.
video is old, anything got any better?
I can do it in well under 5 minutes on the workstand. Disconnecting and reconnecting the cable is simpler than with a Nexus, but there's the tensioner to play with, so probably much of a muchness.
On the road, upside-down isn't the best way to do it, do it with the bike upright and the rear wheel folded in. That way there's slack in the chain to get the tensioner off, you can just undo the wheel nuts and lift the wheel out, and you don't get mud on your grips 🙂
I used to have a bunch of videos and guides, but pulled them when Brompton and I had a falling out...
Shwalbe Kojaks on my Brompton. Ridden 8 miles a day for two years and no puncture yet. (Yes, that probably does mean I am now doomed.)
Rachel
I found that with my recumbents - skinny slick high pressure tyres never got punctures, I think because there was no purchase for a bit of glass to get a grip. Tyres don't usually puncture first time, a bit of glass or something gets picked up, then over several rotations it gets forced in.
Tyre scrapers used to be popular - they flick out bits of glass before they get a chance to dig in.
yeah, on my road bike the chances of a puncture (from the very flinty gravelly crap on out local roads) goes WAY up when it's wet.skinny slick high pressure tyres never got punctures, I think because there was no purchase for a bit of glass to get a grip
I assume this is a dangerous combination of shards sticking to the tyres and sod's law
I can do it in well under 5 minutes on the workstand. Disconnecting and reconnecting the cable is simpler than with a Nexus, but there's the tensioner to play with, so probably much of a muchness.
so all in all my comment about it being a hassle stands - a nexus is pretty easier to disconnect/reconnect, a lot more so than in that video.
when Brompton and I had a falling out...
about the videos and guides?
so all in all my comment about it being a hassle stands - a nexus is pretty easier to disconnect/reconnect, a lot more so than in that video.
Like anything, it's a hassle if the first time you do it is 11pm in the rain - it's not especially complicated or difficult compared to other hub-geared bikes (Rohloff excluded).
about the videos and guides?
Over other things.
Kojaks have been fine in places like Bristol and Birmingham ime
In London they do seem vunerable the flint chippings they use in the parks
Changing the tube take no more time than on my Alfine equipped bike probably a bit longer than the Dahon with a derailleur
If your comuting one of the best things to carry is a pair of disposable gloves
One other great feature on the brompton is the luggage system
Dahon have a blatant copy of the front bag... Not sold in the uk and the other manufactures offerings are not in the same league
Often you see people assembling their bikes then attempting to fix pannier bags
You guys rock, some really help opinions and information, such a strong cycling community on single track love it. If you guys have anything else on Brompton bikes that annoys you, even accessories wise what there is/ isn't out there for the bikes and user.
If anyone can also help on city/urban riding not necessarily Brompton related that would be appreciated. check out my other feed.
On this thread topic - having used a folder regularly for almost 4 years, I don't think there's an 'ideal' one out there. Brompton folds really well / small and I love the bikes, the company etc, but the rider in me dislikes it - it's just not that nice to ride imo. It's not 'bad' as such, just feels twitchy to me and could be better suited to rough streets and random traffic. Having said that, some of my feelings about the Brompton may be based on my riding style and the fact I've often been riding a 29er all weekend. As a commuter-transport bike, it is a design classic, deservedly so.
I went with a Dahon that has slighly bigger wheels and a stiffer-feeling main frame, I think it handles better, but the latches work loose. Apart from that I like it. It has a 7spd hub gear that's great for city use.
I'll be accused of bias as I work for a retailer that sells them, but the best folder I've ridden so far was one of the new Terns. It has a SRAM 2-spd automatic hub which I like a lot, felt exceptionally stiff and solid to climb / accelerate on (to this fairly regular singlespeeder) and the handling overall was great. Doesn't fold down as small as a Brompton, but as long as it folds to go on a train the exact folded size doesn't bother me much.
I take mine boating
...but it went all rusty
Hi guys I've created a survey for my project about the Brompton bikes and if any one is able to do it that would be great help. The link is below and I have also emailed the link to some people.
Once again thanks for your help guys and girls it is very helpful.
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=yeefi4ari757htw123141
HA!
Remember me writing that I'd never had a puncture in 8 years? Guess what I got this morning...
Rachel [learning to keep my big gob shut]
Rachel you said it... the Kojaks are fast rolling but vunerable to the flint chippings used in London parks (as I learned the hard way) however the Marathon + seem immune to them
{top tip pack some disposable gloves as it's a filthy job especially if its a rear one}
I've just (inadvertently) manualled my Brompton, with painful results.
Not an especially stylish moment. 😳
New brake levers and rims on the 2013 bromptons...
Finally new brake levers!
Did Lejog on mine - quite usable
New cranks too. And grips.
5-10% price hike tho!