# Brompton poll



## Yellow Fang (6 Oct 2009)

Surprisingly, there are people about, even among those that have tried them, who don't like Bromptons. Dellzeqq and Hilldodger to name but two. What's the consensus then?


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## ianrauk (6 Oct 2009)

what about a 'not fussed either way' button


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## ChrisKH (6 Oct 2009)

For what they're made for; short commutes & folding for travel & storage. Fab a dab a doo. Most recently I have also found that because they are so easy to adjust, they also make an ideal bike for kids. My nine year old won't give me mine back.


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## Will1985 (6 Oct 2009)

I think they are good - I slapped some SPDs and tightened the suspension on dellzeqq's steed and the ride was more to my liking.

Looking around at some examples at the weekend, there are plenty of ways to make a Brompton even lighter and faster. Some narrower slicks would have been good.
Is it possible to swap an S-type steerer for a presumably shorter M-type one? Slap on some tribars and I wonder what the national 10 mile TT record is for a Brompton...


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## Hilldodger (6 Oct 2009)

And you could weld the hinge up to take out some of the flex and get away without using the suspension.


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## Yellow Fang (6 Oct 2009)

ianrauk said:


> what about a 'not fussed either way' button



I was going to include a 'no opinion' option, but then I thought if you didn't have an opinion, why bother voting in the poll. Unfortunately I can't add an extra option to the poll now.


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## Yellow Fang (6 Oct 2009)

Will1985 said:


> I think they are good - I slapped some SPDs and tightened the suspension on dellzeqq's steed and the ride was more to my liking.
> 
> Looking around at some examples at the weekend, there are plenty of ways to make a Brompton even lighter and faster. Some narrower slicks would have been good.
> Is it possible to swap an S-type steerer for a presumably shorter M-type one? Slap on some tribars and I wonder what the national 10 mile TT record is for a Brompton...



I assume that means you went to the World Brompton Championship. I'm not sure the bike would fold properly if you put tribars on.


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## Will1985 (6 Oct 2009)

Who said anything about needing to fold....I'm talking about using a Brompton in a CTT event!

Not sure why anybody would want tribars at BWC - it was hard enough trying to stay on them during the morning time trial with the inclines and sharp corners.


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## Cranky (6 Oct 2009)

Love 'em! A superb design with few compromises. For certain journeys they are the King of Bikes.

I was attending a course through the winter which involved a tricky commute at an awkward time. It would have been nigh impossible without the prowess of the Brommie.


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## mark i (6 Oct 2009)

For multi modal commuting with shortish cycles at each end they are not bad. That said mine had a sturmey hub failure at 3 weeks! It has since had a hub rebuild at around 9 months. The chrome on the headset is rusting and the front light bracket failed through fatigue. To be clear the bike git used twice a day (to and from work with a cycle at each end). At home the bike lived in the garage and at work under my desk, so the only time it had bad weather was when it was being used. Great concept, it does fold well, some of the components were less reliable than they should be. The LBS that sold it to me were poor in their service once the bike was mine, so we had a big argument about the second hub rebuild.....


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## TheDoctor (6 Oct 2009)

Yellow Fang said:


> I was going to include a 'no opinion' option, but then I thought if you didn't have an opinion, why bother voting in the poll. Unfortunately I can't add an extra option to the poll now.



One of the Mods can do it for you, if you like?


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## Bokonon (6 Oct 2009)

I have a Brompton. It is compromised, but that is the nature of a folding bike. For what I use it for (short cycle - train - short cycle) I think it is as good as I could get for the budget I set for it. It has loads of faults and I am slowly working on sorting some of them without spending too much money, but I realised the faults existed before I bought the thing so I can't complain too much.


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## Yellow Fang (6 Oct 2009)

TheDoctor said:


> One of the Mods can do it for you, if you like?



MOD!


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## trsleigh (7 Oct 2009)

Another Brompton fan. Brilliant bike for London for several reasons.
1. Because of the number of low life parasitic theiving bastard contemptable scum you do not need to risk leaving your bike on the street, just take it with you.
2. If you get a puncture on a really foul mancky commute, rather than faff around mending the puncture in the rain, sleet or snow just fold it and take a bus or tube. Why do I never get punctures on lovely sunny mornings when it would be a pleasure to find a bench and repair it in the sun?
3. Front pannier system, just so convenient.
4. As it's an iconic London design SWMBO allows me to keep my two in the hall next to the front door.
5. Myself and three or four chums are cyling down to Brighton later this month, so less hassle on train back. although obviously the truly keen would cycle the return trip as well.
6. This line delibrately left blank for other reasons....


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## rogerzilla (11 Oct 2009)

6. You can buy everything as a spare part. Try that with a Dahon.


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## John the Monkey (11 Oct 2009)

I took one for a test ride on Friday - I was quite surprised by it - not as twitchy as I'd expected, and I had a grin on my face by the time I ad to ride the bike back to the shop.

As good as riding a full size bike? No way. A decent compromise if you have to be able to jump on a train/bus or stow the bike under a desk? Absolutely. I've put in for one on Cyclescheme already...


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## Bromptonaut (11 Oct 2009)

Been a user for ten years and now on my second. The original stays in the garage as a spare but is currently on loan to daughter's b/f. 

The new one with the speed BWR set up is brilliant. Marginally quicker on the commute and perfectly capable of keeeping up with Mrs B on her tourer or MTB on a 25mile local lane bash.


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## CharlieB (12 Oct 2009)

Currently mine is taking me on a (flattish) 10.1 mile daily commute in 33-35 minutes, including traffic light stops. It's certainly as quick as my MTB that has been 'road-friendlied' as much as possible (tyres/bars/cassette/chainring).
When I ordered it, I requested the lightweight slicks. Alas by the time it was delivered, they had been discontinued, so it's on Marathons. Found a set of slicks on eBay recently, but got beaten on the auction that finished while I was presenting a radio show, and haven't seen a set since.

Quote from Post #14
'1. Because of the number of low life parasitic theiving bastard contemptable scum you do not need to risk leaving your bike on the street, just take it with you.'
The insurers insisted I had a Kryptonite Gold standard lock as a minimum - so I bought this wonderful lock I now never use for that very reason.

Mind you, I've not had it long enough to comment on reliability issues raised here.


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## srw (12 Oct 2009)

CharlieB said:


> Currently mine is taking me on a (*flattish*) 10.1 mile daily commute



In Chesham?! (Neither historic, nor posh, but I'll tackle those later...)


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## CharlieB (12 Oct 2009)

Nah, Harrow-Regent's Park.

Spot the ironic ' before historic and after posh. It's an earlier thread in Touring (i think) that called it that. You'd know if you saw the teenagers dragging their knuckles along the pavement and their status dogs behind them as they roll out of the kebab emporia.
Like any other town in the UK, really.


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## Origamist (12 Oct 2009)

Will1985 said:


> I think they are good - I slapped some SPDs and tightened the suspension on dellzeqq's steed and the ride was more to my liking.
> 
> Looking around at some examples at the weekend, there are plenty of ways to make a Brompton even lighter and faster. Some narrower slicks would have been good.
> Is it possible to swap an S-type steerer for a presumably shorter M-type one? Slap on some tribars and I wonder what the national 10 mile TT record is for a Brompton...



Here's a Titanium "Brompton" with a heavily modified front end. Fit aerobars and 19mm Primo Champs and I reckon a sub twenty 10 is possible...


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## joolsybools (12 Oct 2009)

I tried a Brommy for the first time at the cycle show on Saturday. I thought it was ok but wasn't too keen on the gear levers - it was difficult to change gear (and be sure that you had!) and I had visions of them snapping off within a week. Otherwise ok though, not that I am in the market for one!


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## Crankarm (26 Oct 2009)

CharlieB said:


> Currently mine is taking me on a (*flattish*) 10.1 mile daily commute in 33-35 minutes, including traffic light stops. It's certainly as quick as my MTB that has been 'road-friendlied' as much as possible (tyres/bars/cassette/chainring).
> When I ordered it, I requested the lightweight slicks. Alas by the time it was delivered, they had been discontinued, so it's on Marathons. Found a set of slicks on eBay recently, but got beaten on the auction that finished while I was presenting a radio show, and haven't seen a set since.
> 
> Quote from Post #14
> ...





srw said:


> In Chesham?! (*Neither historic, nor posh*, but I'll tackle those later...)



*Nor flat* there are some killer hills - White Hill or Chartridge Lane going up into the Chiltern Hills.


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