# 32 miles on a Brompton, no issues… what is your farthest distance…?



## stoatsngroats (25 Sep 2021)

I know many have done many more miles on their Brompton, but today I did my farthest cycle on my Nine Streets.

For anyone who wonders whether these amazing machines can be used for anything other than a short (commute) distance, I have to say, they really are fine.
I had some well worn, tree-route damaged and ‘pock’ marked tarmac (the kind damaged over many years by tree sap) and it went very well.
I climbed about 800 feet over the 32 mile distance (so not fantastically hilly, and completed it in about 3 hours, with photo stops, at an average of 10mph, maxing at 20mph.

I was comfortable the whole way, no saddle issues etc.

best bit was taking it into a cafe for brunch, and keeping it by my side, rather than locking it outside in the rain.


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## palinurus (25 Sep 2021)

I never did any really big miles when I had a Brompton. I would take it to France sometimes on the Eurostar (pre Velib') and ride around Paris- a good way of feeling more at home in any place. Also Ms. P. has some friends who live in Troyes in the Champagne region- so I'd take it out for rides around there, the most I rode was about 50 miles. There's a couple of big lakes to the east of Troyes so I went over there once, I remember a lot of the route being good quality cycleways. I rarely prepared much for these trips- I'd check the weather and just take my wallet.

Sold it after a while. The next owner took it on a trip to New York and- on a separate occasion- rode it to a podium place at the Brompton Worlds at Blenheim Palace. I rode the most boring cyclocross race ever devised at the same venue on the same day (it was on a completely flat grassy area on a really dry & sunny day)


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## a.twiddler (25 Sep 2021)

Never had a Brompton, though had a Dahon Vitesse simultaneously for a while with my Viking Safari. Both aluminium framed 20" folders with no suspension and 7 gears, the Dahon with a Shimano Nexus on the back. The Dahon was theoretically a "better" bike -supposedly better made, better finished, originally much more expensive, certainly a better fold but the Viking folded sufficiently well to go in the car with my wife's folder so the issue was not a burning one. 

I was quite conflicted as I had to sell one or the other. Eventually I did a back-to-back shootout over the same mixed 25 mile course of urban streets, minor roads and unsurfaced rail trails. This confirmed my suspicions that the Viking actually rode better than the Dahon, even with its nondescript 1.75 tyres and the Dahon temporarily equipped with 50mm Big Apples instead of the 1.5 Marathon Racers it came with. No tingly fingers on the Viking at the end of the shootout, definite numbness and tingling with the Dahon.

Longest trip on the Viking since has been about 35 miles, still running on 1.75 tyres. Since getting into recumbents it's mainly been used if I need to drop the car off somewhere, eg for servicing, so I can cycle home, and for picking it up again. So it's a bike for a purpose now rather than a leisure vehicle.

Brompton riders will no doubt continue to post reports about eye popping mileages with alarming amounts of luggage, and more power to them.

Just because your bike has tiny wheels, and folds, doesn't mean you can't use it for fun.


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## Gunk (25 Sep 2021)

I sold mine earlier this year as it wasn’t being used, longest trip I ever did was about 10 miles.


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## Ming the Merciless (25 Sep 2021)

They’ve been used successfully on the big audaxes such as London Edinburgh London. That is around 900 miles in a bit under 5 days. Longest I have been on mine is about 41 miles. I use my other bikes for longer distances.


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## Tenkaykev (25 Sep 2021)

I've posted this before, but Mrs Tenkaykev and I cycled Bowling Basin in Glasgow to Portobello in Edinburgh on our Bromptons. It was a distance of 70 miles on the day of my 70th Birthday. 
I had planned to take part in the " Ride to the Sun " 100 miler this year, but the Covid situation made it a no go. Looks like a brilliant event so fingers crossed for next year🤞

https://www.ridetothesun.co.uk/


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## Fab Foodie (25 Sep 2021)

Have done just over 100 miles in one go on the Brompton and many 60/70 milers.
It’s not difficult if you can do similar on a regular bike.


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## oldwheels (25 Sep 2021)

When I rode on 2 wheels I often did about 40 miles on my Brompton just pootling around. I still retain probably doubtful hopes of getting back on 2 wheels as I am now mostly on 3.


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## oldwheels (25 Sep 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> I've posted this before, but Mrs Tenkaykev and I cycled Bowling Basin in Glasgow to Portobello in Edinburgh on our Bromptons. It was a distance of 70 miles on the day of my 70th Birthday.
> I had planned to take part in the " Ride to the Sun " 100 miler this year, but the Covid situation made it a no go. Looks like a brilliant event so fingers crossed for next year🤞
> 
> https://www.ridetothesun.co.uk/


Bowling basin is not in Glasgow. I lived in Bowling for 10 years until 1972.


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## cougie uk (25 Sep 2021)

Only shortish 10/20 milers tbh. Longer rides use the other bikes I really must try harder.


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## Blue Hills (25 Sep 2021)

Pretty sure I've done 80 miles in a day on mine - maybe more.

Have posted before, but a pic here, and I've been up more fearsome climbs than that. It's the 5 speed one.













brommie



__ Blue Hills
__ 21 Jul 2018


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## oldwheels (25 Sep 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> I've posted this before, but Mrs Tenkaykev and I cycled Bowling Basin in Glasgow to Portobello in Edinburgh on our Bromptons. It was a distance of 70 miles on the day of my 70th Birthday.
> I had planned to take part in the " Ride to the Sun " 100 miler this year, but the Covid situation made it a no go. Looks like a brilliant event so fingers crossed for next year🤞
> 
> https://www.ridetothesun.co.uk/


About 1970 Bowling Basin


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## steveindenmark (25 Sep 2021)

My longest day on my 9 streets was 143 miles. I have done several hundred milers. You just need to relax a bit and realise it is not a road bike.


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## PeteXXX (25 Sep 2021)

Inaugural Brompton ride was Strava'd at 25 miles, around London Town from the Brommie shop in Covent Garden, though 3 or 4 miles of that was a walk from Euston Station. 






My S6L in Brompton Square..


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## TheDoctor (25 Sep 2021)

Longest in a day? About 50 miles. I've done two weekend tours on it, 75 miles round Champagne and about 80 from Carlisle to Newcastle. Also a 250 odd mile weeks tour round Provence. I'm not attaching the Ventoux photo again...


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## Tenkaykev (25 Sep 2021)

oldwheels said:


> Bowling basin is not in Glasgow. I lived in Bowling for 10 years until 1972.


Yes, apologies, I should have said near Glasgow. 
In my defence we got the first train from Glasgow to Bowling and headed for the Basin to start our Canal side expedition.


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## roley poley (25 Sep 2021)

oooh can I cheat and say I took mine to Europe on the ferry and went round France/ Germany and got stuck in Amsterdam for too long in my youth on a trans rail ticket xxx


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## rogerzilla (25 Sep 2021)

I've ridden mine from Oxford to London a few times (straight over the Chilterns), so about 80 miles including getting to and ftom trains at either end.


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## Ridgeway (25 Sep 2021)

On mine about 30km as it's often used as the run about. It often come with me in the back of the car on my customer visits across Europe, hate sitting in hotels during the evening and prefer to tootle around and investigate a bit.

We have a new office that's 45km away from M. Zoncolan and i contemplated taking the Brommie this week and having a go to see how far i could get next visit i think i'll try it just for the fun of it


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## Tenkaykev (26 Sep 2021)

Mrs Tenkaykev is planning a Brompton Road Trip for us both, a " Bristol Triangle ". From Poole down to Weymouth then up to Bristol, hopefully timed to coincide with the Bristol Beer Festival next year. A couple of days in Bristol then head down to Poole via a different route. We'll take it easy and have a few overnights.


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## biggs682 (26 Sep 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> Mrs Tenkaykev is planning a Brompton Road Trip for us both, a " Bristol Triangle ". From Poole down to Weymouth then up to Bristol, hopefully timed to coincide with the Bristol Beer Festival next year. A couple of days in Bristol then head down to Poole via a different route. We'll take it easy and have a few overnights.


That sounds like a great route


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## tinywheels (26 Sep 2021)

I find its the terrain that limits my jaunts. Even with 6 speeds its a challenge. if your routes relatively flat distance is not an issue. The other problem is road surface. Those wheels don't like it rough. Personally I like to torture myself, its one of the reasons I bought it. 40 miles is easily done, it just takes a little longer than most.


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## mitchibob (27 Sep 2021)

I think Dunwich Dynamo 2019, with ride back to Ipswich, then from Liverpool Street home, might be my longest one. One of the most fun too! About 260km total I think.


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## tinywheels (27 Sep 2021)

mitchibob said:


> I think Dunwich Dynamo 2019, with ride back to Ipswich, then from Liverpool Street home, might be my longest one. One of the most fun too! About 260km total I think.
> 
> View attachment 611132


in a day!


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## mitchibob (28 Sep 2021)

tinywheels said:


> in a day!


Well, overnight. Think I was back in my local pub around lunchtime. But I wasn't the only Brommie doing it. Saw a few on the route, and Orange Brompton on the beach. I know some of those did the ride back to Ipswich for the train too. Highly recommended sportive! So much fun!


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## Tenkaykev (28 Sep 2021)

mitchibob said:


> Well, overnight. Think I was back in my local pub around lunchtime. But I wasn't the only Brommie doing it. Saw a few on the route, and Orange Brompton on the beach. I know some of those did the ride back to Ipswich for the train too. Highly recommended sportive! So much fun!


That's a great adventure! Chapeau for heading back to the Pub, it's really important to rehydrate properly after such exertion. 😎


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## mitchibob (28 Sep 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> That's a great adventure! Chapeau for heading back to the Pub, it's really important to rehydrate properly after such exertion. 😎


Totally... pub for a few pints, then home for epsom salt bath! ... with another beer!

Actually, did manage to get a couple 'energy' beers on the beach to help get back to Ipswich.


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## Tenkaykev (28 Sep 2021)

mitchibob said:


> Totally... pub for a few pints, then home for epsom salt bath! ... with another beer!
> 
> Actually, did manage to get a couple 'energy' beers on the beach to help get back to Ipswich.


There's nothing quite like that achy, post event glow when the alcohol consumption combines with the fatigue


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## Kell (29 Sep 2021)

Certainly not done anything like those sorts of distances on the Brompton.

Last year I did the virtual Brompton World Cup and did a 19 mile ride. Should have done the longer one really.

The year before I did a 27 mile ride on mine. But that took forever. I thought I was being smart by staying off the roads and following a canal path. It was fine at first while it was paved. And even the gravel sections were ok, but slower.

But as soon as I hit the unpaved, un-gravelled section it was awful. Very slow, very uncomfortable and just not enjoyable. The wheels are too small to copy with ruts and tree roots, and the tyres aren't as wide as MTB tyres to provide any suspension or real grip.


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## ExBrit (29 Sep 2021)

I rode a double metric century a couple of weeks ago on my Brompton just to see how it would feel. BTW OP lovely color bike.


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## Kell (30 Sep 2021)

^ That's impressive.

I rode further than I should have done yesterday. Nowhere near that amount though.

Decided I'd cycle to the next station on my normal commute as I had time to leapfrog the train. Or so I thought. Rush hour traffic and loads of sections of roadworks, meant I missed it by 3 minutes. And there wasn't another one for an hour.

So I cycled back to my original station. As it actually meant I could get an earlier train. So instead of doing the normal 2.0 mile ride to a station near work, I ended up going 13.7 miles.


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## tyred (30 Sep 2021)

Several times I have done about 85 miles on my Brompton. 

I've done around 50 miles on my folding Raleigh Twenty on a number of occasions too.


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## gom (30 Sep 2021)

Yesterday day I did 80km with 1200m of climbing. I was surprised how “easy” it was - that is it felt no worse than using my audax bike. At the moment I would struggle to do 100 miles on any bike, so can’t compete with some of the distances here.
I should note that I have a double chainring giving me some seriously low gears. This does help!


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## Blue Hills (30 Sep 2021)

tyred said:


> I've done around 50 miles on my folding Raleigh Twenty on a number of occasions too.


with that original saddle?


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## tyred (30 Sep 2021)

Blue Hills said:


> with that original saddle?


No, it has a Brooks B66 fitted in the interests of comfort.


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## Bee (30 Sep 2021)

I've done 170 miles with over 10,000' climb (RWGPS link), and dozens of centuries. Recently I joined AudaxUK and have been knocking out 200km rides this month. I don't find long days on the Brom to be a problem... but then I don't ride any other bikes so might not know (remember) what it is I'm missing.


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## Blue Hills (1 Oct 2021)

tyred said:


> No, it has a Brooks B66 fitted in the interests of comfort.


frying pan to fire


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## Tenkaykev (1 Oct 2021)

Bee said:


> I've done 170 miles with over 10,000' climb (RWGPS link), and dozens of centuries. Recently I joined AudaxUK and have been knocking out 200km rides this month. I don't find long days on the Brom to be a problem... but then I don't ride any other bikes so might not know (remember) what it is I'm missing.


I’m in a similar situation having only ridden Bromptons since taking up cycling several years ago. I enjoy riding my Brommie, it brings a smile to my face 😁


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## GeekDadZoid (10 Oct 2021)

32 miles is my longest ride so far too, I'm about 6 weeks into ownership. I can see myself doing some pretty big rides on this, especially one way trips and then getting the train back.


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## mitchibob (10 Oct 2021)

The 2nd Festive500 I managed, where I tried to do as many Top100 climbs as I could in the South East app as well during the 8 days, was definitely type 2 fun. Think I was near 300km before I got Christmas lunch (well, dinner at time I got there). Think I got to New Years's Eve couple kilos lighter than Christmas Eve. Christmas cake and my mum's mince pieces were decent pocket energy food for the last 200km.

And these places were complete accidents ... Christmas eve...






... then few days later, not quite the right day ...






Riding to my parent's place in Surrey for Christmas lunch might be bit tougher this year, but will take a chunk out of the Festive500, hopefully, with a tailwind! Riding home will be harder! Need to get new rims on the Brommie before I do it on that though.... might have to be road bike this year, until the power is back. Maybe I'll stay local instead.. brave the local mountains.


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## roley poley (10 Oct 2021)

GeekDadZoid said:


> 32 miles is my longest ride so far too, I'm about 6 weeks into ownership. I can see myself doing some pretty big rides on this, especially one way trips and then getting the train back.


ah..the train back ..a fellow Bromptoneers option


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## mitchibob (12 Oct 2021)

roley poley said:


> ah..the train back ..a fellow Bromptoneers option



Totally! For a long time, I'd plan my longer looped around various potential train stops on the route so that I could bail out, although, never ended up taking the option, but got close SO many times, if there'd been guarantee of heating on the train for my feet, but that's never a guarantee.

While I never carry a lock with Brommie, I do sometimes now carry lightweight zip-tie like thing when I put on the luggage rack to attach and stop the opportune guy at a train stop if I'm not sitting close it to, or in danger of dosing off, from running off with my pride and joy. There's been more than one report of people losing their Brommie from a train luggage rack while being distracted, so just a little thing to make that slightly harder could be worth it. Although, I can't see myself being on a busy train for a while if I can help it.


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## GM (12 Oct 2021)

I've done the Prudential 46 twice on the Brompton, the last one a couple of years ago by the time I left home and got back I managed to clock up 82 miles. That's the most I've done, but I do lots of 40ish milers with The Fridays Sunday rides.


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## mitchibob (13 Oct 2021)

I really think people discount riding long distance on Bromptons for the wrong reasons. For touring, they are incredibly practical. I did my longest rides so far with the original saddle, although, I have worn one out, and still deciding on ideal replacement... the decathlon saddle I have on there at the moment is OK, but not put distance into it yet (but it was bad on the road bike on the turbo for multi-hour sessions), but seems OK with the titanium seatpost on the brommie. But out of the box, it's absolutely fine for long distance, if the saddle is comfortable enough for you. I might prefer something firmer now, but that one did me fine for many thousand kilometers, and does for many people, otherwise, I'd suggest Brompton might've changed it. Being able to stick a cateye mini in it is a nice bonus.

What I have learned in the last few years, is that getting tyre pressures in the sweet spot does help. While you can go pretty high, it does affect ride quality and rolling resistance, especially on certain rough road surfaces with the smaller wheels, so too high, you even have to pedal downhill on some surfaces, just to maintain speed. Unless all the roads around you are super smooth, 80psi as max is fine. But below a certain level, especially with Marathons, it quickly turns into riding through treacle. I really like the conti-urban-tyres at the moment, that seem to work well in all weather, and need to get quite low before they start to feel slow.

But then there's the luggage. Things like mini-O-bag don't have massive wind resistance and great for the during the day stuff, and if you're a small guy like me, then sticking a 15L+ seatpost bag on a Brompton is never going rub on the rear wheel like is a risk on road bike. But then, also being able to add another 20L plus with a bigger bag on the front luggage block gives you a load of storage. That's before even adding the, arguably, useless rear rack, although, might be useful for some stuff, I haven't really felt I've missed out by not having the weight of it. Sticking the same amount of stuff on a road bike for me means 3 separate bags, at least.

Then there's the having to stop on a steep climb, which I've had to do more than once. Easier to get a Brommie going again than a big wheeled bike. Perhaps easier to keep bigger wheeled bike front-wheel on the road if climbing seated, but WAY more satisfaction from doing that sort of climb on the Brommie in the first place.

A well maintained Brompton I would have no fear about riding over long distance. Quality bike, with other qualities. 

And I will also add, that my cheap road bike didn't really feel much better until I switched to some nice Hutchinson Fusion5 All Weathers run tubeless. Then, it really did become slightly different level of comfort on the road (WAY quieter too... no distinctive rattle of a Brompton).


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