# Help my with Brompton options



## annedonnelly (7 Sep 2013)

Right, I've decided that I'd like a Brompton. The plan is that I'll be able to cycle to the station to get the train to work - I'm fed up with the bus after only a couple of weeks!

The station is about 5 miles away and it's a route I'm perfectly happy with so it seems a reasonable commute.

So I need to think about options for a Brompton:

Gears - I'm thinking 6 speed - there's a hill to climb - not massive but it can be a struggle against a head wind. And it should then be versatile enough to go just about anywhere.
Handlebar - ? - I don't know what difference this might make. Perhaps it'll be obvious after I've tried a couple.
Mudguards - definitely.
Luggage - I'll need some way to carry a bag. Will the panniers I've already got fit a Brompton rack? If not, do I have to have Brompton-specific bags? I think I prefer rear panniers to a front bag.
Lights - can I fit any lights or do I have to have Brompton ones? Does fitting lights interfere with the fold? I'd prefer a couple of lights front & rear.

Any thing else to consider? I think I can probably manage to pick the colour myself 

Thanks!!


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## Poacher (7 Sep 2013)

annedonnelly said:


> Right, I've decided that I'd like a Brompton. The plan is that I'll be able to cycle to the station to get the train to work - I'm fed up with the bus after only a couple of weeks!
> 
> The station is about 5 miles away and it's a route I'm perfectly happy with so it seems a reasonable commute.
> 
> ...


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## Pale Rider (7 Sep 2013)

Go for the lowered gearing - smaller front chainring.

Top gear will still be plenty high enough, it's all but impossible to spin out on a Brommie.

A bag on the front improves the twitchy steering, but depending on size, adds a bit to wind resistance.

I would still advise speccing the rear carrier, the bike sits folded or parked much better with one fitted even if you rarely use it to carry stuff.


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## annedonnelly (7 Sep 2013)

Thanks Poacher and Pale Rider. I'm hoping to pop into a shop soon so I can get to try one out.

Charging extra for certain colours is almost certainly a con. I know for years you were charged extra if you wanted a car painted black - and it's the cheapest colour paint to manufacture! I'll probably end up going for a cheaper colour


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## CopperBrompton (7 Sep 2013)

I'd strongly disagree with Pale Rider on the lowered gearing if you're going for the 6-speed - bottom gear is plenty low enough and it's nice to have more top-end downhill.

Lights - I'd definitely suggest lights you can leave in place for the fold: anything else rapidly becomes a pain in the posterior. Just ask your bike shop for advice and try them. A cheap but decent headlight which fits the bill is a Cree T6 that you can get on ebay for not-a-lot, but the separate battery-pack is a bit of a pain and the bag is poorly-made.

Luggage - the front mounting system is superb, and because it's not on the bars doesn't affect the steering. I have the C-Bag, which is brilliant. There are lots of options that use the Brompton luggage block.

Bars - you have to take a test-ride.


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## srw (8 Sep 2013)

My usual response to this is:
3 speed is fine
Front luggage is one of the many real strengths of the Brompton system
Hub dynamo lights are the best (and in the long run probably most economical) way to light up a Brompton
Handlebars - the basic bars (I can't remember the name, but not the butterflies or the low ones) are fine for most people
I also then say - fit Marathon plus tyres.

I don't know your hill (and google doesn't give a clue), but if it's less than about 7% I'd still say stick with the 3 speed.


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## dellzeqq (8 Sep 2013)

I'm with srw on the Marathon Plus tyres. Kojaks are so rubbish I'm thinking of banning them from the FNRttC. 
The straight handlebars (S-types) are fine, and they mean that you're not dependent on the expensive Brompton bag (although it is a very good bag).
The rack is very strong, and great for shopping.
I'm always glad of the six speed.
The Brompton lights are over-priced - I have ordinary Electron and 7dayshop lights on the seatpost right underneath the saddle and on the handlebars.


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## Bromptonaut (8 Sep 2013)

I'd pretty much endorse Trikeman's suggestions.

Unless cost or carrying folded are a big consideration it's difficult to see a case for preferring three speeds to six. The double changes are not intuitive but the sequence is easily learned. Marathon tyres win for me too, one puncture in 4 years on my M6R. You'll need a test ride to decide bars. The S type were originally predicated on a more 'sporty' riding position but have also found favour with shorter women.

The Brompton luggage is ideal as it's easy on/off and having lost the Achille's heel of zips pretty robust too.

If you're stowing it on a train, particularly between seat backs, then rack+easy wheels make manoeuvring much easier.

Lighting wise the battery stuff specced for the bike is fine for city riding, the headlight can be rotated to vertical so as not to interfere with the fold. Away from street lights yoo'll need more lumens though. I substitute a mid range Cateye in these circs.


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## CopperBrompton (8 Sep 2013)

Oh yes, Marathon Plus tyres for sure. Removing the rear wheel requires joint honours degrees in mechanical engineering and n-dimensional physics, so you want as bomb-proof as you can get.


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## annedonnelly (9 Sep 2013)

Thanks everyone. I run Marathon Plus on my hybrid so that's a no-brainer for the Brompton. I popped in to a local dealer yesterday for a chat and I've arranged a test hire at the weekend. The hire bike is a six speed so I'll have a chance to try that out on my route. It's got the M bars which seem to be the standard version. At 5'5" I don't consider myself short so perhaps the S bars won't be for me.

Hopefully I'll have fun at the weekend trying it out!


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## GrumpyGregry (10 Sep 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> I'm with srw on the Marathon Plus tyres. *Kojaks are so rubbish I'm thinking of banning them from the FNRttC.*
> The straight handlebars (S-types) are fine, and they mean that you're not dependent on the expensive Brompton bag (although it is a very good bag).
> The rack is very strong, and great for shopping.
> I'm always glad of the six speed.
> The Brompton lights are over-priced - I have ordinary Electron and 7dayshop lights on the seatpost right underneath the saddle and on the handlebars.


Kojak's are fine. You just have to keep them pumped up hard.


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## dellzeqq (10 Sep 2013)

GregCollins said:


> Kojak's are fine. You just have to keep them pumped up hard.


ha! When you see an inner tube with twenty patches on it.............

I would try a Dahon before going for the Brompton. The Brompton is not so well made that it justifies the price - I bought mine because it's a must-have brand, but if you're a bit more grown-up than that the price difference to a Dahon is worth checking out.

And do try carrying it. AgentHilda doesn't carry hers (although, as she points out, carrying two is easier than carrying one, because I am balanced). They are heavy. If you're counting on running up stairs with one it might be an idea to check.


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## GrumpyGregry (10 Sep 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> ha! When you see an inner tube with twenty patches on it.............


I defy any patch, applied in haste at the roadside, to be airtight at the pressure required for Kojaks to do their stuff long term Patching is a get you home fix. Twenty patches is a symptom of some form of pathology surely....

and, besides all you London types are addicted to riding your Brommies in the gutter so you can undertake everyone and everything.


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## annedonnelly (10 Sep 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> And do try carrying it. AgentHilda doesn't carry hers (although, as she points out, carrying two is easier than carrying one, because I am balanced). They are heavy. If you're counting on running up stairs with one it might be an idea to check.



I don't run up stairs at any time! Though I do usually choose to walk up rather than take the lift 

Our local station is set out so I can almost ride onto the platform so it should just be a case of folding it to lift onto the train. At the other end I visualise unfolding it to push the bike through the station. So I'm hoping there's not going to be much carrying at all. 

I will take a look at the Dahon though, since you suggest it...


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## CopperBrompton (10 Sep 2013)

Dahon isn't in the same league. The fold is rubbish, both in terms of the mechanism and most especially the folded size. By all means look at one, but when you've tested both folds and test-ridden both bikes, I don't think the outcome is likely to be in any doubt. :-)


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## srw (11 Sep 2013)

I have both a Trek (a Dahon with a different badge on it) and a Brompton. The difference between the two is like the difference between a Trabant and a Skoda. Neither is exactly fashionable, but one just makes you feel good about being on it. The only advantage to the Trek is that I'm willing to leave it locked up outside - in 17 years of Brompton ownership I have never ever left it unattended in a public place.


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## T4tomo (13 Sep 2013)

For a five mile trip, I can't see why you would want to 6 speed with its derailleur complications over the simplicity of 3 speed.

S bars give you a more direct steering feel than M bars, certainly worth trying.

The little knog lights are great for in street lit areas and don't interfere with fold.

no view on luggage


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## Brommyboy (13 Sep 2013)

The Brompton derailleur consists of just a small slider to move the chain between the sprockets. There is very little added to the non-derailleur version.


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## annedonnelly (15 Sep 2013)

Hi all, just thought I'd report back on my test ride:

I loved the Brompton.It was much nicer to ride than I'd expected - it seemed to be quite fast though that might just've been the small wheels. The bike I borrowed was a 6 speed and it managed the route with no problem. However, yesterday was ideal cycling weather - it might be a bit of a struggle in today's gale. 
I like the way you can fold the back wheel under and stand it like that and I didn't have too much trouble folding and unfolding it.

I've had a long chat this morning with a member of staff in the bike shop. She's been riding a Brompton regularly for a few years (since before she worked in the shop) so she was able to give me a few tips. I've more or less decided on the bike spec - just need to think about the colour  and which bag to get.


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## CopperBrompton (15 Sep 2013)

The small wheels make them fast to accelerate, especially coupled with the gearing on the 6-speed. You'll usually win the traffic light GP on a Brompton. :-)


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## Pale Rider (15 Sep 2013)

Anne,

You say you like the park position with the rear wheel folded under.

Worth repeating the bike stands like this much better with a rear carrier.

It's also another reason to buy a front mounted bag because, of course, you can't park the bike with anything on the carrier.

Although I suppose you could with one of those bags that hang off the seatpost.

Any luggage will reduce the stability of the parked bike because the weight is quite high.

My Brommie has a front bag and has toppled a couple of times.


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## annedonnelly (16 Sep 2013)

Thanks Pale Rider. Just about everyone is advising the front mounted bag so I'm going with that. Just need to decide which bag to get. I may ended up with more than one eventually but I want to start off with one that'll be most useful.

I don't imagine that I'll be parking it with it's wheel folded under very often. I just thought that it's a handy thing to be able to do - saves having to find something to lean it against like I do with the hybrid.


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## Pale Rider (18 Sep 2013)

Since you are going to use the front luggage block there's another tip for the longer term.

The block can loosen on its mounting bolts over time, bag weight and road vibration can then cause the bolts to shear.

That's a mess to sort out, so it's worth giving the block a wiggle now and again to make sure it is not coming loose.

Other than that, Brommies are fairly bomb proof.

Some reports of the rear deraileur sticking on its slider on six speeds, but routine drive train maintenance should keep that in check.


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## annedonnelly (18 Sep 2013)

Pale Rider said:


> Since you are going to use the front luggage block there's another tip for the longer term.
> 
> The block can loosen on its mounting bolts over time, bag weight and road vibration can then cause the bolts to shear.
> 
> ...



Thanks, you can keep me on track with all this maintenance stuff when it arrives. I'm hoping to place the order at the weekend and then it'll depend on how long they're taking to build & deliver.


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## Pale Rider (19 Sep 2013)

annedonnelly said:


> I'm hoping to place the order at the weekend.



You mentioned the colour earlier, partly in jest, but it needs to be right.

A Brompton is a bike you only buy once, so you will be living with it for years.

My advice would be don't skimp - if the colour combination you like is an extra £50 or £60, have it.


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## annedonnelly (19 Sep 2013)

Pale Rider said:


> You mentioned the colour earlier, partly in jest, but it needs to be right.
> 
> A Brompton is a bike you only buy once, so you will be living with it for years.


Yeah, I've been thinking that. It's going to be around for a long time...
For that reason I've ruled out the bright & fashionable colours. Pretty keen on racing green at the minute...


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## T4tomo (20 Sep 2013)

annedonnelly said:


> Yeah, I've been thinking that. It's going to be around for a long time...
> For that reason I've ruled out the bright & fashionable colours. Pretty keen on racing green at the minute...


 You see some shocking clashing fork and frame combos around now that you can pick different colours for these. don't make that mistake


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## Pale Rider (20 Sep 2013)

annedonnelly said:


> Yeah, I've been thinking that. It's going to be around for a long time...
> For that reason I've ruled out the bright & fashionable colours. Pretty keen on racing green at the minute...



I have an apple green frame and dark green extremities for a kind of 'country Brompton' motif.

I'd post a pic, but the bike's in my static caravan - in the country.


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## annedonnelly (20 Sep 2013)

I'll have to make my mind up soon. Going to order it tomorrow!!!


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## T4tomo (23 Sep 2013)

Pale Rider said:


> I have an apple green frame and dark green extremities for a kind of 'country Brompton' motif.
> 
> I'd post a pic, but the bike's in my static caravan - in the country.


 
that sounds OK.

ive seen bright yellow and bright blue combo and a pink with red extremeties. brompton should really cancel their order and shoot the customer rather than turning out such combos.

I think whne I ordered mine, if you chose the titatnium stuff you only had a choice of a dark blue (exclusive to Titanium range) or Black for the rest.

The celeste colour (not sure if brompton call it celeste or whether only Bianchi call that blue that name) looks nice.


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## annedonnelly (23 Sep 2013)

T4tomo said:


> that sounds OK.
> 
> ive seen bright yellow and bright blue combo and a pink with red extremeties. brompton should really cancel their order and shoot the customer rather than turning out such combos.
> 
> ...



I think that's the colour Brompton call Turkish Green. I do like that one and thought about choosing it. In the end I've gone with Racing Green which is the dark green. I'm sticking to the same colour throughout - I don't want to be sneered at by the serious owners.

Ordered it on Saturday and they quoted a 6 week delivery time so fingers crossed I won't have to wait too long.


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## T4tomo (23 Sep 2013)

You can't go wrong with racing green.

I never sneer, just occasionally shout out " ow my eyes my eyes!"


And I'm rarely serious.


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