# thinking of buying a Brompton. need advice.



## Trickedem (19 Jun 2014)

I am considering getting a Brompton, for commuting use.
I'm 6'2 so wanted to know what handle bar and seat combination to get. Also thinking of a dynamo. Anything I should be aware of? Also what gears to get. I've been reading about the issues with the derailleur


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## Sara_H (19 Jun 2014)

I've got an M type. I prefer a more upright riding position and find the M a bit low. My OH who is 6' 2" finds it far too low, so depending on your preference you might want to try an H type which is a bit higher.

I've got six speed with standard gearing which manages more or less everything - except the very big hill that I live on, going to change it to the lower gearing option - again it depends on your individual preference.


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## Matthames (19 Jun 2014)

The best thing I can recommend is to get yourself to a Brompton dealer and try the difference between the M and the H type. Also you might want to consider either the long seat post or the telescopic one.

In terms of gearing, it depends on your own preference and the topography of where you are going to mostly ride it. I have a standard 6 speed which I can just about cope with going up all but the steepest of hills. I have not had any issues with the dérailleur, although you will find with the 6 speed that going through the gears is a bit counter intuitive to start with; but you will quickly get used to it.


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## shouldbeinbed (19 Jun 2014)

M or H type bars and the telescopic seatpost. I'm 5'11, and I'm a fraction off full extension of the standard one. 

I find the standard 3 speed fine for my undulating commute and general riding around. I run out of top gear for speed before I run out of climbing. 

Apparently the SON dynamo is worth the extra but I didnt go for either type after a bit of consideration.


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## John the Monkey (19 Jun 2014)

I own an S6-L - I'm around your height and find it fine (seatpost fully extended, pentaclip near the top of the post too).

The 6 speed's gearing goes pretty low - I've not found a hill it couldn't handle yet (otoh, I've not hurled it at Mow Cop, or anything). The derailleur is finicky, and ime, needs to be kept clean to work at its best.

Do get a luggage block, and if you can, a bag - I have the C-Bag, and it's a brilliant way to carry luggage. Don't be tempted to get one without mudguards - the bike is so low to the ground that it gets really dirty - I dread to think what the state of mine would be without them.

In hindsight, I sort of wish I'd got a rack (more for the ease of wheeling the bike around than for luggage), and sprung for a Racing Green one, but hey ho.

Oh yes, as others have said, go to a dealer and try some. I bought mine from Harry Hall, and they were brilliant about letting me try the bike out, do some test folds in the shop &c


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## annedonnelly (19 Jun 2014)

If the local dealer does a hire/trial then I'd do that. I spent £40 on hire for the day when I was looking at getting mine. Well worth it in terms of trying out the gears, etc. The £40 was refunded off the price of the bike when I bought.

I think mine are the M-bars - it's possible to slightly adjust them so they're angled towards the rider. I did that and am happy with the reach.

As @John the Monkey says the bags are great. You can even leave them on when you fold the bike. And I did get Racing Green


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## John the Monkey (19 Jun 2014)

annedonnelly said:


> And I did get Racing Green


Eh, I see a chap occasionally going through Whitworth Park on one, and it looks so smart. Good choice!


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## RhythMick (19 Jun 2014)

Trickedem said:


> I am considering getting a Brompton, for commuting use.
> I'm 6'2 so wanted to know what handle bar and seat combination to get. Also thinking of a dynamo. Anything I should be aware of? Also what gears to get. I've been reading about the issues with the derailleur


A month ago I bought an M6L with £75 of from Evans with the Shimano dynamo kit. Superb, no regrets. I'm 5 11 and the seatpost is JUST big enough. If I had to go bigger if go telescopic. The 6 speed is plenty of gearing for the worst of the Yorkshire hills.


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## GrumpyGregry (20 Jun 2014)

I'm 6' 2" and ride an S type with the low flat bars. I like the riding position and it's a fine bike, though it does speed wobble above 45mph with a loaded bag on the front! I got the telescopic post to make it fit properly as I've owned B's before and the stock post is just a tadge too short for me.

Mines got a Kinetics 8 speed SA conversion and you can ride it up walls.

Ger a luggage block and a bag. I've had a B with a rack before and didn't feel the need of one on this, I just use a messenger bag as additional luggage.

I ditched the stock pedals and got some Wellgo QRD removable ones (Clas Olhson are selling them off dead cheap at present) so I can swap from flats to SPD's as the fancy takes. I also replaced the stock 2011 brake levers as they were parp and put ergon grips and mini bar-ends on

This is what it looked like out of the box, pre-conversion/setup





Has a Brooks and more seatpost showing now and I've done a couple of FNRttC's on it, and a few 100km day rides in west Wales. It has even crossed the Preseli's twice though I don't recommend hitting cattle grids at speed on one.

It is mainly living in a cupbard at work at present as a errand runner/London meeting bike. If you want to borrow for a week or two give me a shout.


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## GrumpyGregry (20 Jun 2014)

Oh... Brixton Cycles.


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## Trickedem (24 Jun 2014)

Thanks everyone for the advice and offer of a loan @GrumpyGregry 
I will look into this further on my return from holiday in mid July.


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## CopperBrompton (30 Jun 2014)

The SON dynamo is frighteningly expensive but worth every penny. Stick it on S (Light Sensor) mode and you can totally forget about it - switches itself on when needed and off when not.


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## T4tomo (1 Jul 2014)

GrumpyGregry said:


> I
> 
> It is mainly living in a cupbard at work at present as a errand runner/London meeting bike. .



I'm glad its out of sight with that colour scheme.


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## GrumpyGregry (1 Jul 2014)

T4tomo said:


> I'm glad its out of sight with that colour scheme.


no chance of it being picked up "by mistake" on the train.


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## rualexander (1 Jul 2014)

I'm 6'2" and have the H type stem and telescopic seatpost on mine. Also have an Aberhallo stem adapter/extender and Gusset Wharfe 3" riser bars.
Next step in making it into a better bike is an 8 speed hub, either SA or more likely Shimano Nexus 8.


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## T4tomo (1 Jul 2014)

Go for the SA, I've yet to hear of anyone whose happy with the Nexus hub, not shimano's finest hour, whereas SA wrote the book on making hub gears.


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## jay clock (1 Jul 2014)

I have had one for 2 mths and love it. Mine is S3L. I do tons of cycling and know what I like, but found the gearing too tough so changed the front ring to a 46 and now perfect. The S bars are lower, but frankly I would prefer lower still. In terms of seat height I would be amazed if you did not need the longer one, as I am about 5:10 with a 31" inside leg, and whack the standard one up to the max and it is perfect!

I also switched to Schwalbe marathons after a week or two when i had a puntcure on the Brompton tyres

Oh, and Orange is the best colour. If you watch W1A then you will know that I now need an intern to fold it though!


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## CharlieB (3 Jul 2014)

Bit late to the party on this one, Tim, but knowing your riding style, you will almost certainly need a longer seatpost. I'm quite a bit shorter than you, and my standard post was very slightly short on full extension. 

I say was, because the Brompfication Ti version that arrived yesterday has a little more height, but that's a whole different story. Just sayin' like, didn't want to tempt you to spend even more cash.


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## GrumpyGregry (3 Jul 2014)

T4tomo said:


> Go for the SA, I've yet to hear of anyone whose happy with the Nexus hub, not shimano's finest hour, whereas SA wrote the book on making hub gears.


unfortunately SA then went bust, threw the book out, had the remaining copies pulped, and the new Taiwanese owners of the brand have produced as many misses as hits so far.


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## CopperBrompton (3 Jul 2014)

Love my 8-speed SA hub. Pretty much the same total range as the Brompton 6-speed wide-range, but closer ratios and the twist-grip shifter is beautiful in place of the clunky Brompton twin-lever arrangement.


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## GrumpyGregry (3 Jul 2014)

Trikeman said:


> Love my 8-speed SA hub. Pretty much the same total range as the Brompton 6-speed wide-range, but closer ratios and the twist-grip shifter is beautiful in place of the clunky Brompton twin-lever arrangement.


And I love mine for the same reasons. 

But some of the current 3 speed and 2 speed models are poorly designed badly engineered pieces of sheet.


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## GrumpyGregry (3 Jul 2014)

User said:


> That S2C experience has scarred you.


I am not alone. And I know a couple of folk locally whose three speeds are parp. More neutrals than gears.


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## T4tomo (4 Jul 2014)

there is nowt wrong with 3 speed SA hub, as long as the spindle chain thingy is adjusted correctly. suggest your local folk set it up correctly. 

the 2 speed deraileur is a bit suspect unless spotlessly clean and maintained.


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## GrumpyGregry (5 Jul 2014)

T4tomo said:


> *there is nowt wrong with 3 speed SA hub, as long as the spindle chain thingy is adjusted correctly.* suggest your local folk set it up correctly.
> 
> the 2 speed deraileur is a bit suspect unless spotlessly clean and maintained.


That would be why all three have been replaced under warranty would it?

and the supplying lbs not longer sells them...


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