# Going to buy a Brompton, luggage advice needed



## nz6666 (18 Feb 2016)

Yeah I am going to buy one since wife approved it. I am going for a S bar, 6 speed with reduced gear. I am going to use it for everything (commute, touring). 

Now the luggage, I can't decide whether to get a rear rack or not. For commute, I am used to wear a backpack so no rack needed plus I have no need to bring lot of things for commute so the little backpack is enough. For tour, If I need to park the bike, I will have to fist remove my pack from the rack, not very convenient? If I don't get a rack now, I can always fit one later?

And the front luggage, there are so many bags, I am overwhelmed. Do I have to get a front carrier block for any of the bags? And if i don't get one (carrier block ) now, can I get one later and install by myself easily? I have experience fixing my other bikes. Which bag has the biggest volume for S bar? In my experience, I normally carry a 50 L backpack for summer backpacking, this includes everything (tents, stoves, cloths, etc), weight is about 20 lbs. Can any of the front bag handle this? If the front can handle this, I may not need to worry about the rear rack for now.


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## Fab Foodie (18 Feb 2016)

Wow .... lots of questions! Good stuff :-)
There are lots of answers ....

If you google touring on a Bromton or similar search you'll soon see that there are many ways to do it including simply attaching a large rucksac:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=t...ved=0ahUKEwjOmbiy9oHLAhWEUhQKHWO6AeAQ_AUICCgD

Front block - this can be added later
The Brompton rides better with a front bag - it becomes more stable.
I think 10 or15 kg is the weight rating for the front block?

The S-type has the most limited bag sizes for the front block, M-type would give you the full size bag which is enormous!
You can by a Bag frame and lash any saddle-bag type to it and you can also use Carradice mounts for rear saddle bags too: Below is my first attempt at cycle camping on an S-type using a S-bag frame and then lashing a saddle bag to it that I already owned Complete weight 15kgs:







The front bags are readily removable
You can also fit a beam rack.
The Brompton rack is not without it's uses - greater stability when folded, easier rolling, but be aware that you have to removed anything attached to it if you wish to park by tucking the rear under. You don't have this issue with front mounted luggage.
The rack can be added later and requires a different mudguard too.

I'm a relative novice at Bromptoneering and I'm sure others will be along with more details. What I can say is that the Brompton is a great travel companion and load-lugger. Further more it's easy to get on trains planes and buses and also fits inside my small Vango Banshee tent at night!


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## nz6666 (18 Feb 2016)

Fab Foodie said:


> The rack can be added later and requires a different mudguard too.



I didn't know that, thanks. I think i will buy the rack and don't worry about the mudguard in future.


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## Fab Foodie (18 Feb 2016)

nz6666 said:


> I didn't know that, thanks. I think i will buy the rack and don't worry about the mudguard in future.


Best plan.
I absolutely adore my Brompton. It's so versatile!


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## John the Monkey (19 Feb 2016)

I use the C-Bag on my S-type, and it works fine. It's quite a large bag though, and you might find that the S-bag is more suited to you anyway.

The bags are good quality, and my C-bag has lasted very well, looking more or less new after some seven years of commuting.

I've never felt the need for the rear rack, beyond feeling that it might make it slightly easier to trolley the bike around on the four rack wheels.


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## Profpointy (19 Feb 2016)

I have it on good authority that they "handle better" with a bag on the front rather than on the back, so I'd be looking at front luggage first
I don't own one, but I'm going through similar though processes myself - the above comment's from a colleague who's got one.

That said, I think I'm still inclined to get the rear rack as well - will obviously get mudguards as not having mudguards on any bike is just silly.

Not a believer in rucksacks on a bike - let the bike carry it.


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## shouldbeinbed (19 Feb 2016)

Rear racks are a PITA to retro fit and a costly option. Best idea IMO is to decide before buying and commit to the choice you make. I don;t have a rack on mine (S3L) and can honestly say I've never missed it, the front block & S bag is brilliant for routine lugging day to day loads about. FF's touring set up looks great and Adrian also has experience of building his own bag onto a Brommy front frame (frames are £30-40 vs with a bag at ~£100) 

I am even looking at how to jerry build a brompton front block onto my Birdy folder to dispose of that rear rack and enjoy the clear to me benefits of front luggage with lil wheels.


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## Fab Foodie (19 Feb 2016)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Rear racks are a PITA to retro fit and a costly option. Best idea IMO is to decide before buying and commit to the choice you make. I don;t have a rack on mine (S3L) and can honestly say I've never missed it, the front block & S bag is brilliant for routine lugging day to day loads about. FF's touring set up looks great and Adrian also has experience of building his own bag onto a Brommy front frame (frames are £30-40 vs with a bag at ~£100)
> 
> I am even looking at how to jerry build a brompton front block onto my Birdy folder to dispose of that rear rack and enjoy the clear to me benefits of front luggage with lil wheels.


Frames are about £20 I think.


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## nz6666 (19 Feb 2016)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Adrian also has experience of building his own bag onto a Brommy front frame (frames are £30-40 vs with a bag at ~£100)


 what is this?


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## Fab Foodie (19 Feb 2016)

nz6666 said:


> what is this?


@User neatly bodged a heavily discounted single pannier bag from Planet X onto an S bag frame, I've done the same but as I'm not in my laptop right now I can't show the result. A neat and tidy front bag solution for about £30.


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## SavageHoutkop (19 Feb 2016)

2 B's in the house here, both with racks. 

We used the racks a lot before master SHK and when we went on holiday with the bikes. Never gone touring though. You can fit all your luggage for a holiday if you pack light into the front bag and rear bag, potentially with overflow in a backpack. It was essential when we were staying apart for work and seeing eachother on weekends. 

Backpack: I don't mind one in winter, but do mind one in summer. It gets too hot. Also if you are carrying heavy stuff much nicer to have it off your back. 

I would certainly get the front block now. If you have S bars there used to be potential interference with the touring pannier I think it was, but they have redesigned it since so not sure if this issue remains. 

In our house, Mr SHK uses his (old style) touring pannier daily; I use my c-bag frequently (but often use a backpack in summer). Before we had The Big Bike (workcycles FR8) we also used to use the B's for grocery shopping and again needed both front bag and rear bag for a weekly shop. 

For daily use though, commuting etc, you won't be using the rack bag. It is, as you have pointed out, a pain to have to remove it to park the bike. It is also not the best designed bag. If the straps were on the bag rather than the 'lid' then it would be more practical. It never bothered me _quite_ enough to get sewing though. 

The rack makes your bike significantly more stable when folded if that's a concern. Also much easier to wheel about when folded or half folded. (You need the EasyWheels to make best use of this though!)

Because we wanted ours without waiting for them we ended up buying the with-rack option for mine and the without-rack option for Mr SHK, and then had his retrofitted. It wasn't that much of a hassle but you do need the different mudguard as mentioned.


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