Brompton fall - new cyclist

[confusedcyclist]

Marathons are somewhat treaded so I imagine they'd be better than smooth kojaks like wot I've got (for 99% road use)
Not really about aquaplaning, which as you imply isn't possible on a bike, but just a bit of tread on muddy tracks.

Yes but the problem is that the schwalbe marathons are intended for paved roads do not come with tread effective for traversing mud, unless you are referring to the MTB version, which are not made for 16" brompton wheels, in any case these would make a brompton unsuitable in urban environments, sadly there is no best of both worlds when it comes to paved roads and mud.

 

[12boy]

Bromptons are not off road bikes although gravel, hard pack and similar just require care. Unless fitted with studded tires they aren't great for ice and cannot do well in snow either. Properly geared they do fine going up hills and I ride mine on 20 mile jaunts with no more fatigue than my other bikes and only marginally slower. They can carry a lot of weight in the front bag and it improves the handling and comfort and because the weight is attached to the frame and low they aren't as tippy as a bigger bike with that much weight on the bars or a bike rack. The heavy hi-ten steel frame is very sturdy, and although mine's fallen over many times there are no dents. The steel hinges are very durable as well. Those little wheels are very strong and mine rarely require truing. They hold their resale value very well and their fold is the most compact in the business, which is more remarkable due to their wheelbase length which is longer than many full sized bikes. I rotate through about 5 bikes and my Brompton is my favorite although my Surly Steamroller is a close second. In the winter with snow and ice I prefer my Cannondale rigid mtn bike with 1.9 studded tires although even it bogs down in deep snow. And studded or not, its knobby tires make it more work to ride than the Brompton on pavement. If you can avoid crap road surfaces it is one of the best commuter bikes around. BTW, it is unlikely to be stolen if you bring it inside at work or at home.

 

[Profpointy]

Yes but the problem is that the schwalbe marathons are intended for paved roads do not come with tread effective for traversing mud, unless you are referring to the MTB version, which are not made for 16" brompton wheels, in any case these would make a brompton unsuitable in urban environments, sadly there is no best of both worlds when it comes to paved roads and mud.

Maybe I've mis-remembered the marathons, but I've seen some somewhat treaded Brompton tyres, which looked like they'd be a bit better on grass or muddy surfaces. They;re not mountain bike tyres by any means

 

[12boy]

I am probably in a minority, but I do pretty well with Marathons, although mine are probably too soft..maybe 70 psi. I think 100+ psi doesn' t help with traction in those conditions.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Maybe I've mis-remembered the marathons, but I've seen some somewhat treaded Brompton tyres, which looked like they'd be a bit better on grass or muddy surfaces. They;re not mountain bike tyres by any means

The marathons, annoyingly, come in many styles, but it's just the flat styles with the grooves cut out (pictured like above) that are really no better than 100% slicks at rough stuff, but worse on pavement, because the faux tread removes contact area.

Here's sheldon on the matter

Tread Patterns
Tread for off-road use
Treads can help improve off-road traction in two ways:

• The knobs of the tread can hook onto projections of hard, irregular surfaces, reducing the tendency to slip.
• On soft, squishy surfaces, the knobs poke into the surface, digging in for improved grip.
• In the late '80s, there was a revolution in tread design, started by the Specialized Ground Control. This tire, and many later MTB tires, had tall knobs at the side of the tread, with extra bracing to keep the knobs from being bent away from the centerline of the tire. These knobs greatly improved performance in sand and mud, because as a section of the tire rolls into contact with the ground, it flattens out. This flattening out causes the outer knobs to bend inward, so that they grab a loose surface like a pair of pliers.

Tread for on-road use
Bicycle tires for on-road use have no need of any sort of tread features; in fact, the best road tires are perfectly smooth, with no tread at all!
Unfortunately, most people assume that a smooth tire will be slippery, so this type of tire is difficult to sell to unsophisticated cyclists. Most tire makers cater to this by putting a very fine pattern on their tires, mainly for cosmetic and marketing reasons. If you examine a section of asphalt or concrete, you'll see that the texture of the road itself is much "knobbier" than the tread features of a good-quality road tire. Since the tire is flexible, even a slick tire deforms as it comes into contact with the pavement, acquiring the shape of the pavement texture, only while in contact with the road.
People ask, "But don't slick tires get slippery on wet roads, or worse yet, wet metal features such as expansion joints, paint stripes, or railroad tracks?" The answer is, yes, they do. So do tires with tread. All tires are slippery in these conditions. Tread features make no improvement in this.

Now, I wouldn't avoid marathons because of this tread, but I'd prefer they were made without it because there is no tangible benefit, only drawbacks!

 

[Profpointy]

View attachment 530969
The marathons, annoyingly, come in many styles, but it's just the flat styles with the grooves cut out (pictured like above) that are really no better than 100% slicks at rough stuff, but worse on pavement, because the faux tread removes contact area.

Here's sheldon on the matter



Now, I wouldn't avoid marathons because of this tread, but I'd prefer they were made without it because there is no tangible benefit, only drawbacks!

Going by the picture that looks like a reasonable amount of tread which I'd have thought that'd be some help on say grass; nonsense on tarmac obviously. The purely marketing led tiny grooves on so say road tyres is another matter as that really is bollocks.

I'm just going by appearances, and experience with treaded versus worn out boots etc

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I used to have Marathons on my old bike - I found them a bit slippy on wet roads

seemed like the compound is a little bit harder than other tyres


but that is probably one of the reasons they need something serious to cause a puncture - I never managed to get a hole in one of them
SInce I sold that bike and got one with other 'puncture resistant' tyres - I have had 3 - all several miles from home!!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Small wheels combined with quick steering are not a good combination for rough surfaces, and a Brompton features both of these.
I do quite a few miles on canal towpaths, and I would not ride these on any kind of small wheel shopper or commuter bike.
Depending on how much of my ride is tow path and how much is tarmac, I will either ride a 26" wheel rigid MTB or a 700c wheel Raleigh Hybrid. I won't take my drop bar Raleigh on tow paths either. The 27" wheels are big enough, but 1 1/8" tyres are a bit skinny with my weight to carry, and I don't want the risk of tyre damage or regular punctures. It's horses for courses, bigger wheels give a smoother ride and more stability.

 

[CXRAndy]

I view folding bikes as short commute on smooth surfaces. I know folk have toured with them. Larger wheels with 35-45mm tyres are far better at coping with less than perfect condition road/paths etc. The larger radius allows the wheel to roll over small holes or gaps.

A gravel bike either with flat or drop handlebars with 27.5 or 700c wheels would be better

 

[G3CWI]

People ride Bromptons around the world. They will go anywhere.

yes but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea!

 

[steveindenmark]

yes but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea!

Why do you think it would be a bad idea? Have you tried long distance travelling with a Brompton.

We dont do it because its a bad idea. We do have other bikes we can use.

 

[Shreds]

I would say the Brompton steering is more easily reactive to obstructions in your path and have ridden many many towpaths and river paths on it too.

• However, its a case of 'horses for courses' etc and whilst I wouldn't do the 1500k Audax London-Edinburgh-London marathon like a couple of people did last time it was run on a Brompton (too tempting to get on the LNER and let someone else take the strain, as no reservation needed for a Brompton), its an amazing bike and it has served me well for work and leisure plus club rides and can be taken anywhere indoors to keep it safe and close at hand.

• As for mud, I attended our last annual cycling dinner and award ceremony going via wooded valley track that I have used countless times before for the last decade, but found after much rain and 4x4 quad bikes had ploughed it up, meant it was just easier to fold and carry the Brompton, which would have been less practical with a MTB etc

• Ice & snow….again easy on the Brompton with Schwalbe metal studded winter tyres, but you do need padding on the underside of the frame to prevent the metal studs ruining the paintwork and tubes when folded.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Unfortunately the OP hasn't revisited Cyclechat since the date of their first post four years ago (which was also the date of their second and last post, as they made two identical posts in different sub forums)

 

[alicat]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

 

[oldwheels]

I have had a Brompton for a few years and used it on all sorts of surfaces with no real problem.
The steering does not seen twitchy to me as some have asserted. One difference perhaps is speed and I was never in a rush so could pick where I wanted it to be on a path or off road.
I would still be using it for most of my cycling if I did not now have balance problems and so a feeling at least of insecurity even if not actually falling over.