The non-Brompton thread

[Andy in Germany]

They do the 8 with mechanical discs if one preferred.

And the 600 plus quid saved would pay an awful lot of custom charges, and still leave a few quid left over to slip in the officers top pocket as you slap him playfully on his cheek as your ride through the "nothing to declare" Channel

Sometimes I wonder how you survive...

I don't have the luggage space anyway, even for a small bike, and I'd still prefer to get a bike more locally, so I can get the support if need be...

 

[Drago]

Sometimes I wonder how you survive...

I have been arrested, shot at, and even banned from an entire ccontry for life! ( the last one is true)

 

[Andy in Germany]

It's all horses for courses. I'm getting from this that Drago is not a Brompton fan. And that's fine.

I wasn't until I got one.

I thought they looked old fashioned and were probably slow. When I was looking (back in 2008) all the ones I saw had the old silver levers and were almost all British Racing Green, or that dull red or the dull blue. Or black.

I also didn't want a 'small-wheeled' bike.

So I went through three 26" folders. All alumimium frames.

Ride was more comfortable, but realistically no faster (at least not according to my Strava logs). It's less about rolling resistance and more about aero - and most folders will put you in a fairly upright position.

My biggest issue was that both of my Dahons snapped. One I bought new myself on the C2Work scheme. Once that snapped I bought the second one from a friend (who'd bought it on the C2Work scheme and ridden it less than 100 miles). The first one I had was run over so that wasn't the fault of the bike. When it comes to price that Dahon I bought was only £100 cheaper than the Brompton I ended up getting. So it's not like it was a 'cheap' bike.

I'll add as an addendum to the above, that I found out I was over the recommended weight limit for these bikes. Which was 95kg. Given that I bought one of them brand new, this should have been pointed out to me. I know it would be a tricky subject to broach - especially as I was borderline when I bought it. But it would have been less tricky than trying to claim against the 5-year frame warranty when Evans had stopped selling the brand and no-one was importing them to the UK at that time. In the end, the bike went to the tip so its residual value was £0. the only think I kept were the grips - some sort of Ergon clone.

My Brompton is far from perfect. There are lots of things that annoy me about it. But it's way better (for me) than any of my previous folders. If you're only looking at the purchase price, you're not looking at the full picture. Especially if you want something to travel with.

If you're only coming here sporadically (and depending on where you are) can you not opt in to a cycle hire scheme?

We rented one bike this time and it's okay, but the lack of carrying capacity, stand, lights and mudguards, plus the uncomfortable saddle and need to pick it up make it a bit annoying (I also reset the brakes, but that's me being fussy). Borrowing a bike is a bit of a lucky dip, and I tend to return bikes in better condition than I got them...

I'm also under 95kg.

 

[Drago]

Holy Starmer!


https://www.kwigglebike.com/en_US/s...171,5,3,37,22,167,168,169,170,172,175,174,173

 

[Andy in Germany]

Trying to get spare parts for a Dahon at all is a quest, getting spare parts for Dahon and Tern locally, reliably and comprehensively is in my eyes close to impossible. And it does not get better with most other folders.

For folder specific parts, yes, but I was looking at a Tern today and it has standard brakes, shifter, mech, cassette, and wheels. The Bromptons looked lovely, but they do have a lot of unusual parts.

New Bromptons also have no rear rack, whereas the Tern does, so I have a chance of using my existing bike luggage; Brompton seem to want you to buy another non-standard bag, which incidentally appears to sit right in front of a fitted headlight.

I'm also not sure if 16" wheels are available, or even possible with a hub dynamo.

Obviously I've not tried every iteration of every folder, but I've seen most of them on my commutes over the years. All of my others were single fold 26" wheel versions. MOST of the time these were not a problem, but I had to miss several trains because there was not room to board with me plus the bike. Situations like this are almost non-existent with the Brompton.

I'd aim for a 20" wheel as a compromise between ride and fold.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Holy Starmer!


https://www.kwigglebike.com/en_US/s...171,5,3,37,22,167,168,169,170,172,175,174,173

Many designers put style over practicality, Germans do the reverse.

 

[Gunk]

Holy Starmer!


https://www.kwigglebike.com/en_US/s...171,5,3,37,22,167,168,169,170,172,175,174,173

That is hideous, would anyone really choose that over a Brompton

 

[Drago]

Have you ever seen one in the wild Andy?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Have you ever seen one in the wild Andy?

Not that I'm aware, and I think I'd notice.

 

[Drago]

Fill suspension die to some kind of flexi tube. I'd love to see one and even have a spin.

 

[Gwylan]

Kwiggle, try to imagine how many accidents there will be as you cycle past.

I'm very tempted. Have to soften the management up. Will be in Germany in a few weeks with friends. Gives me a delivery address for a test.
Watch for news.

 

[berlinonaut]

For folder specific parts, yes, but I was looking at a Tern today and it has standard brakes, shifter, mech, cassette, and wheels. The Bromptons looked lovely, but they do have a lot of unusual parts.

They do but they do supply spare parts w/o a problem and you do barely need any and even less of the special parts. Tern and Dahon do have special parts as well: slim front hubs, proprietary derailleurs, folding hinges etc.. If something with the hinges goes wonky you can usually throw the bike away as there are no parts available and no oversized bolts for the hinge anyway.

New Bromptons also have no rear rack, whereas the Tern does, so I have a chance of using my existing bike luggage; Brompton seem to want you to buy another non-standard bag, which incidentally appears to sit right in front of a fitted headlight.

You can get a Brompton with a rear rack from factory, the front luggage is one of the best inventions since sliced bread an no, it does not sit in front of a fitted headlight. This would be silly.

I'm also not sure if 16" wheels are available, or even possible with a hub dynamo.

You can get the Brompton with dynamo hub lights from factory or you can retrofit the SON hubdynamo. So yes, they are available with hub dynamo. For 20 years already. Why on earth should this not be possible=

I'd aim for a 20" wheel as a compromise between ride and fold.

In general a good compromise. It really depends from your usecase if this is the best compromise for you. For a frequent traveller if flying is involved it's in the end either Brompton or Bike Friday (the 20" models). The Bike Fridays ride better on bad roads but need time (30-45 mins) to dismantle and pack and reconstruct after a flight plus they need more space and are somewhat more unhandy in trains.
The Brompton simply folds and you are ready to board. But on bad surfaces you will suffer more. Plus you have do dive into the luggage ecosystem (which is brilliant but many newbies are resistant for whatever reason - changes typically after some time and then they are embarassed about their former resistance. ).

I'd give the Brompton a test ride and possibly you can rent one out for a couple of days via lis'n ride or from your dealer and include public transport in your test. Do the same with a Tern and possibly you may get an idea of what works better for you.

It's really the flying aspect that advocates the Brompton - you won't get a tern in a properly sized suitcase and thus taking it with you on a flight is expensive and annoying. Personally, I would not like to take on on long distance trains either due to space issues, but your mileage may vary.

 

[Drago]

Depends what you mean by long distance, but I've done one end of the UK to the other, and back a few says later, and suffered no issues stashing it anywhere on the train. I can't see why transcontinental distances would be any different.

The idea that Tern sized folders suffer with "space issues" on trains doesn't appear to bear scrutiny, and I've now done them all from commuter special, through the underground , and on to the overnight sleeper. Its a folding bike, not a small Volvo.

 

[brommieinkorea]

No indeed, some really cheapo folders can do a decent enough job but as a general rule are pretty torrid.

The one-step-up-from-bargan-basement level has a raft of usable bikes, albeit most are compromised in some department although a couple are genuine eye openers.

And then you'll get the more expensive offerings from all sorts of manufacturers, most of which are decent and some of which are excellent. The range is vast house what suits your wants or needs.

But I'd happily put my hydroformed alloy, Sora equipped, hydro stoppered ID9 up against any Brompton and and I'm confident it would ace them in all but that damned awesome fold (and ease of lugging about while folded if you're a bit petit.)

It is what it is, and Road.cc seem to agree with me as its the only folder to be rated 9/10 by them. The next closest is one of the high end Bromptons at over twice the price, but everyone knows second js merely first kf the losers.

Until Brompton starts to cater for the husky gent I can at least console myself with something that performs as a bicycle in a league above any Bormpton at any price even if the origami bit isn't as slick And revel in the knowledge that road.cc agree with me.

Edit - just checked the £2500 miririder now scores 9/10 as well, but thats a ebike. And very nice it looks too...

Drago, what are you riding ? Available in USA ? ID9 ? The current folders have a few flaws that are starting to irritate, and I don't need the micro-fold except maybe to fly with, but I don't do that these days.

 

[berlinonaut]

Available in USA ? ID9 ? The current folders have a few flaws that are starting to irritate, and I don't need the micro-fold except maybe to fly with, but I don't do that these days.

In this casein the US I'd have a look at the current incarnation of the Swift: https://www.origamibicycles.com/shop/p/origami-swift