What do you think local dealers are good for? Brompton sells through local dealers in Germany since the early 90ies of last century. That's why they exist. You can get any bike in any configuration from the local dealer.
Good to know; I'll have to visit one when I get back. I've looked on the Brompton home page and found it very hard to navigate, as well as showing a worryingly wide range of bikes as "out of stock".
You want a folder which is a bike that differs from other bikes, i.e. in terms of the height of the luggage rack. Thus with most folders (including 20") existing bags like i.e. the big ortliebs do not fit or not fit perfectly (heelstrike, too close to the ground etc.).
A good point, that I hadn't considered, I'm not sure why as I had to set up the bas on my 26" wheeled tourer to avoid heel strike, and a smaller wheel would be worse. I guess that comes under "Obvious when you think about it".
This does change the equation and makes a Brompton seem more practical than previously.
I do have my doubts as most Terns do have 74mm old in the front while normal wheels have 100mm old (including most standard 20" wheels).
Good to know, and another point against the Tern I was looking at.
Don't know where you get a Shimano dynamo hub including a front wheel for 10€ if it is not stolen.
At work: I run a workshop recycling bicycles and the
zerlegung (Dismantling) team keep an eye out for wheels with hub dynamos when a truck load of old bikes arrive from the recycling centre. if we attach a wheel with a hub dynamo on an existing bike to sell we add 10€, which I know is far less than the market value. We also have a box full of Shimano dynamos, and it's possible this warps my perception of "standard parts".
"frequent travelling, long distance trains and flights, internationally" - if it turns out this is no longer true this has obviously effects on the advice. Surprise.
This probably depends on the definition of "Frequent"; I haven't flown in many years but ageing parents mean I'm likely to fly at least once, possibly twice a year. This is "frequent" to some and "hardly ever" to others so I should have specified. My original question was because I realised if I have a folding bike I can travel south from Freiburg to Basel, cycle the 10k or so to the EuroAirport that serves Basel, Mulhouse, and Freiburg, fly to Manchester or Newcastle, use public transport to york and cycle from there to my parents.
Why would you leave it at home then? The whole idea and advantage of a Brompton is to take it with you.
True, but apart from my slightly obsessive need to use standard parts, Japan is a bout 70% mountains, which are steep. I'd be riding on and off road and in traffic, for longish distances. I'd rather take my tourer which has the range of gears to get me up hills, and more importantly, the brakes I know will stop me coming down too fast, and which can be repaired anywhere with locally available parts.
BTW: As you are in Freiburg and are now talking about local trains: There is no need for a folder then. Taking a bike with you on the train is free in Baden Württemberg most of the time in local trains:
https://www.radfahren-bw.de/service/anreise/fahrradmitnahme-im-nahverkehr/
https://www.bwegt.de/fileadmin/asse...inweise_Fahrradmitnahme_2022_barrierefrei.pdf
I travel every two weeks from Freiburg to Stuttgart with my touring bike and occasionally even my longtail, and have done for a couple of years now. However, in summer it gets crowded and there have been times when the trains are maxed out with normal bikes or just full of people, so it would be good to take up less space on occasion.
