Bromptons - Anyone Bought One Recently?

[fozzybear]

Hello,

Anyone bought a Brompton recently, thinking of buying two and was wondering what the pro's and con's are with a California.

 

[ArunAlec]

Not bought one ... Yet! Ive been thinking of getting one for quite a while but don't know whether it would really get used much. If I do take bikes with me its normally for light off-road rides, like the New Forest.
They hold there price like the California so there's not a lot of risk in buying one.
I'll be interested in following this thread!

 

[Jay586]

Not got one but I bought my Dutch bike off Compton Cycles & their website has a lot of Brompton info. Think they specialise in them.

They were also good on the phone & no problems with posting the bike, didn't charge much & a dutch bike is not light or small.

 

[Amarillo]

Not got one but I bought my Dutch bike off Compton Cycles & their website has a lot of Brompton info. Think they specialise in them.

They were also good on the phone & no problems with posting the bike, didn't charge much & a dutch bike is not light or small.

Compton's is our local bike shop - and we've bought two Bromptons from them: 2007 and 2016. Great service, and if you join the London Cycling Campaign you can get a 5% discount on bikes and accessories.

If you have the VW bike rack you can fold the handlebars and lower the saddle of the Brompton and carry it on the rear rack keeping your van below 2 metres.

Parking in town centres with a Brompton is not a problem: take it off the rack, fully fold it, and place it in the van - we have bags to put our bikes in before they go inside the van.

The downside of a Brompton is that you won't get the speed or range of most other bikes.


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[WillSS]

Have you considered other folders? We are 'cyclists' and were really surprised how great our recently acquired Dahons were to ride. Bigger wheels (20" as against Brompton's 16") will give them a plusher ride along with an 8 gear spread means you can climb all but crazy steep hills and still click along at 18mph+ before your legs are spinning out crazy style. These also have the handlebar height adjustability so great for kids to ride them as well as adults.

Bromptons no doubt have the best engineering for quality and longevity but unless they are only going 'inside' where the Bromptons super compactness beats all then you can save yourself a bunch of cash.

We picked up these up on eBay, hardly used, for £400 the pair. Thats a value I'm happier to 'lose' should the worst happen when left on the bike rack, at the shower block or locked up in town compared to a more likely £1400 for a used pair of Bromptons.





The Brompton superslick fold pic courtesy of Tom @Amarillo...

 

[RodCouncil]

Sweet that they sit below the roofline, but I'll stick with my Brommy, it's been 2nd twice and won the Brompton world champs I had to have a Brompton when commuting from Brighton to London due to train luggage rack size but for me it's been a valuable companion for 6 years now, raced it, commutes on it, trained on, simply the best bike in my stable

 

[Alied]

Hello,

Anyone bought a Brompton recently, thinking of buying two and was wondering what the pro's and con's are with a California.

I bought my Brompton from Sunset Cycles http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?category_id=117 They also offer 0% finance and free delivery also.

 

[WillSS]

Sweet that they sit below the roofline, but I'll stick with my Brommy, it's been 2nd twice and won the Brompton world champs I had to have a Brompton when commuting from Brighton to London due to train luggage rack size but for me it's been a valuable companion for 6 years now, raced it, commutes on it, trained on, simply the best bike in my stable

Thats brill but I thought we were discussing Bromptons in travel mode with a Cali here, unless you need to commute to your Cali first of course!

 

[RodCouncil]

Thats brill but I thought we were discussing Bromptons in travel mode with a Cali here, unless you need to commute to your Cali first of course!

Servicing at SMG, never went on the bike rack, in the boot then direct to train station.

 

[Paulro]

We bought two before our latest trip. Amazing. They transformed our trip. Biking round the Ile de re, St Malo, Salamanca, st jean de Luz.
Initially we kept ne one the back shelf and one underneath, both in Ikea bags that fully cover and zip.
On the way back we had both on back shelf.
I know they are expensive but they are truly brilliant, so compact and ride well too.

 

[Amarillo]

Servicing at SMG, never went on the bike rack, in the boot then direct to train station.

I collected my Cali by Brompton - cycled to Grove Park station, on the train, changed trains at Orpington, then to Tonbridge. Cycled to SMG.

It's also been up the Flam mountain railway, and back down the road.


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[Pineweasel]

Bromptons are great; I've had one for ten years, used for the railway commute into London. I can see the appeal of popping one inside the Cali for a trip. But if you are going to the trouble of using the bike rack then I'd take a more capable full size bike any day.

 

[Borris]

We recently purchased a brace of Bromtons to use in conjunction with our Cali Beach. We also purchased transport/storage bags for them.

So far we have only used them twice. The last occasion was at the Cali club meet at Stratford where we used them for an outing to a nearby National Trust property with our Cali friends. It was there that we met a jumped up, power crazed, little jobs worth. Apparently, we had committed a major crime as we had entered via the park foot path and on bicycles as well! I'd just like to say, that as a long term NT member who hasn't ridden a bike for several decades, I was more than a little miffed to be treated in this manner by a repesentative of this great organisation. He made us feel about as welcome as a group of cycling foxes who had just entered his personal hen house. Anyway that's another story.

These bikes are great although because they have next to no springing, Mrs B and I, who are no longer in the first flush of youth, are finding them a little difficult to get comfortable on. So far, both saddles that we have tried, have ended up feeling like we had been perched on a broken house brick after only a short ride. We have now decided to push the boat out and go for a pair of those wonderful old fashioned leather Brooks sprung saddles that were designed for comfort and not for torture.

We have found our Bromtons to be both well designed and well made and IMO, they are well suited to occasional use with a Cali. We didn't want a bike rack on the back, so to be able to load these compact fold up jobs into the relative security of the van (in their bags) is ideal for us. We just need to make the necessary adjustments to the brake handles etc to suit our individual needs and the new saddles of course.

The other thing that has proved to be a challenge are the gears. Our bikes have six gears, operated by two separate levers. We obviously need more practice because just when we have required a lower gear we have both often ended up selecting higher ones. This isn't helped by the different gear changing technique required by each lever. One operates the three hub gears and if I am correct, requires the rider to stop pedalling whilst changing gear. The other lever operates the derailier gears which I think requires the rider to keep pedalling.
Anyway, when the only thing that you can think of is how sore your nether regions are getting, these two different techniques are slightly more than a bear with little brain can cope with.

The only other comment would be the cost. Whilst perfect for Cali use, our "discounted" bikes cost an absolute Kings ransom. We could have purchased five or six quality conventional bikes for a similar price!

P.s We purchased our Bromptons whilst ambling round Tonbridge whilst our van was in for a service at SMG. Whilst not entirely an impulse buy, we hadn't intended to buy them so soon. The service was a free one but the day turned out to be a costly one.

 

[RodCouncil]

For when the E-Cali arrives

https://www.brompton.com/Brompton-Electric

I might add that saddle issues are not down to the Brompton and probably related to you not riding so much, but I accept the gears are tricky hence why I have an SL2 Ti, keep it simple. I would also agree that these bikes are probably not for a older folks, sorry to sound like an asshole here but you need a decent amount of control on those small wheels and while you can add a softer damper, they are never going to be a smooth ride or something that will be comfortable over a longer ride.

In terms of cost, I think they are a bargain given the amount of abuse mine has handled over it's tenure, and compared to some of the carbon exotica I race on, I can ride the Brompton to within about 20% of their speeds over decent distances and all without any failures to date.

 

[Amarillo]

The only other comment would be the cost. Whilst perfect for Cali use, our "discounted" bikes cost an absolute Kings ransom. We could have purchased five or six quality conventional bikes for a similar price!

You'll soon be carting grandchildren around on them. Here's me with Ben and Jack by the river Marne.

Credit: Jack Kyriacou



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[Borris]

You'll soon be carting grandchildren around on them. Here's me with Ben and Jack by the river Marne.

Credit: Jack Kyriacou



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Crickey, and you still have room for your dog on your shoulders!

Alas, we have eight grandchildren which might be asking a little too much of the poor old Bromton. I'd look like one of those army motor cycle display teams.

Years ago when our children were young I had one of those large beautiful hand built sit up bikes with rod brakes. It had previously been owned by the Police who judging by its condition, hadn't used it much. I fixed a child seat on the back and another on the cross bar for taking our two eldest to school. It also had a superb Brooks leather sprung saddle which was very comfortable indeed.

 

[Borris]

For when the E-Cali arrives

https://www.brompton.com/Brompton-Electric

I might add that saddle issues are not down to the Brompton and probably related to you not riding so much, but I accept the gears are tricky hence why I have an SL2 Ti, keep it simple. I would also agree that these bikes are probably not for a older folks, sorry to sound like an asshole here but you need a decent amount of control on those small wheels and while you can add a softer damper, they are never going to be a smooth ride or something that will be comfortable over a longer ride.

In terms of cost, I think they are a bargain given the amount of abuse mine has handled over it's tenure, and compared to some of the carbon exotica I race on, I can ride the Brompton to within about 20% of their speeds over decent distances and all without any failures to date.

Well you may be right about the saddle issues not being down to the Brompton although my bum says otherwise. The Brompton saddle is a one size fits all perch where as the various purchasers of the said bike come in a miriad of different anatomical variations, weights and sizes so I am inclined to think that unless it suits you, the Bromton saddle is the main culprit. If you use something enough you do get used to it but that is not the same as saying that something is comfortable.

 

[Amarillo]

Well you may be right about the saddle issues not being down to the Brompton although my bum says otherwise. The Brompton saddle is a one size fits all perch where as the various purchasers of the said bike come in a miriad of different anatomical variations, weights and sizes so I am inclined to think that unless it suits you, the Bromton saddle is the main culprit. If you use something enough you do get used to it but that is not the same as saying that something is comfortable.

I have a Brooks saddle on each of my bikes (except my Chinese cargo trike). It is an option when you order a factory built Brompton.


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[RodCouncil]

Well you may be right about the saddle issues not being down to the Brompton although my bum says otherwise. The Brompton saddle is a one size fits all perch where as the various purchasers of the said bike come in a miriad of different anatomical variations, weights and sizes so I am inclined to think that unless it suits you, the Bromton saddle is the main culprit. If you use something enough you do get used to it but that is not the same as saying that something is comfortable.

I run the same saddle as I have on my other bikes, the Brompton marketing dept with the hand grip might be happy but just like you I was not, as others have said, break a leather Brooks in you're gold, plus they do suspension versions with nice thick springs

 

[T6 VCO]

My wife has a Brompton, I am looking at getting one soon keeping my eyes peeled on eBay.

Does anyone leave theirs locked on the Cali bike rack ?

 

[Dyddi]

Lowering the tone? I've been taking an electric (Kudos Secret) to Greece for the last 3 years, folded in the boot. Spend hours on it fetching supplies (?) from supermarkets and looking around city and tourist sites. Extends walking/carrying from, say, a mile to many. Now looking at Brompton Electric to save on storage space. And to those for whom the phrase 'electric bike' is anathema all I can say is that at my age and level of fitness without the help I wouldn't be cycling at all. Freedom on two wheels, and why not?

 

[RodCouncil]

there is nothing wrong with electric bikes, you get our there and enjoy the freedom they bring, I'm considering buying an e Brompton after their initial phase release, it will be for Frida so she can follow me when I'm dragging the bike buggy behind

 

[Amarillo]

Does anyone leave theirs locked on the Cali bike rack ?

I always lock my bikes with two locks of different type. The VW rack arm lock is one type, then I run two thick cables around all four bikes, one through the wheels, and one through the frames, and lock the four cable ends with a security padlock.

My theory is that a bike thief will only come armed to defeat one type of lock. Of course, someone could hacksaw through the whole rack and take all four bikes in-situ.



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[Richard]

I always lock my bikes with two locks of different type. The VW rack arm lock is one type, then I run two thick cables around all four bikes, one through the wheels, and one through the frames, and lock the four cable ends with a security padlock.

My theory is that a bike thief will only come armed to defeat one type of lock. Of course, someone could hacksaw through the whole rack and take all four bikes in-situ.



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[Richard]

We bought two Bromptons which we carry in bags just behind the passenger and drivers seats in the van but put outside and lock to the van when we do an overnight halt, this is a lot easier then our previous non folding bikes on the tailgate rack which made the tailgate very heavy, We use the bikes a lot round the campsites and for longer trips, even taking them on cable cars and trains in Switzerland. A brilliant piece of kit.