A cheap(er) Brompton

[berlinonaut]

Here's the link to the B75 Edition. Basically it is the identical approach they were using on the entry-level C-model Brompton 20 years ago: Downgrade the bike using old overstock components, shrink configuration to the bare minimum, build one fixed style only w/o possibility for variation and sell it cheaper than the regular bike. On the C-model Brompton were using MK2 parts and it appeared after the MK3 hit the market and those parts were overstock. On the B75 they are using pre 2013 Brake levers, pre-2018 Brakes, pre-2017 shifters pre 2017 bars and stem, the old pre 2017 bell, possibly the old, pre-2015 roller wheels, different pedals (and no folding pedal), tires w/o reflecting sidewall, possibly pre 2017 grips and maybe (unsure) no pentaclip. Extended seatpost only. It has a white suspension block (maybe a marshmallow due to cost? ) as a unique element.

The official spec in detail is here: https://www.brompton.com/brompton-gbr/uk-store/bikes/brompton-b75-bike/c-24/c-77/p-6818
The whole package is a downsized M3E (M bars only), available in one color only (a non-standard one called "water-blue") and comes in at 745 Pounds (corrected) which can be financed at 30 Pounds a month with 0% interest rate.

The cheapest "standard" Brompton is currently an M1E for 845 Pounds. An equivalent to the B75 would be an M3E which currently costs 950 Pounds. So the downgrading and lack in variability of the B75 safes a whopping 200 Pounds (corrected). Not a bad deal if you can live with the limitations - which seems easy as most of the parts were standard not too long ago and work well. I'd mainly miss the post 2013 brake-levers and the modern roller wheels (and personally not be interested in a 3-speed, but that's another topic).

BTW: As the original post from @Pale Rider about the B75 dates from April 1st I believed intially it would be an April fools joke. Given the amount of marketing they put on that I do not believe that it is limited to 75 pieces but rather the reference to 1975 he mentioned later.

 

[chriscross1966]

Ok so add 65 quid for a set of mudguards and it's still around 200 less than an M3L... not such a bad deal really, but you'll want to budget for a folding pedal soon enough

 

[shingwell]

As an existing Brompton owner I think this is a good thing, and quite clever of Brompton. I like that they hold lots of stock of parts, if they didn't we would be in the position of shortages for certain parts and even higher prices as they go for another manufacturing run of those parts separately. And if they didn't have a way of selling excess stock, Bs would be even more expensive than they already are. And thirdly owning a B becomes an option for some to whom it wasn't an option before.

 

[ColinHoward]

They have just released another Special Edition as they have opened another Brompton Junction.

I like my Brompton but I think they are watering down the brand with stunts like this.

Erm "Watering down the brand" - do you mean you want it to be kept too expensive for some people to afford?! OK, so they have some stock to clear, but on the positive side it helps people to "get into" Bromptons,, and help keep them competitive, especially now Dahon are trying to emulate them - so not quite sure what brand you want? I am sure you want to them to keep going, so this just makes pure business sense? I have actually just bought one of these, and it is amazing and fun. I really don't care if some of the components are out of date; they were good at the time they were released, and I can upgrade them if I choose to. I have cycled a lot on other bikes, and have no problems with the components TBH - the brakes are fine for example (well for me). I have added mudguards, bought a front bag (at standard prices) and will replace the folding pedals. When it comes to the saddle I will put a Brooks on it, but in the mean time it is fine, so happy it was cost reduced actuallly. So I am sure I will keep contributing to the Brompton brand - if it is ok with you that I have not gone to cheap :-)

 

[steveindenmark]

No its ok Colin. I will send you a "Cheapskate" sticker for your bike if you want. We have to find a way to differentiate from those who got a real bargain, compared to us who were robbed blind

 

[alicat]

I like the colour and the components are newer than on my Brompton. It might have been better if they had highlighted that the components are old stock but apart from that it's a smart marketing move that lets people own a new Brompton when they might otherwise had to go secondhand.

 

[Kell]

I think with regard to pricing, the current structure (in the UK) is unbelievably cynical if you ask me*.

With the ride to work (other schemes exist) vouchers coming in at a maximum of £1,000, most new Brompton start at a fraction over that. Meaning that you can buy one with your vouchers and use cash for the rest.

It's not so much that it causes the shops a problem - I believe they're not meant to accept part payment with the voucher - and it's just enough that it doesn't make most people think twice.

When I first looked at Bromptons around 10 years ago, the price then versus the price when I bought (about 4 years ago) seemed to suddenly shoot up to take advantage of this max RTW amount, and has hovered there ever since.

*I'm aware that no one did, but I'll give my opinion anyway...

 

[Kell]

PS - I still think it's a good deal if you fancy a Brompton.

My biggest bugbear would be the brakes - having hired a Brompton with the pre-2013 brakes and then getting one with the later brakes. The later ones are a massive improvement.

Is it just the levers that are different? i.e. could you just buy a set of new levers and swap them over? Or is the calipers too?

 

[berlinonaut]

PS - I still think it's a good deal if you fancy a Brompton.

My biggest bugbear would be the brakes - having hired a Brompton with the pre-2013 brakes and then getting one with the later brakes. The later ones are a massive improvement.

Is it just the levers that are different? i.e. could you just buy a set of new levers and swap them over? Or is the calipers too?

The levers have been changed ~1990, 2000, 2008, 2013 and 2017. The calipers have been changed about 3 times during the 90ies and then again in 2000, 2008 and 2018. What one wants are the brake levers from 2013 onwards (the 2017 version offers as only difference the mounting points for the new under-the-bar-shifters and the bell) and the calipers from 2000 on. 2008 brought a dual pivot brake also for the rear brake (nice, but not essential), since 2000 the color of the calipers changed sligthtly from silver over champagne to dark grey (or black with the black edition) but apart from the color and the brakepads the front caliper itself has been the same from 2000 until 2017. The 2018 calipers are in my eyes mainly a move to reduce variability in production as now front and rear calipers are identical (until then they were different regarding length of the bolt) and always black which saves Brompton bound capital and warehouse space. While they have a different design functionally there is no difference (as in "amount of brake power") as far as I can judge and the older, pre-2018 version of the brakepads is better as it has a Fibrax brake-pad holder (compatible with dura-ace-type brake-pads).

So basically if you would retrofit the 2013 or 2017 brake levers you would be done. There are also a whole bunch of alternative break levers that fit well and work pretty good which are typically reasonably cheaper than the original but not much worse (if at all) - people have been exchanging the break levers n the Brompton for ages already before Brompton invented an enhanced version.

 

[Tenkaykev]

PS - I still think it's a good deal if you fancy a Brompton.

My biggest bugbear would be the brakes - having hired a Brompton with the pre-2013 brakes and then getting one with the later brakes. The later ones are a massive improvement.

Is it just the levers that are different? i.e. could you just buy a set of new levers and swap them over? Or is the calipers too?

I'm interested in this too Kell, I have a September 2015 Orange and Black " Special Edition " .

I got it second hand last September and am really enjoying cycling on it. ( I suppose that not having cycled previous to that, apart from as a nipper and for a few months about 30 years ago, I've got nothing to compare the riding characteristics to )
I've mentioned previously that I've swapped the 50 chainring for a 44 which really helps on the hills, but rattling down the steeper hills with a crappy road surface I'm frequently on the back brake to slow me down a bit, and they're not that efficient at slowing me down if the hill is really steep.

EDIT:
Thanks Berlinonaut, you've answered my question re the brakes.

 

[berlinonaut]

I think with regard to pricing, the current structure (in the UK) is unbelievably cynical if you ask me*.

(...)
When I first looked at Bromptons around 10 years ago, the price then versus the price when I bought (about 4 years ago) seemed to suddenly shoot up to take advantage of this max RTW amount, and has hovered there ever since.

*I'm aware that no one did, but I'll give my opinion anyway...

It is probably essential for Brompton to offer a bike that is priced within the limits of the uk RTW-scheme. Typically the 3L-model fits this need as the basic pragmatist's model. If you want more you have to pay extra. Regarding the pricing: In comparison to other countries Bromptons are cheap in the uk, in most other countries you pay 15-3ß% on top of the uk price and sometimes even more for accessories. If you look into Brmpton's accounts you'll recognize that the higher prices do not result in higher profits, so I'd assume that cost have gone up massively along with the prices. The main price-increase has been between 2009 and 2016, at least here in Germany. It is a bit of a difference to the UK as in the UK there seems basically to be a slight, more or less linear increase in price every year whereas i.e. here in Germany the prices do reflect the exchange rates from Euro to British Pounds as well. Pretty complex... This is how the prices developed in Germany over the last 20 years (prices pulled from old price-lists):

The B75 is not offered in Germany (or anywhere outside the UK as far as I know) but is a successor of the C3 that was offered from 2000-2007, following the same principles and concept.

 

[berlinonaut]

but rattling down the steeper hills with a crappy road surface I'm frequently on the back brake to slow me down a bit, and they're not that efficient at slowing me down if the hill is really steep.

EDIT:
Thanks Berlinonaut, you've answered my question re the brakes.

Welcome! I've found no issues with the Brompton's brakes personally and I have been doing quite some descents like i.e. touring in the alps with it. What I can recommend if you want more break power are Coolstop salmon pads - they are softer (thus wear faster) but feel more powerful. However, objectively the Fibrax pads are fine and long lasting, so it is possibly more a question of braking technique of the rider or proper adjustment of the brakes that makes a sufficient braking.