Any Brompton experts?

[Gunk]

Thanks - that exact model? I've read the lacquer finish might be less hardwearing / more corrosion-prone than the other finishes, but it certainly looks fanastic. You obviously love yours - how have your experiences of the finish been in practical terms?

Because of the nature of how they are used and the fold, they all suffer from scratches.

 

[ExBrit]

Thanks - that exact model? I've read the lacquer finish might be less hardwearing / more corrosion-prone than the other finishes, but it certainly looks fanastic. You obviously love yours - how have your experiences of the finish been in practical terms?

Originally I bought an M6L with black lacquer finish. It was an early 2020 purchase from REI. I wanted a more aggressive riding position and a rack (strange combination, I know). I replaced the handlebar with a straight and added the Brompton rack so now it's an S6R. I added bar ends and aerobars and also replaced the 50 tooth chain with a 44 because I live in the mountains of SoCal. I'm not mechanically inclined but the Brompton is easy to work with. I'm currently debating a Ti seat post. The anodized ones look nice.

Oh yes, I also put a gold chain on. BLING!

I would guess I have about 4000 miles on it and the paint job is undamaged. I did have some scratches on the cranks which I hid with touch-up paint. Here's a video I made about the upgrades

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchafoPv_yE


Mine's the one on the left.

 

[Kell]

One other thing I thought of this morning when riding mine was that BROMPTON THEMSELVES recommend changing all aluminium parts before you hit 5,000 miles or around 3.5 years of use based on 10 miles a day, 3x a week, 48 weeks a year.

So any bike you are buying that is over 5 years old, you should really also factor in replacements for:

• Handlebars - £30-£48 depending on the bars.
• Crank set - around £86
• Frame hinge clamps - 2x £7
• Pedals (take your pick of replacements, but the official pedals are around £66 for the pair.

So an additional £200+ if you use Brompton parts.

I replaced all mine after my crank snapped. In the interest of full-disclosure, it had been damaged previously (without my knowledge) - presumably because of something like a chain coming off. Luckily for me, it happened at very slow speed and while I was seated. TBH, if that hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't even have thought about it.

Obviously, you don't HAVE to do this. Many people wouldn't.

And just as a reference, I used to cycle 5 days a week, but post-pandemic we're down to three days a week. I bought my bike in August 2015 and I'm currently on around 11,500 miles on the Brompton alone.

 

[Gunk]

The ally hinge clamps are worth changing, when they wear out the bike can creak

 

[wafter]

Because of the nature of how they are used and the fold, they all suffer from scratches.

Yeah, I appreciate that.. I see when folded there's contact between the rear tyre and BB area, while there are probably other areas of sub-optimal contact too. Also, since it would likely be kept in the car a lot of the time, there's the potential for further damage to the finish if it's not packaged carefully.

Have had it beaten into me several times with full-size bikes how important it is to not use something super-nice for utility work... although of course I find myself drawn towards the nicer end of the Brompton scale. Am somewhat polarised currently; like the idea of a cheap snotter for the above reasons, but appreciate why (as previously discussed) this might not be adviseable. Conversely I'm also drawn to the top end on age / aesthetic / spec grounds.. and am pretty "meh" about the stuff in the middle as it seems the worst of both worlds - something that I find less intrinsically appealing while still being prissy about its condition.

I guess all I can do is sit on my hands and see what turns up within a viable distance. Focus is sharpened by yet another week of horrible commutes and with the weather as nice as it is currently, the seemingly utopian dream of being able to sidestep all the associated grief and blag two extra bike rides through beautiful surroundings into the bargain.

There do currently seem to be a lot about with significant turnover, and tbh given the above I'm a bit more inclined to remove my skinflint hat and just get something sorted for the sake of my mental wellbeing. I've seen what looks like a nice example on ebay, however I hate the platform, the way it prevents viewing and am not keen on paying a considerable amount of money for something up-front without having even seen it prior to collection..

Originally I bought an M6L with black lacquer finish. It was an early 2020 purchase from REI. I wanted a more aggressive riding position and a rack (strange combination, I know). I replaced the handlebar with a straight and added the Brompton rack so now it's an S6R. I added bar ends and aerobars and also replaced the 50 tooth chain with a 44 because I live in the mountains of SoCal. I'm not mechanically inclined but the Brompton is easy to work with. I'm currently debating a Ti seat post. The anodized ones look nice.

Oh yes, I also put a gold chain on. BLING!

I would guess I have about 4000 miles on it and the paint job is undamaged. I did have some scratches on the cranks which I hid with touch-up paint. Here's a video I made about the upgrades

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchafoPv_yE


Mine's the one on the left.

View attachment 693358

Thanks - that looks like a really nice, thoughtfully-put-together bike. Do I sy a Spurcycle bell, too?

I've mulled over bar height a bit, and while I love the unclutted look of the straight bars, from online sources it seems that a medium setup would be most appropriate. Ideally I want the bars about as high as the saddle, so with my fairly long inseam (33.5", IIRC) I think short bars would probably be too low. I'm aware that I might also have to splash out on an extended seatpost too, depending on how I get on..

One other thing I thought of this morning when riding mine was that BROMPTON THEMSELVES recommend changing all aluminium parts before you hit 5,000 miles or around 3.5 years of use based on 10 miles a day, 3x a week, 48 weeks a year.

So any bike you are buying that is over 5 years old, you should really also factor in replacements for:

• Handlebars - £30-£48 depending on the bars.
• Crank set - around £86
• Frame hinge clamps - 2x £7
• Pedals (take your pick of replacements, but the official pedals are around £66 for the pair.

So an additional £200+ if you use Brompton parts.

I replaced all mine after my crank snapped. In the interest of full-disclosure, it had been damaged previously (without my knowledge) - presumably because of something like a chain coming off. Luckily for me, it happened at very slow speed and while I was seated. TBH, if that hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't even have thought about it.

Obviously, you don't HAVE to do this. Many people wouldn't.

And just as a reference, I used to cycle 5 days a week, but post-pandemic we're down to three days a week. I bought my bike in August 2015 and I'm currently on around 11,500 miles on the Brompton alone.

Thanks- that's both a bit of an eye-opener and somewhat commendable that a brand would publish such info (assuming it's not a construct to drive sales!). Personally I'm tight so would probably just keep riding regardless and fix faults as and when they occur.. maybe with a bit more care taken with regular inspection.

These do seem to be a bit more expensive to maintain than a regular bike - all the above plus the smaller wheels and tyres that will presumably wear faster than on bikes with larger wheels. Still seems like an appealing proposition compared to sitting in my static tin box, slowly losing my sh*t, however..

 

[ExBrit]

Thanks - that looks like a really nice, thoughtfully-put-together bike. Do I sy a Spurcycle bell, too?

I've mulled over bar height a bit, and while I love the unclutted look of the straight bars, from online sources it seems that a medium setup would be most appropriate. Ideally I want the bars about as high as the saddle, so with my fairly long inseam (33.5", IIRC) I think short bars would probably be too low. I'm aware that I might also have to splash out on an extended seatpost too, depending on how I get on..

Yes, that is a spurcycle bell. I love the sound of it.
If you are 6' or taller the extended seatpost is worth considering.
You don't have to go with straight or medium handlebars. I bought a 4cm riser for the straight bars on ebay from Satori. It raised my straights to somewhere between straight and medium height. In the end I decided I wanted my Brompton "slammed". They're very well made.

 

[wafter]

Yes, that is a spurcycle bell. I love the sound of it.
If you are 6' or taller the extended seatpost is worth considering.
You don't have to go with straight or medium handlebars. I bought a 4cm riser for the straight bars on ebay from Satori. It raised my straights to somewhere between straight and medium height. In the end I decided I wanted my Brompton "slammed". They're very well made.

Thanks - hadn't considered a riser but I guess it's a convenient solution if something with bars that are otherwise a bit low presents itself under favourable conditions.

I happen to have particularly long legs (which, I think for my height should be about 1.5" shorter) so may well struggle with the standard seatpost.. ultimately if I spaff the fat end of a grand on a bike, another £40 or so on a seatpost to make it fit me is no big deal.

Life has been both frugal and miserable over recent years so I think I can justify a relatively big-ticket outlay; especially if I genuinely think that it'll better my situation. Last "big" spend was the Fuji utility bike, which I 100% don't regret as it's opened up a whole new dimension to cycling and saved me a little on fuel; even if it's only about 10% of what the bike owes me so far

 

[ExBrit]

I happen to have particularly long legs (which, I think for my height should be about 1.5" shorter) so may well struggle with the standard seatpost.. ultimately if I spaff the fat end of a grand on a bike, another £40 or so on a seatpost to make it fit me is no big deal.

I'm 6' with relatively short legs and the standard seatpost is acceptable but another 1/2" would be perfect.

 

[wafter]

I'm 6' with relatively short legs and the standard seatpost is acceptable but another 1/2" would be perfect.

lol - looks like we're attacking it from opposite ends of the spectrum.... I think there are few on here who'd turn down the idea of an additional half inch

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

Despite all the comments suggesting frailty, I had my first Brompton L5 for 15 years, and then swapped to my current, a S6L which in turn is nearly 15 years old. I won’t be changing it because it has slowly been fine tuned to my needs/wants. The L5 sold for as much as I bought it and the S6L is a much more sophisticated beast, more solid and more refined.

 

[berlinonaut]

Thanks- that's both a bit of an eye-opener and somewhat commendable that a brand would publish such info (assuming it's not a construct to drive sales!).

Where would you like this published? It is no secret, is is published in the manual (you jst have to read it) and basically most bike companies recommend kind of similar change intervals for aluminium parts - has been like that for decades due to the properties of Aluminum. I am surprised that you are surprised.

Personally I'm tight so would probably just keep riding regardless and fix faults as and when they occur..

That's what most people do as breaks occur only rarely. Still they occur. There are people out there with Bromptons dating from the nineties and when today their bars brake after 25 or more years in service they start complaining. Not only does the regular change interval exist, there was also a recall in 2002 for Brompton bars from the nineties. You cannot beat ignorance. People often seem to think a bike is not a technical machine that needs maintenance as any machine does but it is a "pay once, never care again" object. Once the realise that this is untrue they start complaining. And the very same people spend w/o any grumbeling every year like 750GBP for a regular maintenance of their car (and more if something is broken) and thousands on alloy wheels for it have absolutely no use but look cool.

These do seem to be a bit more expensive to maintain than a regular bike

No. A couple of years ago I did the math based on my own experiences over a decade with the Brompton and came to the folliwing cost: Monthly running cost was back then about 4,30€, including repairs, maintenance, spare parts and even loss in value. Based on 1600€ for a new upper mid range Brompton, the calculated resale value after 10 years the mainainance cost I had and the assumption that I do the regular maintainace myself and only go to a workshop for special tasks like the rear frame hinge. I would not call that expensive.
What makes a Brompton expensive is the tendency to tune and customize it, add bling and buy light and expensive accessories. Other than that it is a cheap bike.

 

[Gunk]

People often seem to think a bike is not a technical machine that needs maintenance as any machine does but it is a "pay once, never care again" object

That’s what the previous owner of mine thought, I don’t think it had been touched since it was new, 12 years of neglect, sadly lots of Bromptons look like this did.

 

[tinywheels]

ref the handlebars, I fancy those joseph kuosac mid risers.
They look like a nice compromise between flats or hi risers.
Be nice to get input from someone who fitted them.