Brompton 6 gear vs 3 gear on hills - London people

[maat1976]

I recently had my lovely 2011 Boardman Hybrid Pro stolen from inside my building, inside a gated complex, (yes it was locked to everything imaginable with chains and D locks). So I'm giving up on the idea of parking my bike where it used to go and will have to finally do what I was dreading - go the Brompton route and take it into my flat for piece of mind. My flat is a shoebox so I literally can't fix a full sized bike.

I've been trawling the ebay listings and have no idea if a 3 gear Brompton would be at all suitable for the hill from King's Cross up to Angel or Highbury Islington via Pentonville Road. Anyone have any thoughts? I did search the Brompton area first and didn't see much of anything about hills and the 3 gear model.

Thanks.
Claudia

 

[Red Light]

I have a 3 speed Brompton and ride that route without any problems. If you are concerned you might look for the reduced gearing option on the Brompton (you can also retrofit it but its more costly than as a factory option) to give you a lower gear on the hills at the price of a lower top gear going down the other side.

 

[spen666]

.....

I've been trawling the ebay listings and have no idea if a 3 gear Brompton would be at all suitable for the hill from King's Cross up to Angel or Highbury Islington via Pentonville Road. Anyone have any thoughts? I did search the Brompton area first and didn't see much of anything about hills and the 3 gear model.

Thanks.
Claudia

If a fat git like me can do it on a fixed then I'm sure you can manage it on a greared brompton

 

[Bromptonaut]

I think pretty much any B could do that sort of ride. The current 6 speed with the BWR hub is quite low geared as standard, I'm no great climber but it's pretty easy to ride up to Archway or Hampstead.

 

[maat1976]

WHat about down hill from either Archway / Hampstead or Pentonville road? Because you can't switch gears really up, are you going really slow?

My last bike was amazing and I want to manage my own expectations of how different the performance of the Brompton is going to be.

Thanks!
Claudia

 

[Red Light]

Best way is to try one for yourself. Velorution will hire you a Brompton for half a day for £12 and I am sure they would let you try a 3 and 6 speed during that time Its not too far from Gt Portland St to KX.

 

[Red Light]

Actually just spotted they are closing up on May 5 so you'll need to hurry but you might also be able to get a deal on an ex-rental Brompton if you are lucky.

 

[maat1976]

Great idea Red Light. Thanks for that!!!!

 

[Crankarm]

Go for the 6 speed as the 3 speed is a false economy neither a SS nor enough gears. I use all the 6 gears on mine - std ratios. The 6 spd is low enough to get you up Crouch Hill which is steep and then down the other side without spinning out in top. Try Condor or Evans who I am sure will gladly let you try the various options. Go for one without rack as well as this is needless weight and makes them look ugly imho. Use the front touring pannier instead which mounts on the block (sold seperately) and makes the handling much better with some weight on the front. Don't buy from Ebay as these are most definitely nicked.

 

[Poacher]

I'll agree with Crankarm on most of his points (not often I can say that!). The extra £60 for 6 speed is money well spent, although it can be a bit of a PITA having to flick both left and right changers if you want to go through the gears sequentially. The BWR hub opens up the gear range significantly, compared with the 3 speed.
Touring pannier (now known as the T-bag, apparently), is also good value, as far as it's possible to say that about anything Brompton-related. Ebay Bromptons are generally iffy - note the lack of the all-important serial number sticker just beneath the seat clamp in most adverts. Since this acts as a guarantee, no honest "owner" would remove it. NB this is distinct from the frame number which is impressed into the main frame near the rear pivot point. I've incurred considerable expense having to investigate and return a Brommy my wife fancied; it was put together from a stolen main frame (which was relatively easy to prove) and titanium extremities, which we presumed were also hot.
The rear rack may make the bike ugly, but I've often needed mine in addtion to the touring pannier - most recently to carry a coiled garden hose which wouldn't fit in the pannier. More importantly, IMO, it enables the use of 4 Eazy wheels, making the Brommy more stable when going round shops etc. with it.

 

[Red Light]

Touring pannier (now known as the T-bag, apparently), is also good value, as far as it's possible to say that about anything Brompton-related.

Step away from the T-bag and stay with the C or S-bag. You will only fill it up and then you spend all your time carting a heavy bag around on the bike. My C-bag ensures I only carry what is necessary by limiting my ability to stuff it with all the unnecessary stuff

 

[Bromptonaut]

WHat about down hill from either Archway / Hampstead or Pentonville road? Because you can't switch gears really up, are you going really slow?

My last bike was amazing and I want to manage my own expectations of how different the performance of the Brompton is going to be.

Thanks!
Claudia

Don't worry too much about the Brompton's performance. It's a bike that happens to have small wheels and fold. If you watch them being ridden in traffic they keep up with everybody except the roadies. Only issue I've ever had is that it can feel a bit light at the front but this is much improved when using a pannier.

 

[maat1976]

Thanks all.

To be honest, I will have to buy something used as I can't afford new. I'm still paying off the one that was stolen. I've asked a few of the sellers to show receipts (surprisingly they did) and will also see if I can get the number under the seat on any I am seriously bidding on.

It sounds to me like either a 3 or a 6 should be ok really.

Claudia

 

[Crankarm]

Thanks all.

To be honest, I will have to buy something used as I can't afford new. I'm still paying off the one that was stolen. I've asked a few of the sellers to show receipts (surprisingly they did) and will also see if I can get the number under the seat on any I am seriously bidding on.

It sounds to me like either a 3 or a 6 should be ok really.

Claudia

Errr ......... we are saying a 6 speed is superior. Don't go for a 3 spd.

 

[mickle]

Errr ......... we are saying a 6 speed is superior. Don't go for a 3 spd.

I'd say go for a three speed actually, with the low gear option if possible (just like on my new Brompton as it happens). I've never got on with the six spd - all those multi shifts to work your way through the gears. A city bike should be easy to use before all else, and the six adds a layer of complexity which is unecessary. And let's not forget that there are two types of six speed Brompton - the newish 'Brompton' custom geared Sturmey three speed hub based six or the earlier standard Sturmey three speed hub based six. Which one are 'we' recommending? I've used 3 spd Bromptons in Bristol, (hilly) London and York (flat as a pancake) and never hankered for more gears. Probably because I took the time to fine tune (through careful selection of the chain-ring size) which three gears I ended up with.