Brompton arrives!

[Flying_Monkey]

Which sounds like the modern replacement for the old L5.? How do you find the gears? I've heard they are pretty reliable, though with a narrower range of ratios than the 5 speed hub version.

They seem pretty good to me - even my wife can get up steepish slopes on them and she is no kind of cyclist at all, so they must be okay.

Anyway, I am very pleased with my unexpected Brompton. Whatever the clouds of gloom that have decided to float across my sky say...

 

[Flying_Monkey]

If you look closely, the frame folds between the wheels, unlike the Brompton. What's more, the chainset is on the outside of the folded package, unlike the Brompton. The seatpost/saddle interface is also an innovation.

Here's the patent application:

http://v3.espacenet.com/origdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2007210556&F=0&QPN=US2007210556

I see - looks interesting.

 

[jonesy]

They seem pretty good to me - even my wife can get up steepish slopes on them and she is no kind of cyclist at all, so they must be okay.

Anyway, I am very pleased with my unexpected Brompton. Whatever the clouds of gloom that have decided to float across my sky say...

Have to say I was very surprised by the afforementioned 'clouds of gloom'! I find my Bromptons (5 speed hub apart) to be very reliable, with constant use throughout the year in all weathers, and the range even of the 3 speed fine for most normal usage.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Well, I rode my Brompton the 9 or so miles in to work today (because I have to take a train later), and it was really enjoyable once I had realised that there is simply no point in trying to ride it like my racer! Sure, it took 45 minutes rather than 30, but it handled uneven road surfaces and even a bit of unfinished path (a diversion due to roadworks) well, and proved to be nippy and manoeverable. However I did discover the disadvantage of entirely matching bikes - after having carefully packed my clothes in my Brompton bag, I discovered when I got to work that I had picked up my wife's bag! No, this doesn't mean I am wearing my wife's knickers - luckily I had some sweatpants in the office - but it does mean I have no wallet etc and have to borrow some cash!

 

[rootes]

you want straight handle bars - they flex less.. the straight bar stem is longer as well

but in the two years I have used my 2 speed lots are parts have been replaced - some of the components are pretty low grade... but also it gets used hard every day..

but parts are cheap

also one thing I an other I know with bromptons is it depends on the shop you buy from with respect to setup - some shops seem to sort out the crappy spoke tension and some do not..




BUT it is a great machine - 31mph over waterloo bridge but yoy can take it into the shops / work to stop it getting nicked!

 

[rootes]

A birdy elastomer can be modified for the job and makes the rear less bouncy at speed.

also you can just put a jubilee clip around the std brommie one to stiffen it up and adjusting the jubilee clip makes it adjustable! lol

 

[Origamist]

also you can just put a jubilee clip around the std brommie one to stiffen it up and adjusting the jubilee clip makes it adjustable! lol

It's still squidgy though - I used to use two jubilee clips (I'm heavy), but with the elastomers you get three levels of suspension: green, red and yellow.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

My wife and I are both small and light so we have no problem with the elastomer being 'bouncy'... I have also had no problems with the handlebars flexing (although I would have ordered the flat-barred version if I had intended to buy one in the first place).

We took our Bromptons down south when staying with my folks last week - it made travelling by train easy and they performed very nicely in both town and the rolling country lanes. Plus we were able to fold them up and put them behind the desk of a museum that had no formal or informal cycle parking at all... All in all one of the best buys I have ever made.

 

[rootes]

yep once you have a brompton you find they are very useful..

Plus still time to enter the Brompton 2008 World Champs at Blenheim Palace

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Plus still time to enter the Brompton 2008 World Champs at Blenheim Palace

I'm not that wierd...!

 

[Arch]

I'm not that wierd...!

Ah go on! You and Mrs FM could win a pair of top of the range Broms and let me and the Doc have your old ones cheap... (no, ok, it's a bit cute, but we're thinking a folder each would be handy....)

 

[TheDoctor]

*puts foot down*
Sorry, but the notion of matching Bromptons disturbs me somewhat. That's too cute for words.
Fine as an accident, but deliberately matching...no.
*shudders*

 

[Arch]

Nah, we'd soon customise them different anyway!

No, I wouldn't order matching ones, don't worry!...

 

[Flying_Monkey]

We're just back from a few days in the Netherlands, where the matching Bromptons attracted a fair bit of attention (all of it good). It was particularly nice to be able to cycle to Amsterdam from the ferry...

 

[Mr Phoebus]

I've just visited a large open plan office, holding my folded up Brompton.
The person I went to see was inquisitive about the bike, asking: Does it unpack easily? I said: Oh, very easily, watch this.
And so I quickly unfolded the bike much to her amazement, then wheeled it about like a trolley, then quickly refolded it.
When I looked up the whole office had stopped working and was watching the quick demonstration totally amazed.