Brompton Explore.

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steveindenmark

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I am a Brompton fan and was excited to hear that Brompton was making the Explore, but it is a big disappointment.

Does the entire design department at Brompton consist of a box of paints? Because there is nothing new on this bike.

They have changed the colour of a bog standard Brompton to a military greenish colour and taken off the mudguards.

I like the new bags.

Ben at Kinetic Cycles in Scotland put this Brompton together.

http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/folding-bikes/brompton/black-big-apple-rohloff-brompton/#more-4832

This is going in the right direction for an Explorer Brompton.

I dont know how long Brompton think they can just keep painting bikes a different colour and calling it a Special Edition. Its not a Special Edition, its just a different coloured bike.

Even Brompton owners are getting disenchanted now.

There are lots of RTW Brompton riders online. If Brompton really want to make a genuine effort at an Explorer bike They should be asking their advice.

I have a Koga World Traveller and a 6 speed Brompton. The Brompton is actually the better touring bike in Europe. But it could be so much better if Brompton made a serious effort.
 
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doginabag

doginabag

Senior Member
Have you also seen the new range of Brompton explorer clothing? There is the new explorer range helmet.....

51KC2vvLVAL._UX569_.jpg


An I hear there will also be a full clothing line coming some time in autumn.

71L9Zc2B9bL._SL1500_.jpg
 
FolderBeholder

FolderBeholder

Senior Member
Location
Inland Southern California
steveindenmark said:
I am a Brompton fan and was excited to hear that Brompton was making the Explore, but it is a big disappointment.

Does the entire design department at Brompton consist of a box of paints? Because there is nothing new on this bike.

They have changed the colour of a bog standard Brompton to a military greenish colour and taken off the mudguards.

I dont know how long Brompton think they can just keep painting bikes a different colour and calling it a Special Edition. Its not a Special Edition, its just a different coloured bike.

Even Brompton owners are getting disenchanted now.

There are lots of RTW Brompton riders online. If Brompton really want to make a genuine effort at an Explorer bike They should be asking their advice.

I have a Koga World Traveller and a 6 speed Brompton. The Brompton is actually the better touring bike in Europe. But it could be so much better if Brompton made a serious effort.
Click to expand...

Same as Piaggio does with their Vespas....paint and stickers. Maybe a SE seat now and again.

(oh and for an "exploring" bike, a proper kickstand (or at least a tab for one) would be nice)
 
Smudge

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
FolderBeholder said:
Same as Piaggio does with their Vespas....paint and stickers. Maybe a SE seat now and again.

(oh and for an "exploring" bike, a proper kickstand (or at least a tab for one) would be nice)
Click to expand...

Motorcycle manufacturers do that BS as well.... Usually promoted as 'Bold new graphics'
 
rogerzilla

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
Is this like the last "special edition", which was just a way of using up old components?

The marketing strategy has changed and they are priced as luxury goods now. An S3L has doubled in price since I bought mine 10 years ago. Brompton profits have soared. I blame Cyclescheme; they've basically inched the price up to the common £1000 limit, knowing that many people get them in easy instalments with tax (and sometimes VAT) taken off.
 
Tenkaykev

Tenkaykev

Guru
Location
Poole
rogerzilla said:
Is this like the last "special edition", which was just a way of using up old components?

The marketing strategy has changed and they are priced as luxury goods now. An S3L has doubled in price since I bought mine 10 years ago. Brompton profits have soared. I blame Cyclescheme; they've basically inched the price up to the common £1000 limit, knowing that many people get them in easy instalments with tax (and sometimes VAT) taken off.
Click to expand...

Very much this ^^^^
I'm retired now but talking to a friend he said it was " no brainer"
If you have a cycle to work scheme you have Salary sacrifice and are in fact getting a significant discount especially if you are in a higher tax band.

He could buy a Brompton, have " free" cycling for a year or so and then sell it and make a profit on what he had actually paid for it.
 
Blue Hills

Blue Hills

^
Location
London
Ah the dreaded word bespoke.
All that camo green and then a bright orange bit?
I can't see that it has any significant innovations.
The removal of the mudguards seems to me to actually make it less suitable for its declared use but I assume is aimed at folks who think no mudguards marks them as mean go getting types.

An exploring brommie model from last century.
Complete with mudguards.
And green paint.

brommie

brommie


(The green and cream colourscheme is actually a homage to nottingham council's old buses before they had an, er marketing fit, and made different routes different colours)
Oh, and it has a rack - original equipment. Maybe the explore will have that as a premium price add-on.
It also has stubby bar ends added - great for climbing and cruising. But the explore design team seem to see them as less important than camo orange handgrips.
 
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12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
Perhaps the murky colors are so the muck thrown by the tires won't show up so much since there aren't fenders. And maybe the fenders are omitted so gluey mud or snow won't bind the tires. Explorers can encounter mud and snow for sure.
 
steveindenmark

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Blue Hills said:
Ah the dreaded word bespoke.
All that camo green and then a bright orange bit?
I can't see that it has any significant innovations.
The removal of the mudguards seems to me to actually make it less suitable for its declared use but I assume is aimed at folks who think no mudguards marks them as mean go getting types.

An exploring brommie model from last century.
Complete with mudguards.
And green paint.

brommie

brommie


(The green and cream colourscheme is actually a homage to nottingham council's old buses before they had an, er marketing fit, and made different routes different colours)
Oh, and it has a rack - original equipment. Maybe the explore will have that as a premium price add-on.
It also has stubby bar ends added - great for climbing and cruising. But the explore design team seem to see them as less important than camo orange handgrips.
Click to expand...
Getting rid of the mudguards is a good idea. I have never owned a bike with such a small gap between the tyre and mudguard. Even small stones can rattle around in there. If its wet and muddy, a lot of crud can get in there.
Having said that we all know Bromptons are not designed for off road riding, even though some of us use them for that.
My saddle pack catches all wet and mud but the Explore riders will need to buy mudguards or make a cover for the top of the rack.
Ergo bar ends are also good for comfort as the stock Brompton grips are awful.

But its not an off road, rough track exploring bike. Its a splash of paint and new name. Thats all.
 
Blue Hills

Blue Hills

^
Location
London
Agree with your last para steve but confused by your post about whether it needs mudguards or not.

Agree that I wouldn't ride it through any sort of serious mud, but then I wouldn't most bikes anyway.

My brommie has coped fine with Italian strade bianche. Tough old beast.
 
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