Brompton in window

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Walking up to hospital to meet wife today and take her some lunch. In the window at Leisure Lakes bikes where 2 Bromptons. A S6L superlight in House red and a Tempest blue one folded. Very surprised as never had stock on website for months and months and little stock anywhere in country. Think they where both £1900.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
Walking up to hospital to meet wife today and take her some lunch. In the window at Leisure Lakes bikes where 2 Bromptons. A S6L superlight in House red and a Tempest blue one folded. Very surprised as never had stock on website for months and months and little stock anywhere in country. Think they where both £1900.
I am showing my age - last time I looked at buying one they were about £500.
 
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Tripster

Guest
I am showing my age - last time I looked at buying one they were about £500.
I like them and admit to wanting one of the Chpt3 but yes they are pricey. I think one day I will get one just for fun but second hand. Just a surprise to see two in window. Not there last week and store stock looked depleted. I think with battery lighting its a smidge over £2k for a Super light. Well if anyone wants a new Brommie Superlight they are awaiting new owners !!!
 

Gunk

Guru
Location
Oxford
With people working from home these must be worrying times for Brompton.

I agree as a concept, it now looks very last century, however they have reinvented themselves as a desirable cool brand, I don’t think sales will suffer.

I don’t need one, but I’ve still got one in the corner of the garage.
 

l4dva

Guru
Location
Sunny Brum!
I've been very tempted to buy a superlight, the more I look into them the more I'm convinced I need one. My commute into London will involve a over ground train when we move house. I "think" I'm ok with the crazy price tag, however if I'm paying c.£2k I want to make sure I get the colour combo that I really want and the stock colours I'm not overly keen on. A chpt3 bike would be awesome (apart from the price premium) but it sounds like you would have be very luckily to buy one directly from brompton when ever they get released.
 

Kell

Veteran
I genuinely don't see the point of the 'Superlight'.

I get the principle of a lighter bike being better (both riding it and carrying it), but in this case, I don't think it makes enough of a difference to justify the additional price.

My commute also involves an overground to London and I wheel mine along the platforms and only fold when I'm at the train door. The exception being that at my outlying station, I have to take it up and over a footbridge, so I hang the seat on my shoulder and carry it that way.

I think I'm supposed to fold it and carry it, but no one's stopped me in over four years.

I don't think it's the weight that's necessarily the problem, but how it forces you to carry it. When it's folded you have to walk with your arm out to the side ever so slightly. This is what causes the fatigue in my experience. When I take it down the stairs, I leave it unfolded and carry it by the maintube. It's so much better balanced and easier to carry that way.
 
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T4tomo

Guru
I am showing my age - last time I looked at buying one they were about £500.
My Superlight SL3 purchased in 2005 was £982. (but cost me much less due to being in the early cycle to work rules)

Agree the "superlight" is diminishing returns, quite a lot of cash to lose, what is it, 1.5kg? The titanium is supposed to smooth out the ride a bit, and looks nice. I think it was 250-300 premium on all steel back then and no doubt more now.
 

Tenkaykev

Guru
Location
Poole
Maybe it's an age thing. I worked in Engineering all my working life and probably didn't realise that compared to people in less physical jobs, I was quite strong. In my 70's now and retired for about 8 years I do notice the difference between my M6L and my CHPT3 when picking them up and carrying them. Perhaps it's a "threshold" thing in that the lighter bike is just within my comfort limit and the regular one is above it.
I do find the C3 a smoother ride, I've fitted Conti's to my M6 which ride better than the Marathon + that i'd fitted originally. There's the initial issue of adapting to the S bars when coming from the more upright M bars, but after 10 minutes I don't really notice it.
 

Kell

Veteran
My Superlight SL3 purchased in 2005 was £982. (but cost me much less due to being in the early cycle to work rules)

Agree the "superlight" is diminishing returns, quite a lot of cash to lose, what is it, 1.5kg? The titanium is supposed to smooth out the ride a bit, and looks nice. I think it was 250-300 premium on all steel back then and no doubt more now.

Especially as I think part of that weight saving is a 'pump delete'. So whatever the pump weighs plus the brackets.

Maybe it's just 'Superlight' is a bit of a misnomer for me - when you think of cars that are given the SuperLeggera moniker.

But I guess Brompton SlightlyLighter doesn't have the same ring.
 

Tenkaykev

Guru
Location
Poole
Especially as I think part of that weight saving is a 'pump delete'. So whatever the pump weighs plus the brackets.

Maybe it's just 'Superlight' is a bit of a misnomer for me - when you think of cars that are given the SuperLeggera moniker.

But I guess Brompton SlightlyLighter doesn't have the same ring.
I did peer down the rabbit hole of various “blingtanium” aftermarket offerings. I was placing an order with SJS anyway, so splashed out a fiver for a 7mm Ti handlebar fixing bolt. That was because Ti one was black to match the bike ( and a massive 3g lighter than the original )^_^
 
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