rogerzilla
Legendary Member
I think the early adopters are really beta testers. I'm sure Brompton will do the right thing for them, but there will be problems with such a radical number of changes in one go.
Brompton T-Line is here
- Thread starter berlinonaut
- Start date
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Brompton, are you listening? Your bike is like fruit logo computer. Charge 10k and 500 for titanium ez wheels. Plus make sure that everything is soldered and not user serviceable. You will have to buy a new bike if some little thing breaks off.
No, I was thinking more about being thief magnet. You will loose any joy of using one just because of that. Plus parts will cost you a fortune too.
It is great that they keep innovating. I think the research and development might translate into non titanium bikes too. I think it is possible safely shave off 1kg from steel one too by tweaking frame design a little bit.
Also resellers suck. I saw many adds from wholesalers on gumtree during bike shortage. Prices were bigger from them.
I don't think most of those who will order T-line will use them as daily drivers. These will probably become similar to Rolex watches. While being designed as diver, most of the Rolex divers will never even see inside of the swimming pool, precisely because of the price.
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mitchibob
Über Member
- Location
- Treorchy, Wales
You'd expect a power meter to be integrated at that price too ;-)
FrankCrank
Old layabout
Bargain. I've ordered two.
l4dva
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Brum!
Not sure I agree - £4k is a lot of money but road/mountain/gravel bikes can all be brought for £4k or a lot lot lot more and those bikes get daily use in all sorts of conditions - mountain and gravel bikes in particular get some heavy abuse!
Sure if I was fortunate (& wealthy) enough to buy one I'd probably get the whole thing wrapped with helitape but then I'd just get out and ride it!
Sure if I was fortunate (& wealthy) enough to buy one I'd probably get the whole thing wrapped with helitape but then I'd just get out and ride it!
berlinonaut
Veteran
- Location
- Berlin Germany
Brompton now has a webpage about the T-line. It is currently not reachable/visible via the site navigation but they posted the link on social media.
https://www.brompton.com/tline
Currentliy only S and M models, no H.
https://www.brompton.com/tline
Currentliy only S and M models, no H.
This guy uses his bikes daily, every day to go to work and back, long weekend trips etc. This guy in my opinion is the guy who uses his Brompton day in and day out. The way bike is supposed to be used. And his Brompton is not a Ti one, not super light or something. Just a black, black edition. Let's see what he has to say
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berlinonaut
Veteran
- Location
- Berlin Germany
How do you come to the conclusion his opinion would be relevant and he would the "the" guy? The video was incredibly boring so I stopped after a short while and there were basically two statements from him this video
1. It is cold
2. the commuting to work has stressed the Brompton to destruction
Not so much content for a 20 minute video.
Fact check:1. Was it cold? Maybe. It was -10°C. I've biked to work regularly at up to -20°for months over many years and still bike regularly throughout the year, so -10 may be cold but absolutely nothing to freak out or to stop biking. And clearly not for making such a faff and pretending to be a tough guy and bikehero.
2. Has the commuting stressed the Brompton to destruction? Hmm, given the fact that there are 100.000s of Bromptons out there in daily use for commuting I do have my doubts. As far as I remember this guy doesn't have his Brompton for too long and shortly after he bought it he made a video about that he needed to change the rear hinge after 3 months of use. Pretty uncommon, with most riders it lasts between maybe five up to more than 20 years. But maybe that gives us a hint: It was probably less the commute that destroyed the Brompton but the rider. There are people that are able to destroy about anything. Regarding his commuting with the Brompton he says in the video since getting it fixed he only commuted to work for a week on it and the rest of the time used other bikes.
So I clearly would not call him the Brompton rider/commuter but rather another one of these youtube personalities hunting for fame based and for that saddeling on Brompton as brand shortly and with not that much experience. Just a random person that obviously mistreats his bike badly and tries to become an influencer or youtube personality . Not really relevant in my eyes. Nothing wrong about him, I just would not see him as a relevant person as you obviously do.
On the topic: If I would buy a T-line (which I don't plan) I would clearly use it for everyday riding. Else it would make no sense to spend the money - that's what it's made for and that's where the value of it is. No fear of theft as my Bromptons are never locked outside - that's why I have a Brompton after all. They fold. I clearly would like a sub 8kg Brompton and while it costs a hell of money I do not think it is overpriced and if I really wanted it I could possibly even afford it somehow. Possibly even cheaper through our national cycle to work-scheme. But currently I don't have the need for another bike and also not for another Brompton plus at Corona times the weight saving on the bike is not relevant to me due to a lack of commuting and travel.
ExBrit
Über Member
- Location
- Southern California
I spent $5000 on a custom Ti bike in 1998. With inflation, exchange rates, and the current premium on all bicycles I think £4k is not unreasonable for a folding Ti bike. (Technically I must point out that most bikes fold given enough force, it's the subsequent unfolding where the Brompton excels). If this was my main bike, I would be OK with this price.
I have ridden my Ti over 100,000 miles and still love it. I expect the Brompton Ti will provide similar returns. As one cyclist said to me last weekend "The problem with Ti bikes is they only last 30 or 40 years"
I have ridden my Ti over 100,000 miles and still love it. I expect the Brompton Ti will provide similar returns. As one cyclist said to me last weekend "The problem with Ti bikes is they only last 30 or 40 years"
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rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Review/advertorial: https://www.rouleur.cc/blogs/desire-journal/brompton-7-45kg-titanium-t-line-first-look-review
The weld in the third photo has been overheated badly.
The weld in the third photo has been overheated badly.
ExBrit
Über Member
- Location
- Southern California
You can just hear the argument between the engineers and marketing...
Marketing: We like the pretty colors
Engineering: It's a crap weld. It looks like we don't know what we're doing.
Marketing: Tough, we're providing the marketing copy so it's pretty colors every time!
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Ti welds are like urine: anything beyond a pale straw colour is trouble.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
its a marketing photo, that weld probably isn't on a bike anywhere in the world. Don't panic..
