Brompton T-Line is here

[Rocky]

I just don’t get the whole Brompton thing 🤷‍♂️
I wouldn’t have a free one

It's a bit like marmite, I guess. Since my back operation, the only bike I can ride is a Brompton. I just love it.

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd get the Ti one. I rather like my M6R......not too heavy, perfect gearing and can carry just enough for the credit card touring I do these days.

 

[rogerzilla]

Having played with two types of Moulton rear pivots, the Brompton one isn't bad. The glacier bushes have a very high load capacity, and the nylon washers, as well as acting as thrust bearings, help with dirt sealing and make the exact spindle length less critical. Requiring the use of a reamer also removes the difficulty of manufacturing bushes that are a precise size AFTER pressing. In fact, I had to run a 7/16" hand reamer through the last set of Moulton F-frame bushes I fitted.

The problem is that it's not very user-friendly at overhaul time due to tool and parts availability in the UK. The bushes are 06DX06 generic parts, as are the hi-tensile bolts and nylon washers. The spindle is pretty unique but should last a few bush replacements. Brommieplus make a very nice piloted reamer - better than the Trubor one Brompton won't sell you - for £55.

 

[berlinonaut]

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

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.

BTW, regarding riding the Brompton in winter conditions: This is the classic, still unbeaten gold standard:

A researcher who lived on a station at the South Pole, took his Brompton with him there and used it on a daily basis. This was ages ago already, if I remember correctly in the early 2000s. The Brompton is a model from the late 80ies/early 90ies.

But you don't have to go as far. This pic i.e. is in Russia:

(stumbled upon on Reddit)

Or that one, labeled "Six-day bicycle tour across the ice of Lake Baikal"

There are many, many user reports of riding the Brompton in snow and ice from countries where there is snow and ice. Russia, Scandinavia, Canada.

This is one of my own Bromptons during a short winter ride early last year:

So making a faff about riding at -10°C (plus in the dry w/o rain, snow or ice) seems a bit ridiculous to me...

 

[yoho oy]

I just don’t get the whole Brompton thing 🤷‍♂️
I wouldn’t have a free one

It is compactly foldable
It is relatively lightweight
Can carry almost everywhere, including indoors
Decent ride given the shape/size/weight factors

If you don't need any of these then there are tons of cheaper bikes that can be used for daily riding and will cost much less in a long run. Even if it falls apart, some of them can be purchased again, cheaper than fixing the old one.

I don't get Ti version. Basically it strives to reduce the weight, but at a steep cost.
I just thought what is the cheapest way to reduce weight on a Bromton... Well - to remove something. Mudguards, pump, front block. That is 421 grams. All weight reduction is for free.

Then you look at the cheapest weight reduction- saddle, pedals and handlebar grips. That is about 984 grams to work with (when counting with original c17 saddle). Of course you will not reduce all 984 grams. You still will need grips, saddle and pedals. Grips can be bought for less than £10, more likely £8, saddles around £20, pedals £15. Very inexpensive and very effective on weight reduction. Sure, you will sacrifice some functionality, aesthetics, but who cares. Foam handlebar grips, narrow saddle, perhaps nonfolding resin (nylon) pedals.

Third weight reduction option is more expensive than the first 2- changing tyres. Marathon racers weight 420g each, so 840 grams. Changing to something lighter, but also functional (so you don't have to keep changing them very often) like Continental could shave 434g . This would set you back roughly £70.

The further weight strategy will get very expensive, and technically involving. IMHO is just not worth neither cost nor effort.

 

[yoho oy]

BTW, regarding riding the Brompton in winter conditions: This is the classic, still unbeaten gold standard:

To do something in order to just prove the point is trivial. A few decades ago humans landed on a Moon in basically aluminium kitchen foil craft, equipped with a less capable computer than almost any today's smart watch. Sure, they did that a few times, but then they did not need to live there on permanent basis for the rest of their life or for long time. Nowadays they worry about radiation belts, more redundancy, much more safety, ergonomics and so on.

So I would actually ask this- does it fit your needs? Is it comfortable? Is is like buying Prada to wear it on a farm when feeding animals and cleaning up...

 

[bonzobanana]

I'm not into high end bikes typically but I can see a real benefit to a lighter Brompton with ease of carrying and even putting in a backpack. Definitely on the shopping list after a lottery win. I do want to hear how robust it actually is though in real world use.

 

[berlinonaut]

To do something in order to just prove the point is trivial. (...) So I would actually ask this- does it fit your needs? Is it comfortable?

Obviously. I do have plenty of bikes to choose from, so I would have plenty alternatives. The reasons for the Brompton do not differ between winter and summer and it lives up to expectations in winter as well as in summer.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It doesn't really matter what we think about it though does it. They're practically unobtainable, so if we want one .... we can't get one. It we disdain them on principle it doesn't matter ... because we can't get one.

 

[rogerzilla]

I think it's what a lot of people have been waiting for but (as with all new products), you should wait for v3.0 or v3.1 so they've ironed out the bugs.

 

[cougie uk]

I'm not into high end bikes typically but I can see a real benefit to a lighter Brompton with ease of carrying and even putting in a backpack. Definitely on the shopping list after a lottery win. I do want to hear how robust it actually is though in real world use.

Oof. I'd not want it in a backpack. They do fit nicely into the IKEA laundry bags though.

 

[bonzobanana]

Oof. I'd not want it in a backpack. They do fit nicely into the IKEA laundry bags though.

I could easily carry the weight of one on my back but admittedly size wise I'm not sure how it would work out. I can carry 25kg on my back (short distances) and 12-15kg comfortably so 8kg would be nothing.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I saw an article some time ago by someone who had made a custom Brompton backpack. I was highly sceptical at first but the author seemed happy with it, so who am I to criticise?

Not something I'd want to try myself.

Edit: There's a thread all about it here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/carrying-a-brompton-on-a-rucksack.221587/

 

[12boy]

Got a note today from Brompton I can be inline for one as I had expressed an interest, but need to pick it up in New York, New York, about 28 hours of driving time and 1900 miles each way. I would get 3 free tuneups, also in NY. Prolly won't do that.

 

[berlinonaut]

Got a note today from Brompton I can be inline for one as I had expressed an interest, but need to pick it up in New York, New York, about 28 hours of driving time and 1900 miles each way. I would get 3 free tuneups, also in NY. Prolly won't do that.

Hmm, this would add up to 8*1900 miles - if you ride there you would be pretty fit afterwards and probably the free tuneups would be welcome as well after 3800 miles per roundtrip.

 

[rualexander]

I could easily carry the weight of one on my back but admittedly size wise I'm not sure how it would work out. I can carry 25kg on my back (short distances) and 12-15kg comfortably so 8kg would be nothing.

Works out pretty well, I'm surprised there aren't more commercial solutions to carrying a Brompton on your back.
In this case I just tied it onto an existing day pack I already had.
Carried it a few miles that day, no problem.