Can't afford a Brompton ..

[cycle_bug]

if you can't afford, or rather, can't justify a Brompton then what's a good sub£500 way of enjoying a folder and general cycling?

Then when I prove i stick it, save for a fancy Brompton

Seen Raleigh and Giant even do then at a much lower price but does cheap have to mean nasty?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Dahon, Tern or if you have one close by look at Decathlon. Several of the others on the market appear to be rebadged Dahons.

There is an active 2nd hand Brompton market at around the £500 point and if you wanted to upgrade later you're near as dammit going to get your money back

 

[shouldbeinbed]

As for justifying it. I was very sceptical of the charms of Brompton for a long while whilst riding other folders but when I needed truly compact folding for multi mode travel wirhout the occasional argument with a bus driver I took the plunge. As with the comments on your other thread, when you get to live and ride with them every day, you come to appreciate what a good machine they really are for riding and just damn good fun. They handle nippily but far better than you'd expect from the look or a quick test ride, load carrying and eating up miles exceeds expectations by a long way, mechanically they are very sound and once set up just keep going with minimal intervention. I've thinned my bikes out a lot recently, The Brompton is not going anywhere and is the bike I ride most and is the one I default to now.
They get you on novelty and curiosity, they keep you with versatility, quality and a bloody big grin on your face.

 

[Jimidh]

I think that Bromptons are fcking awful bikes and can't believe that people think otherwise.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was in Decathlon last weekend and I took a look at their folders, which looked like remarkable value. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-847975-folding-bikes

 

[Arellcat]

I think that Bromptons are fcking awful bikes and can't believe that people think otherwise.

Piffle.

If you need to take a bike regularly on a rush hour train or bus, or if you don't have secure – or any – bike parking at your work, or if you're tight for space at home, a Brompton is the ideal solution. If you're looking to crank out a hundred miles every weekend, it probably isn't the bike for you.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I think that Bromptons are fcking awful bikes and can't believe that people think otherwise.

What didn't you like about them when you owned one?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think that Bromptons are fcking awful bikes and can't believe that people think otherwise.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Dahon, Tern or if you have one close by look at Decathlon. Several of the others on the market appear to be rebadged Dahons.

There is an active 2nd hand Brompton market at around the £500 point and if you wanted to upgrade later you're near as dammit going to get your money back

This. S/H Brommies hold their value well and are always in demand.

 

[robgul]

I have a Dahon (Dawes Ace badged, built by Dahon) for sale in your price range . . . 2014, top of the range, 20" wheel (better ride than a Brompton IMHO) dynamo lights, seatpost pump, immaculate, with carry bag etc - drop me a PM if interested and I can send pix.

...

Rob

 

[CopperBrompton]

There is an active 2nd hand Brompton market at around the £500 point and if you wanted to upgrade later you're near as dammit going to get your money back

This every time. In the unlikely event you decide it isn't for you, you'll be able to sell for about the price you paid. In the meantime, you'll be enjoying the all-round best folding bike on the market.

 

[cycle_bug]

Looked at Dahon, can't make sense of their website, no idea of price or quality.. is it in any sort of order?!

Also, since I started looking at Bromptons with excellent internal gears and dynamo lights I'm sort of trying to find a folder with those features (since retrofitting them might not work with all folding mechanisms

 

[Kell]

Are you anywhere near where you can hire a Brompton?

I used one for a month to ensure I could live with it day-to-day.

Plus you get back up to £100 of the hire cost if you go on to buy one (new).

https://www.bromptonbikehire.com/

As for the cost, it depends on how you justify it. I had three folding bikes before getting a Brompton and junked all three for zero cash. Admittedly, one of those was run over and bent out of shape, but I had two Dahons where the frame cracked. In total, I spent about £1500 on those, before then getting a Brompton. All of that cash is dead money now. Had I got a Brompton in the first place, then even seven/eight years' later, the bike would still be worth about 40-50% of its value.

Can yoiu get one on the ride to work scheme? You can save a lot doing it that way.

 

[cycle_bug]

Are you anywhere near where you can hire a Brompton?

I used one for a month to ensure I could live with it day-to-day.

Plus you get back up to £100 of the hire cost if you go on to buy one (new).

https://www.bromptonbikehire.com/

As for the cost, it depends on how you justify it. I had three folding bikes before getting a Brompton and junked all three for zero cash. Admittedly, one of those was run over and bent out of shape, but I had two Dahons where the frame cracked. In total, I spent about £1500 on those, before then getting a Brompton. All of that cash is dead money now. Had I got a Brompton in the first place, then even seven/eight years' later, the bike would still be worth about 40-50% of its value.

Can yoiu get one on the ride to work scheme? You can save a lot doing it that way.

How much does the cycle to work scheme get off it? Must look into that

 

[Kell]

Depends on your income, but it can be up to about 40%

https://www.evanscycles.com/ride-to-work/employee-benefits