Can't afford a Brompton ..

[freiston]

I tend to steer clear of this board because it's hard to find any thread that is not about Bromptons (I'm not against them but my interest in them, for various reasons, is low). I read the OP - specifies that advice on sub £500 non-Brompton folder is required, so I read on - nigh on 8 pages full of 'Brompton'. Depressing.

I have a Tern C7 - bought from Evans as a 'last year model' and so I got it for, IIRC, £325 instead of £425. I haven't done many miles on it but I like it. I've carried it on a Virgin train (fitted nicely on a shelf of the luggage rack by the end of the carriage), on a West Midlands 900/X1 bus (spacey double decker), carried it into shops (got weird looks from the staff but no challenges - I suspect the same would have happened whatever the make). I have a decent pannier rack on it and have used it for shopping and collecting parcels from the Royal Mail delivery office (they had no problem with me taking the bike in). The most I have cycled on it in one trip is about 14 miles urban. I have used it on narrow country lane rides with hills but only up to 10 miles. When transporting it in a three-door Fiesta, the back seat had to be folded to get the bike in the back - but it was only just necessary to fold the seat (and I can't remember if there was anything else in the 'boot' that needed room too) but I have heard of others easily fitting Terns in the back of other models of car without folding seats down. I wouldn't want to take it on crowded buses. It folds/unfolds quickly and I find it easy enough to carry but I wouldn't want to carry it for long; iirc, it weighs about 12Kg.

I can't remember (and I'm not going to count the teeth now) but I think the gear range is about 33" to 75". It's the first small wheel or folder I've had since primary school (several decades ago) and I found the ride a bit strange and 'twitchy' at first and was surprised at the effects of pot-holes on handling (my other bike is a touring bike) but soon got used to it and I love it now.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Anyone who can afford a car can afford a brompton.

But maybe not at the same time.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I tend to steer clear of this board because it's hard to find any thread that is not about Bromptons (I'm not against them but my interest in them, for various reasons, is low). I read the OP - specifies that advice on sub £500 non-Brompton folder is required, so I read on - nigh on 8 pages full of 'Brompton'. Depressing.

<snip>

To be fair, quite a number, myself included, start from a position of Not a Brompton, but having through necessity, peer pressure, curiosity, whatever.... bought one find that they are an awful lot more of a bike than expected or believed. I don't see anything wrong with making alternative arguments or suggestions to help with a more rounded opinion and buying experience (YKWIM)

I've moved my Brompton on now, in preference for my older Birdy, but these are by and large even more costly than the Brommy new.

There have been posts on Tern's & Dahon's too but realistically from my empirical and anecdotal observations on the roads around Manchester, the proportion of posts is akin to the proportion of bikes out there. Maybe something else people could wish to factor into a buying decision???

 

[Fab Foodie]

I tend to steer clear of this board because it's hard to find any thread that is not about Bromptons (I'm not against them but my interest in them, for various reasons, is low). I read the OP - specifies that advice on sub £500 non-Brompton folder is required, so I read on - nigh on 8 pages full of 'Brompton'. Depressing.

I have a Tern C7 - bought from Evans as a 'last year model' and so I got it for, IIRC, £325 instead of £425. I haven't done many miles on it but I like it. I've carried it on a Virgin train (fitted nicely on a shelf of the luggage rack by the end of the carriage), on a West Midlands 900/X1 bus (spacey double decker), carried it into shops (got weird looks from the staff but no challenges - I suspect the same would have happened whatever the make). I have a decent pannier rack on it and have used it for shopping and collecting parcels from the Royal Mail delivery office (they had no problem with me taking the bike in). The most I have cycled on it in one trip is about 14 miles urban. I have used it on narrow country lane rides with hills but only up to 10 miles. When transporting it in a three-door Fiesta, the back seat had to be folded to get the bike in the back - but it was only just necessary to fold the seat (and I can't remember if there was anything else in the 'boot' that needed room too) but I have heard of others easily fitting Terns in the back of other models of car without folding seats down. I wouldn't want to take it on crowded buses. It folds/unfolds quickly and I find it easy enough to carry but I wouldn't want to carry it for long; iirc, it weighs about 12Kg.

I can't remember (and I'm not going to count the teeth now) but I think the gear range is about 33" to 75". It's the first small wheel or folder I've had since primary school (several decades ago) and I found the ride a bit strange and 'twitchy' at first and was surprised at the effects of pot-holes on handling (my other bike is a touring bike) but soon got used to it and I love it now.

I understand your position and can see the frustration.
I have an old BSA folder thats an excellent bike, far more capable than people give credit. We have one nutter here who tours on a Raleigh 20 and numerous others that get great service from their Dahon, Terns, Birdys etc. All good bikes in their own right. BUT neither of them are Brompton alternatives IF the total Brompton functionality is what you need.

 

[chriscross1966]

Anyone who can afford a car can afford a brompton.

My H3R with hub dynamo lighting cost more than all three of my vans put together......

 

[12boy]

Perhaps it is so obvious no one remarks on it but besides saving transportation costs as Kell explained, I am a firm believer in bike medicine...riding a bike as a daily routine is simply good for you. Incorporating a little exercise into your day which has to be done if you would like to get home means you will do it even if you feel lazy that day, and whatever stresses I may have encountered at work are pretty much forgotten after a brisk ride home. If travel and/or other responsibilities prevent me from riding, after a few days I get grumpy, and need my bike fix to be pleasant, or what passes for pleasant with me. My Brompton enables me to easily take it with me when I travel, and since it takes little maintenance I can usually squeeze in a ride. Any folder that folds small would work too. And, like Chrisscross 1966, the Brompton is probably worth more than any of my my 3 POS vehicles if not all 3 together.

 

[Salar]

Now I don't own or have ever ridden a Brompton so cannot comment on them,but can someone tell me why there are nearly always 100+ for sale on ebay.?

 

[srw]

Now I don't own or have ever ridden a Brompton so cannot comment on them,but can someone tell me why there are nearly always 100+ for sale on ebay.?

Because over half a million have been made, and most are still rideable. And demand outstrips supply, so they maintain their value well.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Now I don't own or have ever ridden a Brompton so cannot comment on them,but can someone tell me why there are nearly always 100+ for sale on ebay.?

Change of job, change of location, change of necessity to travel by bike, company car, change of family circumstances, impulse buy gone wrong, theft, existing owner bought a new one, Brompton dock sell offs, A tiger ate your left leg...... Who knows? but as SRW says they are an asset that holds a residual value very well and with the usual waiting list for brand new, used ones sell well 2nd hand. Also the relative simplicity, robustness and consistency of the build and parts means that age and obsolescence is much less a factor in this market.

 

[doginabag]

Also in respect to their resale value, you could buy a new one every year using the cycle scheme and sell off the old one always maintaining a <1 year old bike for little or no cost.

 

[chriscross1966]

Now I don't own or have ever ridden a Brompton so cannot comment on them,but can someone tell me why there are nearly always 100+ for sale on ebay.?

Well I owned my first one, an M3L bought off eBay for two years... At the end of that I had a list of bits I wanted different and so bought that (an H3R with Shimano hub dynamo) with the help of C2W.... Four years down the line I have another list that says "More gears, lighter"... Tried an S6X... Absolutely loathe the gear change system... I'm autistic so that will always be an issue now I've locked onto it, so I decided that instead of buying a new one I would spend the money on upgrading my current one. Alfine 11 speed conversion from Kinetics and carbon fibre or titanium everything that's practical to do so. I would expect that story, certainly the start of it is pretty common, bought a S/H one, made a list of what I wanted different, bought a brand new one, sold the old one on...

 

[TheDoctor]

Also in respect to their resale value, you could buy a new one every year using the cycle scheme and sell off the old one always maintaining a <1 year old bike for little or no cost.

Easily. I could ebay my 8 year old M6R and I'd have made money.

 

[Pale Rider]

Easily. I could ebay my 8 year old M6R and I'd have made money.

The thread title should have been: Can't afford not to buy a Brompton.