How far on a brompton?

[Paulus]

Hi there, I am thinking of getting a brompton as I often start work at one location and finish at another. I use my road bike normally but the logistics of moving the bike is a bit fraught at times. The commute is 15 miles each way. Is this achievable on a brompton? milage on a "normal" road bike is not a problem.

 

[wafflycat]

There's a lady I know of... considerably older than me and I'm no spring chicken... we were on a leisure ride. It was 50 miles. She did it on a Brommie with no problems.

 

[wafflycat]

This is quite an unusual setting for a Brommie

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/fbw/images/cain-brompton-1000.jpg

 

[spindrift]

Beyond belief:

That, my friend, is a very brave man at the end of an eighteen kilometer climb, 2114 metres up.

A one-in-ten ascent.

For nearly twenty clicks.

On a foldy.

Chapeau.

 

[Paulus]

So I can take it that a Brommie will fit the bill then. 3 or 6 gears? Cheers.

 

[wafflycat]

Make it a fixie

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Have you thought about an Airnimal?

They are less foldable than a Brommie, and lack that classic Brompton charm, but are a bit larger, and faster for a 15mile journey.

Stay away from Dahon!

 

[palinurus]

How would you be transporting the bike? If the smallness of the fold is not so important then an Airnimal might be worth a look. Spa cycles have some very nice prices at the moment (just been reading the CTC mag on the crapper, they have an ad.)

If the smallness of the fold is important then it'll be difficult to beat a Brompton.

I've had both.
But I wouldn't have done a TT on a Brompton, and I couldn't have smuggled the Airnimal on a bus.

 

[palinurus]

As for how far on a Brompton? sometimes I used it for my commute (9 miles) and the most I did in a day was about 50 miles while in France. Plenty people have done some pretty serious touring on 'em. They don't do hills so well. You can go up (see Spindrift's post), but I reckon it'd be hairy coming down.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I don't think you'll have any problem doing that distance on a Brompton. Once you get used to the quick steering, they ride amazingly well given the small wheels. The main limitation is top speed, as the top gear isn't that high.

 

[Keith Oates]

Should be no trouble Paulus, go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wobbles]

I regularly do that distance to and from work on my 2 speeder.
Get the 6 speeder as the top gear is highest of the lot(2,3 &6). I constantly reach for a higher gear.
6 gears - Specially if you're a fit rider, you'll be able to push along all day in top.
Brilliant bikes - Sooooo useful.

 

[ChrisKH]

Paulus, depending on how much up and down you are doing, consider getting the gearing changed to suit. I have a larger front cog than the standard Brommies have on my 6 gear which compensates to some extent for the lack of speed. But I wouldn't want to use it if I wasn't particularly strong or if I had a lot of hill work.

 

[leoc]

Stay away from Dahon!

I've never ridden a folder, but I've seen a Dahon in the bike shed at work and it looked nice. What makes them worse than the other folders on the market?

 

[walker]

I've seen plenty of people do the London to brighton on a Brompton