Let's See Your Folding Bike

[12boy]

Brilliant bikes has a bunch of you tube stuff on electric Brompties.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Brilliant bikes has a bunch of you tube stuff on electric Brompties.

It’s an excellent resource, especially for maintenance tutorials.
Speaking of Electric Brommies, I’m curious to know if there is a “ MK 2 “ in the works. The original electric Brompton has been out for a few years now and I’m sure that there’s been a fair bit of feedback from users. Perhaps the existing motor design is at it’s optimum and any changes wouldn’t be cost effective for the comparatively small number of motors manufactured. Battery chemistry continues to improve by a few percentage points here and there so that could add a bit of range ( though shedding a few kg of fat would add even more!)
I’ve done a bit of digging around but can’t find any videos of the Brompton Electric battery packs / motors being stripped down and inspected.

 

[185Q]

Supposedly FWD on a bike is a bit of a revelation. Do you get any issues with grip going uphill? A Brompton, especially an M-type, is very lightly loaded at the front. I suppose the weight of the motor and battery help?

Handling is fine uphill. The power pack adds another kilogram at the front and I habitually have a front bag mounted, either this one or a larger Brompton C bag. Without something up front the handling is too 'twitchy’ in my opinion. One thing I have found is that care needs to be taken when starting off with the motor engaged as there is a slight surge when the motor kicks in as the crank rotates, but it’s only a new technique to learn and easily controlled.

 

[shingwell]

No FWD issues from me too in my variation on a Nano conversion. https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/variation-on-a-nano-conversion.251868/

 

[Gillstay]

Wanted a folding bike that I could do trails with when abroad. Bought and set up.....you guessed it two years ago and barely been used since!

 

[u_i]

Wanted a folding bike that I could do trails with when abroad. Bought and set up.....you guessed it two years ago and barely been used since!

What bicycle is that? How does it fold? Thanks.

 

[roley poley]

What bicycle is that? How does it fold? Thanks.

curious too ..what beasty is that ??

 

[Kell]

That looks like one of those ones you got for smoking Marlboros...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4YJUg2y2FA

http://www.foldingcyclist.com/Fuji-Marlboro-folding-bike.html

 

[Gillstay]

Yep thats what they were famous for, smoking lots and cycling !

 

[Schwinnsta]

Supposedly FWD on a bike is a bit of a revelation. Do you get any issues with grip going uphill? A Brompton, especially an M-type, is very lightly loaded at the front. I suppose the weight of the motor and battery help?

What is FWD?

 

[FolderBeholder]

Front Wheel Drive

 

[185Q]

The Brompton/Swytch combo + Brompton C Bag + Vincita Nash Bag easily managed a fairly hefty and bulky supermarket run this morning. If anyone’s wondering the small pack slung under the saddle is permanently attached and contains a cover for occasions when I need to have to travel when the bike is folded.

I wanted to show how a small backwards tilt of the Swytch power pack allows the 25 litre capacity C Bag to be used, providing the bag is mounted before the power pack, and also an opportunity to show the Vincita ‘panniers’ in use.
The Swytch motor made the cycling swift and effortless (due care being taken because of the large load, of course!).



Additionally I’m becoming more convinced that the recently fitted Continental Contact Urban tyres provide better handling and less road resistance than the standard Bromptons they’ve replaced.

The weather has been fairly rubbish since fitting the Swytch, so I haven’t had any decent runs to see what range I get but after about 20 miles of local running around I’m still showing 3 bars of the 5 bars that indicate fully charged.

 

[CharlieB]

This one's been seven years in the making. It's my fast summer commuter S1E-X, but has also been out on some FNRttCs and some Dutch tours.
A project to see how light you can get a Brompton - it's now 8.9kg.
It goes like a rocket!
Brompfication Ti seatpost, chain tensioner, clamp bolts, pretty much every other bolt and nut (green, of course), Ti suspension spring.
Joseph Kuosac carbon wheels - slightly heavier than standard Brompton wheels, but make for a far more lively ride.
Planet X Superlight team saddle.
I did experiment with various chainsets (including a Sram carbon one), but I couldn't find anything lighter than the standard Brompton one that actually worked satisfactorily (but I'm open to suggestions).
(Yes, I know our patio needs attention...)

 

[rogerzilla]

Kermit the bike!

 

[u_i]

It's my fast summer commuter S1E-X, but has also been out on some FNRttCs and some Dutch tours.
A project to see how light you can get a Brompton - it's now 8.9kg.
It goes like a rocket!
Brompfication Ti seatpost, chain tensioner, clamp bolts, pretty much every other bolt and nut (green, of course), Ti suspension spring.
Joseph Kuosac carbon wheels - slightly heavier than standard Brompton wheels, but make for a far more lively ride.
Planet X Superlight team saddle.

I am surprised to read about touring and all those parts in one paragraph. Too many times in my case a single non-Brompton part, that was blindly trusted, disabled my planned activities at the very start of travel. These days I severely limit the use of such parts and I religiously take along a recovery kit of original Brompton parts until it is clear that the situation is stable. Obviously taking along the recovery kit increases the weight rather than lowers it, but it is a potential investment in the future.