My wife say's...

[Gravity Aided]

You may need two. Now that I have 1 folding bike that by some miracle fits me, I think I need a second. What about a Raleigh 20, just to see how it works out?

 

[EltonFrog]

You may need two. Now that I have 1 folding bike that by some miracle fits me, I think I need a second. What about a Raleigh 20, just to see how it works out?

Well, I have a Dawes Kingpin which is similar, but its not a folder.

 

[Gravity Aided]

 

[EltonFrog]

Yep that's the one, or you can have a look at this. http://daweskingpinbike.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[palinurus]

I'm guessing that most Brompton owners have one for mainly practical reasons, storage, commuting, not just for a lark.
.

I didn't need one. I just got one because I just wanted one for some reason.

I probably only took it on a train about 10 times. Most of the time I rode it to work (ample secure storage for full-sized bikes) or used it for local trips. I would do long rides on it even though I had more suitable bikes. It was handy as a 'loaner' as almost anyone can ride it. I liked taking it on Eurostar when visiting Paris (pre-Velib'), but that was something I thought of after buying it. I did live in a small flat and had another folding bike (Airnimal) but I also had some storage space big enough for a couple of non-folding bikes so it wasn't just that.

It was worth having it just to watch my colleagues ride it around the office.

Enjoyed it for a few years, sold it. Next owner took it on a trip to NYC and rode it to a podium place in the Brompton worlds. That bike got around...

 

[EltonFrog]

It's been a while since I posted the OP, I still haven't made a decision, I see them in the shops and go and look at them, I check them out on the bay of E every now and then to see if I can blag a bargain, as yet to no avail. Still, there's no rush I'll bide my time and when it happens it happens.

 

[EltonFrog]

I have just been looking on the bay again and I saw this part of a item description for a Brommy that's currently for sale.

"Brompton original box

And paperwork.

I have had all brompton types

And six gears is the only way forward

Forget dynomos and racks,

it's just more weight to carry

Up the escalator and stairs!

And the

the lights faid up hill!



And the straight bar models are unstable!

And less comfortable."

Wha'dya fink?

 

[palinurus]

I have just been looking on the bay again and I saw this part of a item description for a Brommy that's currently for sale.

... six gears is the only way forward

Balls

 

[palinurus]

I have just been looking on the bay again and I saw this part of a item description for a Brommy that's currently for sale.


Forget dynomos and racks,

Balls.

Your choice.

I didn't bother, for others this is important.

 

[palinurus]

Couldn't tell you about the straight bars, but I suspect this is balls too.

When I bought mine there were only the 'traditional' bars available. If I was getting one now I might well try the straight bars. Shops will often have a couple of demonstrators.

 

[palinurus]

Dynamos start to flicker a bit uphill if you go very slowly. I don't know if they all do this, but the one I have on my commute bike (Shimano hub dynamo/ B&M IQ Cyo) does it. I very rarely get to see this effect in practice (for my 700c wheel it happens at about walking speed)

 

[palinurus]

"I have had all brompton types"

Liar.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Buy a secondhand one - you'll be able to sell it years later for the same price you paid, making it free. Explain this to your wife and then simply fail to sell it.

As for dynamos, no flickering at all with the SON unit. It's an expensive upgrade but worth every penny for the fit-and-forget nature of it. Stick the switch onto S (light Sensor) and you don't even have to manually switch the lights on and off.

 

[T4tomo]

Straight bars are more stable than traditional bars in my experience so "balls" again

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Couldn't tell you about the straight bars, but I suspect this is balls too.
.

It is, total balls