New Brompton owner 6mth update

[mitchibob]

Favourite? Possibly. But definitely the one I’d be saddest to loose.
After little use for the past 10 years I am using mine again. What joy. Now that I’ve got proper brake levers going down hill holds (almost) no fear.
Yours looks in better condition than mine, though 4 years older. Choosing yellow may have been a mistake.

I've only just got back riding after long time off due to injury, and while road bike allowed me to start physio early/safely on the turbo, getting back on the road with the Brommie was fantastic, especially at the point that I was able to ride more easily than walk, go to the shops, put stuff in the Borough bag, and easily get back without crutches and swinging bag.

But then I noticed a big enough gash on my front kojak that could be used as excuse to get some new Continential Contact Urban tyres. Not sure if few weeks later I'm just still having that new tyre feeling, but definitely feels like an upgrade still. So easy to get on the rims (even while recovering from broken wrist), and roll and grip so nicely. Definitely my new favourite Brommie tyre running at between 70-80psi. Just feels like with little changes to my Brommie in the last 12 months, it's a changed bike, without really changing bike, and is still my favourite bike. Just fun to ride, and incredibly practical.

While it'd be the one I'd be saddest to lose, I feel it'd have to be burgled or taken from my cold dead fingers in order for that to happen as unlike my road bike, it can come with me pretty much everywhere. Even when I had a crash a couple years back, the ambulance and A&E staff did their best to fold it and put it next to my bed. Never needed a lock until I got road bike.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I've only just got back riding after long time off due to injury, and while road bike allowed me to start physio early/safely on the turbo, getting back on the road with the Brommie was fantastic, especially at the point that I was able to ride more easily than walk, go to the shops, put stuff in the Borough bag, and easily get back without crutches and swinging bag.

But then I noticed a big enough gash on my front kojak that could be used as excuse to get some new Continential Contact Urban tyres. Not sure if few weeks later I'm just still having that new tyre feeling, but definitely feels like an upgrade still. So easy to get on the rims (even while recovering from broken wrist), and roll and grip so nicely. Definitely my new favourite Brommie tyre running at between 70-80psi. Just feels like with little changes to my Brommie in the last 12 months, it's a changed bike, without really changing bike, and is still my favourite bike. Just fun to ride, and incredibly practical.

While it'd be the one I'd be saddest to lose, I feel it'd have to be burgled or taken from my cold dead fingers in order for that to happen as unlike my road bike, it can come with me pretty much everywhere. Even when I had a crash a couple years back, the ambulance and A&E staff did their best to fold it and put it next to my bed. Never needed a lock until I got road bike.

View attachment 586294

I switched to the Continentals a while back and I’m finding it a much smoother feeling ride

 

[Kell]

I'm definitely going to make that switch next time. Although my Brompton has only had one outing in the last year, so I'm not really wearing my Marathon plusses down very quickly.

Be interesting to see how you get on with punctures.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've only just got back riding after long time off due to injury, and while road bike allowed me to start physio early/safely on the turbo, getting back on the road with the Brommie was fantastic, especially at the point that I was able to ride more easily than walk, go to the shops, put stuff in the Borough bag, and easily get back without crutches and swinging bag.

But then I noticed a big enough gash on my front kojak that could be used as excuse to get some new Continential Contact Urban tyres. Not sure if few weeks later I'm just still having that new tyre feeling, but definitely feels like an upgrade still. So easy to get on the rims (even while recovering from broken wrist), and roll and grip so nicely. Definitely my new favourite Brommie tyre running at between 70-80psi. Just feels like with little changes to my Brommie in the last 12 months, it's a changed bike, without really changing bike, and is still my favourite bike. Just fun to ride, and incredibly practical.

While it'd be the one I'd be saddest to lose, I feel it'd have to be burgled or taken from my cold dead fingers in order for that to happen as unlike my road bike, it can come with me pretty much everywhere. Even when I had a crash a couple years back, the ambulance and A&E staff did their best to fold it and put it next to my bed. Never needed a lock until I got road bike.

View attachment 586294

Ha!
I'm much the same mind, in that if the garage was burning down, the first of my 10 bikes I'd save would be the Brompton. Fun, practical, versatile.
My S2E is coming with Marathon Racers. I've heard good things about the Conti's so may be a future upgrade for my 'Speedy' Brompton as opposed to my dreadnaught S12R.
Thanks for the 'bar' shots - do you find them a big improvement?

 

[Tenkaykev]

I'm definitely going to make that switch next time. Although my Brompton has only had one outing in the last year, so I'm not really wearing my Marathon plusses down very quickly.

Be interesting to see how you get on with punctures.

I’ve done a fair bit of riding on gravel and trailways, not much recently due to the weather. Touch wood, all good so far.
Edit to say on the Contis

 

[gom]

I bought a pair of Conti Contact Urban a few weeks ago and agree they are nice tyres. But although both are fine on my rear wheel, both start to come off the front at about 60psi. Now the rear wheel rim was replaced two or three years ago, but the front is the original from 1999. Schwalbe Marathon and a Brompton tyre both OK on the front. Some subtle difference in the rims?

I don’t regret buying them and maybe I’ll get a new front wheel sometime.

 

[Gunk]

I'm much the same mind, in that if the garage was burning down, the first of my 10 bikes I'd save would be the Brompton.

I used to think that but I’ve finally off loaded mine, I just didn’t use it. My Van Nicholas with panniers is just so much better.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I used to think that but I’ve finally off loaded mine, I just didn’t use it. My Van Nicholas with panniers is just so much better.

Except at folding.....

 

[Justinitus]

But although both are fine on my rear wheel, both start to come off the front at about 60psi.

I‘d read somewhere that the original versions with the yellow Conti logo and no reflective sidewall were apparently a bit loose fitting and came up a bit wide - the newer versions with the reflective sidewall strip are much improved. Could it be that?

 

[gom]

I‘d read somewhere that the original versions with the yellow Conti logo and no reflective sidewall were apparently a bit loose fitting and came up a bit wide - the newer versions with the reflective sidewall strip are much improved. Could it be that?

Mine have the reflective band on the sidewall, so probably not. But thanks.

 

[mitchibob]

Ha!
I'm much the same mind, in that if the garage was burning down, the first of my 10 bikes I'd save would be the Brompton. Fun, practical, versatile.
My S2E is coming with Marathon Racers. I've heard good things about the Conti's so may be a future upgrade for my 'Speedy' Brompton as opposed to my dreadnaught S12R.

Marathon Racers apparently have worse rolling resistance than standard Marathons, without quite the same puncture protection, so other than weight saving, I really don't see what the point in them is.

Thanks for the 'bar' shots - do you find them a big improvement?

Well, the bars changed the bike again for me, after a few months of riding mostly road bike. This brommie is a 2018 M6E model which I'd changed to the JK ergonomic mid-risers, which I also liked. Just, after a few long rides on a road bike I'd bought to stick on a turbo in case the first lockdown stopped outdoor exercise as it had done in other countries, the brommie was feeling a bit Mary Poppins. Hence switching to these bars, giving excuse to get new Borough bag as T-bag is fine unless you want to steer (plus mine was getting pretty worn).

The bars have just made it feel like it did before I got the road bike in some ways. I'm might chop them down a couple more millimetres, and I really probably should shorten the cables now I'm settled on keeping them. Not been out on a "long" ride with them yet, but nothing on any of the rides I've done so far make me think I'd want to change them for long distance. More practical space for additional accessory attachment too, but that's just S over M. Great value too, but it was a bit of a wait this time.

 

[mitchibob]

I bought a pair of Conti Contact Urban a few weeks ago and agree they are nice tyres. But although both are fine on my rear wheel, both start to come off the front at about 60psi. Now the rear wheel rim was replaced two or three years ago, but the front is the original from 1999.

Same front rim for 22 years? Wow!

 

[mitchibob]

I‘d read somewhere that the original versions with the yellow Conti logo and no reflective sidewall were apparently a bit loose fitting and came up a bit wide - the newer versions with the reflective sidewall strip are much improved. Could it be that?

I've got the newer versions with reflective sidewall, and they were still easier to get on standard rim than average Marathon or Kojak (even if recovering from broken wrist), but I wouldn't call them loose fitting. Can confirm they don't rub on mudguards or anything too.

 

[gom]

Same front rim for 22 years? Wow!

The bike never got that much use - never used for commuting for example. So in terms of miles done it’s quite new. The rear wheel rim got a crack in it somehow, but was nevertheless holding together OK. Not really worn, but obviously needed replacing!
Only recently started to regularly ride my Brompton again after many years of infrequent use. As noted above, it’s great 😊. I’m thinking bus + Brompton may be a good combination one day.

 

[pmun]

I've got a lovely BMC Alpenchallenge in the garage - but it's the Brompton that I turn to every time even on longer trips like Brighton-London or Bristol-Reading. It's just more fun to ride.