Prototype 20" Brompton

[Twizit]

Managed a look see at a demo model in local Brompton dealer today. No test ride as officially embargoed until launch on Tuesday but had a good play with the fold, sat on for size and reach check etc. Didn’t actually feel too bad picking it up. Slight weight balance to rear end as expected given hub gear but otherwise not bad. Obvs not sure what it will feel like riding.

Sitting on the bike it felt much more like a full sized bike and less constrained than a normal brompton. Folded the extra height and length wasn’t too noticeable. Definitely wider which I think I’d notice more when compared to normal Brompton.

All in looked great in the flesh and the orange colour is lovely. Matt with a sparkle to it. Champagne colour doesn’t appeal. Apparently the green is a gloss rather than matt finish. If the use case fits your needs I’d say it’s definitely worth a look.

 

[Gunk]

Managed a look see at a demo model in local Brompton dealer today

Brilliant Bikes in Chobham?

 

[Twizit]

Brilliant Bikes in Chobham?

Fudge & Sons - closer to me than BB, otherwise yes would have gone there!

 

[rualexander]

View: https://youtu.be/s8vxfogHcxI?si=zYiIeMc4SSMbJiNM

 

[Kell]

Fudge & Sons - closer to me than BB, otherwise yes would have gone there!

I pass that shop daily. The one in Harrow Road that is. Too early for it to be open though.

Didn’t even realise that they were a Brompton dealer.

Hoping to get to a dealer next week.

 

[Twizit]

I pass that shop daily. The one in Harrow Road that is. Too early for it to be open though.

Didn’t even realise that they were a Brompton dealer.

Hoping to get to a dealer next week.

One in Epsom for me. First time I’ve really heard of them but turns out they are the biggest Brompton dealer. No surprises the Harrow Rd branch sells way more than Epsom. Really helpful.

 

[Kell]

I've called the Brompton Junction in Covent Garden - apparently they have a 'large' available to test ride and a 'medium' available as display only. i.e. I could sit on it to see how it feels, but can't take it out to ride it.

Going to try and get down there today or sometime this week.

 

[Kell]

So I managed to get a ride.

Unsurprisingly, they had a queue of people trying them out and I had to wait for the Large to come back into the store to try it.

In the meantime, I had a play with the small version.

Felt too small for me. But not comically so. Just sitting on it leant up against the wall, it felt like the standard seat post was almost correct. But the reach felt very small.

They did have a medium in stock. But the ‘display model’ was actually mounted on a display in the window so I couldn't ride it OR sit on it, despite being told I could.

The large felt too tall at the bars for me. Too upright. Bonus of it is that it did have the Conti tyres on it as I wanted to feel what they were like. They look just like massive versions of mine and i couldn't help but wonder if a thinner tyre exists that would fit.

The hub gears were great and the discs were a revelation. So was the fact it didn't rattle.

I rode down there on my bike, so put it up against the Large G-line to compare. Seat height from the floor was almost bang on identical, but the bars of the G-line were probably 2" higher. More akin to the old-school M-type. This might suit some people, but not me. The reach was a little longer than mine, but only fractionally - however, they did the typical Brompton thing of putting saddle quite far forward on the rails. So I figure being able to play around and put the seat back a bit would be worthwhile.

I did try putting my bike up against the medium in the window, but it was a bit hard to do. I reckon it was slightly nearer to the geometry on my bike. I was hoping the reach would be slightly longer than mine as I could do with being slightly more stretched out.

On the road it did feel good to ride, but it's noticeably heavier to move around when folding and unfolding. You'd get used to it, but that's a lot of extra weight to swing under to fold.

I think I'd need a longer ride on the medium to see if i could make it work. And I'd need to do it at a friendly dealer that might let me move stuff about.

They only had the Orange and the white (whatever they're calling that). I quite liked the orange, but as an owner of a powder coated lime green version, I know those bright colours seem to attract the dirt in London and the powder coat makes it difficult to remove. From the online pics, I prefer the look of the green, but again would have to see.

Ultimately, I was a little disappointed. I wanted to really love it, I had visions of me taking up my pre-order slot immediately, but left feeling a bit 'meh'.

 

[Kell]

I was going by the lines they give next to their measurements.

View attachment 745967

@wafter - I was just re-looking at their site and the picture has changed to reflect correct stack measurement.

 

[wafter]

@wafter - I was just re-looking at their site and the picture has changed to reflect correct stack measurement.

View attachment 746782

Nice work - although it seems their idea of reach is still at odds with the generally accepted definition of measuring from the crank centre..

Perhaps they're watching this thread... in which case: Sort your facking C-Line hinges out!

 

[Kell]

Has anyone seen anything to explain how the gearing fits into the range?

I read on the Brompton site that it gives an overall ratio of 307% and the 6-speed gives 300%.

But it would be interesting to see how that translates and where the overlaps are.

On my test ride, it was great (and slick) that the changes were far less comically far apart as they are on my 6-speed. But then it worries me that the spread isn't as great. TBH on a fairly flat route in the centre of London, I probably only used those in the middle.

Maybe there are bigger gaps at the ends and 8 is a bit taller than 6 and 1 is a bit lower than 1.

i.e. where would it sit on this chart?

 

[Twizit]

So I managed to get a ride.

Unsurprisingly, they had a queue of people trying them out and I had to wait for the Large to come back into the store to try it.

In the meantime, I had a play with the small version.

Felt too small for me. But not comically so. Just sitting on it leant up against the wall, it felt like the standard seat post was almost correct. But the reach felt very small.

They did have a medium in stock. But the ‘display model’ was actually mounted on a display in the window so I couldn't ride it OR sit on it, despite being told I could.

The large felt too tall at the bars for me. Too upright. Bonus of it is that it did have the Conti tyres on it as I wanted to feel what they were like. They look just like massive versions of mine and i couldn't help but wonder if a thinner tyre exists that would fit.

The hub gears were great and the discs were a revelation. So was the fact it didn't rattle.

I rode down there on my bike, so put it up against the Large G-line to compare. Seat height from the floor was almost bang on identical, but the bars of the G-line were probably 2" higher. More akin to the old-school M-type. This might suit some people, but not me. The reach was a little longer than mine, but only fractionally - however, they did the typical Brompton thing of putting saddle quite far forward on the rails. So I figure being able to play around and put the seat back a bit would be worthwhile.

I did try putting my bike up against the medium in the window, but it was a bit hard to do. I reckon it was slightly nearer to the geometry on my bike. I was hoping the reach would be slightly longer than mine as I could do with being slightly more stretched out.

On the road it did feel good to ride, but it's noticeably heavier to move around when folding and unfolding. You'd get used to it, but that's a lot of extra weight to swing under to fold.

I think I'd need a longer ride on the medium to see if i could make it work. And I'd need to do it at a friendly dealer that might let me move stuff about.

They only had the Orange and the white (whatever they're calling that). I quite liked the orange, but as an owner of a powder coated lime green version, I know those bright colours seem to attract the dirt in London and the powder coat makes it difficult to remove. From the online pics, I prefer the look of the green, but again would have to see.

Ultimately, I was a little disappointed. I wanted to really love it, I had visions of me taking up my pre-order slot immediately, but left feeling a bit 'meh'.

That's a real miss by Brompton not even having a medium (I would guess the most likely popular size) available for test rides or even just to play around with in store. This from their flagship London Junction as well!

Real contrast with my experience from the dealer. They were clear that I couldn't test ride due to the embargo, but they were more than happy to take it off the stand (where it was heavily D-locked!) to sit on, lift, test fold and generally muck about with enough that I knew I could get more than comfortable with the size and riding position. Certainly felt more stretched out and less constrained than my current P Line.

I'm pretty much mind made up, but then I know I have quite a few use cases that the G Line will suit well enough, whilst still covering the needs that my P Line currently covers. as this thread has shown though, a standard Brommie will still suit a good number of people much better.

 

[T4tomo]

Has anyone seen anything to explain how the gearing fits into the range?

I read on the Brompton site that it gives an overall ratio of 307% and the 6-speed gives 300%.

Standard Alfine 8speed hub, so ratios below (thanks sheldon). they will shift left and right on your chain depending on chainring and sprocket used. you should aim to get 5th as your "baby bear" gear as that is the most efficient.

 

[Kell]

Standard Alfine 8speed hub, so ratios below (thanks sheldon). they will shift left and right on your chain depending on chainring and sprocket used. you should aim to get 5th as your "baby bear" gear as that is the most efficient.
View attachment 746825

Thanks for that. I'm sure that at some point they'll release the figures and how they compare based on using OEM Brompton parts.

From memory (and bearing in mind I was on the flat and not going particularly hard as it was Covent Garden and there were thousands of tourists) I was in sort of 4th/5th ish.

I meant to start my watch so I could track it on Strava, but forgot.

 

[wafter]

Thanks for that. I'm sure that at some point they'll releases the figures and how they compare based on using OEM Brompton parts.

We know all of the info required to work out the gearing (chainring size, hub ratios, tyre size) with the exception of the rear sprocket count.. perhaps some detective work from pics could give an educated guess