Replacement for Brompton

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Yellow Fang

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
It massively depends on just HOW useful you felt your Brompton was and why you need another folder.

Is it for very occasional use?
Does it need to fold to meet a transport requirement?
Does it need to fold for storage?
Does it need to fold to fit inside a vehicle?

If you don't need the ability to fold it, then I certainly wouldn't be looking at something that does as they're compromised from the outset - some more than others, but all in different ways.

For me the Brompton was the best in terms of those compromises (of the ones I looked at, read reviews of or physically tried). By which I mean cost, rideability, foldability, durability.

A guy I used to work with had a Strida, but as I didn't have a folder at the time, I didn't know the right questions to ask. Seemed much more like a novelty item than anything to do any sort of distance on. From memory, I think he had trouble as his knees hit the bars.

Cost is probably the biggest deciding factor.

Brompton's aren't cheap, but they're a long way off being the most expensive folders either. It does look like they're not selling the 2-speed. Which is odd as they're still selling the 6-speed which uses (part of) the 2-speed mechanics. Maybe it's the hubs they're short of.

The new Tern Verge X11 looks interesting, for example, but at £2,700 it's almost the same price as an electric Brompton and may well not hold its value in the way a Brompton would (if that matters to you). It also folds in such a way that the chainrings are exposed - unlike the Brompton which keeps them away from clothes.

The Hummingbird is probably the lightest, but not cheap - starts at £3,450 for a single speed. There's no obvious way to pick them up either. The only person I've seen carrying one picked it up and carried it with his hand under the frame. It looked easy enough to do, but meant that a lot of dirt it would pick up is going to transfer to you. Not so bad if, like me, you wear cycling-specific clothes (or at least clothes you don't mind getting covered in oil, grease, or road grime). Not so good if you're in your favourite suit.

I always liked the look of Airnimals, but the fold is not great as the front wheel has to be removed - which might be fine for storage and/or occasional use, but not great twice a day on a regular commute.

The Birdy looks good and apparently rides well - I used to chat with a guy on my commute that had one (he also had a Montague Swiss bike prior to that and then an Oribike). Like the Airnimals, though, the front wheel had to come off the Montague. Not such a ball-ache in the summer, but on a cold, wet February morning, not pleasant to have to do while you're rushing to get your train.

Then there all the Dahons and Terns. More comfortable perhaps with bigger wheels (20", 24" or 26"). I had two Dahons - both frames snapped*.
I actually liked both of my bikes (and I also had a Dahon clone prior to this (a Rabbit.de)) they rode well and soaked up bumps better, used more standardised parts. But all three had problems with the folding mechanism. Two had the big frame hinge and one had the lockjaw system. they all required constant tinkering and squeaked constantly throughout my ownership.

Plus, on a commute, I often found myself unable to get on a train as there wasn't room because they didn't fold down small enough.

*NB - before anyone else mentions this, I was (am) over the rider weight limit for the bikes, but I did not know this until years later. I bought one new from Evans and it was certainly never mentioned at any time during the purchase. Funnily enough, they did bring it up when I was trying to get a refund.

Decathlon is a great shout for something cheap - their 'normal' bikes are very often rated in the top of whatever chart they're competing in - ie best road bikes under £500 - so I'd have no problem with them.

Even though there are more options available now, I'd still struggle to find one that I think better suits my needs for a folder. If I was to buy another, it would probably be another Brompton - though I'd be tempted to try a test ride of the Birdy.

I have an Airnimal Chameleon. However, I would not want to leave that locked up the street. Some of these folding bikes are too expensive. I had a look at the Raleigh folder. I think I might hang on and see if Brompton start making the S2L again. Otherwise I might not bother. The Brompton has several problems. One is it's price. Another is it's heavy to lug about. The S2L is better in those two respects.

I only used my Brommie occasionally in the last four years. I don't take it on the train any more. I don't cycle into work. It was easier to carry down six flights of stairs than my other bikes if I wanted to meet my friends at a pub. Neighbours moaning about tyre marks on the stairwell walls was one of the reasons for getting it.
 

mitchibob

Über Member
Location
Treorchy, Wales
My Brompton was stolen yesterday. I knew I was taking a risk with the lock I was using. I am not too upset, because I was thinking I should replace it anyway. It was fifteen years old at least. The headset was loose. A bolt had snapped off on the front carrier block, so I could not use the pannier any more. The only thing I thought worth saving was the SON XS dynamo hub, but those are not so useful these days with LED lighting. I used my Brompton quite a bit in the past, but I have not used it so much recently. It was still useful sometimes. I was thinking of getting one of those 2-gear Bromptons with the straight handlebars, but, frustratingly, Brompton don't seem to make them any more. I am also considering a Strida, but I don't know how robust they are. They don't look very robust. I don't know what they are like to cycle three miles. There don't seem to be as many models of fold-up bike as there used to be. I noticed the Xootr Swift is not made any more

So sorry to hear that, plus that they seem to not be selling the 2-speed at the moment. I do like the directness of the two speed.

You could consider just getting the 6-speed, plus an additional 2-speed rear wheel and 54T chainring, and while you'll be carrying a little more weight for the unused shifter, if you ever decided to hit some hills, you'd have the choice to stick in the 6-speed wheel. If I'd have done that, I'd probably have one less Brompton ;-)

You could also just sell the 6-speed wheel you no longer need, same with shifter (I might be in the market for one actually, wheel, not shifter)

P.S. Amazed anyone cycles in Reading... I've been through a number of times and have now vowed never ever to ride through Reading again! It's horrible! Putting cycle path signs onto a pavement is NOT cycling infrastructure, and if you're not on it, drivers treat you like utter crap!
 
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berlinonaut

Veteran
Location
Berlin Germany
I was thinking of getting one of those 2-gear Bromptons with the straight handlebars, but, frustratingly, Brompton don't seem to make them any more.
I do not think that this is true. Simply looking at Brompton's Webpage shows the opposite: https://www.brompton.com/bikes/help-me-choose. S-model as well as 2-speed are listed as options.
Possibly availability is very limited at the moment which is true for all Bromptons. They did have a massive rise in demand since the beginning of covid and stretched their production to the maximum. A couple of weeks ago they reached the goal of 100.000 bikes produced within the last 12 months - pretty impressive, especially given the fact that before covid they were tangeling around the 50.000 per year mark and slightly below for years. This does have consequences: Brompton had built up extra parts stock to prepare for Brexit and they used this stock already last year to fulfill the demand. Now the have been hit by the same issues of parts delivery that the whole bike industry is suffering from with consequences for their lineup. Spare parts availability has become an issue for dealers for a couple of months already and the factory has been hit as well. If you look at Brompton's own online shop you'll recognize two things:
1. They do currently offer an S-Type (though a 6-speed). Which means: They did not stop building the S-model and it is even available.
2. Most of the bikes in Brompton's online shop are already since months equipped with Brooks Cambium Saddles (in fact all but the Brompton Electric models) - which probably indicates that they have a shortage of their standard saddle.
So sorry to hear that, plus that they seem to not be selling the 2-speed at the moment. I do like the directness of the two speed.
I do agree with that - very much prefer the 2-speed over the other variants.
 
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