Some Brompton Purchase Advice Please

[Night Train]

@Night Train thanks for that, you make a good point about the seat height, I'm 6ft, with 34 inside leg, so I need to check that.

You will definitely find the standard seat post too short. I find it ok for short rides, where I put my feet down often, but on longer ones I could do with raising the saddle an inch or so more, depending on footwear.

 

[GM]

@CarlP I've got got a M3 as well, brilliant for around town but at times with the hills around where I live I wished that I got the 6 speed model. New or secondhand it does'nt matter as spare parts are easy available. I use Brilliant Bikes for bits I need. You will definitely need an extended seat post, I got one for £13. Good luck with finding one, you'll love it.

 

[T4tomo]

Mbars give you a position that is more sit up and beg town bike, S bars are more like a mountain bike (but narrower) or riding on the tops of a racing bike. you need to test out both and see what you like, especially as you are quite tall. Ditto seat post options. I'm 5' 11" and got away with the longer non-extending seat post. I have a mate who is taller prob 6' 1" and he needed the extending one.

 

[Pale Rider]

Another vote for the lower gearing, although whatever gears you have one tends to lollop along on a Brompton, rather than spin the pedals like a roadie.

Changing the gearing is simple, smaller front sprocket and a link or two out of the chain.

The bars are a bit higher on the latest Bromptons and they have nicer brake levers, grips and a couple of other minor improvements.

I have the M type bars which are most common, but I think the butterfly bars are probably better.

Brommie bars are narrow, so the extra choice of hand position on butterflies would be an advantage.

 

[peterjvh]

We have two (2012 models) P6R's, after trying several over the last year or so.
If you're serious about getting one, try riding some demo models, focusing on which bars you like, as well as gearing.
We both prefer P bars because of the various hand position changes, but be warned that if you have huge pillow hands you might find the grip area a bit too narrow. Knocking the left shift lever up can be an issue in this case. As well, one thing we like is that they feel faster/sportier at the lower hand position.
P bar Bromptons also fold a little bigger, making it a very tight squeeze into the B&W hard cases, if air travel is on your horizon.
Right or wrong, someone will chime in (hopefully)

 

[Bromptonaut]

I've had an M6R since 2009 and an L5 (would be M5L in current parlance) for 10 years before that. Slight regret I didn't specifiy the P butterfly bars but not enought to justify a retrofit.

If you're prepared to spend the money and your rides in countryside that rolls a bit the BWR+derrailleur combo is worth having. The mech needs to be kept clean and well lubricated but otherwise mine's been pretty trouble free. The change is not exactly intuitive but sequence is easily learned and works well even in accel>stop>accel London traffic.

Used front pannier from day one with L5 in 1999 and am now on third. Zips were week point on originals, current versions use clips and velcro and should last better. Easily swallows waterproof, tools, lunch and if neccessary my work laptop. Only downside is slight tendency to act as a braking sail in strong winds. Rack rarely used but combined with easy wheels makes it very easy to move around folded and stow between seat backs on trains.

The Brompton is a real bike with small wheels. While not as long legged as my Dawes tourer it's as least as distance capable as a good quality urban MTB/hybrid.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I'm in a similar boat to CarlP right now, seriously looking at a Brompton as my 12y.o. Birdy needs several hundred pounds of new hub gear and wheels to make it roadworthy again. I live on the edge of the pennines and commute generally uphill home, short steep bits and long upward drags. I'm knocking on the edge of £1000 for my b-spoke options and could help things by going 3 rather than 6 speed.
I can do my commute and ride out into rolling hillside on a standard 3 speed but its a grind and my knees are a bit of an issue after a bad left hook, I also don't fancy my chances heading Sheffield'wards on a standard 3. How much difference does the lowered gearing actually make at both ends? does it just give a better granny gear or does it lose cruising and flat out speed too?

Also as an avowed bar plug type mirror user, the M or H bars appeal most as they would take a Dooback or Spin happily, but I note a few preferences for the P's, is it just hand positions? and if so would bar ends on the M type be a compromise worth considering with your experience? Ta.

Edit: My interest is a bike that rides well first and foremost and will fold for convenience when necessary.

 

[MacB]

I was set on buying a Brompton until I tried some, there were 3 aspects that were deal breakers for me.

1. the ride and fit, at 6'1" and very overweight I wasn't feeling the love
2. I had thoughts of being able to carry it in a bag/backpack - even going as light as possible that wasn't going to be practical
3. the faff of rear wheel removal and the proprietary parts

I ended up reading around and these links helped make up my mind:-
http://cs.gmu.edu/~sean/stuff/tikit/
http://www.anatolyivanov.com/prose/en/AI.7.00109/

My main reason for opting for a Tikit was the option to have the heavier rider upgrade as I exceed the weight limits on all other small folders. The use of standard parts, handlebars of your choice, etc was an added bonus as is the fast fold. The latter took me by surprise a bit and has altered my preconceived ideas about exactly how I would use the bike. I particularly like that nothing changes in the fold so there's no resetting of bars/saddle/seatpost, it really is unfold and go, or vice versa. So my primary use is as a shopping/errands bike something I can fit in a shopping trolley or wheel into a shop. My secondary use is commuting and it works fine for on and off trains but I don't have to do it daily or squeeze into a tube train.

However I don't necessarily recommend a Bike Friday Tikit as the price is steep once import is added.....and it is. But unless I needed the Brompton folded size then I'd look elsewhere.

 

[smutchin]

[QUOTE 2487607, member: 45"]Bromptons are rubbish. Everyone knows.[/quote]

Bromptons are brilliant. And, actually, McDonalds coffee is pretty decent too.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I was set on buying a Brompton until I tried some, there were 3 aspects that were deal breakers for me.

<snip>

However I don't necessarily recommend a Bike Friday Tikit as the price is steep once import is added.....and it is. But unless I needed the Brompton folded size then I'd look elsewhere.

yes, that was my incentive to go Birdy over Brompton originally, they weren't nearly as refined a unit then as now, I neither liked the ride feel or comfort nor the then flappy rear end that skinned your ankle if lifting it off the ground.

Recent Bromptons IMO are much nicer & more worthy of the iReputation they have ( Mister P) and new Birdy's are hard to get hold of and prohibitively expensive.

I've had a DuckDuckGo (Google for the privacy conscious) of the Tikit and it looks nice enough but that rear 'triangle' looks a rather faffy construct and like it has a lot of bits (that will eventually start to work loose and rattle)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

[QUOTE 2492008, member: 45"]iBromptons.[/quote]


Oooo shiny, they sound good, where can I queue for days to get one?

 

[StuartG]

[QUOTE 2492008, member: 45"]overpriced folders[/quote]
Hmmm overpriced when demand exceeds supply ... maybe you need to go on a business course?

 

[mickle]

User is just jealous that he can't afford an Actual Brompton and had to settle for a cheap sh!t Brompton wannabe.

 

[T4tomo]

Mine has paid for its self several times over in saving tube fares and approaching 8 years old still looks and rides as good as new. I have just had to replace a rear mudguard, aprt from taht its just been "consumables" of chain, sprocket, the odd cable and handlebar grips. I consider it very good VFM. I was chatting to bloke on a hub geared Tern yday which weighs in at almost 15kg - no thanks I rather pay a bit more and get something actua;ly practical.

 

[mickle]

Phwoar eh? Eh? Phwoar.