Some Brompton Purchase Advice Please

[T4tomo]

Mr Collins is a gentleman and would never dash for the last empty seat.

Not according to his signature:

VamP said: ↑

That f****r Greg Collins. He's the f********g worst​

​

 

[EltonFrog]

Test rode a couple of Bromptons today, the S and the M, one with three speed (S) and the M with six speed.

I think I'll go for the six speed M. I thought they were great fun, comfortable if a bit twitchy at first, but I soon got used to it, I thought the gear levers were a bit odd and cheap looking, but not a deal breaker.

Now then...what colour?

 

[EltonFrog]

Raw

Eh?

 

[EltonFrog]

Raw

Ahh! I see. No!

Ta.

 

[Pale Rider]

comfortable if a bit twitchy at first, but I soon got used to it, I thought the gear levers were a bit odd and cheap looking

Front mounted luggage dampens the steering nicely.

I agree about the gear levers, and the sequence takes a bit of getting used to.

Some of the components on Brommies are a bit low rent for a £1K bike, but the latest ones have better grips and brake levers.

The foam grips on my 2010 looked like something from a pound shop.

 

[Crankarm]

Oh, the other thing I meant to ask is; I might buy second hand on the old Bay of E, any advice on what to look out for that could be expensive to repair or replace?

Avoid Ebay the majority being offered for sale are nicked.

My first Brompton M6L, red and black was pinched in 2004 and was probably sold on Ebay or through Brick Lane market.

 

[StuartG]

Avoid Ebay the majority being offered for sale are nicked.

Some are, some aren't. It is possible to distinguish:

* Good rating, comments appear original
* Is the description real or cut'n'pasted?
* Is there a dealer invoice?
* Does the seller understand Bromptons (Q. How do you change the rear tyre? A. With extreme difficulty)
* Collect from seller's home (not outside)

 

[EltonFrog]

I shall be buying new, as I have just found out my wife can get it on the CTW scheme.

 

[Night Train]

The foam grips on my 2010 looked like something from a pound shop.

I upgraded my grips to leather (made them myself) with a full grip length twist shifter for the three speed hub.
If I had a six speed I'd have both grips as twist shifts.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Avoid Ebay the majority being offered for sale are nicked.

My first Brompton M6L, red and black was pinched in 2004 and was probably sold on Ebay or through Brick Lane market.

How offensive and full of shoot. What facts do you base this on?

 

[rualexander]

I bought a second hand 3 speed Brompton a few months ago and I'm gradually modifying it to be more suitable for me.
I'm 6'2" with a 35" inside leg, so have the telescopic seatpost, and have also replaced the standard M type bars with an H type stem plus an Aberhallo stem raiser and Wharfe 3" riser handlebars with Ergon grips and bar ends ( this gets the bars a bit higher but also means not hitting the M type bars with my knees when out of the saddle)
I've also changed the chainset for a standard triple of which I can change between the middle and inner rings manually when faced with hillier terrain, long term aim is to get an 8 speed hub gear.
I've ridden 40 miles on it quite comfortably and find it a great bike, but will be much better when I get the 8 speed fitted.

 

[smutchin]

Or the lower ones depending on your preferred cadance.

I have increased gearing on mine (3spd) and I'm no masher.

 

[mickle]

FYI, my M3R-X is for sale atm, finishing Sunday.



@Moderators: please delete if this is considered to be SPAM

 

[CopperBrompton]

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

Eh? Why on earth would you want to do that? With a bag, it takes 17 seconds to unfold and 15 seconds to fold. If you need to carry it further than up or down a set of steps, you roll it.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Yes it folds small but in can be a sod of a job to do.

About the first three times you do it. Once you get the hang of the swing-out-and-up (the only bit that requires any practice), it couldn't be simpler.