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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
If you have to ask the question the answer is no. 
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
The weight saving is about 1kg - or was when they offered a Ti seatpost* but some of that is from having no pump! On the bright side, your rear triangle won't rust out.
*which was actually excellent value as it was an £80 premium and saved a lot of weight
*which was actually excellent value as it was an £80 premium and saved a lot of weight
there are cheaper ways to reduce some weight.
- aftermarket titanium or carbon seatpost 60 gbp
- titanium bolts. a full set including brakes are around 100 gbp.
- ditch the rack
- buy a 2-speed.
- buy a lighter saddle
- avoid marathon tyres
of course all of these can/should be combined with the ti-version from brompton
- aftermarket titanium or carbon seatpost 60 gbp
- titanium bolts. a full set including brakes are around 100 gbp.
- ditch the rack
- buy a 2-speed.
- buy a lighter saddle
- avoid marathon tyres
of course all of these can/should be combined with the ti-version from brompton
ukoldschool
Senior Member
Its cheaper to buy a year old Ti model for pretty much the same price as a new standard bike if you can go down that route?
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Worth it?
IMHO, I don't think so.
It's a very big premium to pay for a bike which is still going to be a heavy lump at the end of it.
I lost a stone in weight last year and that made way more of a difference to speed on the flat as well as my ability to climb than losing +/- 1kg from the bike.
Unfortunately, I've put in all back on over the winter so now I'm slow as feck again.
IMHO, I don't think so.
It's a very big premium to pay for a bike which is still going to be a heavy lump at the end of it.
I lost a stone in weight last year and that made way more of a difference to speed on the flat as well as my ability to climb than losing +/- 1kg from the bike.
Unfortunately, I've put in all back on over the winter so now I'm slow as feck again.
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
I've never really got a satisfactory answer to the question "is taking 5 lbs off the rider as good as 5 off the bike". I am leaning to where he weight is taken off the bike, because I think lighter tires and wheels make a biiger change than a lighter saddle or frame. As far as losing a stone goes, the inceeased exercise needed to burn off that much weight, assuming diet is a constant and the extra weight was not down to weightlifting, would have a lot to do with riding faster.
a say 5kg backpack is a considerably worse disturbance strapped on the rack of the bike, than the same on the back of the rider. the latter can also be an aerodynamic advantage, as long as it does not sit high enough to take wind over the level of the shoulders.
but a really heavy item like 20 kg is nevertheless better on the bike
but a really heavy item like 20 kg is nevertheless better on the bike
and riding a lighter bike is more FUN.
in the case of a folder, if carrying is needed, every kg counts. on my lightest 9.4 kg i gladly accept carrying it several hundred meters, and do not have easy-wheels on it - a necessity on my 12.3 kg winter brommie.
mostly however i roll the brommie on its own wheels all the way to the train.
in the case of a folder, if carrying is needed, every kg counts. on my lightest 9.4 kg i gladly accept carrying it several hundred meters, and do not have easy-wheels on it - a necessity on my 12.3 kg winter brommie.
mostly however i roll the brommie on its own wheels all the way to the train.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Essentially anything that moves is where the best weight saving comes in. And it’s probably cheaper to lose it from yourself if you’re overweight (like I am).
When I lost the weight last year, it was mostly diet. Without going down to a full 5-2 diet, I did really cut down two days a week. This year, however, i went away at Christmas and New Year, didn’t do dry January and have already been on an all-inclusive holiday where I did no exercise. So it’s all plies back on. Alarmingly easily too.
But if you’re looking to save weight from the bike then the wheels are a pretty good starting point. Getting them rolling and slowing the bike down can add up to quite a saving over the course of a journey. And better bearings will help keep you rolling once you are moving.
However. All of this pales into insignificance compared to reducing aero drag. Something like 93% of your effort is punching through the air. So no matter how much weight you lose from a Brompton, the same person is never going to be able to go as fast as they could on a road bike because of the aerodynamics.
When I lost the weight last year, it was mostly diet. Without going down to a full 5-2 diet, I did really cut down two days a week. This year, however, i went away at Christmas and New Year, didn’t do dry January and have already been on an all-inclusive holiday where I did no exercise. So it’s all plies back on. Alarmingly easily too.
But if you’re looking to save weight from the bike then the wheels are a pretty good starting point. Getting them rolling and slowing the bike down can add up to quite a saving over the course of a journey. And better bearings will help keep you rolling once you are moving.
However. All of this pales into insignificance compared to reducing aero drag. Something like 93% of your effort is punching through the air. So no matter how much weight you lose from a Brompton, the same person is never going to be able to go as fast as they could on a road bike because of the aerodynamics.
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12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
I really don't think an S type Brompton without a front bag is any less aero than a road bike, at least if there is no front bag. I feel more secure on mine when there are heavy sideways gusts as well. Even with a flat bar it is possible to bend over quite a bit. My speed limitations come from lack of high gearing, since my current set up is 58/38 chain rings and 12/16 sprockets only yields about 77 gear inches. I guess the puny engine has something to do with it as well.
stoatsngroats
Guru
- Location
- South East
I don’t have a Ti, nor have I ridden one, but it isn’t something I would choose to spend my cash on, and I’m not a weight conscious cyclist, although over the years I have managed my weight pretty well, keeping 4St lighter consistently over the last 10 years.
What is Ti, other than a selling point, unless a few Kgs is so important to you, that you can spend the extra cash.
Having said that, I paid more for a special paint job than a ‘black’ edition or a standard colour. So feel free to ignore my point!
What is Ti, other than a selling point, unless a few Kgs is so important to you, that you can spend the extra cash.
Having said that, I paid more for a special paint job than a ‘black’ edition or a standard colour. So feel free to ignore my point!
ukoldschool
Senior Member
lots of 'missing the point' here, the point of a Ti brompton isnt to decrease weight for riding, its to decrease it for carrying........ If youve ever had to carry one for any distance (and I do fairly regularly if a train gets cancelled and I have to divert to the tube network) then 1 or 2 kg less would be a godsend..
