Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Brompton. Far more useful than the Chameleon and more fun to ride.
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El_Burro_Sin_Nombre
Regular
I have both a Chameleon and a Brompton for use in London and have used the Brompton on an 8 mile each way commute quite a lot. The Chameleon was bought in about 2009 so things may have moved on since then but I have to say it is not a serious option for the every day commuter. All of the following comments relate to my experience.
First of all you get covered in sh1t off the road because it has no mudguards so would need to change clothes every time it rains unless you can wear wet, muddy clothes into your job.
I don't think mudguards can be fitted easily because of the folding design.
Folding it for the train is not easy and again leads to getting dirt all over your hands as you have to take the front wheel off.
It doesn't fold into a very small bundle and does not clip together so you need to take bungie cords to secure it.
It is a nice comfortable ride compared to the Brompton.
However the advantage of the Brompton is that I can take it into the office, use it to commute to meetings off-site and I don't need to change clothes.
The Brompton can go inside a restaurant or pub comfortably without attracting attention, and as stated above they are quicker than you would expect.
IMO the Chameleon is not really designed as a commuter bike, it is more for longer rides, the sort of thing you can take on a holiday fairly easily.
First of all you get covered in sh1t off the road because it has no mudguards so would need to change clothes every time it rains unless you can wear wet, muddy clothes into your job.
I don't think mudguards can be fitted easily because of the folding design.
Folding it for the train is not easy and again leads to getting dirt all over your hands as you have to take the front wheel off.
It doesn't fold into a very small bundle and does not clip together so you need to take bungie cords to secure it.
It is a nice comfortable ride compared to the Brompton.
However the advantage of the Brompton is that I can take it into the office, use it to commute to meetings off-site and I don't need to change clothes.
The Brompton can go inside a restaurant or pub comfortably without attracting attention, and as stated above they are quicker than you would expect.
IMO the Chameleon is not really designed as a commuter bike, it is more for longer rides, the sort of thing you can take on a holiday fairly easily.
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Richard Fairhurst
Guru
- Location
- Charlbury, the Cotswolds
Having ridden both a fair bit (in fact, there's a Chameleon sitting a few metres from me right now, though it's my wife's not mine!), I'd far rather do a daily 11-mile ride on a Chameleon than a Brompton. But the mudguards issue is a good point.
There are plenty of other folding bikes designed for longer rides. I ride a Bike Friday New World Tourist, which I love, but there's also Airnimal's Joey (which can take mudguards) and a bewildering host of Terns and Dahons.
Ultimately it comes down to space on the train, I think. If you're loading it onto a packed commuter train then really only a Brompton will do - they fold smaller, faster, and cleaner than anything else. If there's more space on the train, and you can stash it in the vestibules or a large luggage space, then you can get away with something less compact. I take my Bike Friday on the train reasonably often, but it's nowhere near as compact as a Brompton, and I wouldn't choose it for a daily commute on a busy train.
(Oh, and Chameleons have weird size rims. There's only about three different makes of tyre available for them.)
There are plenty of other folding bikes designed for longer rides. I ride a Bike Friday New World Tourist, which I love, but there's also Airnimal's Joey (which can take mudguards) and a bewildering host of Terns and Dahons.
Ultimately it comes down to space on the train, I think. If you're loading it onto a packed commuter train then really only a Brompton will do - they fold smaller, faster, and cleaner than anything else. If there's more space on the train, and you can stash it in the vestibules or a large luggage space, then you can get away with something less compact. I take my Bike Friday on the train reasonably often, but it's nowhere near as compact as a Brompton, and I wouldn't choose it for a daily commute on a busy train.
(Oh, and Chameleons have weird size rims. There's only about three different makes of tyre available for them.)
confusedcyclist
Veteran
My brompton fared OK for my 10 mile commute (at the time). In their favour, they fold down compact like no other brand. IMO the 6 speed version is a must for longer journeys where you will likely encounter more hills. I wouldn't choose to cycle long distances on a Brompton when I can ride a standard diamond frame because of the additional comfort and stability larger wheels afford, however, if I had no choice but to include a train journey, then it's a no brainer, they are certainly fun to ride, despite the cons. Maybe the electric version is worth considering? Whilst you won't get the same range as a 625 kWh in tube battery, it would certainly aid you getting up hills and living with only 6 gears if hills concern you.
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I'm going to have to beg to differ here. I can fold / unfold a Tern Joe a *lot* faster than anyone I have seen with a Brompton. No fiddly little clamps, just fold-click. And just as clean - if not cleaner (one clamp to click).
However it *is* a much bigger beast. On SWRail it used to fit nicely next to the bin side behind the 3 bank of seats, next to the door and took up no more space than a suitcase would. Not so great for bringing into the office though. I used to park mine in a normal cycle rack at the office.
