Brompton Review

I drove over to Pasadena Cyclery today to test ride a Brompton folding bicycle. I was fortunate to be greeted by Therese, as I walked in the door, who happens to be extremely knowledgeable about Bromptons, being an owner herself.

For those of you who don't know about them already, Brompton is arguably the best known folding bicycle manufacturer. They have an excellent online build tool which allowed you to select the color(s), gearing, handlebars, and accessories for a Brompton bicycle and tells you the price and weight as well as giving you a good idea what your finished bike would look like.

Online build tool

Then you have to find a dealer, give them your build, and wait eight weeks or so for it to be made, shipped and assembled. That's where Pasadena Cyclery comes in.

Therese offered three test bikes for me to try because the handlebars affect the ride significantly. I started with the M type which is the one shown above and has a slight rise to it. I was very surprised to find the ride felt stable within five minutes. I thought those clown bike wheels would be squirrely so I tried a few tests.

Test ride with M type handlebars. Note the front-hub dynamo and lights

Try coming to a complete stop without putting a foot down and then pulling away. Try looking over your shoulder while riding with one hand. Try selecting a small mark on the road ahead and then riding over it. The Brompton passed all these test with only a few minutes of practice. It really does ride like a full sized bike.

I then rode the straight S type handlebar which has is lower and gives a more aggressive riding position. Twenty years ago that would have been my choice, but the extra weight on the wrists would not have been pleasant on a 200k brevet.

Lastly I rode the more upright H type handlebars. In twenty years this might be my choice, but right now the M felt best for me. Therese was bang on though, the handlebars are critical.

I want to splash out and buy the six speed. It seems pretty retro going to a six speed - my Serotta has 30 speeds. The Brompton has a three-speed internal Sturmey-Archer hub plus a low profile 2 speed rear derailleur. The range of gears is very usable - I rode down and back up a 2% street mainly in the bigger gears. I'm pretty sure I don't want to tackle any 10% hills on this.

My build looks like this (online). I haven't added mudguards, lights, or bags yet. I don't plan on riding one far enough to need a dynamo - batteries will be plenty. I can add the rest later as I find a need for it.

Accessorizing will be a challenge. There's nowhere to put a water bottle but there is a water bottle cage made specially for folding bikes called the Monkii cage S that simply bolts on.

Monkii Cage S

I'm used to using aerobars on brevets to spread out the wrist pressure and go aero into the wind but that's not an option with a Brompton. Therese recommended these Ergon bar-ends which look like they would help enormously.

Ergon bar ends

Therese did a good job selling me on the Brompton. Now I need to sell it to the wife.