Originally Posted by
blakcloud
If I was concerned about weight I wouldn't have bought the Brooks saddle, or the fenders, or the 3 speed or the Brompton tires. In fact if I was so concerned with weight, I wouldn't have bought a Brompton in the first place.
Except stock Bromptons has never been about the weight - ever - but the tiny fold. Anyone buying a Brompton mainly for their weight is doing it wrong
Nonetheless imo the weight of the bike is a huge contributor to the bike's portability. Lighter is (almost) always better. It allows me to carry it with my arms sticking out up several narrow stairs onto the local bus. It allows me to re-position the bike with less effort on a crowded train. Essentially it lets me manipulate the bike single-handedly in awkward positions without looking like I'm wrestling with it (and losing). That's essentially what I encountered with my 20" Dahon Mu Uno - supposedly one of the lightest Dahons around - and which has made me appreciate the Brompton all the more.
Even so, I'm currently using the Brooks B67 and Ergons GP2s, and wouldn't trade them out for the world.