to be honest im a quite a newbie to this forums and seriously i didnt know such forums existed regarding bikes. Until recently one of my friends directed me to this site because i wanted some info on bikes.
i was wondering if any one knows anything about the Brompton folding bike? Im planning to buy one to be honest hence i need more info on it before making the actin to buy - after all its quite expensive. im not sure if im in the right place to ask this, so if im in the wrong place, my apologies and please direct me to the correct place.
What good info out there is there avialable on Brompton folding bikes?
- ive searched on its websites but cant find any decent stuff..
- the prices available?
- any good advertising material? like brochures/ ads on magazines?
- any advertising on tv before?
- has it been promoted? and how?
- i prefer brompton as its good
* i would like gather as much info as possible as described abve before im actually buying it..
Any decent helpful info would be greatful and much appreciated!!!
Thanks..
LittlePixel
02-10-08, 03:03 PM
Hi!
Welcome to the forums and for the friendly introduction. You've definitely come to the right place - the only other place I can think of that might also be a good place to go is the "BromptonTalk" group on Yahoo!Groups which is a Brompton-dedicated messageboard that is even more specialised than this one!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BromptonTalk/
I'm sure I won't be the only one to reply here as there a lot of fans out there but here's my own input off the bat...
> What good info out there is there avialable on Brompton folding bikes?
Forums like here and the link above are a very good start... :)
> the prices available?
From expensive to really expensive!
Seriously though- the range is quite varied; ranging from their cheaper entry level model, the L3 right up to the top end P6R-X lightweight touring models.
Basically it breaks down like this - there are lots of models that are basically all variations on the following options
Frame:
Steel frame or Steel frame with Titanium forks and rear.
Titanium models are designated with an -X suffix and weigh less / cost more
Gears:
Gears on a Brompton are based around a 3 speed hub most often. Some models also have a derailleur and 2-sprocket cassette on the back as well so that it has six gears. Some come with just the derailleur but no hub for a lightweight 2 gears or you can just go for single-speed.
Bars:
There are three variations of the handlebars on the model for differing riding styles, M is an upright, commuting riser bar, S a flat MTB style bar that is lower and more sporty or there is the strange looking P type bar which offers several hand positions and is good for longer rides with hills and such.
Luggage:
Some come with a rear rack, some don't. 'L' designates no rack, 'R' designates that it does.
Other options:
Mudguards (fenders) and dynamo lighting; Lightweight saddles, Titanium seatpost and different types of tyre
Naming:
So taking all these options into account and the complicated naming conventions you can work out the following:
An M3R-x has commuter bars, 3 speed drive, a rack and lightweight Ti components.
A P6L has touring bars, 6 speed drive and no rack.
Making some sense?
So now you've got a handle on the naming I'd think about the kind of riding you want to do and think about what model would be right for you. You can get a lot of models off the shelf but they also offer their 'A La Carte' ordering option where you can choose from a large palette of colours and the various options to make a bike all your own - you can even mix the colours so that the frame is one colour and the other parts another.
> any good advertising material? like brochures/ ads on magazines?
I think they spend all their money on reinvesting and the bikes, certainly have a big following mainly through word of mouth and their sheer prescence on the City streets of London; They're actually a fairly small company and I think marketing plays second fiddle to good engineering and product development.
Their site does have a fair amount of info though - I get the feeling you may not have found it so the link is here:
http://www.brompton.co.uk
> any advertising on tv before?
They REALLY don't have that sort of budget. Kinda a funny question really - I don't think I've ever seen an ad for *any* bike on TV...
> has it been promoted? and how?
James May (Top Gear presenter) loves them,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2006/02/04/mrmay04.xml
... and they have a fairly large celeb following but not on the terms you seem to be angling at. I wonder why you keep asking about the marketing side? It seems a little odd to me - like it can't be good unless it has a billboard up in Times Square or something?
> i prefer brompton as its good
If you already know this I wonder why you have so many questions!
Anyway - I hope I've been some help. The bottom line is these are great little bikes for the reason they pack so small, and so quickly and that they are a proven design that has been being refined for many years now so is not some quick design fix that won't last you. They can be rugged and fast and you never have to leave them outside for the bike thieves to work their bolt-cutter magic.
There are other options available at this sort of size though - See if the Bike Friday Tikit, Mezzo or Dahon Curve appeal as some of these can be a bit cheaper than an upscale Brompton.
14R
02-10-08, 04:02 PM
Brompton is an excellent concept with several years in the market with just minor changes in the design. If I were you I would try riding one. if you like the riding geometry, you will be happy with it on every other level (unless you want a high performance, very fast folding bike).
Avoid the "BromptonTalk" group menioned (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BromptonTalk/) since everybody there already made up their minds and will be VERY BIASED on their opinions.
Now once you make up your mind and buy the Brompton, join the group. It's a nice place to learn more about your bike.
I refused to spend more than US$1000.00 on a bike, and only after owing 7 different folding models fom Giants to Downtubes and Dahon, I finally reached my final, perfect folding bike for my needs: a Brompton 6 speed and I am really happy with it.
Good luck on your choice. I also recoment www.bfold.com as your point of Brompton info in the USA. I am not related to the store, but I live in FL and deal with this store in NYC and I am very happy with the knowledge and service provided for the last 2 years I have Bromptons.
14R.
PDR
02-11-08, 09:15 AM
There are plenty of things to like about the Bromptons but the one thing I don’t like is the old fashioned gear lever. Granted it is better than having to reach down to the bike’s lower frame (like on old racing bikes), but once you have got used to twist grip gear changing as found no most new bikes, anything else seems awkward by comparison.
Oh and you should find plenty of info on this site from the UK:
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/ (http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/)
Paul, UK
invisiblehand
02-11-08, 11:15 AM
The Brompton is a decent bike. Whether it is the right bike you really depends on what your purpose(s) for having a folding bike are and ride preferences.
The Brompton never fit me well. Although I am particularly sensitive to ergonomics. My wife liked it for short rides around town. But she preferred alternatives when the ride was longer than a few miles. Note that she thought that one could reasonably ride further.
Note that I had an older Brompton and a Merc.
Weakling
02-11-08, 11:50 AM
I guess the Brompton lovers will kill me now but Brompton is a bit like Mac
in relation to PC. The Mac owners defend their choice of computer to max.
Same with Brompton. There is no way to get a Brompton owner to say
anything bad about it. Ok maybe a few brave souls would admit that
it is not for everybody.
I think you would like it if you are like them. The only way to find out
is to ride it until you feel confident it is the best buy for you.
Remember that there are ways to roll it on the wheels. Youtube have
a video showing it so you don't have to carry it under your arm.
I fail to get why Brompton owners don't tell us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUfSJ1sG--c
I wish a Brompton fan would make a folding video
showing how to prepare the B to best rolling.
not easy to see on that clip.
14R
02-11-08, 01:45 PM
I fail to get why Brompton owners don't tell us.
(...)
I wish a Brompton fan would make a folding video
showing how to prepare the B to best rolling.
not easy to see on that clip.
The Brompton was designed to be rolled. Once you fold the rear wheel under the frame, there are 2 wheels on the rear part of the main frame (little ones featured as upgraded yellow rollerblade wheels on this model) and one on top of the rear wheel fender (smaller black wheel on top of rear fender).
All you have to do is skip the last folding step and use the extended handlebars to pull or push your brompton around. If you use the Front bag mechanism, the bike also can be used as a small shopping cart.
Here is a better image of LP's model. All you have to do is push the seatpost and you have the bike read to be rolled like in the video posted above.
Now, so I don't waste my post, I love it and even though I can upgrade to Ti parts, I am not going to make it (my body weight + Brompton weight combo is within my levels of acceptability and considered extra-light by most people that I know).
doco
02-11-08, 03:20 PM
I see the link was for flamejob's folder
that raw Lacquer finish has a really nice ti look about it nice
brommie
02-11-08, 03:26 PM
I have a T6. Took me a long time before I bought it, now six years ago. Yes, they are expensive. That's why I wait so long. Yes, they are not perfect, and yes, not anyone will like them.
Therefore try before you buy.
Join the Brompton forum (Yahoo) and read and ask as much as you want!
I join the Birdy forum (Yahoo), but don't have a Birdy. I join the Dahon forum (Yahoo), but don't have a Dahon. But I'm interested in folding bikes.
There is a lot of information you get from users. How they make their bike perfect for themselves.What are the tricky parts of the bikes, the strong but also the weakness is spoken in the fora.
So here is the advice. Try before you buy and join the forum (before you buy) and ask, ask, till you know what you want to know. It's an easy job, because most people who join the forum like to talk about their bikes (also the weak points).
Brommie
(Brompton T6 with Highpath wide ratio sprockets and the Amersfoort conversion and a RiDo saddle)
geo8rge
02-11-08, 05:02 PM
The deal killer on Brommey is the 16" wheels, if you can get past that Brompton is a good choice. Also it does not roll when folded like Strida, but does have gears, and a rudimentary suspension. Brompton resale values hold up pretty well and they are easy to pack and ship, if you find you do not like it.
If you will be carrying it regularly it might be worth paying for the more expensive light weight parts. A brompton is actually heavy if you have other luggage and are in a rush.
They have a web site, not to mention there are lots of reviews ect all over the net.
LittlePixel
02-11-08, 05:13 PM
Lil Pixel or anyone else....are you the owner of the Brompton with the raw laquer finish?
Mine is in old-skool red. (a bit like Henry Fords' black a few years ago before they went mental with all the colour choices) - five years ago the only bromptons you'd see were red, racing green or black.
I believe they are trialing two extra new lacquer types so you can get gloss, eggshell or matt clear on your raw lacquer frames in the near future...
[QUOTE=LittlePixel;6147613]I believe they are trialing two extra new lacquer types so you can get gloss, eggshell or matt clear on your raw lacquer frames in the near future...
QUOTE]
Nice! Any images where you found this info?
folder fanatic
02-12-08, 11:15 AM
Hello,
to be honest im a quite a newbie to this forums and seriously i didnt know such forums existed regarding bikes. Until recently one of my friends directed me to this site because i wanted some info on bikes.
i was wondering if any one knows anything about the Brompton folding bike? Im planning to buy one to be honest hence i need more info on it before making the actin to buy - after all its quite expensive. im not sure if im in the right place to ask this, so if im in the wrong place, my apologies and please direct me to the correct place.
What good info out there is there avialable on Brompton folding bikes?
- ive searched on its websites but cant find any decent stuff..
- the prices available?
- any good advertising material? like brochures/ ads on magazines?
- any advertising on tv before?
- has it been promoted? and how?
- i prefer brompton as its good
* i would like gather as much info as possible as described abve before im actually buying it..
Any decent helpful info would be greatful and much appreciated!!!
Thanks..
Welcome to the Bike Forum with all the folding bike's answers,
I am a very happy owner of a C type (no longer available) Brompton for over 2 years. I visited the dealer I ultimately purchased the bike from. I strongly recommend to visit the dealer before you buy. You need to ride the Demo that is usually available at one of these dealers. After you test ride, they are excellent at assisting you in selecting the model that best fits you and your needs. Or you can go A La Carte and order one that is customized to your desires. I am very glad I took that 90 mile long train ride to the dealer and spent a day getting used to being a Brompton owner. It was both time and money well spent.
For more information, see below Flickr for photos on the Brompton and Geocities for text descriptions.
LittlePixel
02-12-08, 12:27 PM
Nice! Any images where you found this info?
I looked for the image when I wrote the post but couldn't find it. It fairly recently - probably in a Bromptontalk post or on foldsoc. I think the gloss is still nicest though...
I did find this image which answers the 'marketing' question with a definite: "Yes!... and it's not very good!" :)
LittlePixel
05-25-08, 10:46 AM
Nice! Any images where you found this info?
I finally stumbled on this image again today; - was taken by a participant of last year's Brompton factory visit (Hope it doesn't amount to industrial espionage. Plenty of other pics here (http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/daniel.morrison/btour/).
I want to buy a Brompton very much. However, there's no official distributor or dealer of Bromptons here in Hong Kong. :(
mulleady
05-25-08, 02:20 PM
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=420368
If you haven't seen my Brompton review Theresonly1. Being just a 2 week owner of one, I can only sing its praises. If you are based or have access to Greater London I really recommend Cavendish Cycles on New Cavendish Street near the Post Office Tower. They are really helpful and have lots of B's you can test ride.
alhedges
05-26-08, 10:10 AM
Before buying a B., you should also arrange to take a test ride and try folding one up. IMO, if folding is the most important attribute for your bike (and you are moderately price-insensitive), the Brompton is the best choice. It folds very small, pretty quickly, and it locks together in a tight package. I don't think that other folders really come close. But it's important to see one in person, since pictures don't really do justice to how tight the fold is.
If folding is something you'll be doing only infrequently, or if the absolute smallest fold isn't critical, there are probably better folders for you, most of which will have 20" wheels. But, again, the best information you can get is seeing one (or several) in person.
TrishY
05-26-08, 10:11 AM
> any advertising on tv before?
They REALLY don't have that sort of budget. Kinda a funny question really - I don't think I've ever seen an ad for *any* bike on TV...
OFF TOPIC:
Showing my age but I remember a TV advert for raleigh where people rode about saying "Mine's a Raleigh" I think Noel Edmonds was in it......or maybe I dreamt it - hope not!:lol: