Folding Bikes - Folded Brompton M6R, Ezy rolling!

Hi Guys, like to share with all how "light" and "Ezy" to roll the Brompton when it is folded. All you need is just a set of Velcro, you can extend the seatpost up and push it around. It's not about the weight of the folder but how easily you can move it around! :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJlqf5W-lUk

I don't own a Brompton and have never actually seen one but I've viewed videos like this. I am always impressed with the fold and its small size but I keep wondering why Brompton continues to use two awkward finger twirly-thingies instead of something quicker like cam locks. I'm naive in regard to engineering so I invite the erudite to enlighten me.

That's a great video. It inspires me to do some practice with my Merc to see if I can ever approach that degree of slickness. I'd also have to put the little roller wheels back on. I took the two forward ones off to avoid heel strike when wearing walking boots. I wore the boots when taking it on a touring expedition and I expected that I'd have to push it up some hills.

I'm not sure about cam locks - Brompton don't make too many alterations, and that isn't the one I'd put top of the list if it was my job to write it. The twirly things work well and are not slow unless you want to shave off the last second or two. Personally, my schedule isn't that tight. I'd go for twist grip gears instead of the dreadful lever gear changers. They are truly horrible when a much more elegant system exists and is almost universally used elsewhere.

Having said that, Bromptons are lovely things, but Ritchie and the gear change thing is like a plastic surgeon leaving an easily removable wart on the face of a beautiful woman.

Very nice. I love the type of package handling afforded by this kind of setup (ie roll along close to the body while still being able to let go to reach for the top shelf in shops) with my Carryme. Its perfect for running errands around the city, especially with the Carryme which folds as small as just the area under the Brompton's seat (in the above setup) [1] and whose featherweight wheels accelerate like none other.

If there were a way to make this automatic then I would definitely have to rate Bromptons superior to tikits (as I was never able to appreciate the "famous friday ride" on the tikit), but I thought not needing to use velcro was half the reason to own a Brompton?

References :p :
[1] Smallest possible fold in two dimensions without shoving a pipe up your ass:
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=85575&thumb=1&d=1225681766

Having said that, Bromptons are lovely things, but Ritchie and the gear change thing is like a plastic surgeon leaving an easily removable wart on the face of a beautiful woman.

Hey ... that is pretty funny. And at least by my tastes, fairly accurate.

But I do think that $2K USD with customization would make a kick-@ss Brompton.

Great video, Quickfoldsiilver! Just yesterday it occurred to me that it'd be great to be able to roll my Brompton exactly as you show, but how do you keep the seatpost extended without unlocking the fold? I thought of somehow attaching a pull-up handle behind the back of the seat instead, but your solution is great - I'm definitely going to give it a try. Good thinking!


I don't own a Brompton and have never actually seen one but I've viewed videos like this. I am always impressed with the fold and its small size but I keep wondering why Brompton continues to use two awkward finger twirly-thingies instead of something quicker like cam locks. I'm naive in regard to engineering so I invite the erudite to enlighten me.

As a Brompton owner I have to say I LOVE the twirly-thingies BECAUSE of their low-tech simplicity. To me they have a certain charm, as do the cheap plastic shifters and low-tech bell. The combination of newer and older technology is one of the things I love about the brompton - for me it has a "nostalgic" feel.

Great video, Quickfoldsiilver! Just yesterday it occurred to me that it'd be great to be able to roll my Brompton exactly as you show, but how do you keep the seatpost extended without unlocking the fold? I thought of somehow attaching a pull-up handle behind the back of the seat instead, but your solution is great - I'm definitely going to give it a try. Good thinking!

I just remembered that another way I've seen of keeping the bike locked while the seat is up is to use the telescoping seat post:
Step 1: fold the rear wheel under as normal
Step 2: drop the seat down as normal
Step 3: telescope the top part of the seat tube up (while leaving the bottom part down to keep the rear wheel locked)
Step 4: Voila!

Hmmm, I'd like to try this. I may become a Bromptonite yet.

I just remembered that another way I've seen of keeping the bike locked while the seat is up is to use the telescoping seat post:
Step 1: fold the rear wheel under as normal
Step 2: drop the seat down as normal
Step 3: telescope the top part of the seat tube up (while leaving the bottom part down to keep the rear wheel locked)
Step 4: Voila!

Hmmm, I'd like to try this. I may become a Bromptonite yet.

Another great idea - and I have a telescoping seat post. Thanks Makeinu! :D

Another great idea - and I have a telescoping seat post. Thanks Makeinu! :D

Not my idea, I got it from Somnatash:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=7181835&postcount=3

Speaking of Somna, not to threadjack, but maybe she can comment on how this technique compares to rolling the Carryme around in shops since she has both.

...... I am always impressed with the fold and its small size but I keep wondering why Brompton continues to use two awkward finger twirly-thingies instead of something quicker like cam locks.....

Probably because they :

work well,

cope well with wear,

never work loose,

are simple, & thus inexpensive to manufacture. Imagine how much a B. would be if they were complex ;-)

are easy to use by people of all ages.

are not too expensive to replace:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Brompton-Brompton-Hinge-Clamp-Assembly--QHCA-2916.htm


A modification can be done to replace the bolts with studding (threaded rod) & a nut in the plastic lever, which can shave a second or two off the (un)screw time.

Well, at lunch time I tried lowering my extended seat post and then raising just the seat. It worked fine, but the problem I encountered was getting it back to its riding position just right when unfolding (had to get off my bike to adjust it after riding a bit). Normally I have it set to just the right height so that all I have to do is pull up the extended post all the way till it stops and I'm good to go. Also, the seat post itself is pretty short so you don't get as tall a "handle" to push. These are minor quibbles - I'm sure I could learn to eyeball the exact right height for my seat post. I'm going to try quickfoldsilver's velcro solution too - it doesn't look like it will take any more time than lowering and raising posts.

Very cool idea quickfoldsilver! (Do you look like Kevin bacon by any chance?) I will be trying this out when I get a velcro strap handy. I used to stoop down a bit to push my B along, as raising the seat too much would cause the bike to unfold. This will work great with my commute, especially with the 100mm wheels attached.

Thanks for mentioning the telescoping trick too makeinu. Somehow I missed that tip on BromptonTalk....

Well, at lunch time I tried lowering my extended seat post and then raising just the seat. It worked fine, but the problem I encountered was getting it back to its riding position just right when unfolding (had to get off my bike to adjust it after riding a bit). Normally I have it set to just the right height so that all I have to do is pull up the extended post all the way till it stops and I'm good to go. Also, the seat post itself is pretty short so you don't get as tall a "handle" to push. These are minor quibbles - I'm sure I could learn to eyeball the exact right height for my seat post. I'm going to try quickfoldsilver's velcro solution too - it doesn't look like it will take any more time than lowering and raising posts.

Yeah, this seems to be a common issue among folding bike users. Stay tuned for a new thread about it.

Not my idea, I got it from Somnatash:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=7181835&postcount=3

Speaking of Somna, not the threadjack, but maybe she can comment on how this technique compares to rolling the Carryme around in shops since she has both.

Hi,
yeah - so I roll my brommi on EZ-Wheels with the upper part of the telescopic-seatpost very much up (that's how it is set anyway) and the lower part down, to secure the fold. (Hmhm, I just realised mulleady deleted the pic of me, where I did show it.) I like to have the lower part of the seatpost not sticking out at max. when riding. Somehow this feels more stable and safer to me. But then off course you don't get that feature that the post is automatically stopped at the shim and have to adjust height every time.
The CarryMe is - with the saddle not in queer but straight position the nose acting like a grip - (or with a Adamo-racing saddle like Makeinus - with extra grip) still way better to roll or pull behind. With the brommi its small footprint and okay for slow rolling, with the CarryMe its okay for faster rolling but for running I would grab either bike.

I just had another idea. I wear reflective ankle bands whenever I ride. I just took one and used it instead of a velcro strap. The ones I use (Planet Bike LED leg bands) secure it enough to roll around and tilt and turn, but it does come loose if I lift the whole bike off the ground (it's not velcro - secures with a buckle). I would think velcro ankle bands would work just as well as any other velcro band. That's a pretty neat re-purposing of something you might always have when biking anyway.

I just had another idea. I wear reflective ankle bands whenever I ride. I just took one and used it instead of a velcro strap. The ones I use (Planet Bike LED leg bands) secure it enough to roll around and tilt and turn, but it does come loose if I lift the whole bike off the ground (it's not velcro - secures with a buckle). I would think velcro ankle bands would work just as well as any other velcro band. That's a pretty neat re-purposing of something you might always have when biking anyway.

Hi Jerrys88,
I have tried the extended seatpost method, but it is a bit trublesome to adjust it everytime when i ride. For daily use, i don't move my seatpost at all. It is my actual riding height setting and it is also tall enough to act as a "handle" to roll the bike.

The Velcro strap is sometime used as my right ankle band too (try to develop a version using reflective material).

Once you get used to this method, you will not even mind rolling the bike for hours while doing your shopping.

Quickfoldsilver - can you tell me exactly how long you made your velcro strip? I made one but I think it may be a little too long. It's easy to strap around the wheel and frame when the bike is folded, but awkward to strap around the top tube alone because I need to wrap it around twice. You make it look so easy!

Jerrys88 - The Velcro consist of 2 parts each about 9 inches or 23cm. When you overlap them together, it should be about 13 inches or 33cm.

When you unfold he bike, just wrap the velcro on the frame at the Brompton logo. 1 round is enough, loose but does not get in the way when cycling.

Hi Guys, like to share with all how "light" and "Ezy" to roll the Brompton when it is folded. All you need is just a set of Velcro, you can extend the seatpost up and push it around. It's not about the weight of the folder but how easily you can move it around! :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJlqf5W-lUk

What I like about this feature is that it makes the Brompton the only folder you can take inside a shopping mall and do lots of walking. I've always said that folders were not good for malls or where lots of walking was a requirement because carrying a heavy 25 lb bike makes it impossible. The Brompton maybe the only exception. The ability to carry shopping bags in one hand while rolling the bike is a huge benefit. With the Brompton, you don't have to carry the bike at all and just push it like a baby carriage. I'm impressed. All you have to do is put the cover on the bike and very few will know what you're doing! I don't know why Brompton doesn't market this feature?

There's no Dahon out there that rolls in this manner and doing so requires balancing the bike with two hands while rolling it on the front wheel. While this is ok for a train platform, that's not the case for mall shopping.

The Tikit can be taken inside a mall because the package will roll fairly easily. The entire bike is a rather large package and will certainly draw lots of attention, especially security.

I tried rolling the Strida and it gets heavy after half a block. It's due to the fact that rolling the bike still requires you to carry a lot of the weight. Plus you'll have to constantly find a place to lean it against while shopping because you simply can't place it on the ground as someone might trip over it. The CarryMe also suffers from this with even smaller wheels. While you can go mall shopping with these folders, I still think the Brompton solution is far better.

The Birdy, Montague, Swift Folder and Downtube will all have to be locked outside.

Jerrys88 - The Velcro consist of 2 parts each about 9 inches or 23cm. When you overlap them together, it should be about 13 inches or 33cm.

When you unfold he bike, just wrap the velcro on the frame at the Brompton logo. 1 round is enough, loose but does not get in the way when cycling.

Yeesh, why didn't I think of that? Of course - it doesn't need to be tight when the bike is unfolded...

How wide did you make your strap, quickfoldsilver? I know that shouldn't make any difference, but again, you make it look so easy I wonder if making mine wider might also make it easier to manipulate. I'm going to do mine over and leave about an inch non-velcro at the end so I can grab the end more easily. I really like this alternative rolling method a lot, quickfoldsilver - thanks again.

1 inch wide Velcro will do. If too wide, the spokes spacing will get in the way.

What I like about this feature is that it makes the Brompton the only folder you can take inside a shopping mall and do lots of walking. I've always said that folders were not good for malls or where lots of walking was a requirement because carrying a heavy 25 lb bike makes it impossible. The Brompton maybe the only exception. The ability to carry shopping bags in one hand while rolling the bike is a huge benefit. With the Brompton, you don't have to carry the bike at all and just push it like a baby carriage. I'm impressed. All you have to do is put the cover on the bike and very few will know what you're doing! I don't know why Brompton doesn't market this feature?

There's no Dahon out there that rolls in this manner and doing so requires balancing the bike with two hands while rolling it on the front wheel. While this is ok for a train platform, that's not the case for mall shopping.

The Tikit can be taken inside a mall because the package will roll fairly easily. The entire bike is a rather large package and will certainly draw lots of attention, especially security.

I tried rolling the Strida and it gets heavy after half a block. It's due to the fact that rolling the bike still requires you to carry a lot of the weight. Plus you'll have to constantly find a place to lean it against while shopping because you simply can't place it on the ground as someone might trip over it. The CarryMe also suffers from this with even smaller wheels. While you can go mall shopping with these folders, I still think the Brompton solution is far better.

The Birdy, Montague, Swift Folder and Downtube will all have to be locked outside.

And quickfoldsilver's method makes it even more crowded-space friendly. Today I brought mine with seat tube up, handlebars down into a small-aisle fruit and vegetable store I go to frequently, and after work I took it on an elevator shared with three other people ("Is that a bike??? Where'd you get that? That's cool!"). I really liked the small, narrow footprint and maneuverability it has. In the elevator it just felt like I was standing next to a slim person.

The CarryMe also suffers from this with even smaller wheels.

Suffers from what? You don't have to carry any weight while rolling the Carryme (although obviously a good running position isn't a stable walking position and vv). In fact, I think it stands and rolls better than the Brompton and I believe that opinion is shared by the other Carryme owners around the forum...all of which I believe are also Brompton owners, except for me.

I have to admit that I am intrigued by the possibility of rolling a Brompton around like this, but it still strikes me as a compromise compared to the Carryme. Perhaps a worthwhile compromise, but a compromise nonetheless.

Can someone tell, does the Brompton front pannier stay on when the handlebars are folded?

Can someone tell, does the Brompton front pannier stay on when the handlebars are folded?

Yes. It even has a handle.

I always liked this video of shopping with the BF Tikit. If the Brommie has a bag that remains somewhat upright after folding, I think this seatpost rolling method is a real winner...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSSgkcWqR6I

Yes. It even has a handle.

Can't find any pics of the pannier on a folded Brompton with google. Got any?

I think I may have one, let me check. If not I will take a photo tomorrow. I don't have the pannier, but the folding basket. It does make maneuvering the folded Brompton more convenient as I don't have to stoop down to push it.

Found one. This was taken last week, inside a subway train here at NYC. The bag is full of fruits and veggies that I bought at Manhattan's Chinatown. The handlebar is down in its folded position. Note the bag's black handle on the left. I take some more photos soon, at other angles.

http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v6/p232163372-4.jpg

Found one. This was taken last week, inside a subway train here at NYC. The bag is full of fruits and veggies that I bought at Manhattan's Chinatown. The handlebar is down in its folded position. Note the bag's black handle on the left. I take some more photos soon, at other angles.

Thanks, that was more than sufficient and quick!

But how do you keep the bike from tipping over (left or right)? Last time I checked out a Brompton a hard stare was enough to make it fall over. Do you have any idea why that might be?

....
It's not about the weight of the folder but how easily you can move it around! :lol:
...

Thanks for the video.

As there's a rear rack fitted, you can probably roll it just fine by pushing the bike forward from the saddle. I imagine having the rack also means the folded bike is more stable as it now sits on 4 small wheels.

A B. without a rear rack, & thus just 3 small wheels (only 1 on the mudguard) does require any load to be fairly well balanced. It also has to be wheeled backwards, if pushing it via the saddle, as trying to push it forwards causes the small mudguard wheel to act as a brake.

It's also "interesting" fitting say, a Stelvio, to the front wheel only. When folded, the Stelvio tyre doesn't quite reach the ground, so the bike becomes a bit lop sided. It rarely falls though, unless a load is unbalanced.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has found a way to push a B. with only 3 roller wheels forwards from the saddle.

Who was using the camera... was it the store detective? :lol:

... The CarryMe also suffers from this with even smaller wheels.
The CarryMe it different to the Strida: it stands alone very nicely and even with smaller roller wheels (which I swapped for skatewheels) it is rolled very easily. What is true though is that, to roll the CarryMe you have to lean it slightly, so as a result from leaning, you have to carry some part of the weight (it lays in your hands). But since the CarryMe is so light, that never mattered to me.

@makeinu: In comparison to this, the brommi with rack and for wheels stands even better - also better than the CarryMe, dont know what made that brommi shiver when you looked at it ;-)
And the Brommi can be rolled without leaning and so no need to carry the slightest weight. In fact it can even be pushed along with the foot - but that functions only for slow and straight ways. As soon as you want to take a curve you have to lean the bike - and then its heavier than the CarryMe


...I'd be interested to know if anyone has found a way to push a B. with only 3 roller wheels forwards from the saddle.
Hi John, swap the small wheel for two bigger ones like that:

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268197875_c3cec06e40.jpg

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268199765_64b689c6eb.jpg

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268202223_2e5071a578.jpg

Thanks, that was more than sufficient and quick!

But how do you keep the bike from tipping over (left or right)? Last time I checked out a Brompton a hard stare was enough to make it fall over. Do you have any idea why that might be?

The original rollers were small and didn't roll well. It gets stuck on the smallest crack on the floor or sidewalk which causes the folded bike to tip over easily when pushed. What compounds this is the placement of the rear roller, one of them is at the inside of the rack presumably to make the fold narrower. Unfortunately it makes the folded bike less stable. Lastly, the rear rollers are made of soft rubber that deforms easily under weight. If you set the folded bike down at a slight angle, the weight will be momentarily shouldered by one rear roller, which will deform a bit and contribute to making the whole bike unstable.

Changing the vanilla rollers to inline skate wheels makes the folded bike more stable, especially if you put both rear rollers on the outside of the rack for a wider footprint.


Who was using the camera... was it the store detective? :lol:

Lol, you mean my picture? That's my son eating a steamed bun on the subway. I ride around 10 miles to pick him up at school, and we take the subway home.




Hi John, swap the small wheel for two bigger ones like that:



Ingenious solution for a rackless Brommie, Somna! Thanks for sharing.

To the OP, I tried your method, using a velcro strip that I have lying around. It works! Thanks for sharing!

to roll the CarryMe you have to lean it slightly

I don't have to lean the Carryme to roll it...at least not on smooth surfaces. In fact, I sometimes like to lean on it while rolling it around a bar or party.

Although I have to admit that since the center of gravity is so high it is easy to unexpectedly go from pushing the bike along to pushing the bike over if something happens to snag the bottom; So tilting the bike opposite to the rolling direction naturally prevents this (and may be necessary, for example, on rougher surfaces).


Hi John, swap the small wheel for two bigger ones like that:

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268197875_c3cec06e40.jpg

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268199765_64b689c6eb.jpg

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee323/Tarmacblossom/2268202223_2e5071a578.jpg

Nice. How stable is the bike like this? The Brompton rear rack always strikes me as a bit of a waste since the folded bike sits on top of it.


The original rollers were small and didn't roll well. It gets stuck on the smallest crack on the floor or sidewalk which causes the folded bike to tip over easily when pushed. What compounds this is the placement of the rear roller, one of them is at the inside of the rack presumably to make the fold narrower. Unfortunately it makes the folded bike less stable. Lastly, the rear rollers are made of soft rubber that deforms easily under weight. If you set the folded bike down at a slight angle, the weight will be momentarily shouldered by one rear roller, which will deform a bit and contribute to making the whole bike unstable.

Changing the vanilla rollers to inline skate wheels makes the folded bike more stable, especially if you put both rear rollers on the outside of the rack for a wider footprint.

Thanks for such a thorough and well-written answer.

I do not have a video showing shopping around using the cloth bag on the brompton, but on my way back home, I made this video showing me pushing the Brompton out of the train and going up the escalators. So effortless when you have the ezy-wheels installed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkro6aVslU

I do not have a video showing shopping around using the cloth bag on the brompton, but on my way back home, I made this video showing me pushing the Brompton out of the train and going up the escalators. So effortless when you have the ezy-wheels installed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkro6aVslU

Brilliant, quickfoldsilver! Now you've inspired me. I have a KlickFix backpack which I love that attaches to a mounting block on my seatpost right under the seat. I prefer it to one of the front-mounted Brompton bags for reduced wind drag and hands-free carrying, but now I'm going to have to figure out how to mount it to the front as well so I can wheel it on the bike when it's folded! Thank you for your great videos. :thumb:

[EDIT: Just had another idea. I just rotated my seat post so the seat is facing backwards, and Viola! my backpack stays perfectly stable mounted on the back-of-seat mounting block and the pointed front of my seat becomes a neat handle. Way cool!]

[EDIT 2: Turning the seat post backwards is really cool, even if you don't need to like I do because of my seat post-mounted backpack. Not only does it create a neat handle - it also provides extra leverage when you want to push down to pivot the bike, making maneuvering even easier. :D]

My partner made a new strap for me, which I think is really cool - makes the process of wrapping and tightening really easy. It's got a hook and a triangular velco-free end for easy grabbing. How come all my photos are appearing as thumbnails?

....... I made this video showing me pushing the Brompton out of the train and going up the escalators. So effortless when you have the ezy-wheels installed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkro6aVslU

A useful video, thanks. When you release your hold on the saddle it clearly shows your bike is very stable with the rack fitted!


Hi John, swap the small wheel for two bigger ones like that:

Hello Somnatash, thanks for your pic's of the 2 wheel replacement for the single mudguard mounted wheel. I've now found 2 wheels, some aluminium channel, & am looking for suitable bushes, or bearings & an axle. Are those pic's of your bike? If so, do you find it a big improvement over just 1 wheel?

I ask because whilst searching for more bits, I thought more about the setup as delivered.
I wondered if maybe the braking action of the single wheel is by design? If the bike is pushed up an incline, or maybe by one's foot (a good idea of yours I think, as often at least 1 hand is occupied & frequently both!) it means that the bike won't roll away! Similarly, if strolling down an incline, pushing the bike forwards, but tilted slightly backwards to avoid the braking action of the mudguard mounted wheel, releasing the saddle means the bike will stop, rather than roll downhill.

I also remembered I'd read something earlier about a wheel conversion, but that the longer axle & extra forces caused the mudguard to distort & deform. I can't find that reference now, but I take it you haven't found that a problem?

As I've got this far, I will fit 2 wheels, just to see how well or otherwise the bike performs, but I'm glad I didn't rush out & drill out the existing wheel mounting, as I may need to restore it :-)

I think Somnatash's highlighting of the Brompton's "rolling without leaning" is quite significant; also stopping & starting - I watched the "Tikit shopping video" - very useful I feel. It highlights what I experience with the Strida, that I need to stop, then lay down the Strida, select items, pick up Strida, stroll on :-) With the Brompton, I can just pause, & the bike stays there, no further action required :-)

I imagine CarryMe will act similarly?




"That's my son eating a steamed bun on the subway. I ride around 10 miles to pick him up at school, and we take the subway home."

That's really nice. I don't imagine there are many other Dad's doing that? I suppose many would find it hard to combine with a typical work schedule.

john

...I have a KlickFix backpack which I love that attaches to a mounting block on my seatpost right under the seat. I prefer it to one of the front-mounted Brompton bags for reduced wind drag and hands-free carrying, ........

I too need hands free luggage, & although I've bought a "luggage block", have yet to fit anything to it, as I currently mount a backpack on 2 L shaped brackets which I push through the slits on the Bromton PU saddle.

I'm on a mac here, & when I click on your "thumbnails", I do see a bigger picture, but still fairly small. Strangely the thumbnail looks like a "stereoscopic" image :-)

If you can manage a close up pic', it would be nice to see how you've secured your backpack, thanks.

I too need hands free luggage, & although I've bought a "luggage block", have yet to fit anything to it, as I currently mount a backpack on 2 L shaped brackets which I push through the slits on the Bromton PU saddle.

I'm on a mac here, & when I click on your "thumbnails", I do see a bigger picture, but still fairly small. Strangely the thumbnail looks like a "stereoscopic" image :-)

If you can manage a close up pic', it would be nice to see how you've secured your backpack, thanks.

John - KlickFix makes great products (I have a bottle holder on my Brompton too). The backpack mounting system is fantastic - snapping on and off is a cinch and very secure. I will take some closeups tonight. I just wish I could figure out how to post photos properly.

OK John - here are some photos of my Rixen & Kaul Freepack Sport KlickFix Backpack on the Brompton and closeups showing mounting details. You can see more photos at the Rixen & Kaul website: http://www.klickfix.de/ Just click on "For Seatpost" > "Bags for Seat Posts" > "For Extender." Note that there is a cargo limit of 5Kg - I was concerned about that but don't find it a problem - most of the time I don't carry that much weight, and other times it causes me to pare down my load. I can always use my rack if I really need to carry something heavier. When I ordered mine, I was a little concerned about the cantilever design - worried about its sturdiness, but the bracket is amazingly sturdy - much more so than you'd think looking at the photos. I love the helmet pouch on the back - very convenient way to carry your helmet. It's got one exterior zippered pocket, two side mesh pouches, and a small zippered pouch inside that carries a little rain bonnet for the backpack - very nice touch (I keep my extra batteries in it too). Anyway, this is by far my favorite accessory - I use it both with and away from my bike. The only minus for me was that it was quite pricey - a little more than what Brompton bags sell for, but definitely worth it to me. I like it so much I'm planning to make a Youtube movie review of this some day.

OK John - here are some photos of my Rixen & Kaul Freepack Sport KlickFix Backpack on the Brompton and closeups showing mounting details. ....

Thank you kindly for taking the trouble to post those Jerry, looks much easier than a typical QR rack, which I have, but don't use, as it adds too much weight, & is awkward to swing around when folding.

I do often carry 5Kg, or even more (maybe I need a trailer ;-)) so good to know it's sturdy.

Look forward to that video sometime, thanks again :-)

john

That's really nice. I don't imagine there are many other Dad's doing that? I suppose many would find it hard to combine with a typical work schedule.

john

Hey thanks John, but aside from the usual reasons such as lessening my carbon footprint, saving gas money, exercise, etc, I really have a selfish reason for doing it: I love to bike! It also allows me to shop around the downtown Manhattan Chinatown area for groceries and stuff easily, as parking there is scarce or prohibitively expensive.

Jerrys88 - thanks for the photos, that pack system is worth looking into.

Quickfoldsilver, interesting videos, what camera do you you use? I just bought a Flip Ultra for Christmas :)

I always liked this video of shopping with the BF Tikit. If the Brommie has a bag that remains somewhat upright after folding, I think this seatpost rolling method is a real winner...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSSgkcWqR6I

Great video. That system really works.

Quickfoldsilver, interesting videos, what camera do you you use? I just bought a Flip Ultra for Christmas :)

I am using a Lumix LX3. The original quality is really good. :)

I am using a Lumix LX3. The original quality is really good. :)

Ah, a nice little camera with a Leica lens.