vincentnyc

ur thoughts?

my thought is the day of the brompton is pretty much over and mezzo will take a majority of the brompton market very soon.

to me, mezzo is the child of both the swift and a brompton. and now that they have a distributor in the us, all ur brompton lovers, eat ur heart out.

Folder4life

Haha........Too bad I just bought another Brompton today. What's a mezzo? Isn't that a level at a baseball stadium???

badmother

Here we go again.

Azreal911

the other thread isn't even cold yet people!?!? what's with these folder peeps anyways?! hahaha!

gringo_gus

provocative though vincenyc may be he asks the right questions at root. I test rode mezzo and brompton s-type. I am a big guy - 5.11 and 210lbs. The mezzo was flexi, the brompton solid as a rock. Guess which I am buying. And yes the lack of gear range is a bind. But, the fold is the best in the world. The ride is great. The aftermarket is stunning. The range of custom and color options is unique. I've owned DT and Dahon and merc, and was one of those guys who never followed the crowd. But then I rode, and folded, an S-type....

vincentnyc

mezzo flexi? would u mind telling us what model and when did u test rode the mezzo?

yes earlier version of mezzo was flexi, but not the newer version. other users' review would contradict your statement about mezzo being flexi.

here is one sentence i pulled from a full review from folding society:
"Mezzo make quite a point of the fact that the design, with no hinge in the main frame, reduces frame flex compared with folders which do have such a hinge."

https://www.foldsoc.co.uk/Mike/MikesMezzo/Mezzod9-2.html

and here is another independent's review for a mezzo:
"Unlike most other folders Mezzos don't fold in the middle. Instead the frame is made up of a one-piece central beam that the rest of the bike folds around thanks to some clever design and a couple of sturdy catches. Hanging everything off the beam makes for a stiff, efficient frame that gets more of your pedalling input to the back wheel.

That one-piece beam combined with that lack of rear suspension eliminates the pedal induced 'bob' that afflicts the Brompton..."

https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...oduct/d9-10551

another user from the above link stated:
"I bought this after a short test: Mezzo v Brompton. I wanted something compact over and above anything else and these were the two that folded up the smallest.
On the road the Mezzo won by a mile. Far more stable, responsive, fun than the Brompton. Although the Brompton's folding was simpler and only slightly more compact, the Mezzo was still a far better ride and the choice was made."

Diode100

I have a Mezzo D9 now, and had a 6 speed Brompton previously, before it was stolen. As I've said before the Mezzo is a great bike to ride, better I think than the Brompton, but its fold is ungainly and the overall folded package is bigger and harder to carry. I dont think any bike has a better fold than the Brompton, its compact and locks into a solid package with no bits waving in the wind.

PDR

There is no chance of that happening

Every time I look at the MESS-O, I can’t help but wonder if it was designed by a crazy plumbing engineer.... as that is exactly how they seem to get around an obstruction... add another 90˚ bend or two.

The bike would look OK if it were not for that ridiculous handlebar stem

Diode100

Well I cant really disagree about the handlebars, yes it looks like they were an afterthought, but it works fine ! Mezzo take over the Brompton crown ? I doubt it very much, they have been on sale in UK for four or five years and they are still a rare sight outside of showrooms. I'd say, again, out of the box, they are a better ride than the Brompton, but folding and unfolding are far from intuative and the folded package isnt that good to lug around.

I think part of the joy of the folding bike movement is that people / small companies come up with all these whacky solutions to quite complex design problems, which is also in part why this is such a lively forum. The continual Brompton bashing i do find tedious, the company owes the public nothing, if you dont like what they do go elsewhere for your bike, or put your brain & money where your mouth is & start your own company.

Simple Simon

+1 Lol ..... Mad plumber sums it up.
the mezzo is a fine bike and does ride well. But IF ANY benefits are made by single piece ALUMINIUM beam (vs steel on the B) they are completely lost by mr. Plumbers mad work on the stem. To me it looks like a broken swans neck - all wrong. Add a more complex and bigger fold, similar prices and it's a no- brainer. Of course this is just my opionion - I own a B and have ridden a M for 30mins. And if ANY folder intoduces more people to to benefits of cycling and MM cycling the better. Si

vincentnyc

How is it more complex fold? It takes the same amount of time to fold or even less than brompton. And for the lugging around. In case u don't know it has smaller wheel just like the brompton so u can roll it when it is folded and don't need to carry it. And for ppl criticizing about the shape of the handlepost, how many of u criticize the weird shape of the brompton frame when it first came out? And u all act like the brompton is much smaller when folded when it is only a "tad" smaller when are both folded and sitting next to each other. U won't even be able to tell the difference.

EastBiker

Why don't you buy one and then give us a field report?

cyclistjohn

Really, 33 to 99 inches is a bind?

I've been riding a M3L for a year, & having ridden a BWR with the above range, find it copes admirably with most topography, & is reliable & relatively lightweight.

echotraveler

why do you disslike brompton so much Vincentnyc? im not getting it, im starting to think somedody is paying you to bash brompton....its strange.

vincentnyc

it's not that i hate the brompton and im not getting pay to bash the brompton.

i'm just tired of hearing from ppl here that nothing compare to the brompton and now that we have a folding bike that can compete against the brompton and all the brompton lovers come to its defense and tried to bash the new folder. i think the brompton time has come and will be gone...time for new folder to dominate the market.

boston blackie

If you go by looks alone, then, in my mind Mezzo wins hands down. I bought one. It rides good. The chain never falls off. It is a solid, yet comfortable ride. I like the saddle. No flex that I can feel, except maybe in the folding pedals. I don't like the pedals. Mine is the four speed hub model. The shifting is smooth. The bike climbs well. I wish I had a higher gear.

The new Brompton with the 31 to 99 inch gear range looks like it will be a winner, if the chain stays on and one can get used to the awkward shifting.

They are both good English bikes.

14R 

I am not married to the Brompton, but I am completely dependent on a compact fold that does NOT include any dis/assembling for international airplane travel, and comes with a riding quality that is close to (or equal) to a conventional bike (26inch or 700c wheels). Believe me, i tried everything else before: Giant Halfway (including not so popular models like the RS), Dahons, Downtubes, even the Super Merc.

ideally, my bike would be a Brompton with V-Brakes (since I am not a big fan of their brake system), different gearing (since I am not a big fan of the bunny switch either), light enough to be compared to a S1E-X (wow, I like that!), comfortable enough to do a century on it, fast enough to keep up with roadies in spandex (18-21mph without buying new legs/lungs/heart after 5 minutes), attractive enough to please my own eyes and reliable enough that I can go touring in remote states of Brazil without the need of taking another bike on my back as a spare.

I personally don't like the mezzo because it is just not visually attractive to my taste (and please, nobody needs to agree with me on this one, I have a unique taste for women too). I am under the impression that stem is a product of some improvised fix instead of slick design. Even if it is a better bike than the Brompton, it is an ugly bike and it is not a better folding bike.

Now, without stealing the original purpose of this thread, besides a highly modified Brompton, what are my choices?

Dahon.Steve

I still think the OP cannot afford the Brompton which is why he's trying to convince himself the Mezzo is better. I used to do the same thing with my old Dahon Piccolo by saying there was no difference in quality. Boy was I wrong!

The only thing I regret is not buying the Brompton sooner! The price is not going down so get one while it's still cheap! LOL! When I started looking at the price of a Brompton, you could get a C3 for $600.00 USD! Not anymore.

The OP will live in regret if he spends his hard earned dollars on a Mezzo. He'll end up like me trying to convince himself, he got the better bike but in the end, there will always be deep resentment everytime someone with a Brompton crosses his path.

Don't put yourself through that agony.

LittlePixel

14r - i don' think that taking some forks and a rear triangle to a local framebuilder to add v-brake mounts is much of a job. re-powdercoating would cost little and i think you'd definitely enjoy the upgrade. doing that though - it might be just as easy to get disk mounts added.

folder fanatic

I don't go often for the latest and the supposed greatest widget around. If I did and I have the money available, I supposed I would have bought the BF tikit already. Yet I still shop for longetivity and use for my varied tastes and needs of any product I buy now. That means a conservative approuch which translate into folding bike-wise; a Brompton for now and in the future.

You are right about Bromptons slipping away from being affordable for most people, Dahon Steve. When I bought my own Brompton, I just wanted a basic bike like the other folding bike I already owned with no accessories unless I decided I want it later. I knew that the accessories that come with most bikes do push up the price, rather than the question of the basic bike's frame or other basic parts. And the C3E that I bought has certainly fit that bill and more. I also decided to spring for the last Piccolo made just 11 months later. For me, having both works out very well. I use my Brompton for the most formal, nice riding. My Piccolo is used in areas that are not so nice. And I will tell you the truth-my all time favorite of both bikes is-the Brompton. And when I am in the market again for another folder the only bike I will buy is another Brompton-with some added improvements.

14R 

Thank you LP. Disk brakes are too heavy, but V-Brakes done locally is an option. That compromises my ability to have it in clear lacquer since it is hard to find a place to do that kindof finishing here in Florida (I tried to find someone to do that on a full size bike more than once).

I will investigate and see it sand blast + famebuilder price + recoating = < Merc parts.

So far, the brakes are the only thing from Brompton that I am really looking for a better alternative. Everything else is already fixed on my previous attempts.

bhkyte

Mezzo frames are not at all "flexy".
People have criticised its stiffness leading to a harsher ride over the brompton.There is some truth in this, as a former brompton owner. I love the mezzo bike as a road bike due to this stiffness. There is flex in the seatpost when larger riders use it. But the post goes up higher than the Brompton standard meaning there is more tube in the frame. Flexy seatposts are not just a problem on a Mezzo. I would love to find a custom builder to get myself a Titanium to address this. If you rode a Mezzo with a maladjusted rear clip you might feel some play,

generally flexing frame= no chance!!

bhkyte

The D10, as opposed to the D9, has a rear V brake as standard, so does the import version the "Ori" I think. The Mezzo benifiets from telfon linned brake cables more than the Brompton rear brakes does IMO. The D10 is over priced really. I like the Mezzo D9 as a base than can easily be upgraded from. Its great with bull bars and the standard rear axles means that more extensive gearing upgrades are easy.

bhkyte

I personally now compare other bikes to my Mezzos.

Perhaps this is a more function preceptive if you like the Mezzo bike. I have also owned a Merc and a Brompton and I can not understand why anyone would buy a Brompton over a Mezzo as reguards the ride and folding speed,and upgradability, unless the folded size is the be all and end all. I have also critisied the Brompton in the past, but I have learnt alot about the relative disadvantagers of the Mezzo, through upgrades and daily use of 2 bikes in various situations. People should try the completion for both bikes. They are better at slightly different roles. A Brompton is a better bike for carrying shopping on, for instance due to the front bag system.

bhkyte

I have owned a Brompton and now own 2 Mezzos. I have never found much difference in carrying of the either bike, nor have I ever found the Brompton a better folding size and shape that has ever made any difference to my rail journey or multi modal commutes. It is smaller,but if you put the two bikes side by side there is very little difference. The Brompton is generally more compact ,but the Brompton seat sticks out more, epically is the extended or telscopic post is used. The brompton is marginally better to carry and store, but really not by much. The Mezzo is a roomer bike to ride.
As for the Mezzo fold, it is quicker. But you have to remember to get the crank in line with the rear chain stay,else it needs unfolding. Something that is not a problem on a 1/2 folded Brompton. Generally the Mezzo folds well with well designed self locking catches. It self locks well and all the catchers can be adjusted for ease of movement verse locking action.

It is not accurate to dismiss the Mezzo as a slower folding, much bigger,more difficult to fold package.

Lets have some balance here.