folder fanatic

Today I had an unexpected ride on a all over racing green 2012 H Type 6 speed Brompton at my local Brompton Dealer/Stockist. It has been several years since I rode a new Brompton. I still really enjoy my 2005 C Type Brompton and will not part with it for any reason. Sometimes it is nice to physically experience the new ideas, components, and accessories that keep coming out even after your own bike’s purchase. I went into the shop to check up on the progress of my ratty little rebuilt rear hub Superstar German made separating frame bike. While I was not able to take that one home today, the demonstrator Brompton seemed to call out to me to try it out. And I did.

The BWR wide space gearing was just as nice as the larger number of gears derailleur bikes I own in the past. It was “just right” as far as my-or most anyone else’s” needs run. The hub gearing’s shifter was intuitive, but I found that the derailleur half of shifting seemed to need some time for me to get used to after the long while that I last shifted on a similar one on my old Flying Dutchman touring bike. The left folding pedal was easy to snap into position to use-or to fold up when not. The most improved part of all was the handlebars & stem. The handlebars themselves are the same M Type ones as before. The change is in the stem’s length and position. It gives the user additional height as well as an even more upright position-big improvement for the taller rider-similar to the old Schwinn Stingray/Manta ray or the traditional Dutch/European City bikes. I do admit that I always gravitate to that sort of riding position even as a young girl. Steering was just as dead-on as the older bikes. Braking has improved with the dual pivot brakes now common on all new Bromptons (my own bikes is only single pivot-I never seem to have any problem with my own brakes even use in rainy periods). The only thing that needed to be changed is the stock saddle. Give me my favorite Nirve/Electra beach cruiser saddles any day still-even nowadays.

Now for the most important question of all: Would I buy one assuming that I had the funds? Of course with some minor changes like the above saddle and raw lacquer finish. Brompton has now far surpassed the type of bikes offered that existed back in 2005 (just 7 years ago). The improvements are vast enough to consider starting over with a fresh bike rather than extensively remodel the present one. The best part of all is I get to keep the old one and still relish the new.

Purpleorchid

Cool! Good to know that as a newbie to the folding bike world, I made a good choice with my 2012 Brompton H6L raw lacquer purchase! I couldn't believe how easy the bike was to ride when I took it for a spin!

wandt

Thanks for the review. I'm hoping to be in the market for a new Brompton and just discovered how comfortable the higher bars can be. I had previously gravitated toward more "racey" type positions.

chagzuki

The improvements are mainly cosmetic, the bikes certainly look nicer now.
Brompton could have sold a brass washer kit for £1 to replace the nylon washers in older brakes. Actually functionally there's not really any difference with the rear brake other than with dual pivot it's much easier to set up and keep self-centering properly. In terms of performance the main change with the brakes is the pads but of course any sane person would have swapped them out anyway.

Real improvements would have been to use chromoly for the frame, giving the weight reduction of ti parts but with none of the cost, getting rid of the inherently flexy wedge stem design in favour of something suitable for folding bikes (a la Dahon). Or perhaps just a reduction in price along with not selling rebadged components at double their normal price (bottom bracket, chainset).

Oh, the rear frame clip is a big improvement, of course.

tcs

Yeah, comparing the latches on a Dahon or Tern to the twiddlely knob on the Brompton makes one realize just how "1977" some of the Brompton's technology is.

chagzuki

The simplicity of the latches makes for a fail-safe design, almost nothing can go wrong, so I can see advantage of that. Though in winter gloves it can be hard to twiddle the twiddly bits with ease whereas a Dahon latch is fine with padded gloves on. However, I can't see any reason why Brompton hasn't already switched to a Kamoya/Brompification type enhancement of the design (except done properly with the central bulge), really, it eliminates what I think are really faults in the design, i.e. needing one hand to align the clamp plate which sometimes slips between frame hinge plates, rotates out of position etc., and the other hand to tighten the wingnut thingy. Making the clamp plate longer on one side and adding a spring eliminates those flaws and it would cost next to nothing to implement. I've modded the standard clamp plates slightly and added a circlip (instead of spring) to secure the plate, and the result is a much easier folding process, though the circlip can gradually slide out of position (a spring would be better if I could find one the right size).

chagzuki

I see the 1977 patent has q/r levers instead of wingnut clamps.

folder fanatic

Another way of looking at it is you avoided some of the pitfalls that the lack of knowledge of folding bikes brings. I admit to my own avoidable "goofs" that I have done in the past with 2 of my now former folding bikes. While they did contribute to my knowledge of these bikes, I could have saved much money and time worrying about the poor unreliable, unpredictable, and mostly hard to repair/replace latches of those 2 cheapie Chinese bikes I bought at first.

I myself being a "smaller person of stature" would have been guided to the flat S Type handlebars. I don't care much for that riding position. One of the main reasons I chose the M type was it's upright riding position it offered. My present other 2 bikes also have a harp shape handlebars similar to my Brompton.

One of the things that continues to attract me to the Brompton is they keep the components/accessories that work and look for all around improvement of their product. If you liked the old Bromptons of any age, you will continue to like their bikes and appreciate the new improvements they add over the years. All three of my bikes (Brompton included) uses a wingnut & bolt type of latch to keep the bike together. No weird latches that can't be replaced with ease at the local hardware store. It holds true in 1977 as well as today.

bbmike

Considering that almost all bikes are made in China, I'm wondering of which bikes you're referring to?

jur

Ignore that - FF has become a Dahon basher for no good reason.

folder fanatic

Well, Jur, How do you know for sure what bicycle I am discussing? You are reading something that is not there in any part of this particular thread save this post. I did not say D., T., C. or any other far east made specifically by brand bike-even my sister's now abandoned Nishiki which I never mentioned before anywhere online or offline which is still at my house-for that matter beyond my vintage 1970s Super Star & Raleigh Twenty or my last decade Brompton. You really have such negativity directed for me. Why don't you go troll somewhere else. Or even better, go to your own bike shop, ride the bikes, then write your own reviews instead of being an armchair critic of what I am doing over here.

For my sister only: Come get your bike. It's cluttering up my house. It's brand or country of origin does not change that fact. Or you might find it in the garbage where it belongs.

FYI, I only now at present own either vintage genuine European made or a Brompton. The past is the past. I don't really give a hoot about my past mistaken purchase of these bikes since they are no longer are cluttering up the house or I have to spend lots of money to fix them all the time correcting design/production gaping flaws which I had nothing to do with. Pitfalls happen when the bikes actually exist in your life-which they do not anymore as they are out of my life. As I hope my sister's crappy abandoned bike will be soon.

My present bikes are the ones that interest me. They perform to the level that I want and need that is all that is necessary. I should have been more specific and stated that I wish I bought the vintage ones first, then the Brompton, bypassing the new others. Rather than assuming many new bicycles are the same quality as when I was growing up. The plain truth is after restoration, I never had problems with the vintage ones or the Brompton beyond the expected basic maintenance (lubricating, adjustments, & rarely replacing worn out parts) . Perhaps that is why my sister prefers her car over her bike-and "forgetting" it at my house?

Purpleorchid

Truth be told, once I saw the design of the Brompton fold, that was the main reason why I wanted one. And the fact that it was handmade. I was not looking for a folding bike, but once I saw the design, I was hooked.

I gave a $900 Tern a test ride too, just to see if it was any worse/better or really different than the Brompton ride. The Brompton wasn't an $800 better ride, so I could have gotten the Tern, but it just didn't have the design fold of the Brompton. To me it's a work of art when it's folded up. Due to that, I don't think I would have enjoyed the Tern as much, because nothing really spoke to me. But the Brompton fold always amazes me.

folder fanatic

Everyone should come to his/her own conclusions of what works best for him/her. I am rather pleased that you were matched really well to your Brompton the first time. I simply had to go on an rather expensive journey into the world of folding bikes that you were fortunate enough to avoid. As the difference between even my sister and I concerning bikes are-she is not depended on them as she has a car (her bike is an toy or recreational diversion to her). I am totally car free and sometimes ride at all hours of the day or night through some of the most dangerous parts of Los Angeles. A breakdown at the local park during the day is nothing more than a nuisance for the casual rider like my sister. More me, it can be far worse and dangerous........as my location on the left might indicate to you.

That is the foundation reason of why I am so hard on bikes-no matter the county of origin. My sewing machines (another product I am depended on) are all from the far east. If one breaks down and I cannot fix it myself (a rare thing indeed), I toss it away as they are usually not repairable and buy another one. I will not be stranded out somewhere that is not safe using a cheapo sewing machine unlike a bicycle.

CSG

I almost waited for an H type but once I rode the M I was satisfied.

fietsbob

Brompton Book does cover the early design changes.. big jump to the MK 2 design.

the 80's things Dahon was selling look a lot different from what they make now , too..

folder fanatic

The best is yet to come. Very soon (I hope next week) I will be able to bring home my expected last small wheel collapsible bike from the bike shop. Another discussion thread along with the expected photographs of a rear hub & wheel rebuilt soon to happen.

airwulf

Bought a black H6L yesterday and will get my first ride in today. The fold is amazing.

Purpleorchid

Congrats airwulf! Post pics! My H6L is only three weeks old and I love it!