Thanks for your suggestions.

Not having seen a Brompton in the flesh, I am of course limited in my reaction however from what I have read, Bromptons are like Bike Fridays, in that they cost more than they are worth when one looks at the components and what you get for what you pay. I could probably afford one, but I am a cheap bastard at heart. Also, the trips I would take the bike on are NOT bike touring trips, rather they are largely gastronomic and wine-related trips to France, where I try in vain to exercise enough not to come back looking like Bibandom, the Michelin Man, or to visit family in San Diego. I hesitate to spend several thousand dollars on a bike that it might turn out I don't use all that much. And if I get completely infected by the bug of bike riding on these trips, then I could always sell or give away whatever I buy now, and buy something better in a year or two. But I do want to prove to myself that I'll actually use the thing enough to justify a big purchase price, something I have yet to do.

If I was to buy a Brompton, since I do pass through London Heathrow on my trips to France, perhaps there would be a way to buy one in the UK at a lower price and have it delivered to me in the airport en route to France, but then it (probably) would still be considerably more expensive than I want to pay at this point.

thanks again