Oy, the options. This has spawned a paroxysm of obsessive Googling.
The five speed wheel seems like a viable option. However, it has the narrow rim, and a presta valve. My from valve is Schrader.
This seems like a better option:
Brand New 16 x1 3 8" 349 Sturmey Archer Black 5 Speed Wheelset Brompton | eBay
However, they don't offer free shipping, so total real cost is $83 more.
Originally Posted by
invisiblehand
The start of bike-itis. Find a way to fit two bikes in that closet!
I'm still thinking about a whole new Brompton, and now also this:
Tern Link P24h, The Versatile folding bike
It has a huge gear range, and ticks a lot of nice bells and whistles, rack, fenders, lights, etc. It uses a three speed internal gear hub rather than front derailleur and triple chain ring, which I find rather cleaver. I just might be able to make it fit in my glorified closet. However, it weighs in at ~30 lbs.; weight matters climbing four flights of stairs.
I'm also looking at Bike Fridays, though I'm not sure they fold as small as I'd need them too. I don't think I'm interested in a Tikit, as I already have a compact folder. Does a Tikit ride significantly better than a Brompton?
Decisions, decisions.