Originally Posted by
Earl Grey
The stock foam in the B&W case is almost pointless, in my opinion - it's so soft and light that it's immediately completely crushed or penetrated by any protrusions. Maybe it gives some scratch protection.
Do you also have a sheet of foam under/over the bike, i.e. where the B&W case's stock foam was? One thing I do find is that the fit is tightest in the depth axis. The case squeeze the bars / stem, and one of the cables (I forget which) is really squeezed against the fork. I have helicopter tape there to protect it.
That said, the bike has been completely unharmed in a dozen trips or so.
I actually don't put a full sheet underneath the Brompton, but on the axis where parts protrude the most (bar/stem as you point out, as well as the pedal, etc.), I do put some extra padding. The stock foam has started to rip in some spots now.
I think the most value is probably the case itself: I'm not sure how soft sided or semi-soft sided luggage would hold up.