Hi all, I need some help. I'm looking for a 6 speed brompton with the wide range hub (and a rack). They added that the wide range hub in January '09. There is a bike for sale now, but the owner hasn't been able to check the serial number yet, could anyone tell from this picture if this is a pre 2009 or a post 2009 bike? Thanks

The bike has got two three- speed SA shifters. It is a five speed bike (old five speed hub with two wires). I would say pre 2009. There should be a number on the hub indicating what year.

My bike had the same hub (and therefor did not have the thingy to mount the der on the right chainstay). I therefor decided to go for a modern 5 speed hub with one shifter and I am wery happy with the solution. The hub I bought is no longer in production but may be found lying around in several shops.

Wow thanks for that badmother. It's advertised as a 6 speed, so clearly the seller doesn't know what he has. I'll keep looking for a post 2009 M6R.

The Hub shell has a date of production on it .. my Mk 2 had a 94 hub in it [its likely a Mk2]

Sachs Made their 1st 3by2 6 speed .. that introduced the 2 cog 13, 15 pair on the Driver .

That would have the shifter/derailleur under the right chainstay (thats Not there) thats A Mk 3

so, Agree, Its the S-A 5 speed hub - 2 indicator - chains 1 on each side of the Hub.

left one makes the narrow 4th & 2nd, or wide 1st, 5th gear difference shift . 3rd is in both


I went with a Schlumpf Mountain drive to have 6 speeds . the low range uses the 3 speeds a second time.
a real Mountain climbing setup.

Mk4 is the current Frame Hinges are cast tube brazed in , Mk2 used a Fillet Butt Brazed Joint
forged, flat Hinge plates.

Thanks for all the help so far. Could I check on another:

Any idea if that bike has the brompton wide range hub?

Looks much better. Those shifters tell us it is a 6 speed bike.

Based on the detail of the black piece pulling the indicator chain It could be a Sachs 3 by 2 hub.
that piece is made by Sachs ( though sold separately It is one thing easier to take loose when you have to mend a Puncture)

If you can look at it in Closeup .. the Sachs Driver uses the same 3 spline driver as the SA 3 speed, just wider for 2 cogs 13 & 15t.

[I have used the 3/32" skip tooth 15t in my 3 speed _ 1 tooth in 5 is shorter to ease shifting to the 13t.]

the Sturmey-Archer (sun race) hub uses A 9 spline driver pattern , standard adopted from Shimano.
( Its used on their S3X, and spline got threaded .. Freewheels screw on the fixie 3 speed)

Of course if that close the hubshell will read BWR on it.

Quite likely it has the wide range hub. That model seems about 5y old.

On closer inspection, it is much older than 5y. FIETSBOB could be right.

FYI,all 6spds have the BWR. The BSR will only take one cog,so they're all 3spds.

OP & dynaryder can Pick up a copy of 'the Brompton Book' it is quite informative of the changes over the years ..

David Henshaw's Brompton Bicycle|review by Tony Hadland – NYCeWheels.com






FWIW, Sachs 3 speeds are 0.73,1,1.36 - BWR 0.64,1,1.57. - AW/BSR .75,1,1.33

I have two 6 speeds. One with the Sach hub and the other BWR hub. Both function the same, Sach is easier to ride with the closer ratios. Both shifts similar too.