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Brompton vs. Tikit

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Brompton vs. Tikit

Old 07-01-09, 09:00 AM
  #76  
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Originally Posted by mulleady
I own a Mu SL and a Brompton so I'm qualified as a user to comment on this.

nonwithstanding the fact the Mu SL is a very very nice bike.
Yes they are so long as the hinge doesn’t fail
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Old 07-01-09, 10:00 AM
  #77  
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Originally Posted by mulleady
I've test ridden a Tikit and I disagree it is a 'much' nicer ride. It is all very marginal with the Tikit having a slightly better ride and the Brompton a slightly better fold. It is down to the user in the end.
Obviously if you absolutely need a supercompact fold, the Brompton is the bike to get. But I think you are dramatically downplaying the tradeoffs made with the Brompton in order to achieve that: a great many custom parts, with some [brakes] of low quality; a very small, cramped effective top tube, about the size of the *smallest* Tikit; no real ahead stem options; few, and poor, gearing options; slow folding; etc.

It's that top tube and lack of ahead stem which was the killer for me: at 5'11" I found the bike more or less unrideable for long distances. I like the Brompton a lot. But tall people make significant sacrifices to ride it.

It's an age old argument and I notice most of the most critics of the Brompton hail from the US and don't appreciate it's price or functionality as much.
Perhaps. Or maybe Britain consists entirely of hobbits. :-)
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Old 07-01-09, 11:21 AM
  #78  
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So there is a Tikit and there is a Brompton. So they compare the Tikit with the Brompton. And they compare the Dahon with the Brompton, and they compare the Gobike with the Brompton, etc.
What's the raison they always compare with Brompton?
But maybe that's another question...
IMO the best bike is the bike that fits you the best. If that is a Dahon, Bike Friday, Birdy,Gobike, Buzzbike etc, who cares. . .
I did choose the Brompton. Did try a Tikit, but for now not my bike. But if I could afford a Moulton, ...
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Old 07-08-09, 05:03 AM
  #79  
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Originally Posted by fmattheus
I actually see that story as being a major advantage of the Tikit.

Short wrap up.
Some bikes developed cracks. Before it even had a chance to pop up on online forums, Bike Friday recalled those bikes, and sent out easy fixes, that didn't require sending the bikes in to Bike Friday or even going to a store, within a couple weeks.

Show me another bike company that handled a similar situation as well or as quickly ...
So it all boils down to the fact that you are riding a frame with cracks, and the company just sent you a band aid solution for it?
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Old 07-08-09, 05:47 AM
  #80  
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Originally Posted by EastBiker
So it all boils down to the fact that you are riding a frame with cracks, and the company just sent you a band aid solution for it?
No, if you had cracks, they replaced the part at their expense. If you didn't have cracks they sent a solution to keep you from having cracks ...

Class act, if you ask me.

Note: I don't own a tikit, just impressed with how they handled it ...
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Old 07-08-09, 04:53 PM
  #81  
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Originally Posted by fmattheus
No, if you had cracks, they replaced the part at their expense. If you didn't have cracks they sent a solution to keep you from having cracks ...

Class act, if you ask me.

Note: I don't own a tikit, just impressed with how they handled it ...
Its the bare minimum the can do. And have to do.
I think it is ok, but far from being impressive.
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Old 07-13-09, 09:13 PM
  #82  
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Originally Posted by fmattheus
No, if you had cracks, they replaced the part at their expense. If you didn't have cracks they sent a solution to keep you from having cracks ...

Class act, if you ask me.

Note: I don't own a tikit, just impressed with how they handled it ...
You're impressed with a band-aid solution? You're impressed with a solution that ruined the Tikit's rolling capability?
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Old 07-20-09, 07:41 AM
  #83  
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I'm a Brommie and tikit owner and just toured on the tikit in Bintan, Indonesia. 200km on it, sometimes over pretty bad roads, got me really impressed on the performance of the tikit. I dare say its a superior bike for touring compared to the Brompton but you don't have to agree with me. Here's why...

https://lovethefold.blogspot.com/2009...indonesia.html

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Old 07-20-09, 08:32 AM
  #84  
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Originally Posted by OldiesONfoldies
I'm a Brommie and tikit owner and just toured on the tikit in Bintan, Indonesia. 200km on it, sometimes over pretty bad roads, got me really impressed on the performance of the tikit. I dare say its a superior bike for touring compared to the Brompton but you don't have to agree with me. Here's why...
What a wonderful trip on a folder! And a great write-up, too!

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Old 07-20-09, 12:46 PM
  #85  
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You are the man.
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Old 07-20-09, 06:33 PM
  #86  
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Nice blog, thanks for sharing a lovely trip!
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Old 07-20-09, 06:39 PM
  #87  
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Good thing your Tikit's frame didn't crack.
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Old 07-20-09, 07:30 PM
  #88  
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Hey Oldies! I was just at that same ferry terminal in Singapore with 2 Bike Fridays! (A NWT and a Tikit!)
Did the baggage handlers give you a y grief? They did not want us to put the bikes through security, so we walked them through the baggage gate ourselves....
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Old 07-20-09, 09:03 PM
  #89  
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We just paid $10 and the baggage handlers took care of the bikes for us... Was told we cant fold it and walk it to the ferry ourselves. The authorities need to be educated about foldies me thinkz. So where did you cycle to ChiapasFixed?
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Old 07-20-09, 09:48 PM
  #90  
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did around 1000kms in Sumatra and Malaysia. The Tikit was great to get on ferries and buses, the only "authorities" that hassled us were at the mall terminal in Singapore.
Perhaps a Brommie would have been a bit easier to squeeze into some of the boats and stuff, but I doubt it would have ridden as nicely on the rough roads or the amazing descent to lake Manijau:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
maninjau.jpg (99.0 KB, 24 views)
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Old 07-20-09, 09:53 PM
  #91  
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Lake Maninjau - I was there and know exactly what you mean abt the 44 hair pin descend! I crossed from Medan to Sibolga thru Lake Toba. The ride was absolutely amazing. I love Sumatra! Do you have pics and report on your ride? Mine is here written by my buddy Chris. I was on a Surly LHT on this trip:

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...ra&context=all
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Old 07-20-09, 11:09 PM
  #92  
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Originally Posted by EastBiker
Good thing your Tikit's frame didn't crack.
Dude, you're really hung up on that aren't you? Did someone kick your puppy too?

--sam
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Old 07-25-09, 03:26 PM
  #93  
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tikit is best

on the days i dont cycle to work i see loads of bromptons neatly folded on the tram...looks like people have bromptons just for pose value. a real cyclist would:
1 ride the bike to work
2 get a tikit

someone who buys a bike to show off, use it for 2 months in summer and then never use it again (or go 100m to bus stop and then 100m to work) and then say "oh yes i cycle to work every day."..would definately get a brompton

best use for a folding bike is to stop people stealing it
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Old 07-25-09, 04:22 PM
  #94  
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Originally Posted by pt1973
on the days i dont cycle to work i see loads of bromptons neatly folded on the tram...looks like people have bromptons just for pose value. a real cyclist would:
1 ride the bike to work
2 get a tikit

someone who buys a bike to show off, use it for 2 months in summer and then never use it again (or go 100m to bus stop and then 100m to work) and then say "oh yes i cycle to work every day."..would definately get a brompton

best use for a folding bike is to stop people stealing it
oh no, I went against all common sense and got myself a strida 5 instead! I'm probably the 50 that own one in our city! I ride it all the way to work (only 6km).

And that is true the best trait for a folder is that it's theft proof! unless you are my co worker! yeah can't really trust those shirt and dresspants wearing hippies! the techies where eyeing it already!
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Old 07-27-09, 08:11 AM
  #95  
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Hooray for the strida 5. It's a great concept. And hooray for Mark Sanders....even if I did secretly call his iF Mode the foldable steamroller.....

Just for the record. I still think the Brompton is the better bike overall. I just think that the tikit doesn't offer much more convenience than a seperable bike. It's cool to analyse the innovation BF employed to modify their usual fold into something else, but the rolling-while-folded feature didn't really work out for me. The tikit does offer a better ride, but stuff like a flexible front that requires you to treat it gently means that it isn't as a forgiving bike as the overly engineered brompton.

I do agree that the Brompton fit is either a hit or miss. It's a hit for me, but I recognize the fact that many many more would not have found it comfortable.

Bromptons for poseurs? hmm. Will have to agree to disagree there. Gosh. Stop trolling. Bad troll...... hyuk hyuk
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Old 07-27-09, 09:31 AM
  #96  
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Test both bikes out to be sure. Do not buy without a test ride/
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Old 07-27-09, 10:04 PM
  #97  
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Originally Posted by pt1973
on the days i dont cycle to work i see loads of bromptons neatly folded on the tram...looks like people have bromptons just for pose value. a real cyclist would:
1 ride the bike to work
2 get a tikit

someone who buys a bike to show off, use it for 2 months in summer and then never use it again (or go 100m to bus stop and then 100m to work) and then say "oh yes i cycle to work every day."..would definately get a brompton

best use for a folding bike is to stop people stealing it
A smart cyclist would get a bike with a frame that doesn't crack.
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Old 07-28-09, 04:35 AM
  #98  
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Originally Posted by EastBiker
A smart cyclist would get a bike with a frame that doesn't crack.
Cracked bromptons frequently appear on EBAY in the UK ,but I think most have been in accidents.
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Old 07-28-09, 04:50 AM
  #99  
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Originally Posted by feijai
Obviously if you absolutely need a supercompact fold, the Brompton is the bike to get. But I think you are dramatically downplaying the tradeoffs made with the Brompton in order to achieve that: a great many custom parts, with some [brakes] of low quality; a very small, cramped effective top tube, about the size of the *smallest* Tikit; no real ahead stem options; few, and poor, gearing options; slow folding; etc.

It's that top tube and lack of ahead stem which was the killer for me: at 5'11" I found the bike more or less unrideable for long distances. I like the Brompton a lot. But tall people make significant sacrifices to ride it.



Perhaps. Or maybe Britain consists entirely of hobbits. :-)
+1 from the UK, I am not a hobbit!

[quote=brommie;9201309]What's the raison they always compare with Brompton?
But maybe that's another question...
QUOTE]

Yes thats IS the problem.

This convention needs to change.

The bike is a good package, but over rated, and over reviewed and is not "the cure all tonic" in commuting. Mezzo critisied a review of their D9 for having more refferences to the Brompton in than the reviewed bike!

I would love to see a more vairied reviews ie a DIblasi or other bikes also.
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Old 07-28-09, 08:13 PM
  #100  
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Originally Posted by pt1973
on the days i dont cycle to work i see loads of bromptons neatly folded on the tram...looks like people have bromptons just for pose value. a real cyclist would:
1 ride the bike to work
2 get a tikit
So...are you saying that you're not a real cyclist (since you too were on the tram)??? At least the Brompton owners have their bikes with them...

Also, if someone actually rode the Brompton to work (without the tram)...is that person still posing?

What about if a person brought a Tikit onto the tram...real cyclist or not?

Brompton, Tikit, or whatever...I think it's great that people want to ride...regardless if it's the entire way to work...or just part of their commute.

You're definitely entitled to your opinion...but it's wrong.
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