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Bromptons: Some questions on configuration

Old 01-20-12, 09:45 AM
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Bromptons: Some questions on configuration

Hi - I am highly leaning towards purchasing a brompton. A B-Spoke brompton. I have done a significant amount of research on them and have riden one on the flesh. The Brompton has impressed me even more in the flesh. This will be my main bike for city commuting, and I'd definitely like to take the bike on longer trips potentially in the future. I live in New York City.

A few things I am debating:

- Rear rack: Is this necessary / nice to have? Fellow bromptonites, do you have a rear rack and do you use this often? I used to be leaning towards a rear rack, but recently have been thinking that the front rack could be more than sufficient. Without the rear rack, is it harder to roll? I do plan to get the EZ wheels but without the rear rack. Is this configuration as rollable as the rear rack with easy wheels? Also, for longer bike rides if I did need to carry extra cargo, I would probably be ok loading up the front bag and using my amazing osprey talon backpack. Thoughts?

- Color: Should I go 2 tone or 1 tone? I really like the claret and the cobalt blue. If I were to get one solid color, it would be the cobalt blue completely. Would probably get the claret frame and cobalt blue extremeties if I were to go dual tone. Thoughts on this?

- Bag: I am thinking either the C bag or the T bag. Am thinking the T bag could be more versatile. Thoughts on these bags?

Think that's about it for now.

Thanks!
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Old 01-20-12, 10:55 AM
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I presume that you are familer with the color picker here https://www.nycewheels.com/brompton-colors.html (click on the color menus and see what happens).

I don't have a rear rack and I believe it is more difficult to roll. To do so you unfold the stem/handlerbar and use it to push/pull the bike. The problem is that the wheel base of the easy wheels is too narrow and you need to balance side to side. Also, on certain angles the rear suspension elastomer hits the ground. The rear rack also make the bike more stable when you Brompton (park) it on uneven surface. I don't plan to get a rack though since I don't need to roll much. The bike is simpler without the rack.

What handlebar type do you plan to get? The C and T bags do not fit S handlebar.

Edit: to the OP, note that Brompton is very good with spare parts availability so if you will change mind mind you can always add a rack.

Last edited by kamtsa; 01-20-12 at 11:36 AM.
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Old 01-20-12, 11:19 AM
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I use a rack for rolling purposes, mainly for using the bike as a shopping trolley. It adds a bit of weight and Bromptons aren't particularly light in the first place but so far I think it's worth it. I can't see I'd ever put anything on the rack, in fact I lost a bungee cord and just took the other one off.

As for colours I don't think many of the potential mixes complement each other and most look downright ugly. Having said that a coloured main frame and black extremities tends to look good IMO and sort of highlights the contruction/character of the bike, and a cobalt blue frame complements ti extremities very nicely. I think it's easier to get spare forks/stem in black, red and raw than other colours.
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Old 01-20-12, 11:25 AM
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Originally Posted by kamtsa
I presume that you are familer with the color picker here https://www.nycewheels.com/brompton-colors.html (click on the color menus and see what happens).
Oh no! Don't show him the color configurator! It's a curse in disguise. (Seriously, that thing alone delayed my order by some two weeks or so.)

I myself have a Brompton M6L (you can see it here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-have-a-folder!)

As you can tell by the name and the pic I went for one without a rack. And as you I first thought about having a rack, but decided against it. My reasons were that I don't use the rear rack on the other bike i have, it adds weight and costs money. Plus if you put something on the rack you can't park the bike (in the Brompton way).
The upside with a rear rack is that you can get more stuff on your bike, it's easier and more stable to roll when folded. This is true even if you get the Eazy wheels on a L version. But since I don't plan to roll it that much rathar than carry it on and of busses it didn't matter to me. Plus, if you want you can always retrofit one should you need it (goes for the L rear fender as well). If I were to get a rear rack I would look for possibilities to mount a kickstand on the bike.

Color is a matter of taste, we can't help you there.

I chose the folding basket for me because I will mostly use it for shopping. A good thing about all bags though is that the steel frame which attaches the bags to the bike is seperable so you can use it and strap on whatever you like on it.
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Old 01-20-12, 12:00 PM
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Another rear rack benefit , particularly if you add dynamo lighting,
is the taillight mount, is on the back of the wheel..
rather than the front of the back wheel, just above the brake.

Most bags seem commuter oriented, O bag is going to keep
your papers, and computer dry. at a cost of $300.

Touring and C and such, sewn, come with a rain cover .. resistant, not "proof"

as a single bag , it is handier to sling it over my shoulder
than a pair of panniers that I have to haul in my hands ..

M bars and Ergon grips is the way I went.., Tour bag..
2nd hand, so some one else chose color

have 2 now, so a companion has a loaner.. to go out, together.
T3 is black , M3L, green.

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-20-12 at 12:15 PM.
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Old 01-20-12, 12:39 PM
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If I were getting a Brompton it would surely be in raw lacquer, it is more traditional and shows of the brazed joints. Not every one cup of tea though.

If you care about going very fast, pick yellow. Everyone knows yellow bikes are faster!
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Old 01-20-12, 02:04 PM
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Hello! Nice to see another one almost in the brompton family!
I have two bromptons, one M3R in apple green, with eazy wheels, and one S6L-X in raw lacquer. I think the rack is a good thing, the rack sack is an awesome touring accessory, especially if you like me, like photography. I can easily fit a big camera bag in there with different lenses etc and still have some space left. For front luggage I only have the smaller s bag, because I want it to fit on both bikes. I think it has room for most of the stuff I need, and the tear away flap is nice too, for quick access to the bag.

Back to the rack, the bike gets significantly harder to carry (in my opinion), since the balance of it gets a bit weird and it feels like it has a bigger tendency of slamming into your leg while carrying it. With that said, with 4 eazy wheels on, the bike rolls like a dream on every train station, outdoor spaces and whatnot.

Which bike model did you plan on getting? The s bar is so much better for fast riding, the M is flexing lots when going fast. Although my wrists did hurt a lot before I got ergons on the S6L-X, haven't had that problem on the M.
Also, if you are getting the 3 speed, I say get a 6 speed, those extra high and low gears really gives a lot higher versatility on your bike.

Claret and Cobalt looks good together, two very classy colors, not too bright and screamy, but still turning some heads. However, raw lacquer is my personal favourite, the golden brazings look simply amazing. I would definitely consider it!
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Old 01-20-12, 02:05 PM
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I just got mine last week, a s2l with white main tube and black front and back. Also got a brown brooks swift, which makes beautiful contrast with the white main tube. Now waiting for new grips to match

I did skip the rack, because I also removed it from my previous dahon curve, never missed it. The bromptom looks significantly better without a rack (and with s bars) in my opinion. I use a backback for my laptop.
For rolling the rack would be better, but most of the time i keep the bike unfolded untill destination, then fold there, so i don't need to roll it folded in the train it's stable enough on the castor wheels

Regarding the gearing options, I'm happy with my 2 gear choice, don't miss the first gear compared to my previous 3 speed hub. Also like the simplicity of the tensioner/derrailleur system (and the weight of course!!!!)
But the gearing options also depend on your location, in flat holland, short distances, 2 is perfect for me
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Old 01-20-12, 02:33 PM
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Thank you all for the awesome responses! This forum is really responsive.

As this will be my only bike, I am opting for the 6 gears.

I was leaning towards the most popular M type handle bars, as it seemed to make the most sense. I don't think I will be speeding with it but I want the most versatile handle bar. How / why is the S "better" than the M? Is it just a "flex" issue? I am not very heavy (140 lbs) so didn't think I'd have to worry too much about the flex.

About the raw laquer - the extra few hundred to get this color upgrade seems to me a bit steep unfortuantely.

how is rolling WITHOUT the rack but with the 2 EZ wheels? Does that work well?
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Old 01-20-12, 02:44 PM
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6 gears, definitely worth it, good choice!
My first bike was the M, and the difference is essentially the flexing, yes. I'm not too heavy either, 75kg or so, but the contact with the road is a lot better and way more active with the S. I am quite tall, about 187cm, and I still find the s fine to cruise on without having to lean forward. It's a relaxed riding position aswell for me. With that in mind, I am just 20 years old, so I dunno how the experience would be if you were a bit older .

The rolling I can't say so much about, I havent got the ez wheels on my s6l-x, but I have tried one in my local bike shop, but from what I felt there (indoors though) it was really fine.

About raw, like above poster said, color is a personal choice, play around with the nycewheels color picker. However, raw looks loads better in real life than on pictures! Yea, it might be pricey, then again, this bike will last you at least 10 years!
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Old 01-20-12, 03:13 PM
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How / why is the S "better" than the M? Is it just a "flex" issue?
depends on how tall, you are, Steering mast is higher , but bars have no rise
unless you put something else on.. they will be lower ..
M bar just clears the ground,when folded, for me a 5'9ish guy they are not an upright ride.

If they produced a taller steerer riser, to use a low rise Mountain bar, that may be best,
End of grips, still not striking the ground when folded is the key.

for the 6'+ rider there is an H riser to use with the M bar, this year..
they added 30mm to both sides of the hinge, so a +/- combination still has the bar
end not hitting the ground when folded.
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Old 01-20-12, 04:07 PM
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yea i'm about 5 8.5 context... do you mean that at 5'9 the m bar is too low for you? HOw do you mean exactly when you say they are not an upright ride?
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Old 01-20-12, 05:18 PM
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Well rather than words , I got out the tape measure ..
center-line of the bar to the ground is about a meter.

reach is up to your adjustments,


I got used bikes, both M type. , so i only learned the S bar height is lower,
indirectly.
as It seemed goldilocks, nothing I needed to change ,
satisfied my curiosity, then I stopped caring.
plus I like the bigger Front baggage capability
of M .. & P .. type

you should have noticed the S riser is curved away from the saddle ,
that reach can be done with a bolt that clamps the M bar to the stem.

Their add onSAP allows a wider adjustment range
than the pentaclip flipping does already.

functionally a seat angle adjustment, which since the post passes
behind the BB is less steep than it appears.

Dutch Opa/Oma bikes are what I consider upright, like sitting
at the dining room table.

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-20-12 at 05:37 PM.
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Old 01-21-12, 02:25 AM
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Originally Posted by bikeymikey1
why is the S "better" than the M? Is it just a "flex" issue? I am not very heavy (140 lbs) so didn't think I'd have to worry too much about the flex.
The M provides a more upright position. This is a matter of preference. If you can, test ride a M and a S and see which one you like more. When I got mine I tried the M and did not like the flex and the position, then I tried the S and immediately knew that this is what I want. It's subjective, give it a try and see which one you like.

6 gears is a good choice. The have three versions for the 6 gears, normal, +8% and -12%. The difference is the size of the chainwheel. You can always get spare parts and change latter. I got the -12% so I can handle steeper hills.
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Old 01-21-12, 03:57 AM
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Or, to be clearer.. normal is the 50t, reduced 44t, higher, 54t
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Old 01-21-12, 09:33 AM
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One more thing about gears. I chose the standard setting for my 6 speed because I knew to little about the feel of the differences. A few gear inchces more or less written on a paper doesn't give me any feel of how it is to pedal on one gear rather than the other. But since I'm not a fast biker I will probably lower my gearing in the future. So a tip is that for steep hills lowered gearing is preferred. But also if you are not planning on fast biking lowered gearing can be better since you never know how where you will bring your bike and how hilly it is there.
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Old 01-22-12, 04:29 PM
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the 13-15t BWR hub, combo is a given, as is the British standard BB shell threading.
It may me practical to just exchange the crankset, and by installing a double,
then the 6 speeds can function in 2 ranges..
50-34 is a common crankset , and a rag in your pocket will make the up shift
from the little to the big ring, a fairly clean proposition.
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Old 01-23-12, 09:16 PM
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Own 3 Bromtons, one with a rack. When you don't have a rack you can sometimes miss one if you need spill-over capacity. The front pannier system is so much better you use that til its stuffed, so the rack ends up hardly used - but good for pizza.

You can use a backpack as you described when you need more capacity but then it can be a bulky item to put in your pannier. I use a small spill-over capacity one.

When you have a rack, its always there adding weight and it moves the low-down light from nearer the center-of-gravity folded to further out so makes the bike even heavier, it is noticeable weight and the rack and roller wheels knock your calve area a bit more than without the rack.

So I'd advise fit the rack only if you are sure you are going to be pushing it folded on decent surfaces where the rack then makes a decent trolley type, otherwise save on weight and cost and don't have a rack.

The T-bag is bigger, you can do decent shopping and touring type trips with one, but the C-bag has more compartments for more a daily living type. I initially used T-bag when but now use C-bag and the above spill-over capacity trick it does me for a fair amount but I have the racked Brompton too for touring type situations. I'd say go for C-bag unless you're sure you are going to be basically using the Brompton to do all your shopping. I did all my family's shopping on Bromptons for some years and the T-bag with a big throat easily swallows more and can be overstuffed and keep the goods internally better. One common issue with T-bag owners is the volume attracts just keeping lots of stuff in it because you have the room, so tends to become a little tramp like.

I prefer the S-bar because its a lower body position for less wind-resistance which matters more if you're doing higher mileage and if wind is an issue where you are. I cut the handle off the frame and used some laces to make a soft handle as otherwise the plastic handle would pinch the brake cables on the forward-leaning stem. The only downside is a C-bag on the S-bar the bars have to be square so the levers aren't in the way as the bag drops into the block.

Last edited by NigelHealy; 01-23-12 at 09:42 PM.
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Old 01-24-12, 04:37 AM
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Rear Rack: The rack can be handy if you're spec'ing a heavier Brompton and plan to do lots of multi-modal commuting where you will need to walk with the bike folded (e.g. walking from the entrance to a train/subway station to the platform). Get some Eazy Wheels and it's much easier to pull (or push!) a Brompton along like a piece of luggage if it has a rack. The rack can also be useful for touring, carrying large loads (see www.pathlesspedaled.com) or using a Brompton in cart mode. However, for most commuters the rack just adds weight and isn't very helpful for carry luggage because a Brompton can't be "parked" (the rear triangle folded under the bike) when there is something on the rear rack.

Color: Claret and cobalt blue sounds nice. We currently have in stock a very cool looking arctic blue (main frame) cobalt blue (extremties. If I were to purchase another Brompton I'd probably choose that.

Bag: The T bag is certainly the most versital Brompton Bag. It's big and light, but can be sinched down to a small size. Get the C bag if you want something more messenger style.
 
Old 01-24-12, 05:28 PM
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NB .. Height of 4 Bar options, shown there :
https://clevercycles.com/blog/wp-cont...2/01/htype.png

s,m,p,h...short to high, 924/1013/1030/1072..

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-24-12 at 07:34 PM.
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