Bike Friday Pakit vs Brompton
10-26-23, 09:33 AM
#26
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The Rohloff offer the widest range for the Brompton, i.e. 1.54m to 8.11m with a 54t chainring and a 13t cog.
Its not much heavier than a 6s Brompton transmission, on my Brompton it added about 150g wrt. the original 6s transmission.
This is obtained using the original titanium rear triangle widened to 135mm by Kinetics.
Yes, its expensive but its reliable and has an excellent efficiency as good as a derailleur and allow to change gear while pedaling what is not possible with other IGH.
Its not much heavier than a 6s Brompton transmission, on my Brompton it added about 150g wrt. the original 6s transmission.
This is obtained using the original titanium rear triangle widened to 135mm by Kinetics.
Yes, its expensive but its reliable and has an excellent efficiency as good as a derailleur and allow to change gear while pedaling what is not possible with other IGH.
10-26-23, 10:03 AM
#27
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The Brompton has a rear suspension (poor but its better than nothing) and a steel not very stiff frame both the Brompton and Curl use the same relatively narrow high pressure tires but the Curl has no suspension, a straight massive aluminum fork and a stiffer aluminum frame, its comfort can only be worse than the one of the Brompton on bad roads and cobbles.
- it provides equally, 14% well spaced gears vs. about 23% for the 6s Brompton.
- has a very good efficiency that helps compensate for the less efficient frame.
- has a wide gear range that allow to ride in cities with steep uphill (like were I live) 1.54-8.11 vs. 2.32-7.00 for the 6s with 44t chainring.
- has a 1.4 multiply factor on its higher gear that compensate for the small diameter wheels to provide a big enough gear inch on its higher gear what is problematic with a derailleur (Riese & Müllet solved that with a 9t smallest cog on the cassette or... a Rohloff hub).
10-27-23, 10:55 AM
#28
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Thread Starter
The Brompton is OK on good roads but not comfortable at all as soon as the road is bad and really a problem on cobbles.
The Brompton has a rear suspension (poor but its better than nothing) and a steel not very stiff frame both the Brompton and Curl use the same relatively narrow high pressure tires but the Curl has no suspension, a straight massive aluminum fork and a stiffer aluminum frame, its comfort can only be worse than the one of the Brompton on bad roads and cobbles.
Not its not because:
- it provides equally, 14% well spaced gears vs. about 23% for the 6s Brompton.
- has a very good efficiency that helps compensate for the less efficient frame.
- has a wide gear range that allow to ride in cities with steep uphill (like were I live) 1.54-8.11 vs. 2.32-7.00 for the 6s with 44t chainring.
- has a 1.4 multiply factor on its higher gear that compensate for the small diameter wheels to provide a big enough gear inch on its higher gear what is problematic with a derailleur (Riese & Müllet solved that with a 9t smallest cog on the cassette or... a Rohloff hub).
The Brompton has a rear suspension (poor but its better than nothing) and a steel not very stiff frame both the Brompton and Curl use the same relatively narrow high pressure tires but the Curl has no suspension, a straight massive aluminum fork and a stiffer aluminum frame, its comfort can only be worse than the one of the Brompton on bad roads and cobbles.
Not its not because:
- it provides equally, 14% well spaced gears vs. about 23% for the 6s Brompton.
- has a very good efficiency that helps compensate for the less efficient frame.
- has a wide gear range that allow to ride in cities with steep uphill (like were I live) 1.54-8.11 vs. 2.32-7.00 for the 6s with 44t chainring.
- has a 1.4 multiply factor on its higher gear that compensate for the small diameter wheels to provide a big enough gear inch on its higher gear what is problematic with a derailleur (Riese & Müllet solved that with a 9t smallest cog on the cassette or... a Rohloff hub).
I can theoretically afford it, but I'm warming up to the idea of the Dahon Curl. I can buy a brand new one with 4 speed hub gears for €850. I'd prefer the 8 speed hub gear Curl, but I don't think they are sold any longer.
But there is so little to lose here, I might just do that. At least give it a try.
I need to buy another bike -- I want an electric cargo bike for my land home, for hauling groceries, passengers, etc. I was going to buy a steeply discounted first generation Tern HSD s8i, but I am so intrigued by the improvements in the second generation one I am tended to splurge out on that, which will set me back about €5k. I'm thinking to maybe concentrate my resources on that.
10-28-23, 01:28 AM
#29
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If you look for something cheap, look at this 9s Brompton clone it has the same transmission as the Dahon Curl D9 with the same chain tensionner but with a bigger 53t chainring and a front Brompton block for a front bag and cost only 629€.
For your cargo bike, I own a Tern GSD 2 S10, its really excellent, not only as cargo but also a pleasure to ride with it. I think that the improvements of the new HSD inspired from the GSD are really major ones.
BTW, its possible to find pnly a GSD for only slightly more than the HSD.
For your cargo bike, I own a Tern GSD 2 S10, its really excellent, not only as cargo but also a pleasure to ride with it. I think that the improvements of the new HSD inspired from the GSD are really major ones.
BTW, its possible to find pnly a GSD for only slightly more than the HSD.
Last edited by Jipe; 10-28-23 at 01:36 AM.
