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Buying a folder

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  1. gembo
    Member

    I fancy getting a Brompton S6R on bike to work scheme so that I can cycle down to Edinburgh park and take the tram, or more likely cycle in to Edinburgh then take tram back to Edinburgh park.

    Assuming same as buses you will be allowed to take folder on tram.

    Evans (must be them as bike to work tied to them)'dear. But might get deal. The one which I covet is tangerine and black and seems to have a rack. Will I need special panniers?

    I think the S range with flat bar looks nicer than the other handlebars which I don't think look so nice.

    Anyone have a view?

    Talked to guy at PoP who got paper bike at great price from bike station. Not sure if bromptons ever go second hand. Note Evans store in Edinburgh only getting two stars in reviews.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  2. Stickman
    Member

    I think I was next to the chap with the Paper Bike at one point yesterday. He was taking photos of people and was chatting to an older couple beside me about his bike and how he got it at Bike Station. Commented that the pedals were extremely close to the ground so he had to take care when cornering. The older couple were passing compliments on it anyway.

    Don't know much about Bromptons but I leaned yesterday that they come in a huge range. I particularly liked the gent with the very upright bag that had a long umbrella strapped to it.

    I buy odds and ends from Edinburgh Evans, but can't comment on bike buying experience there. Staff quality is variable, but the girl with the short blonde hair (Grace?) is very helpful and cheery.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  3. crowriver
    Member

    Bike Trax in Tollcross better for Bromptons, so I hear. Can you not transfer your Cyclescheme voucher to them?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  4. gembo
    Member

    Alas tied to Evans as council scheme is restricted. Used to be EBC but Evans presumably underbid EBC in tendering?

    Yeah red paper bike, chap pleased with bike station price and taking photos

    dana who used to work at The Bike Chain is at Evans and she is very nice and former European champion at BMX I believe.?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  5. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Two main exponents of Bromptons on here are probably weefolding and Tulyar. I rode mine yesterday but mostly use other machines.

    S-type is the flat bar, and lowest handlebar position; M-type is the traditional deep riser bar, P-type is the multi-function handlebars and H-type is for really tall people and uses an extra-long stem with M bars. Mine has the S-type stem but with a riser adaptor and MTB riser bars so ends up about the same as M-type but with more handlebar space and more reach.

    Edit: Standard Brompton handlebar grips are foam and rubbish. Lots of people fit Ergons!

    Do order it with the luggage block because it's useful. Normally you use one of the Brompton front bags (S bag for S-type and P-type; C bag for M-type and H-type), but with some jiggery pokery you can use a C bag with the S-type stem and bar. There are bigger bags and posher bags (leather, Ortlieb, etc).

    The alternative is the front rack from Kinetics that lets you use conventional panniers on the front, or at least smaller ones like Ortlieb front rollers. I use mine less than the C-bag but it's handy.

    The rear rack is arguably less useful because the front luggage is very versatile, and anything on the rear prevents you from flicking the back wheel under to 'park' the bike. But it provides a solid platform to mount the rear pair of Eazywheels, which if you have all four make it simplicity itself to trolley the folded bike along a station platform. I made my own ultralight rack mainly to mount the Eazywheels.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  6. sallyhinch
    Member

    The back rack of a Brompton is mostly useful as a bike stand when you sit it down - my Brompton doesn't have one which means that if it can fall over it will, which is a pain. I would imagine that would restrict the usefulness of any panniers, which would have to be tiny.

    For carrying stuff on my Brompton I have a big folding basket that klipfixes on to the front - it's pretty capacious and, handily, my normal weekend bag fits neatly into it, meaning my Brompton doubles as a luggage trolley when travelling.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  7. gembo
    Member

    Oh man, that is exponential variable scenario.

    I was opting for flat bars and rear rack and six gears but now it just got a whole lot more complicated. I will always have luggage so maybe need front and rear bags

    Will pop into Evans when back on the bike, see if they have any models to try.

    consultant may oblige me with letter to show my long suffering better half as evidence I am fit to cycle down a hill. Cycled up a hill yesterday but do not tell my LSBH

    Posted 10 years ago #
  8. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Have a read of BromptonTalk and ask questions. You could also ask the boffins on Bromptonites.

    Mine is a 6-speed with the smaller chainring to lower the gears. Titanium would be nice and lighter, but I went with steel because it's easier to weld and modify. :-)

    Posted 10 years ago #
  9. gembo
    Member

    At least two boffins on the bromptonites forum also on here. See they are also off to Millport

    Posted 10 years ago #
  10. wee folding bike
    Member

    I think Arelicat covered it.

    I got an M6R on the B2W scheme last year. That's moustache handlebars, 6 speed and rack. It almost squeezed under the £1000 limit then I added SON lighting which went well over. BikeTrax were quite happy to oblige.

    The front luggage makes them much more useful. It's about £15 for the block and the bags aren't cheap.

    I prefer S bars, the flat kind, but they restrict the luggage options. You can't use the biggest bags or the folding basket. I find the basket works well on the M6R. I can fold it up with the basket in place and roll it round a shop putting things in the basket as I go. This saves having to carry another basket or getting a trolley. It also stops me getting too many messages. The basket will fit on an S but the brake cables foul it.

    If you want it to roll nicely when folded then the stock rollers are best replaced.

    Tyre options are Brompton's own or Schwalbe Kojak, Marathon or Marathon Plus. There will be a studded Marathon later in the year. Kojaks are bald and lovely but more prone to flats than the Marathon/+. I've not used Brompton's own tyres for years so I can't say much about them.

    I do use the rear rack to carry stuff but other responses are correct. You can't fold it with something on there. I only use it when I can't put things on the front. It has bungies and wee tabs on the rack which stop them pushing things too far forward.

    I'm not sure the Ti is available just now. I think the Russians might have something to do with it. I do have an S2L-X, that's a 2 speed super light with all the Ti options. I got that one for the extra va, va, voom. Other reasons are it's a bit lighter to carry up the stair and it doesn't rust. The rear triangle can suffer a bit from rust. It might be difficult to justify…

    Considered opinion generally comes down in favour of either the 2 or 6 speed. The 2 is light and doesn't use an SA hub so it's a wee bit more efficient. Standard is a 56" and 74". The six speed doesn't add much weight over the three and gives a wider range with more gears. The three has the advantage of being a little simpler and there is less to go wrong but if you decide to change to a six then you need a new wheel and changer mech. It's easier to change a 2 to a 6 than a 3 to a 6.

    Chain and sprocket wear is more of an issue than it is on cumbersomes. In a dirty winter I can wear out a chain in a month. In the spring/summer it's much better. The three speed sprocket can be flipped and reused. The 2 and 6 speed sprockets can't. Tyres are half the size so don't last as long but they're not half the price.

    I've got a Brompton bag to put mine in when required. You can also use an IKEA Dimpa which is cheaper.

    You're likely to find the steering feels twitchy at first. This feeling doesn't last for long. You might also find your heels striking the rollers on the rear triangle. Again this doesn't happen for long.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  11. chdot
    Admin

    "Will pop into Evans when back on the bike, see if they have any models to try."

    They shouldn't have - Biketrax has 'semi-monopoly' for Edinburgh.

    Evans gets them if ordered.

    It used to be the case that Halfords 'transferred' C2W vouchers if they didn't sell particular makes.

    Presume that wouldn't happen with Evans.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  12. gembo
    Member

    Thanks for all responses. Issue might be Evans not having range so I can try them, also whether they will play ball on the bike to work limit. They are quoting fifty quid of free accessories at the moment on their bike 2 work deal with CEC.

    I do not think I could morally try bikes in bike trax knowing I could not buy from there.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  13. wee folding bike
    Member

    Could you explain the situation to BikeTrax and offer to get the luggage block and luggage from them? That's a fair hunk of change too.

    GCC used the Halfords scheme which I did transfer to BikeTrax.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  14. gembo
    Member

    @wfb - good suggestion would partially absolve me of the guilt.

    Dearest Brompton on Evans had dynamo hub on front wheel.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  15. wee folding bike
    Member

    There are two generator hubs, a Shimano one and a Schmidt SON XS. Either would be fine. One of them is redongculously spendy.

    The Shimano used to come with an incandescent lamp but I think they're both LED now. They both use the Brompton tail light which I don't like. I've had two and both lost the stand light function in less than a year. People who stripped it to find out why reckon it's because of the way the super cap is mounted. I fit B&M lights instead.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  16. fimm
    Member

    I also am a regular Brompton rider. Had mine 6? years. Most things covered already. Will add more when at keyboard not phone.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  17. wee folding bike
    Member

    Some people like to mess with colour options:

    http://www.nycewheels.com/brompton-colors.html

    but…

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Video Player

    Posted 10 years ago #
  18. Roibeard
    Member

    After Arellcat suggested it, I splashed out on the Brompton rear bag (Laidback may be interested to know it's a Radical bag, as is the Brompton cover).

    The advantage of the rack sack is that it rotates round the seat post to sit on the main frame, thus allowing almost the usual fold. One can't drop the saddle the whole way, but it's a clever compromise between additional luggage capacity and retaining the fold.

    Not cheap though, and its main use will be touring, so if folk wish to similarly borrow it for touring purposes, let me know!

    Robert

    Posted 10 years ago #

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