Ahhh wrong cafe!!! By the time I'd got my tea and sat down to check here it was too late. I'll just sup my tea and head into the office. :-(
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
PY (folder special)
(57 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Apologies for turning up, wittering about my Brompton, and vanishing again. Next time I'll make sure I have time to stop for coffee!!
Anyway there are a few things I meant to say to Greenroofer and forgot.
1) the pannier contained lunch, book for reading on the train, handbag, lock, rain cape, pump and various lights and bits of hi-vis. I can't imagine that you would need much more than that, assuming you were not carrying a change of clothes.
2) I think you can get lights fitted with a dynamo (hub dynamo??) - but I think the lights are fitted on the front fork and the rear pannier rack. I've seen a Brompton with them fitted and felt that they were not where other road users would "expect" to see bike lights, being much lower down. So if I had such lights I would be inclined to back them up with a rear light under the seat post (as you saw on mine) and on the front handlebars (you might have noticed the mounts there too). The disadvantage of having lights on the front bars is you have to take them off to fold the bike.
3) I think they are heavier than they look, especially folded. If I have to transport mine more than a few meters I'll unfold it and wheel it if I can. I do carry it up and down 3 flights of stairs folded, though.
4) you asked if I'd ever been told I couldn't take it somewhere. Something I didn't mention is that I've never tried to take it on a bus* - I am pretty sure you'd need to have it in a bag to get away with that. It will be interesting to see about the trams...
*except once on a rail replacement bus where the driver threw it and a full sized bike in the boot without batting an eyelid.
Posted 12 years ago # -
My local bike mechanic has recently built up a front wheel for a brompton with a dynamo. He commented on how short the spokes are to fit the rim and hub. So it is possible.
Dave C
Posted 12 years ago # -
Good to see you all, folks.
Sgt Quentin was as impressed by SRD's Dahon as I am. Whisks along nicely to the Gyle, but the thing that stuck out most was how well it accelerated past the roadworks just after the left turn from Chesser to Gorgie.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@ Uberuce, Isn't that more to do with the rider and not the bike? ;-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh yeah. I'd forgotten that I'm awesome; in fact by most definitions of the word, I'm essentially a god. Anyway, the Dahon's quick.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Small wheeled bikes are faster than some people think. Especially if you keep the tyres nice and hard as you should.
Posted 12 years ago # -
The smaller angular moment has to help, and the SRDmobile does have slick and solid tyres, but I could feel how stiff the small aluminium triangle is compared to the steel 700c-length stays on my two usual commuters.
Posted 12 years ago # -
My perception of the week has been skewed by having Monday off and last night I thought today was Wednesday. Could probably have made it, but sitting up till all hours on citycycling I needed that extra hour in bed (and had a 9am meeting, so would have had to leave a little earlier than normal to get in and prepared for that).
Sorry!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Re Small wheels appear to make you think you are travelling faster (non cycling).
A story related to me by a senior non commissioned officer when I was in the TA. An Army Bedford (HGV) was returning to Leeds TA centre through Wetherby when it was pulled over by a cop in a mini for speeding(shows the age of the story). The Army driver told the police officer that the mini's wheels were so much smaller than the HGV's so they spun faster making it appear that the HGV was speeding, when in actual fact he was not. The police officer just nodded in vague confussed agreement and let the soldier on his way. A few miles down the road the HGV was pulled over again by the same police man in his mini. The police officer explained that if it wasn't for the fact that he'd be laughed out of the station by his fellow officers, he'd charge the soldier with everything he could! The soldier was told to be on his way and not speed again. :-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago #
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Given that I feel partly responsible for the gestation of this event, I'd like to say a big thank you for everyone who brought along their folders and let us have a shot on them. It was a real eye-opener, and has given me the confidence to go shopping for a Brompton (or a Dahon!). Thanks particularly to Uberuce for organising Zazou and fimm for all her advice.
All I need to do now is get my choice through the domestic financial approvals process...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Thanks all, it was a fun way to start the day :-)
I especially enjoyed the shot on the birdy, it's chunky looks meant it looked heavier than it is, and the front suspension seemed excellent for the short time I tried it.There were a number of questions about price, my experience of looking for a used Brompton was that they seem to start about £300 for a basic spec and go up from there, (mine was nearer £200 but then I spent another £100+ getting it the way I want!).
Some Dahons are available very cheaply but the likes of SRD's superlight are very much into upper Brompton territory.Posted 12 years ago # -
No problem.
Good luck with the financial approval process ...Posted 12 years ago # -
I apologised for my complicity to the approvals board this afternoon, Greenroofer.
I also may have tempted fate a teeeensy wee bit by claiming the status of a god this morning. At lunchtime I went clattering into the back of a headphoned youth. He'd been in the cycle half of the Broomhouse, like 68.4% of pedestrians are, so I just cruised over to the empty ped half with the intention of an overtake. He must have heard the folder joint noises, since he jumped without looking over to the ped half, then as I swerved back to the cycle half, he jumped back there too, and between flapping about with the unfamiliar handling, being cursed for my hubris by rulers of Olympus, and being just plain old fashioned slow, I ended up running square into his rucksack at roughly jogging speed. We both fell over, but sprang back up more concerned about each other's welfare than our own.
I had a hard time persuading him it was my fault, since...well I have the brake and he doesn't, but I suspect he'll keep to the ped half when strolling with the Dr Dre's ramped up from now on.
The bike escaped unscathed, apart from the cable tie holding the front mudguard on, which I've just fixed now.
Ah well.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Bromptons can indeed have hub generators. I've got a SON on my M6R. Brompton supply Shimano generator hubs which are a bit cheaper. Mr Gow doesn't seem to have any bother building a SON into a 349mm rim and Schmidt even make a hub specifically for Bromptons now.
The M6R also has an Edelux just above the front wheel. This means it is good for lighting up imperfections in the road but, yes, it might be a bit low for Joe Sixpack and his SMIDSY moment, so I usually have a wee flasher as an attention getter on the handlebars.
I was once growled at by an over night coach driver in Victoria, London, but that was because I had it in a bin bag as I hadn't purchased the real cover at the time. Other than that I've been using to go anywhere I want since 2001 with no problems. Cinema, churches, schools, Osborne House etc…
Posted 12 years ago # -
Twas good to try all three against each other and to have my magnificent octopus RObert Millar Last King of Scotland print hand delivered. Also decent coffee in convivial and well policed company
Posted 12 years ago # -
Brompton dynamo hubs are indeed available off the shelf, I considered the one below (and may yet get one) as the son version is eyewateringly expensive!
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brompton-shimano-hub-dynamo-set-inc-f-wheel-qvhdynset-shmno-prod22334/
Posted 12 years ago # -
A Volvo car key cost me £200 last month. Bike expenditure is always reasonable when you compare it to a car.
I'd be quite happy to fit the SON XS on my S6L but I need to persuade the management.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Sorry I couldn't make it folks, between dropping kids at school and zipping along to catch a train there was no chance to detour to the other side of the city.
I have taken both the AluBike 'bucking bronco' folder and the Raleigh Swift (now wingpig's/his mum's) on local First buses no problem. Folded down (neither terribly small compared to a Brompton) but uncovered. Both drivers were inquisitive and curious but accepted the bikes as hand luggage with no fuss.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Flirted with disaster by popping into Biketrax for some chainricant, just as the fella with the grey moustache was demonstrating the fold-fu of the Brompton.
I was saved by the fact all fours Broms in stock had the softer suspension, which is not right for persons of my heft.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@ Uberuce: I trust you averted your eyes from the Genesis Day One Alfine, now reduced to under £1,000. Exceedingly tempting...
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Uberuce, £6 iirc and less than a minute with the spanners sees conversion to harder suspension...
#gettheebehindme
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's vicious at the minute because I just found out yesterday that my other job is secure for at least 8 months, so my Emergency Partially Employed Fund that I've jealously guarded all this uncertain year is now supernovaeing a hole in my pocket.
So yes, I almost ran out the shop.
Posted 12 years ago # -
*frenzied stabbing of Smudge voodoo doll*
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Uberuce, don't give in to temptation! These cunning Bromptonites are like a cult trying to recruit new members. Resist! My advice is stick your cash in an ISA and try to ignore it. If you must do the n+1 shuffle, buy second hand or ex-demo. Unless it is something so weird and wonderful that it's not readily available through fleaBay/Gumtrough/bikely fora.
Posted 12 years ago # -
What I should do[is your ISA plan - Ed.] is finalise with my sister whether she's ever going to use her old bike, which is currently my geared road bike. It's too small a frame for me to do audax distance comfortably, but I own almost all the moving parts so there's a negotiation needing done if I want to get something that fits.
I can justify getting a road bike with long legs, and to a lesser extent I can justify getting a multi-modal, but all my other needs are catered for; cyclocross has been racked and guardeed into becoming my year-round commuter; 3-speed roadster is pub bike, MTB+Freedom makes me a cargonaut.
Posted 12 years ago #
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