Brompton owners

I did a 45 mile slow group ride on my brompton the other week, surprisingly fun, even the off-roading and doing some dirt jumps.

A Brompton is not a bike you will want to ride long distances on, ..

People tour on Bromptons that why the 6-speed option is there. It comes down to how you are going to use it. I have a single speed, but I have quite happily done 30 miles rides on it.

Mine would be for working out of town, hence why I am contemplating the 6 speed option and rear rack.

I'm just about to swap my rear wheel out from an old Sram 3-speed to a 2-speed setup to try and save a bit of weight.

dancing partner wants to buy me a brompton for my birthday (or course ti and raw laquer)
Good choice.

what is a sensible gear ratio to go for on a brompton, am thinking of going for the 6 spd option?

Depends on the gradients it'll be ridden on. For round town the 6 speed is probably overkill. The only time I used the lowest two gears was climbing up from South End Green to Whitstone Pond. The rest of the time the middle two were fine, and the top two were a luxury.

is it worth getting the son hub and lights?

Don't have them on either of mine - USB rechargeables are good enough for me.

can a rack be fitted at a later stage, and will it take my ortlieb pannier bags?

Yes, but as others have said, it's a PITA

are there better/lighter mudguards than bromptons own?

There's a nice man in Hong Kong does carbon fibre ones. They're not better than Brompton ones in use, but they are carbon fibre. Very not cheap though.

is there a shop that can sell me one without the handlebars or seatpost? long term would replace bars and seatpost with titanium but if i can get one with out the steel ones i'd be happy to do it that way

Doubt it. Seatpost from Brompfication and flat handlebars from J&L in Taiwan would be my recommendation for titaniumification.

I'd happily do a long ride on a Brom but to me they lack momentum. Better for short runs. Similarly, you CAN go fast on them but they aren't fast bikes generally.

.

^^ If you feel a Brompton has insufficient momentum, then just put lead weights in your pockets. Momentum = speed x mass, so increase the mass, and you have more momentum. Easy. Alternatively, just go faster.

I stand corrected. sort of.
People do go long distances on them (as have I, and I appreciate I'm on a cycling forum so everyone's a bit of a nutter when it comes to riding bikes), but bigger proper bikes are infinitely preferable for this. Bromptons excel at being packed into trains and ridden to and from stations, and for the carrying part of that, the lighter the better.

I need some replacement spokes for the rear wheel of my folder. Are there any good sites which offer the ability to purchase individual spokes for 20" wheels?

Also, I fancy getting rid of my 6speed block and replacing with a single freewheel. Am I likely to encounter chainline problems?

Another one - It looks like it might be more cost-effective to just buy a new rear wheel, as the current rim looks to be near the end of it's life and spokes starting to show signs of rust. I measured my rear-dropouts at 130mm, but a lot of the 20" wheels for sale on eBay are designed for 135mm spacing. Is 135mm the standard for folders?

Edit - Didn't realise Brompton had their own spacing and use 16" wheels, so apologies this is off-topic!

^^ If you feel a Brompton has insufficient momentum, then just put lead weights in your pockets. Momentum = speed x mass, so increase the mass, and you have more momentum. Easy. Alternatively, just go faster.

Obviously I meant momentum in a more discursive sense! They don't seem inclined to go like a proper bike.

Another one - It looks like it might be more cost-effective to just buy a new rear wheel, as the current rim looks to be near the end of it's life and spokes starting to show signs of rust. I measured my rear-dropouts at 130mm, but a lot of the 20" wheels for sale on eBay are designed for 135mm spacing. Is 135mm the standard for folders?

Edit - Didn't realise Brompton had their own spacing and use 16" wheels, so apologies this is off-topic!

Yep, 16" rims (ERD349) and 76mm front and 110mm rear OLDs.

Anyone fancy an LFGSS entry to this?

http://brompton.com/events/buc

I will be just back from the US and probably jetlagged as hell, but it could be fun - considering how much fun we had on the brompton ride last year..

This seems to have been booked up but I put myself on the waiting list yesterday and got a place this morning! Watch out for Lokomotiv Streatham coming to a landmark near you.

London Cycling Campaign has a few spaces left for their entry into the Brompton Urban Challenge on Sunday 18th May.
http://lcc.org.uk/articles/registration-opens-for-bromptons-urban-challenge-2014

Call Tessa today (wednesday) if you want a place 020 7234 9310 ext 202

Cyclescheme certificate finally arrived! Brompton order placed!
http://bikebuilder.brompton.com/admin/CImage.ashx?fast=106e2078,93e1830,105e2064,91e1806,92e1813,104e2047,87e1773,96e1869,97e1873,88e1777,90e1803,98e1875,102e1935,99e1905,89e1790,94e1862,95e2067,100e1921,112e2153,101e2150,111e2124,103e1937,&w=550
much excite

dancing partner wants to buy me a brompton for my birthday (or course ti and raw laquer)

what is a sensible gear ratio to go for on a brompton, am thinking of going for the 6 spd option?

is it worth getting the son hub and lights?

can a rack be fitted at a later stage, and will it take my ortlieb pannier bags?

are there better/lighter mudguards than bromptons own?

is there a shop that can sell me one without the handlebars or seatpost? long term would replace bars and seatpost with titanium but if i can get one with out the steel ones i'd be happy to do it that way

Rear racks really aren't that hard to fit. Yes you have to remove the rear wheel but its really not that bad. I've fitted quite a few. 20 mins tops.
Pointless upgrade though imo. The only bag that they sell (or sold, this is a few years back) to fit it must be removed when you fold it (no quick release). Just get a clip on carradice bagman style saddle bag if the front bag system (which is amazing) isn't enough.
Also 2 speed is all you need.

Front bag FTW

The largest front bag that fits the flat bars is the ortlieb one. There are other bigger ones but you then need the ugly bars.

The M shape is definitely the best looking Brompton.

You can't beat the classic.

The largest front bag that fits the flat bars is the ortlieb one. There are other bigger ones but you then need the ugly bars.

I got the ortlieb front bar bag and the seatpost adaptor and stuck it on the back - works well - it'll also fold with the bag on.

what's the seatpost adapter?

The largest front bag that fits the flat bars is the ortlieb one. There are other bigger ones but you then need the ugly bars.

That's Brompton's recommendation. It does interfere a little with the cables, but unless you leave the bag open with stuff sticking out of it (I've done that too) it still works and does not obstruct steering.

I have a T bag and the equivalent of the "flat bars" (even worst in fact, as I have slight risers on a M-type stem, meaning the handle bar clamp is even lower than on the S-type) and it is fine. I'm not the only one doing this, other Brompton users I've talk to have said they are happy with that set-up too.

But again it makes sense for Brompton to recommend not too.

(see here: http://www.lfgss.com/post4016853-1250.html
As pointed out before ignore saddle height, I was getting out of the train and had pulled the post out of the frame too much. Here the T bag is filled with cheese and wine as I was travelling back from France after Christmas, and it was riding fine)

Yep, as above, I have the equivalent of the "flat bars" and I use the biggest Brompton bag (the T-Bag).

I've carried a bag full of groupset plus two wheels on the front bag alone. Sure, I wasn't doing any bar spins or turning them 90 degrees in a hurry, but I had no issues at all with the clearance of bars during the 6 miles of normal city riding that followed this pic.

/\ /\ /\ /

Shame you couldn't fit the M&N's monster bag though...

what's the seatpost adapter?

One of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/rixen-kaul-klickfix-caddy-post-and-bar-clamp/

There are some pics of mine with it attached up thread somewhere