Brompton owners

Has anyone converted a Brompton to electric? I need to make my mum's electric as she can no longer ride a bike without assistance (COPD). The Switch system seems to be the obvious choice but aesthetically the bag looks meh. Could I build something like this onto a Brompton rim?

Give her a good dentists details.

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Stock Bromptons are not safe to be converted to electric, I have seen it go wrong a number of times. When it goes wrong do these companies take any responsibility? no.

I think I asked this a couple of years ago - why are Stock Bromptons not safe to be converted to electric ?

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Even if the power was coming from the rear? I know the official electric has beefed up hinges but I assumed this would be to deal with the pulling force from the front.

The proper electric has changed a few things to deal with the extra weight and torque;

completely new fork, strengthened crown, suitable dropouts with better axle connection.
Strengthened stem
BXP brake pads
Cyber rims - probably for Eu law electric bike ease rather than more suitable
improved fork hook

The main thing I see is front wheels being ripped out, uncontrollable bikes, fork hooks broken, cables everywhere.

Worse I have seen it goodbye two front teeth and a broken nose because the front wheel managed to come out of the fork etc.

Forks being widened is somewhat questionable too!

from the rear, id be interested to test, would not solve the battery/ cables /no torque sensor issue though

Can we make @amey unsafe and now supposed safe bike electric please? I feel it an experiment the forum needs to see.

All the way to the dentist's chair

Forks being widened is somewhat questionable too!

The latest Swytch Brompton kit uses a narrow 250W 74mm Motor so the forks don't need to be widened.

The main thing I see is front wheels being ripped out, uncontrollable bikes, fork hooks broken, cables everywhere.

Worse I have seen it goodbye two front teeth and a broken nose because the front wheel managed to come out of the fork etc.

So were these incidents due to Swytch conversion kits ?

broken hook yes;

saw this review that was "answered" by swytch..

most importantly he commented that the control system cut off a bit sharply at 15mph, which is a good observation! Our high torque 40Nm motor is more powerful than most eBike motors, meaning that it gives high acceleration right up to the top speed of 15mph.
In contrast, other eBikes have weaker and weaker power as the speed increases, meaning that you don’t really notice when the power cuts out to comply with the law (eBikes must not be able to provide power when you are cycling faster than 15mph)

Inaccurate, they have cadence sensor but not torque, meaning they are very much off/on rather than a smooth moderated system giving a nice output. its like rocket ship and off!

To be fair though, the Brompton system really needs a rewrite. The power need to be tapered off a little.
We've had so many people come in alarmed at how brutal it pulls. If you don't mind that, it's quite fun spinning the wheel even when not wet.
Even Brompton tech confirmed it was a little....heavy handed.

Still with you though, I wouldn't convert a standard Brompton without reinforced front end.
Seen too many bikes come in in two pieces.

you reckon?

surely these customer simply need to use a lower power setting?!

Would it be better to upgrade the front and rear to the kinetic set up?

Definitely the fork, the rear less important

Spotted!

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Had anyone had any success with mounting a folding lock on a Brommie? Customer here has one on the main frame she keeps snagging the cables on the underside of the lock and it stretches the cables when she folds it and it unhooks the derailleur cable.

Bordo back of seat tube, stem or on top of toptube

Why would you need a lock for a Brompton?

Discounted Ex-Demo Bromptons at Cycle Surgery if anyone is interested. Most have had a very placid life. Open to cycle schemes as well.

Because moron?

is that at a particular store?

I lock mine on the train, sometimes I can’t sit close enough to keep an eye on it. A few months ago someone tried to pick it up as they were getting off the train.