Brompton owners

Looking for anecdotes/opinions here…

awesome Olly, welcome to the folding family!
Jim has one too!
I vote for a brompton night at souths one week!

me, you, Hillbilly, Nhatt, JennyJ, Loic, FuriousTiles..who else have I missed?

Just seen this...big yes, as soon as you get your new bike.

And there's been talk of a Brompton TNRC. Oh yes.

TS?

Explain the Brompton model numbering system to me.

I've got part of it figured out, but have yet to fathom the L in some models.

So if I take something like the Brompton S6LX then:

S = Handlebar type, where S is a stick
6 = Gears, as in a 6-speed
L = ???
X = Superlight, as in a few parts are titanium

Is that right? And what does the L mean?

lame?

ludicrous?

Got it:

M S P = Handlebar types
1 2 3 6 = Gears
E L R = Rear rack or not, mudguards or not
X = Superlight

Correct?

E = no mudguards, pump or rack,
L = mudguards and pump
R = mudguards, pump and rack.

So if I wanted a nice one I'd go for something like a S1RX in raw lacquer and put HED wheels on it.

^ that'd be interesting...

although any Brompton RX build is kinda self defeating surely?

I saw a chromed one at LMNH the other week. It was lovely.
But this is ace. Loving the gearstick:

^ that'd be interesting...

although any Brompton RX build is kinda self defeating surely?

I'm assuming that the R can be removed, leaving you with an L, which you could remove the mudguards for, giving you an E.

Basically, cheap way to buy the accessories.

^ that'd be interesting...

although any Brompton RX build is kinda self defeating surely?

Not really. I have an S2RX and it's the same amount lighter than an S2R as an S2LX is an S2L. If you're buying on the cycle scheme, the cost difference isn't all that.

It's also enough to put the total weight, including the flight case, under 20kg. Which is helpful if you want to put it on a plane without getting hassled by the checkin people.

^^^ after seeing that up close in 09 I went and bought some of the red stop taps... still not fitted tho. [/sad]

^^ good plan!

^ fairy nuff :)

I'm assuming that the R can be removed, leaving you with an L, which you could remove the mudguards for, giving you an E.

Basically, cheap way to buy the accessories.

The mudguards for an R are slightly different to those for an L - due to the way the stays for the rack are used to support the mudguard. So I don't think turning an R into an L is as a simple as just removing the rack.

also for dragging it when folded, the castors are on rack, for L castor is on mudguard.

Ah, in that case S1LX would seem to be the way to go.

Is there a site that deals with pimping out Bromptons? I'm not liking the default chainring, hubs and rims.

i think you should look at some of the racing wheels for moultons

You need a large chainring because of the small wheels, but I've seen Campag record on one and it looked good.

I think you should drop furious tiles a line.

http://pimpmybrompton.co.uk/

there's a Flickr group for pimped brompton pics, I think there's some sites with suggested mods. will put a link up in a mo.

edit - beaten to it!

Here's the flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/pimpmybrompton/pool/with/5445855316/

Oh, and any excuse to post up my pimpage - a lesson in how not to do it perhaps! ;)

This one is ace
http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepixel/sets/72157615886030030/

I've just dropped HED a line.

And I'm already chatting to Sissel at Brompton.

Basically I want to start doing reviews of bikes, and as Brompton are opposite where I live, I'm a gonna start there.

I want reviews for before (base build) and after (pimped out), single-speed of course, though I'm curious as to whether it could be made fixed (chain tensioner just to take slack when folding?).

When done, if I like it I'll keep it :) Or else I'll put it up for a competition prize or charity auction or something.

Never ridden one, so who knows whether I'd like it. I'm not sure I'm pro-small wheels for a large and flat city, nor whether the folding aspect is even a killer feature for me (I personally haven't felt a need for it to date, and wonder whether it would change my cycling habits in any way). I just have a desire to try more bikes and to play with them a bit.