The Brompton debate.
Discussion
So the seat tube of my 2nd Dahon has cracked.
It lasted over 5 years, so it's had a good run, but Dahon no longer exists.
The Tern Joe would be a broadly equivalent replacement, but I'm beginning to wonder if the real solution would be a Brompton.
Much as I've resisted getting one over the years, I think it might actually be time to bite the bullet.
I've specced one up though and it's coming in £1,250 - but the lacquered frame does look good.
I could save £150 by going for black, a little more by not having the luggage, and a few quid by going for 3 gears rather than 6, but it's not going to be a huge amount. Having said that, the initial build was over £1500.
The question is, has anyone gone for anything considerably cheaper and regretted it? Or something cheaper and love it? It's a lot of money, but I know they last and they seem to hold their value like nothing else.
It lasted over 5 years, so it's had a good run, but Dahon no longer exists.
The Tern Joe would be a broadly equivalent replacement, but I'm beginning to wonder if the real solution would be a Brompton.
Much as I've resisted getting one over the years, I think it might actually be time to bite the bullet.
I've specced one up though and it's coming in £1,250 - but the lacquered frame does look good.
I could save £150 by going for black, a little more by not having the luggage, and a few quid by going for 3 gears rather than 6, but it's not going to be a huge amount. Having said that, the initial build was over £1500.
The question is, has anyone gone for anything considerably cheaper and regretted it? Or something cheaper and love it? It's a lot of money, but I know they last and they seem to hold their value like nothing else.
Edited by Kell on Tuesday 9th June 12:51
This probably doesn't help much but I did think of getting a folding bike and went to an Evans Cycle shop in the City of London and was told if you're thinking of getting a folding bike invest in a Brompton as they will last for years. I didn't get a folding bike in the end but if I needed a folding bike I wouldn't hesitate to get a Brompton and especially in the lacquered raw finish.
I have a 3 speed and its fine for most journeys. However, if I was going to use my Brompton for fast trips of 50-100 miles and lots of climbing, I think I would have regretted not going for the 6 speed. For just pottering about and not really caring about how fast you get somewhere though, the 3 speed is fine for commuting .
I've got a raw lacquer Brompton and I love it.
My only caveat around buying the raw lacquer finish is that I'm not sure how robust it is - mine is 4 years old and gets used every day on the train so I would expect marks on the paint, but I've actually got some rust patches.
The worst patch appears to be where the rear wheel sits against the frame when folded. Perhaps it's a salt issue - i.e. when I put the bike in the garage at night I tend to fold the rear wheel under like a stand rather than balance it against something. So any water on the tyre (and salt in the winter) stays against it the whole time. Maybe not folding it like that would help.
Other than that, a service about a year ago for £180 (incl new chain, rear cog and BB) is the only expense I've had.
My only caveat around buying the raw lacquer finish is that I'm not sure how robust it is - mine is 4 years old and gets used every day on the train so I would expect marks on the paint, but I've actually got some rust patches.
The worst patch appears to be where the rear wheel sits against the frame when folded. Perhaps it's a salt issue - i.e. when I put the bike in the garage at night I tend to fold the rear wheel under like a stand rather than balance it against something. So any water on the tyre (and salt in the winter) stays against it the whole time. Maybe not folding it like that would help.
Other than that, a service about a year ago for £180 (incl new chain, rear cog and BB) is the only expense I've had.
No experience , but everyone I have ever known who has one has spoken fondly of them, plus I have seen loads of people buy cheaper alternatives and then be disappointed
I echo the above, I would be wary of spending on a nice paint finish when by its very folding nature it is going to get knocked about and bashed
I echo the above, I would be wary of spending on a nice paint finish when by its very folding nature it is going to get knocked about and bashed
TwistingMyMelon said:
No experience , but everyone I have ever known who has one has spoken fondly of them, plus I have seen loads of people buy cheaper alternatives and then be disappointed
I echo the above, I would be wary of spending on a nice paint finish when by its very folding nature it is going to get knocked about and bashed
It's actually just a lacquer over the top of the frame and welds. Costs more than paint though. Reminds me a bit of when we bought our last house (new build). We could have had the staircase painted white for free, but it was £120 for them NOT to paint it. Didn't even varnish it. I echo the above, I would be wary of spending on a nice paint finish when by its very folding nature it is going to get knocked about and bashed
Kell said:
I've specced one up though and it's coming in £1,250 - but the lacquered frame does look good.
......the initial build was over £1500.
That's a £250 saving in my book - get it bought ......the initial build was over £1500.
If that doesn't work, try also:
- How much having a bike has saved you in the past; and
- How much having a bike will save you in the future.
That should get you there
They're expensive because they're decent bikes and they last. They still command a huge amount second hand (so if you ever need to sell it, you'll lose less than you would if you'd bought something inferior
).I love mine. My only regret is getting the 2 speed to save weight - I'm going to convert it to a 6 speed soon. A guy on my commute has a Tern Joe, it's quite a large package once folded and you need quite a bit of space around you to fold it, not ideal on a train.
With regards to rust the raw lacquer needs to be touched up when chipped, it's just a bit harder to tell where it's missing.
With regards to rust the raw lacquer needs to be touched up when chipped, it's just a bit harder to tell where it's missing.
I bought my first Brompton on Friday - you can see where your money has gone as virtually every part on it is bespoke. They hold their value pretty well too; I did originally look at second hand but they ended up costing about the same as a new one on Cyclescheme.
Mine's a three speed, I did consider a six but opted for red paint instead
Mine's a three speed, I did consider a six but opted for red paint instead
Accelebrate said:
A guy on my commute has a Tern Joe, it's quite a large package once folded and you need quite a bit of space around you to fold it, not ideal on a train.
AS I say, I'm currently on my second Dahon, and previously had a Rabbit.de folding bike which was identical to the non-lockjaw Dahon design. Part of the reason that I'm thinking about a Brompton this time around is that the trains seems to be getting busier, and while it's within the rules to have a full size folding bike, it's sometimes hard to physically get on to some trains if I'm not there early enough.
Barchettaman said:
With regards to the seat tube crack on the Dahon, is it worth looking at getting it welded and repaired?
It would certainly be cheaper and might be something I consider doing as well. But as it's the second Dahon that I've had that's gone in pretty much the same place, I'm not sure I really trust it that much. Plus, as above, a smaller folding bike would solve other problems. My wife's away a fair bit and takes our estate car when she goes. Which leaves me with a convertible Mini and no where to put the Dahon.
At least the Brompton would go in there and I could cycle every day.
I got a raw lacquer 3 speed Brompton 6 months ago. Looks great...it's got a Brooks saddle, mudguards, shimano lights, firm ride, higher spec tyres etc. Cost me £1K from Pearson Cycles (been friends with the owners for years...).
No problems with the frame at all. Ride takes some getting used to after years commuting on road bikes, but my commute has reduced to only 4 miles each way and the Brompton is perfect for that.
Just don't expect to be the fastest commuter on two wheels...
No problems with the frame at all. Ride takes some getting used to after years commuting on road bikes, but my commute has reduced to only 4 miles each way and the Brompton is perfect for that.
Just don't expect to be the fastest commuter on two wheels...
P1ato said:
I got a raw lacquer 3 speed Brompton 6 months ago. Looks great...it's got a Brooks saddle, mudguards, shimano lights, firm ride, higher spec tyres etc. Cost me £1K from Pearson Cycles (been friends with the owners for years...).
No problems with the frame at all. Ride takes some getting used to after years commuting on road bikes, but my commute has reduced to only 4 miles each way and the Brompton is perfect for that.
Just don't expect to be the fastest commuter on two wheels...
Well it seems like it's not too much of a debate. Everyone that has one loves them.No problems with the frame at all. Ride takes some getting used to after years commuting on road bikes, but my commute has reduced to only 4 miles each way and the Brompton is perfect for that.
Just don't expect to be the fastest commuter on two wheels...
My only gripe will be that, currently, I sometimes get an earlier train and do extra laps of Hyde Park to up the mileage. Doesn't sound like the sort of thing I'd enjoy doing on a Brompton.
Also, to all of you that ride them, how's the rigidity? And does the lack of a top tube cause problems later down the line?
I've got the flat 'S' bars on mine, which make the whole bike feel quite rigid. I've tried the M and P bars and they do noticeably flex.
Frame-wise a new Brompton is surprisingly rigid, over time the rear hinge can wear and leave the whole bike feeling a bit sloppy. Takes a long time though, and can be repaired. I prefer the firm suspension block, removes road buzz without being bouncy.
Are you near a train station with a Brompton Dock? They're a cheap way to trial one for a few days.
I've done a few 20-30 mile rides on mine, it's not as fast or comfortable as a 'proper' bike but it is arguably more fun.
Ikea sell a cheap bag that's a perfect fit for the Brompton, great for transporting it in the car:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/1005677...
Frame-wise a new Brompton is surprisingly rigid, over time the rear hinge can wear and leave the whole bike feeling a bit sloppy. Takes a long time though, and can be repaired. I prefer the firm suspension block, removes road buzz without being bouncy.
Are you near a train station with a Brompton Dock? They're a cheap way to trial one for a few days.
I've done a few 20-30 mile rides on mine, it's not as fast or comfortable as a 'proper' bike but it is arguably more fun.
Ikea sell a cheap bag that's a perfect fit for the Brompton, great for transporting it in the car:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/1005677...
Accelebrate said:
With regards to rust the raw lacquer needs to be touched up when chipped, it's just a bit harder to tell where it's missing.
The lacquer isn't chipped - the patches are where the rear wheel touches the frame when folder and other patches around the rear triangle (not chips in the lacquer, just random patches). I might look into the warranty point - I think when I bought mine they had only just restarted the raw lacquer finish because of similar problems with the initial batch. But at four years old, I could see they would say it is just expected wear and tear.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff