Let's see your Brompton

Let's see your Brompton

Author
Discussion

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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I'm swaying more towards the Marathon plus rather than the Kojak as my route to work takes in some slippery paths! Is there much between the standard and the plus?

Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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ecs said:
Just to add to the gearing debate. The chairing bolts on my 54t sprocket (M3L) came loose so it got lunched while riding. I switched to a 44t sprocket and I find the gearing far more pleasant for buzzing around London now.
I prepared a spreadsheet of gear ratios for my bikes when considering buying a cyclocross thing (the gearing on those is very odd) and, after suitably converting the Brompton ratios here: https://brompton.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203... I couldn't work out who would ever go for the 6-sp +8% chainwheel. Even the standard 6-sp gives 100 gear inches in top. The bail-out gear doesn't look too bad in the standard 6-sp, so I'm pleased I'll get to try that for real rather than speccing the -12% and finding I never use the lowest cog.

Of course, I'll probably ride it like my old single-speed at university and wish I'd gone for no more than 2 gears laugh

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Friday 24th June 2016
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New tyres...


Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
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Mine has arrived today - christened with a ride through central Birmingham in my suit.

Of course, I'm already thinking I should have got a bag at the same time; is it practical to fit a suit in an S bag without crumpling it too much?

Not sure whether it'll actually fit in the boot of my MX5, even if I remove the spare wheel, but there's plenty of space on the passenger seat.



neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
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Looks lovely good choice smile

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Saturday 9th July 2016
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Stopped for a picture on my way to work yesterday smile



Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Saturday 9th July 2016
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Nice - did the cygnets approve of the colour scheme?

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Saturday 9th July 2016
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Jobbo said:
Nice - did the cygnets approve of the colour scheme?
They loved it wink

Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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Having cycled to the station on Thursday, I've realised how quick a Brompton is. I expected sub-10mph but my first mile was over 14mph and I didn't drop much under 11mph. Which takes me back to gearing; I'm a spinner, not a grinder. I used all of my standard S6L ratios but I think I'd get more use from a lower 1st than the current 6th. The gaps between gears aren't small so a -12% chainwheel might also close them up a little.

Anyone tried a 44-tooth chainwheel on a 6-sp Brompton?

anonymous-user

60 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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I didn't find the 2 action 6 speed at all intuitive. So I sold it on. I have a 3speed with + 12% gearing which suits me much better as I don't live in the mountains!

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 10th July 08:14

bakerstreet

4,817 posts

171 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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Jobbo said:
Mine has arrived today - christened with a ride through central Birmingham in my suit.

Of course, I'm already thinking I should have got a bag at the same time; is it practical to fit a suit in an S bag without crumpling it too much?

Not sure whether it'll actually fit in the boot of my MX5, even if I remove the spare wheel, but there's plenty of space on the passenger seat.


Don't buy an s bag for carrying a suit. It isn't big enough. Neither is the messenger bag. Get a smart suit back pack from Amazon. Only £30 and work very well. Been using mine for about 4 months now.

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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Jobbo said:
Having cycled to the station on Thursday, I've realised how quick a Brompton is. I expected sub-10mph but my first mile was over 14mph and I didn't drop much under 11mph. Which takes me back to gearing; I'm a spinner, not a grinder. I used all of my standard S6L ratios but I think I'd get more use from a lower 1st than the current 6th. The gaps between gears aren't small so a -12% chainwheel might also close them up a little.

Anyone tried a 44-tooth chainwheel on a 6-sp Brompton?
I got mine to over 20mph on the flat last week, I have a 2 speed that suits my needs smile

https://www.strava.com/activities/631902717/sharea...

Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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neilbauer said:
I got mine to over 20mph on the flat last week, I have a 2 speed that suits my needs smile

https://www.strava.com/activities/631902717/sharea...
My peak was 22.1mph, that's on a 6-sp with the standard chainring. I don't think I'm likely to use top very often so I'm almost certainly going to swap to the smaller chainring. Turns out my local dealer can surreptitiously order a black 44-tooth chainring from Brompton, even though it's not officially offered.

Chris Type R

8,136 posts

255 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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I had someone pull up alongside me in a car once and complement me on my speed - it was on a reasonably steep downhill though.

louiebaby

10,651 posts

197 months

Monday 11th July 2016
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Chris Type R said:
I had someone pull up alongside me in a car once and complement me on my speed - it was on a reasonably steep downhill though.
I've surprised a few people on mine. They normally ask how I'm "making that thing go that fast". I normally answer with "thighs, lots of thighs".

Accelebrate

5,339 posts

221 months

Tuesday 12th July 2016
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Too many pristine bikes in here recently smile


neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Tuesday 12th July 2016
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Accelebrate said:
Too many pristine bikes in here recently smile

I need a bag for mine smile

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Wednesday 13th July 2016
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I got a bag enough for phone and wallet!


Jobbo

13,102 posts

270 months

Wednesday 13th July 2016
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I have a spare one of these Aldi saddlebags: https://www.aldi.co.uk/bicycle-sports-bag-with-too... which I considered fitting to my Brompton (I have one on each of my other bikes already). I did wonder if it would interfere too much with the fold; it's easy to unclip but has a velcro strap round the seat post as well, which isn't so quick to undo.

Instead I mounted a Lidl phone holder and bag on the bars - coincidentally available from tomorrow in their cycle special: http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?actio... (the zip one, not the flat one with a flap, though both use the same clip attachment). It rests on the bell so that doesn't ring properly, and you have to attach it to the left of the stem so the mount doesn't foul when you fold the bars, but it's easy to clip on and off, and has space for a wallet, phone, puncture repair kit or whatever.

neilbauer

Original Poster:

2,467 posts

189 months

Wednesday 13th July 2016
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Jobbo said:
I have a spare one of these Aldi saddlebags: https://www.aldi.co.uk/bicycle-sports-bag-with-too... which I considered fitting to my Brompton (I have one on each of my other bikes already). I did wonder if it would interfere too much with the fold; it's easy to unclip but has a velcro strap round the seat post as well, which isn't so quick to undo.

Instead I mounted a Lidl phone holder and bag on the bars - coincidentally available from tomorrow in their cycle special: http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?actio... (the zip one, not the flat one with a flap, though both use the same clip attachment). It rests on the bell so that doesn't ring properly, and you have to attach it to the left of the stem so the mount doesn't foul when you fold the bars, but it's easy to clip on and off, and has space for a wallet, phone, puncture repair kit or whatever.
I used a spare saddlebag similar to that for a while, as you say it has to come off to fold. I'm like that I can just leave this one on the bike and that it's Brompton.