I just purchased a Brompton M6R Explore earlier this week that looks just like your 2nd Brompton in British racing green. I also own 3 Dahons, which I have found to be fabulous folding bikes, however they just can't fold down as small as the Brompton for international travel. I took out the Brompton for its maiden voyage yesterday and am quite pleased with its ride and handling, which is very quick and fun. You do have to be careful riding through pockets of sand or silt - don't expect to go through these as you would on your 700c road bike -- very twitchy in these situations. It did, however, slow down my MPH/KPH compared to my 700c road bike, of course, but I am aware of its strengths AND limitations. For international travel, the Brompton remains the gold standard. The only thing that compares for that purpose are Brompton knock offs which, by some accounts have improved in quality, e.g., Mobot, Pikes, and 3Sixty; but, I've never had a look at any of these to date. I appreciate that Bromptons are hand-made in their London factory - how many bikes are hand-made these days? It's also a very iconic bike and bike company, just like the other bike I finally purchased a few years ago: a Bianchi Specialissima. Life is good.
A word of advice: Push the little red thing on the pump down. It is there to secure the pump to the frame and prevent it from bouncing out. Just learned about this recently myself.
I adore the Brompton,it's by far the best folder out there . But I prefer a dahon,for larger wheels, better gear, less problems,and way cheaper. But that's just my opinion.
As a "Rainy Dane" my now much former than 2019 "Superlight" (At least the Names had a reason then) is a model with mudguards. The small "Easy wheels" are mostly useless on anything but a totally flat area! So at a time I had 10cm wheels, but I removed them again, as also the Superlight extender, with a carbon tube in the middle! As a "weightwatcher" my bike is now very far from Original and presently around 9 kilo, but still looks all Standard! As a Dane our Bromptons are all delivered with a 600mm seat post and a high handlebar. And I still have 6 gears, though I didn't know at first for what use I had the low gears (So why 12 gears? An extra ring in front does the same!). I had to buy a special pump, now also named "Brompton", as my original titanium triangle hadn't the holder for one, from weight reasons🙄! It needs a special holder on the frame. By that I use a Selle Carbon Saddle and a black, Brompton, theft preventing and shaped titanium seat post, as my handlebar is from carbon. I never leave it alone during use, so I doubt that any would try to steal it, but for security! It is a horrible bike on the small, hard rolling wheels, but for its purpose, transport as folded, it is the best. Finn. Denmark
Thanks for the comment. Yes I would love to get the weight down on mine. It’s a H6L and uncomfortable to carry for long periods. The really light ones are so expensive!
Seriously, "Brompton owners tend to be holier than thou"? 🤣😂🤣 As a Kickbike owner and Dahon folding bike owner (both 20+yr old bikes), I have run into owners of fancy road bikes with that "holier than thou" attitude and focused on speed, but so far the recumbent trike owners, folding bike owners, Brompton owners, have been pretty down to earth, "let's have a fun ride" attitude. Of course, that is just my experience to date.
Do you have any experience riding a Brompton with Continental Contact Urban tires? Very different handling than with Schwalbes. Racy, maneuverable, fun, low rolling resistance, though with more frequent punctures and poor, at times almost laughable, off-road traction. In spite of their downsides I now would never ride my Brompton with anything else now.
I’ve tried the racing tires on one of my bromptons, but not sure of the name. The puncture thing would not be a good trade off for me, as I hate fixing punctures 😂
@@TimeandTalk Especially on a Brompton with a near non removable back wheel! By that I still have the original tires on my bike and I have never had a puncture!
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I'm going to beg to differ with you. My Tern model C makes the Brompton look like 19th century English cottage industry. Those hinge clamps are medieval. The wheels are too small, and with a short wheelbase, the bike is too twitchy for my taste. And the "cockpit" is too cramped and basically vertical: the riding position is pitched forward. The Tern is a modern design, upright riding position, 20" wheels with Schwalbe Big Apple tires (think smooth, shock absorbing). Why people worship the Brompton is quite beyond me. It's cute, and much lighter than the Tern, but it's 19th century engineering, compared to the Tern. And the Tern is a FRACTION of the cost of the Brommy. I think people love it because it makes them "feel British"! OK, fair enough. I'm gonna pass.
The thing about feeling British? Maybe for people who are not want a little taste of a British design (Brompton’s are popular all over the world). But aside from that, I see what you’re saying with the points you make, though I don’t personally agree. Most of the points you think I would think Brompton owners may agree with, but may phrase in a slightly different way. 😃The Bromptons do have their limitations yes, but most of these are sacrifices I think to get a compact folding size. I love them, think they are really well designed, really cool, and for my part I think they are fun to ride, but they are a bike for certain terrains, and I have a mountain bike as well.
@adamdonovan I have to totally second what you're saying, from Italy and old folding bike fan. Here, a country with its own fashion police already, there's a cult of "British", like cars with the Union Jack top, etc. (Which i'm far from questioning, ok) Well, Italian "Bromptonians" get blinded by the high price for a start - it will funnily make them feel like they are vip's. And they'll get mad if you do question them as a folding cyclist. Not the case of the nice guy who's made the video here! Makes me sorry to make my point, but... But at the end of the day a Brompton is a small folder but has to give up all the rest. Yes they do long rides. Yes they load them with racks and bags. But in reality, it's all too proprietary and most people won't get to do so. With not just Tern but pretty much ALL other 20" folders (if they're good quality), for a few centimeters more you get all the rest = an actual bike, standard components (not least: standard outer trasmission with many gradual gears all upgrades you may want to do), standard feeling, etc. With my standard folder i've just completed Colle Fauniera in Italy, 2481 slm, loaded, and i kept up with big bikes along. (I do fold it and flip it on luggage racks on trains as well). And i know for a fact that on a Brommie I could do the same, but with many more limits. Let alone the steel, rust, etc.
@adamdonovan5633 - I own 3 Dahons, which as I stated above, are fabulous folding bikes: Mariner D8, Mariner D7, and Vitesse D7. I find that their 20" wheels travel a bit faster and of couse smoother than the Brompton's 16" wheels. And, when folded in half they can get pretty small, but for flight and international travel, in particular, nothing beats the Brompton design. Honestly, there's something very special about owning such an inconic bike and bike brand like Brompton. And, what other folding bikes are hand-made that are as travel-worthy?
Actually you can't steal the seatpost on a Brompton without tools since the bottom of the post of flared and designed to only be removable from below (after removing the saddle).
I would never leave a Fortune lying alone on a street, so I bring my Brompton to anywhere. It is so easy to steal, so I won't trust a cable to secure it at any time, unless very close by and able to look at it, while being away. Finn. Denmark
