Great Video, I have a 2015 M6L that I purchased 2nd hand in 2017. It is a glorious Orange / Black edition. I've " blinged it up " a bit over the years, fitted the Brompton Dynamo wheel kit, Ergon grips and a C17 saddle plus a few other things. Used it to cycle the Canal tow paths between Glasgow and Edinburgh, finishing at Portobello beach, 70 miles on my 70th birthday and a few other adventures. A purchase that has certainly increased the amount of happiness in my life.
Thank you for watching and great to hear how much you enjoy your Brompton! Sounds like you’ve had some great achievements on the bike - happy cycling 🚴♀️
I am in agreement. I incorporate it into my daily routine. It's been particularly beneficial for my low blood pressure, general fitness, ease of travel, and overall convenience. I've also had the pleasure of exploring some beginner mountain bike trails, adding an element of enjoyment to the experience. I own 3 Brompton bikes: An old 6 speed, a black edition 6 speed, and P-line 4 speed. I also increased the size of the front sprocket in the p-line, to increase the max speed.
Hi, thanks for watching the video and commenting. We agree with all your comments about benefits of a Brompton! And wow - 3 ! You are a true Brompton Lover!
I share your enthusiasm for the Brompton! I got my first M6R (new black lacquer 2020 model) in 2020, then added a 2nd used one (orange 2018) to my stable this year. I outfitted both with ergon gp3 grips, marathon plus tires, MKS Lambda pedals, titanium seatposts, brooks saddles and spurcycle bells, and ride them both everywhere, totally ignoring my full sized bike now (not to mention my car). They feel so nimble and flexible, and I love never worrying about where to store them. That was the biggest game changer for me, not having the regular bike theft worry of leaving it out of sight. It goes indoors with me everywhere- work, shopping, restaurant, doctor’s office, wherever. It is transformative and liberating. And I forgive its few shortcomings (like handling rough gravel and potholes) because it does 98% of what I need. The small wheels remind me a bit of barefoot shoes: I can feel the ground, and I nimbly sidestep road obstacles. On my big bike, I tend to just plow through. Love your videos. Howdy from Texas!
Hi Amy, thanks so much for your lovely response and for watching our video! Do you have two just to mix it up?! Also you are using our favourite tyres! Happy cycling and glad you love them as much as we do 👍🚴♀️
@tft_and_chill no, I just fold it. And I never ask permission… I always just roll the bike in its semi-folded cart state as though I already have permission. The Brompton is so unobtrusive it has never been an issue.
@@veloworks9266 i just saw your response from 6 months ago… sorry for the late reply. I bought the second one when it came up for sale on Facebook Marketplace at a price I couldn’t pass up. It is great having two… it means I can switch out if one needs a cleaning or repair. It also gives me a second bike to loan to friends who come to visit. And it is so much easier traveling in the car with 2 bromptons… they go on every road trip.
I have one more comment on your remarks about the throwaway society: if you spend a lot of money on a really good bicycle (or other object of daily life), you also have a great interest in maintaining and servicing this object. when i look around, i see a lot of bicycles in terrible conditions. rusty, worn chains, never seen a drop of oil, poorly maintained gears and barely functioning brakes. these bikes are no longer economically repairable. if the owners had invested a little care, the bikes would still be in top shape today. but since there are many "halfway" well-functioning bikes that are cheap to buy, many people seem to see bikes as consumables to be thrown away and replaced with the next one when maintenance seems too high. that hurts so much to look at when you know that with a little love all these bikes can actually last decades, if not generations. greetings from Freiburg /Black Forest, Germany
100% agree with everything you said. And yes it does hurt to see it! As a bike mechanic I try to educate people in the nicest way and explain it will work out cheaper in the long run if they maintain their bikes. Thanks so much for watching and commenting (sorry for the late reply we were on holiday!)
Great idea at 6:00 to get a good bike at 18 and keeping it forever. I was older when I got a Bianchi Eros endurance bike, but the same idea. I used it for everything: commuting , shopping, weeklong Cycle Oregon, exploring backcountry roads. So yes, get a good bike and use it!
Had mine 8 years also, use it for commuting, shopping, day rides and now clocking up several tours - off tomorrow to do Way if The Roses. It’s become as much a travelling companion as a bike.
I dont have a brompton, but have four other folders, I suppose the 6 speed Raleigh is most like a conventional touring bike, 20" wheels, racks and a stand, gets dumped behind hedges for days at a time if I go hiking. (you probably wont do that with a brompton) 16" wheel 3 speed Dawes is great for coach travel, never prebooked it, never been refused. Couple of others, they can all go in the car and get grandchildren out in the fresh air. So very much with you about how something can change your life. Happy travels.
I agree with your sentiment a lot towards the end regarding students! I’m a PhD student around Glasgow myself and recently started renting through their subscription scheme (which needs more publicity!). I think students and young professionals are missing a trick not looking at Bromptons much, and with the right finance schemes it could open the doors to a lot of people being able to own a bike that can be easily transported city to city, kept in any flat you stay in (no matter how small), and pretty much eliminate the risk of theft.
A nice ‘elegy’ to the Brompton bicycle; I have two Brompton bikes, a 2002 M6R (with a shorter overall length) racing green, and a 2012 P6R black-and-white. I love both of them and try my best to keep them in good repair and well maintained, always cleaning them off after rainy or dirty journeys. They have both travelled many thousands of miles by air with me and lived with me in various countries - currently one is in Istanbul and one in Baku (Azerbaijan). The racing green M6R has had more repairs and work done, as travelling with it has exacted a higher toll - baggage handlers are absolutely horrible to bikes and I now have a hard box for the Brompton, for air journeys (rear triangle has been replaced as it was badly bent, rear wheel has been replaced after another flight, so now has newer BWR hub rather than the original Sturmey Archer hub). The 2012 P6R is ‘tougher’ than the older M6R but has travelled less by air, so again, get a hard box if you are travelling by air. I have cycled in cities in Sweden, Rumania, Hungary, Spain, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Wales, England, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic and only in ‘Bromptonland’ (London) have they not attracted attention and comment. Versatile and incredibly portable (I have Dahon bikes too, and Brompton portability beats them hands down), mostly very stable in all weathers, they are the most reliable machines I’ve ever owned. They can be off-road, or touring, or commuting, or even racing bikes, not something that can be said for many bikes. The one ‘issue’ is that they are built and designed for British winters, and cycling through ice and snow can lead to bad accidents (I know), though there are Schwalbe tyres that could improve that. But cycling through that kind of extreme weather is not good anyway, so not generally something that will impact most riders. A lifetime’s worth of bicycle, definitely…
Hi thanks for your comments and it was nice to hear how you use yours and we agree! We have flown with ours using the BW hardcase and no problems. I think our new Vincita case is great and hard at the bottom. I don’t think it’s a problem with the cases, you are right, it’s a problem with the people who handle them. Happy cycling!
You build a very convincing case for the folder. The idea of hopping on and off of busses, planes or trains while touring appeals especially. All the more so as we get older. :-).
I bought my flame painted black version, SuperlightM6LXBrompton in 2019, during high Covid19 lockdown and I expected to bring it from Denmark to our specially built and designed, "Danish Village" in Mellieha on Malta, for our till then several visits on the Island/State. We have a Danish Airline flying directly down from Cph. But as an elderly gentleman of by then 71, my dear wife didn't think it was such a good idea for me, riding in the wrong side on narrow roads with much traffic and hardly a bike-pass anywhere! So we decided it wasn't such a good idea! Since then I have made it considerably lighter til now a little over 9 kilo, with mudguards, and it is a "horrible bike" on the small wheels, but for its purpose it is brilliant! Finn. Denmark
Hello Paul, Good video, I think my Brompton's will be the two bikes that stay with me for the rest of my life... a bit of a funny statement really as I have not done many miles on them but hope to in the future. As always thanks for sharing. Take care. Paul,,
Hello, very good video, thanks for telling us about your experience with your Brompton, very interesting, I bought an electric Brompton model CM6L electric 2 months ago and I'm very happy, the only thing I miss is that it doesn't have a kickstand to hold the bicycle, but for the rest everything is great, greetings and I have already subscribed😊👍
Hi thanks for watching, subscribing and your kind comments. Depending on the set up of your Brompton you can fold the rear of the bike only and this acts as a kick stand and holds the Brompton up. Please note it’s best with a rear rack on though!
3:00 "You feel it?" Your legs? Your rear end? If it's your rear, try the Brooks B67. It's a saddle with integrated springs, a bit heavier but worth on long rides. If it's the legs, H&H got 44/33, 50/33, 54/33, 2 in 1 Chainrings. On the street, for example the 50 and then for "off road or hills" take the 33. Works greats until now for me.
Thanks for commenting - neither. I have a great saddle and if you’ve seen our other video I’ve already upgraded the chain ring. What I meant was you feel it more (as in a long ride) on a Brompton than one of my other bikes - in general.
@veloworks9266 I had seen the Chainring upgrade. The h&h was just an idea because it essentially doubles your gears, just like the Brooks was an idea. You never can have too many options. 😁 The choice in the end is always yours. 👍
I've got a real, genuine, authentic Brompton _replica_ called a 'Rotter Zwerver'. Lol. It's got 1001 manufacturing flaws on it, but I'm loving every last inch of the Brompton's design it follows. I'm a gadget geek, so these trifold bikes satiate my hunger for tinkering. Maybe someday I'll get a Brompton, but for now, this Zwerver is terrific fun and joy!
You mean a knock off counterfeit copy of a Brompton and Brompton have got nothing. AFAIK Brompton have never authorised 'replicas' of their bikes. Never. Why would they? They don't need to.
Hi: thanks for watching. Sort of replying to you and Alex below… for us the Brompton is the best folding bike and having worked in the bike industry for 15 years we love brands that protect their brand. Brompton is probably the best example of this. They don’t heavily discount, their bikes are the right price to support UK workers and with all this in mind and the longevity of the bike they are a very reasonable price. However, this does mean it opens the market for copies and with cycling our stance is each to their own as that makes cycling diverse and we are glad you get joy from your bike 👍
Could not agree with you more! We both have 2020 M6R's. Mine exactly the same as yours and my wife's the Cloud Blue. I too, marvel at the welds on my Lack Lacquer. Did you choose your P handlebar, or did it just came that way when you bought it? I must admit, it's probably a dying breed but something about it just says vintage Brompton.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍 I chose the P-bars as I wanted the touring model and love them for the different hand positions. Really sad they don’t make them anymore! Happy cycling!
I'm in the process of researching whether to get a Brommie, and I have watched a bunch of your videos, you always seem so happy and positive. One very telling thing is that I've noticed all of the reputable bike mechanics in my city have a brompton with no exception. Some questions, when you say "replace the wheels", do you mean tires, or the entire wheel (hub, spokes, rim)? And would you say that the Black Lacquer paint job you have is worth the extra 200£? I am debating whether to fork out extra just to see the brazing 😅
Hi, thanks for watching and commenting. I hope you get one! Regarding the wheels the rims do need replacing because they wear out from braking but I’ve had mine for almost 10 years and only done it once and depends on mileage and where you ride it. It’s worth getting a raw or black lacquer finish for a few reasons : it looks cool 😎! And over time the finish is more durable as the powder coat Bromptons do chip. Also as you step over the bike you can scuff the main tube which looks tatty on the painted Bromptons and not noticeable on the lacquer finishes. It’s definitely worth the money in my opinion. Anyway hope that helps!? Happy cycling
Great advice on buying a quality bike and keeping it for a long time. I smiled when you said if you bought a good bike when you were 18, you could have it forever. I'm 68 years old Bought a Raleigh Comp !! in 1973 for $210 dollars (a lot of money for a highschool kid earing $1.65 per hour. I also have a Specialized Hard Rock Mt Bike from 1984 and a 2 year old Brompton. My old Raleigh (51 years old now) has been modified for more upright riding, same for the Hard Rock. These bikes are still a pleasure to ride after all these years. I know my Brompton will last forever. Your advice is correct. Buy a good bike with quality components that fits you properly and ignore all the minor innovations that follow in the bike industry. I will admit my Raleigh is a tad tall at the cross bar for me now because, guess what, my spine has compressed with age and that clearance I had over the cross bar is gone. lol. Also note, old good quality steel bikes can often be purchase very inexpensively and they will ride like a dream.
Hi, thanks for watching and your comments. It was really nice to hear your real world experience of buying bikes when you are were young and committing to them. You are right, so many old bikes are still so useable and way more versatile than modern bikes. Happy cycling!
I'm pretty sure you can using it to an average of 50 thousand km per year, as long as you keep on cleaning, adjusting, upgrading it enough and taking care of it at least weekly.
I love your passion for your Brompton. I noticed you’ve changed your saddle from your earlier C17, was there a reason? I always love my B17’s but they are heavy.
Thanks for watching and your kind comments (and your observation!). I had the c-17 carved but since coming back to Bristol and riding the Brompton and my other bikes with the same c-17 a lot more I found I was having some pain / issues and have changed to a thinner saddle (selle italia ) which I am getting on with really well 👍
I bought a M6R this year and love it! I'm thinking of touring on it next year so watching for all the good tips. Is changing the chairing to the -12% option worth it, and are there other alternatives? I find the standard chaining just a little too 'long legged'.
Yes going to the reduced gear option is 100% worth it. I’ve done a video about it (‘Making my Brompton easier to ride’) and would really recommend especially if touring 👍 thanks for watching
@@fgzy123 hi there: thanks for watching. From servicing a lot of Bromptons if they are used heavily in all conditions and not cleaned and cared for then the frame and hinges seem to suffer I.e get some rust / corrosion.
@@rainbowhiker sorry for the delay. Yes we have done other videos since showing our upgrades including seat post, spring and we have rebuilt the wheels and had a rear hinge replaced 👍
Did you say you only have 3 speeds? Do you find that gear range enough? I have read it is and is greater than my Tern B7 range. Looking at a A Line maybe C Line now.
How do you like the P handlebars? I am looking at a P6r that is about the same age as yours. Also, does carrying things in the front basket affect tbe handling at all?
Hi, thank you for watching. I really love the P bars and I get on with them really well. Because of the design you can’t put ergonomic grips on them as you can with the other Brompton bars. It doesn’t bother me and it’s nice having the lower position for hills. Carrying stuff in my front bag - a lot of people say having weight on the front acts to dampen the bike so it’s more planted. I personally think that the bag hides the front wheel and for me when I can see the front wheel the bike feels twitcher. So I think it’s more of a visual thing than a physical thing. I always ride the bike with a front bag on. Hope that helps
Was you drinking a lot of Red Bull at the time when you was flying with you Brompton or maybe you was winging that bit , if you come across a second hand rack at anytime I will buy it from you, take care , I think you’re used to my bad humour by now.
Hahah yeah Bromptons are so good they give you wings 😂😀 Don’t often come across 2nd hand ones actually 🤔 but if I do… worth the output as they are so robust they will last a long time
Agree with much of what you say especially preservation, but was focussing on you so much rather than your Brompton, which is arguably the star, really necessary? Would have preferred to have seen more of your bike as you talked even if it was slowly panning around your bike as you gave your commentary. We know what you look like. My M6L, now an M6R, is 17 years old and still going strong. It is only ridden in fine warmer weather now as it is getting on a bit. In years gone by it's been a reliable work horse. It's a 2006 vintage red/black. The weakest point of them is the lower hinge. Mine needs replacing yet again for a third time. The last one wore out giving significant play. The current one has become very stiff and no amount of oil/penetrating fluid will free it so it looks like it will have to be drilled out and a new one fitted. This time I am gong to do it. Just need to get the correct size reemer. They are fabulous bikes though. Andrew Ritchie should be knighted for his design.
My Brompton is 1992 T5 ( Sturmey Archer 5 Speed hub ) which has spent many years in the warm and dry and has less than a 1000 miles on the “clock”. I broke my hip some months ago and intend to use the Brompton a lot more. The chain wheel and crank are a single unit and I’d like to fit a smaller chain ring but I’m not sure if this is possible given the age of the bike. Does anyone have any suggestions. By the way my Brompton was an unexpected prize from a cycling magazine I used to subscribe to !
Hey, thanks for watching and the comments. On the older models you aren’t able to change the chainring so you’d need to change the whole chainset. And amazing to have won it! Lucky you 😀
Hi Paul. Thanks for the great Brompton videos. After two thefts I’ve ended up with Pstyle handlebars thinking I could change them. That’s not possible so I’ve got used to them!! I’m now considering swytch but cannot get certainty as to whether the Swytch handlebar bracket fits on the pstyle handlebars…… any thoughts appreciated. Rebecca
Hi Rebecca, thanks for watching and glad you are enjoying the p-bars. Unfortunately we don’t have any experience with Swytch so wouldn’t know I’m afraid. But maybe the company themselves can help.
Great video Paul, I am picking up a lightly used C line explore today. I live on the edge of the lake district so it's quite hilly. How do you find your gearing on the flat speed wise?
Hi thanks for watching. Enjoy your new bike (new to you). I find the gearing suits me just perfect. I have 6 gears and have upgraded to an easier 39t chainring to help with the hills!
