Brompton folders (Bikes in general)

Member Name: ahenry

Product:	Bikes in general
Date:	19/06/01 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Versatility, Practicality, Foldability

Disadvantages: Cost

If I had to choose to own one bicycle, then I would go for a Brompton folder. They aren't the quickest, the most fun to ride, or the cheapest. They are however extremely versatile and practical. Its really nice to be able to fold the bike in 15 seconds into a compact space and to be able to unfold it in the same sort of time. It means that you have the flexibility to use it with other forms of transport. You can take it on a train, bus or aeroplane without having to pay extra for it. You can fit it into the boot of most cars (not a Mini, but it does fit into a MkII Ford Fiesta with the luggage rack in place). This means that you can either take it in your own car, or pick up a lift from other people, with a lot less hassle than it would take with a traditional bike. This flexibility means that you don't _have_ to ride your bike everywhere. If you need to get up a big steep hill, then see if you can take a bus instead.
There are a few reasons why a Brompton is so practical to ride. I have a lightweight model to which I have added a dynamo front light and a battery-powered LED rear light. With reliable lights in place, you don't have to worry about coming back after dark. There are mudguards which keep off the worst of the road spray (although the rear mudguard could be longer). The best feature is the front mounted pannier bag. This is expensive, but it is the best bike luggage I have found. It is mounted low down onto the frame of the bike so it doesn't upset the handling even when its carrying heavy loads. You can fit it and take it off again within seconds. You can also fold the rear wheel underneath and park the bike before you remove the bag.
My Brompton has a 5 speed Sturmey Archer rear hub
Although Brompton's aren't particularly light out of the box at 25-28lbs depending on the model, you can reduce this by a couple of pounds without a lot of expense. I also do away with lugging a heavy lock everywhere I go. At work, it fits
underneath my desk. I carry the bike into shops (perhaps in a supermarket trolley) and at restaurants you can leave it in the cloakroom if you put it in a bag first.

If I need to shop in the centre of a city where parking is a problem, I drive to the edge of the free parking zone, take my Brompton out of the boot, unfold it and ride into the centre, and then get back within the time it would take to find a parking space.

For more information, see
http://users.pandora.be/zweistein/brompton/ind ex.html
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/
http://www.a2b.care4free.net/
http://www.bromptonbike.com/

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