I own the brompton simply because it folds down much smaller and no disassembly is required when loading up a plane. Regarding the discomfort on bumpy terrain due to smaller wheels, I just got used to it and the maneuverability is a big plus. I don't own a car and commute only by train, bus and bicycle. So it is worth paying more for a single bike that folds compact and is also reliable. There are also many third party manufacturers for affordable parts. One major flaw is the weight of the steel version and I had to replace the default wheelset to one that rolls much better when folded. I try to ignore the hype and would rather focus on the practical aspects of a folding bike. Unfortunately the hype around the brand is part of the reason why Bromptons are so expensive. Also means I have to be a lot more conscientious when I have absolutely no choice but to lock the bike up.
Yeah lots of ppl won’t even lock a brompton outside. I need a bike that I can use without worry of it getting stolen, scratched etc. i see the appeal for Londoner’s- take it on the tube, bus, also when there’s no reason to own a car you can buy a more expensive bike! This is something the brand has capitalised on and has cornered the market. Actually like the idea behind brompton , it’s just not practical for me!
As a Dane I bought a by then Top Brompton in 2019 for the vacation money saved. Its main purpose is transport, as it is a lousy bike during use on the small wheels, but it folds to a considerably smaller size than any ½ folder! Finn. Denmark
I have a Brompton and also 20", no doubt the 20" is more fun to ride , but Brompton is a easier one to fold and carry, so the whole point of having a folding bike is how easy they are to be carried around and fold,
The design is good, in fact it’s engineering masterpiece! Brompton is perfect for carrying on the London Underground and all those steps - mind the gap!
I'm sorry, I'm team Brompton all the way! I have two bikes (both from REI) City bike, and Brompton C-line. The Brompton is just more fun, and easier to travel with. I upgraded the rack for rolling ease, so when I pull up to restaurant, gym or grocery store, quick fold and push ability is tops. It's easy to travel on plane, and my truck. I'm paying for the convenience and it's a great conversation piece, and a good quality bike.❤❤❤❤
I have many bikes, including in that a Brompton and a Dahon folding bike. To be honest, if you buy a folding bike, you buy it to fold more than anything else and put up with the fact it does not ride as well as a large wheel bike. In that metric, there is nothing better than a Brompton for that, particularly when using it in the likes of a campervan scenario or similar or short commutes to shops, work etc.. I used to commute 17 miles each way, 5 days a week for 25 years. On long distance commutes any folding bike is inferior in speed and rideability to a large wheel carbon or other racing bike and i would not dream of opting for any folding bike for that use case. It is horses for courses and for folding, the Brompton is by far the best.
I have a similar commute been doing it for 4 months on a decathlon folding bike . I’m slow compared to most road bike users . Plus I’m not sure the bike fits well I have some knee pain
@salahaddin2009 your seat height is the most important measurement for efficiency and knee health. Sit on the saddle, against a wall to hold the bike up. Then with trial and error raise or lower the saddle height, so that your heels are on the pedals on both sides. Then once the saddle height is set, ride with the balls of your feet over the pedal axles. That gives you the exact amount of bend in your knees to ride comfortably and with maximum efficiently. I am 65 years old, always set my saddle height in this manner and have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles, commuting, training and racing, with no knee problems ever. I have also won open club time trials with this height setting also. One of the biggest reasons for slower speed compared to a racing bike, is that you are riding more erect and thus offer more wind resistance than on a racing bike. Pushing air aside takes up to 80% of the power you exert to move the bicycle forward and thus aerodynamics is the biggest factor in riding fast for a given power input.
I too once owned a Brompton but never bought into the hype and lifestyle. Although it's pretty good for short jaunts, anything over 5 miles will expose its weaknesses esp. on hilly terrain. I still enjoy my 20" Tern Link and BYB and might take a look at Bike Friday one of these days. My Tern Link did extremely well on the Camino Pilgrimage journey which took me through cobblestones and hilly mountain bike trails! One thing to be said about the Brompton is that it holds its value when reselling.
Ah yes the old cobblestones of Europe! As far as brompton for an investment, I’m not sure it’s for me either, it’s in the same category as a collectable car or rifle, you would have to find a willing buyer!
I do prefer riding my old Tern D8 to the Brompton 6 speed which I’m selling. Impressive to do all that on your Tern Link. Was that a Tern Link D8 with its standard gearing or did you have it lowered?
@@meera6024 Im using a sonar chinese made folding bike for my last tour. I has normal range 6 spd gearing, it cost me $20NZD more about my bike here: th-cam.com/video/i02ogbpGlyw/w-d-xo.html
I bought a used, very tidy Dahon Visc 18 speed off an elderly guy, with all the price tag (£720 in 2014) docs, a Specialized Hat ( new £80 only needed a quick liner wash), and a cheap lock for £200. I know I got a bargain. I just gave the gears and chain a clean, and adjusted the derailleur…❤
You got that bike for a steal. I just scored on a used Citizen Miami. 50.00 USD. However, I'm going to completely restore it. Bead blast and powder coat, I love how you did your bike. I think your's is a Citizen. Your video is why I went in this direction.
Good question! I’ll be providing detailed answer to this and other viewer questions and more in my next livestream in the HOBO CLUB, you can get access to loads of other good info & videos for members only. Consider joining to get the best value information, access to answers, tips and tricks for your adventure! Https://www.youtube.com/@hobocyclist/join LIVE Q&A 17/5/24 1900 GMT (check your local timezone)
The only tricky thing about buying a used folding bicycle is that you have to carefully inspect the folding mechanism for any kind of wear and tear. But that means you have to physically inspect it, so blindly buying over the internet is not an option.
I have tested a lot of bikes : my number one : Montague folding bike 26 inch , very solid like a mountainbike, i bought it for 100 euro secondhand. B twin ( decathlon, 20 inch & 6 speed, also bought it secondhands was a good one , because the frame is made of steel & there is a lifetime guarantee on the frame ) , Dahon black jack 26 inch was a good one too. for instance : i don't like foldingbikes that you can buy on amazone, the quality is not good enough, I prefer Dahon, Montague Trooper, even Btwin folding bike but you can't buy them anymore in stores
i give you the next link : it was a great bike with 9 speed, only the frame was so fragile that i broke it after 13 months. I was surprised that i got my money back because by the store where i bought it i always use to speed up to 24 kilometers in an hour. Nowadays you can't find it because the construction happens in Taiwan. th-cam.com/video/xN8JXVj9i8M/w-d-xo.html
I have a tern, not a brompton, but it's still a brand name, and I discovered to my dismay that it had non standard wheels, which became a problem when I needed to replace a rim recently. It had an unusual number of spokes and gears, and slightly narrower rim. I was having a lot of trouble sourcing a correctly replacement wheel. But luckily, the wheel from a old kids bike at the dump shop fit, with good condition rims, 6 speed instead of 7 but it's fine. so fixed it for $10. If the bike doesn't use standard easily accessable parts, it's gonna have some surprise costs!
Interesting I didn’t know the wheels were that different but have encountered this before with other 20” bikes axel size were slightly different when fitting to frame. Have found that some kids bike wheels from dump shop fit better than others since I routinely replace them if they get too buckled. Yeah 10 bucks for a kids 20”bike you can gets loads of parts
Hey great video! I am just curios and looking at bikes because my college has limited parking. I could het a folding bike and park further away and bike over to school. Although it probably would not hurt me to just walk lol. I did want to leave you with some constructive criticism. I think your video editing software (or maybe TH-cam or your camera) is compressing your videos too much and making them blurry. If you can, export your videos with a higher bitrate (like ballpark 5,000Kbps if you are wanting to do 1080p 60fps). This will increase the file size of your video but make it look a lot clearer. I know that TH-cam tends to compress videos a lot, but I don't think what I am seeing is TH-cam's fault.
Thanks mate! I didn’t know about this compression issue, but I had my suspicions. The issue is probably because all my vids are filmed and edited on a second hand phone.. it would be great to have a better camera/ editing set up 😂📱🏝🚲👍
What are your thoughts on something like a folding 26" mountain bike for similar uses (multimodal commuting, bikepacking, etc)? I enjoy the practicality of folding bikes but I'm rather tall and live in an area with poorly-maintained roads, but I want to be able to do things that 16-20" foldies can do. Great videos btw
Cheers mate! 👍 I’ve never tried 26” folding bike. Why not just use a normal bike with 26” wheels? It will be fast & easy to get hold of parts etc. i use 20” folding bike because i can fly with it easy. It’s a good compromise, but if I don’t need folding abilities I will use a cheap 26” wheel mtn bike like in this vid th-cam.com/video/2AmjW5YLjQM/w-d-xo.html
@@hobocyclist Thank you for the response! I mostly want to be able to do things like bringing it onto the bus, taking it inside an Uber, or putting it on the bottom rack of my grocery cart if I can't/don't want to lock it up, and the infrastructure around here is mostly trail-based. There are also people in my area selling both used 20" and 26" folding bikes. I'm just concerned a 26" will be too large for those things even while folded lol. Could be an interesting vid topic to compare and contrast wheel sizes if you ever get your hands on a cheap 26" folding bike
@@alfred8936 I've got two 26" mountain bike folding bikes and put some slim tires on it to use it for large distances. I expected that it would cost me less energy since a large wheel always has lesser rolling resistance. However, these mountain (folding) bikes also have suspension on the frontwheel and in the frame. And any suspension on your bike will cost you extra energy. Suspension bikes are therefor very less efficient if you use them not on terrain but for just riding on the road. I therefor give you a negative advice on any suspension type of folding bike which folding mountain bikes of any size are. Besides that, if you are big, large or do weigh more than average a 20 inch folding bike can still fulfill your needs as long as it has a long seatpost and it has a strong rear wheel with 36 13G spokes in it. I made a stronger wheel for myself with 18 12G spokes and 18 13G spokes and this wheel will not fail on me and neither on you. But avoid suspension frames of front forks.
Yes sure, I have cycled 1000s of km on my folding bike! Check out the zizzo forte it’s one of the strongest on the market, compare some bikes here hobocyclist.com/best-bikes Watch some of my tour videos to see what kind of terrain I’m riding on TH-cam.com/@hobocyclist All the best!
I’ve used a very expensive Airnimal Joey 24spd folding bike with 24” wheels for long trips on canal paths and tracks and lanes and now a Montague Boston folder with 3spd hub gears and 28” wheels (slim tyres). The bigger wheels are much, much easier and quicker over uneven ground, soft or gravel trails, even with only 3 gears. Even on the road it’s noticeably quicker and easier.
The complexity of changing a flat on the rear of a Brompton and non standard parts put me off buying a brompton as clever as the design is! I bought a Dahon Mariner D8 instead. And still has a front luggage truss mount too.
I've been riding Bromptons since 2012-never had to change a tire on it. So, if I have to, it'll be once in more than a decade-that won't dissuade me from getting one.
@@stephenschuit7880 Good on you mate! Im changing tires every 1500-2000km historically. I guess it depends how often/far you ride (and quality of the rubber). I had a Tern bike with schwalbe marathon tires at one point,- it never got a puncture!. Maybe because of the kevlar? Bromptons might come with the same tires as standard(?) I hope so for the price!
Hi, Andy. So, since you found that used Tern that's been working out great for you, do you plan to keep it and then not ever have to buy another folding bike in the future? I'm asking because I've seen several of your videos wherein you ride a different folding bike. Cheers!
Don't agree. I've had Dahons and Bike Fridays. Brompton is, by far, the best. My best bike, of all, is my Optima Orca short wheel-base recumbent but then, that's not a folding bike and I can't take that on a bus, train, or plane - easily, anyway.
It looks very much like my bike, a Kespor Thunderbolt. However mine has disc brakes which I like because if the wheel is not true, it still works without the rim rubbing on the brake pad. I do like Andy's bike frame because it does not use frame chain stay bars , making chain removal easier. Andy, I wish you would do a video about how to adjust the derailleur because I don't know what I'm doing. I'd like to have an internal gear hub with a coaster brake, then I wouldn't have to worry about it. I don't like doing the maintenance, I just like riding.
Fair enough, but what if the internal gears fail? I don’t want to pay bike shops to fix that’s why I use derailleur gears. You can adjust with a Phillips screwdriver, I flip the bike upside down and run through the gears while adjusting the screws. Pretty easy and lots of vids here on yt. Some of the best bike maintenance videos are from “park tool” channel. All the best! 🚲⛺️🌴👍
To properly answer your question, the brand of the bike i show in this video is "sonar" & this video shows how i got it secondhand th-cam.com/video/qB1wQxdDy5g/w-d-xo.html
For the price of one Brompton, I purchased TWO LitePro bicycles (one for my wife and one for me) that have proven to be just as capable and nearly identical in design.
yes, if you can't afford a real Brompton, you can get a cheap chinese knock off. You have to cut your cloth to suit sometimes, when cost is important but still knowing it is not as good quality or authentic.
@@FredFox-m9v it has much less to do with can't and much more to do with won't. These aren't my only bikes so I have no reason to spend that much on an overpriced Brompton. I would rather and have put the money into other, more unique and suited to my tastes and use bikes like the Kwigglebike. So I'm quite fine with my decision. Lastly, the bikes I purchased are trifold, like Bromptons, not 1/2 folders, so overpriced golden apples, to affordable, practical, stainless steel apples.
This was just a filler video for a unimportant TH-cam channel It's a regrettable click and very regrettable watch. Life is a wheel of fish And all the choices I made are so stupid Like watching this video
That probably won’t fit within baggage allowance so check with your airline- also possible they will let you take it but insist on it being dismantled and placed in a box, such as the requirements for full size bike.
... I ve riden couple of clones of this one in the stores (Bwin and the Stadler one)... As 20", they ride better than the Brompton, might (un) fold faster (depending on the mechanics) and are not notably heavier... However the smaller size of the folded Brompton is really precious in some overcowded railway or bus... Also you can probably expect a bit more durability and longer availability of spare parts from the Brompton... Pricedifference is offcourse excessive (Euro 250 to 700 vs. Euro 1200 to 1800 for similar none-electric bikes)
Right on! Ive heard from other riders that brompton parts are expensive and difficult to obtain in certain countries. I find that the spare parts for 20” wheel bikes are incredibly easy to get and most bits are interchangeable with 20” wheel kids bikes. The price is the bottom line for me, and when something is ten times the price it should be at least 10x as good. Brompton is a clever machine that works to solve a problem in a very British way, and is styled for use in London. For the most part there is no need to re invent the bike but folding bikes can make riding a more accessible solution.
Hi, Andy. It looks like a lot of folding bike companies use the same or similar manufacturer and spec their bikes very similarly??? I think I once heard you say that this folding bike is made by the company Tern? That's an interesting story, with the son of the creator of Dahon bikes starting his own company, Tern. BTW, influenced by you and your channel, I bought myself a second-hand Dahon Mariner D7 which is in beautiful, like-new condition, but it cost me (here in Los Angeles) $350 - you may know how crazy folding bike prices have increased in recent years, eh? This bike, now spec'd with an 8-speed drive train is selling upwards near, and in some cases over, $1,000 USD. Just a few years ago, they were in the $300s, then in the $600s range. WTH? Anyway, I bought this bike for a trip I want to do within the next 1-2 years: the 633km 4 Rivers Ride in So. Korea. Others have ridden this course on folding bikes and this bike should be more than adequate to handle it. The only part that concerns me are some of the steep, long hills, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to try to switch out the front crank or chain ring with a lower-geared one. I'll be fully loaded, so top speed is irrelevant. Cheers, Andy!
Nice! The Dahon looks like a great bike. The bike I’m riding is a “sonar” I believe it’s a generic Chinese folding bike design that gets sold under different brand names. It has 6 speed gears that work pretty well. I had tern d8 it’s a good bike too with 8 speed. As far as hills try riding with the crankset you have now over hills & distance and with a load attached you will soon figure out what is comfortable for you. The rivers ride sounds like a good plan! All the best!! 🚲👍🏝
There's a mob in Singapore who market what's basically a clone Chinese made Brompton and on close inspection just as good as Brompton at a fraction of the cost of a Pommie made Brompton. Brompton's are like iPhones, they have a cult following, but are no better than a Samsung phone at a fraction of the price. There's one young Malaysian shela who was riding a 16" wheel Brompton who I was following on my no name also 2nd hand Chinese 20" wheel with a super strong frame and very reliable rough road folder. Her 16" wheel Brompton fitted just nicely into a pot hole that stopped her almost dead, as in almost real dead, going head first over the handle bars and meeting with the road face first. Lucky we have excellent low cost dentists here. Poor bugger needed a new set of front teeth along with a broken nose job and broken glasses. It was no laughing matter. My 20" wheels missed it. 16" wheels maybe good in first world riding, but bloody dangerous on Indo China's "watch where your going road" surfaces. 20" wheels offer an all around smoother, safer ride and still give a convenient compact fold.
I know a guy from the very north of Germany who has a custom made longer frame and 20 inch wheels on his brompton. He was pissed on the partwise very dangerous riding situations. These happened too much to his former 16 inch Brommi. It took very long, but meanwhile there are better foldong bikes on the market, then the Brompton and much cheaper ones.
I’m aware of the bikes you are talking about coming out of Singapore. I prefer 20” wheels for speed and altogether better ride. Cheers for watching! 🚲⛺️👍
And if in need of larger wheels, American Montague makes, originally a bike for the Army, but also in a civil version, like an ordinary Mtb. And with large wheels, but a single folder, like the one shown!
You didn’t mention flying with the 20” wheel bike. Am I right in guessing it might be over the normal airline weight or size limit, and that your travels by plane use one of your smaller wheel folding bikes?
Hi man, great content..you have a new subscriber . i have a question about the wheels size. i know this bikes they come with 20×1,75 size wheels do you think or have you being trying 20×1,95 size on this bike ? does it feet? thank you
@@isaidris2705 Cool! Im interested to see how it goes! check out some of my other vids about flying with the bike here on my channel: th-cam.com/channels/j2e4WJGenNP6botVgAo0VA.html
Dont really think so... Most airlines dont allow over 10 kgr nor the size of the Brompton hardcase in the cabin... (apart from the fact that steelparts, already in this size are not allowed in the cabin). You ll have to check it in like "normal" luggarge...
I like Brompton on how it folds and how I can move it around easily when folded, I do not like the Brompton's ride due to its 16 inches wheel size. I enjoy the ride of a 20 inches folding bike, bigger wheels make a lot of difference on road comfort and require much less effort to ride, it can even go to some places which Brompton cannot or not desirable. However, I do not like how most 20 inches folding bikes fold, it's a lot of effort to fold and it turns into a big mess which can be hard to move around. If there is a 20 inches wheel folding bike which folds like a Brompton, I'd jump on it with my credit card out of my wallet. I think there a 20 inches Brompton clone available in Asia but too bad it's not available in North America.
Great points 👍 thanks for taking time to leave a comment! I think the 20” wheel brompton clone is made by Mobot out of Singapore, I haven’t seen or rode one but there is a channel 2bikes for adventure that use it
The point of a quality bike is EFFICIENCY. If you live where I live. A heavy cheap folder is gonna kill you on the hills I have to deal with. Thats when having one of the greatest like my Tern Verge X11 pays off. Theres no hill it cant climb without killing you. Its fast as a road bike. And handles better than anyother folder. I too dont like Bromptons. They are the most overrated bike of ALLTIME. Good for getting on buses and trains. But when you have a bike like the X11. You dont need to get on anything. It eats up miles so easily you will get there quickly. Thats the whole point. And in the last 7 years its saved me over £25,000 in travel expenses. Thats what nobody talks about. When a folding bike is your ONLY transport. No buses, no trains no CAR. Paying for one of the best makes sense. If you just want a knockabout bike to commute say 4 miles to work. Or a bit of exercise. Sure buy something cheap. But when its the be all and end all of getting from A--B and taking on any part of London. The quality of a bike like the X11 is gonna come through. And save those legs from a world of hurt. When you ride over 200 miles a week......
Brompton: folds bit smaller but it is NOT an actual bike Most 20" or bigger folding bike, if it's decent quality: it IS an actual bike, with standard components, accessories etc. Some even have a 3x chainset. Yes you can tour on a Brompton, in fact you can tour on foot or hitch-hike or on a donkey too. But with a proper folding bike then you can ACTUALLY tour and do whatever you would on a big bike.
yeah i'd always chose ANY OTHER Folding bike over a Brompton because i do not feel like blowing over 1000 bucks for a bike that uses proprietary parts (especially the gear shifter and all that) and has way too small tires that barely anyone supports and also has overpriced accessories. Any other folding bike would do and the folding size difference is not really all that big anyway compared to the Bromptons.
Had one of these or at least a different branded version of it (in steel) and to be honest while it rode great it was awful to fold, weighed a ton and taking it on public transport was a faff. I was living in London at the time and it just became a pain in the arse. Ended up replacing it with a Brompton which rides about 95% as good but folds 200% better plus was significantly lighter. Shame really because there was a lot I liked about it but the Brompton won out in the end. Just more convenient for the big city. Plus I rode all over the Yorkshire dales on my Brompton without trouble.
You got that right, steel weighs a ton & harder to handle and lift than alu. Brompton is made for London, I believe it’s a good substitute for a car if you live in a big city, with a price tag to match!
That is bcos Brompton ur Buying a piece of art n Human engineering. While convenntioal bike, just a steel frame with 2 wheels on it. So.... Country with lesson $$$ wont even talk about Arts.
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You got it! 👍 yt algorithm prefers this kind of thing. Check out some of my other vids for more in depth 🚲😂
I thought you were exaggerating... No brand name, no model, no price. No way I'm watching the next one. XD
I own the brompton simply because it folds down much smaller and no disassembly is required when loading up a plane. Regarding the discomfort on bumpy terrain due to smaller wheels, I just got used to it and the maneuverability is a big plus. I don't own a car and commute only by train, bus and bicycle. So it is worth paying more for a single bike that folds compact and is also reliable. There are also many third party manufacturers for affordable parts.
One major flaw is the weight of the steel version and I had to replace the default wheelset to one that rolls much better when folded. I try to ignore the hype and would rather focus on the practical aspects of a folding bike. Unfortunately the hype around the brand is part of the reason why Bromptons are so expensive. Also means I have to be a lot more conscientious when I have absolutely no choice but to lock the bike up.
Yeah lots of ppl won’t even lock a brompton outside. I need a bike that I can use without worry of it getting stolen, scratched etc. i see the appeal for Londoner’s- take it on the tube, bus, also when there’s no reason to own a car you can buy a more expensive bike! This is something the brand has capitalised on and has cornered the market. Actually like the idea behind brompton , it’s just not practical for me!
As a Dane I bought a by then Top Brompton in 2019 for the vacation money saved. Its main purpose is transport, as it is a lousy bike during use on the small wheels, but it folds to a considerably smaller size than any ½ folder! Finn. Denmark
I have a Brompton and also 20", no doubt the 20" is more fun to ride , but Brompton is a easier one to fold and carry, so the whole point of having a folding bike is how easy they are to be carried around and fold,
The design is good, in fact it’s engineering masterpiece! Brompton is perfect for carrying on the London Underground and all those steps - mind the gap!
What bike is it dhead
Brilliant !!!
Love how this guy does so much with so little
Cheers mate!!
I'm sorry, I'm team Brompton all the way! I have two bikes (both from REI) City bike, and Brompton C-line. The Brompton is just more fun, and easier to travel with. I upgraded the rack for rolling ease, so when I pull up to restaurant, gym or grocery store, quick fold and push ability is tops. It's easy to travel on plane, and my truck. I'm paying for the convenience and it's a great conversation piece, and a good quality bike.❤❤❤❤
I see what you did by splitting the video, this approach does not work anymore and most people do not like it.
The fuck are you talking about
Great! I'm looking for a similar model, although I rode a road bike, gravel bike, MTB... I had folding bikes when I was a child. Good memories.
2:00 That's not small enough when you have to fit it in a peak hour train.
It's also too big for hand luggage on a plane.
I have many bikes, including in that a Brompton and a Dahon folding bike. To be honest, if you buy a folding bike, you buy it to fold more than anything else and put up with the fact it does not ride as well as a large wheel bike. In that metric, there is nothing better than a Brompton for that, particularly when using it in the likes of a campervan scenario or similar or short commutes to shops, work etc.. I used to commute 17 miles each way, 5 days a week for 25 years. On long distance commutes any folding bike is inferior in speed and rideability to a large wheel carbon or other racing bike and i would not dream of opting for any folding bike for that use case. It is horses for courses and for folding, the Brompton is by far the best.
I have a similar commute been doing it for 4 months on a decathlon folding bike . I’m slow compared to most road bike users . Plus I’m not sure the bike fits well I have some knee pain
@salahaddin2009 your seat height is the most important measurement for efficiency and knee health. Sit on the saddle, against a wall to hold the bike up. Then with trial and error raise or lower the saddle height, so that your heels are on the pedals on both sides. Then once the saddle height is set, ride with the balls of your feet over the pedal axles. That gives you the exact amount of bend in your knees to ride comfortably and with maximum efficiently. I am 65 years old, always set my saddle height in this manner and have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles, commuting, training and racing, with no knee problems ever.
I have also won open club time trials with this height setting also. One of the biggest reasons for slower speed compared to a racing bike, is that you are riding more erect and thus offer more wind resistance than on a racing bike. Pushing air aside takes up to 80% of the power you exert to move the bicycle forward and thus aerodynamics is the biggest factor in riding fast for a given power input.
I too once owned a Brompton but never bought into the hype and lifestyle. Although it's pretty good for short jaunts, anything over 5 miles will expose its weaknesses esp. on hilly terrain. I still enjoy my 20" Tern Link and BYB and might take a look at Bike Friday one of these days. My Tern Link did extremely well on the Camino Pilgrimage journey which took me through cobblestones and hilly mountain bike trails! One thing to be said about the Brompton is that it holds its value when reselling.
Ah yes the old cobblestones of Europe! As far as brompton for an investment, I’m not sure it’s for me either, it’s in the same category as a collectable car or rifle, you would have to find a willing buyer!
I do prefer riding my old Tern D8 to the Brompton 6 speed which I’m selling. Impressive to do all that on your Tern Link. Was that a Tern Link D8 with its standard gearing or did you have it lowered?
@@meera6024 Im using a sonar chinese made folding bike for my last tour. I has normal range 6 spd gearing, it cost me $20NZD more about my bike here: th-cam.com/video/i02ogbpGlyw/w-d-xo.html
@@meera6024lol come on tern d8 looks better than that
which tern do you have?
I bought a used, very tidy Dahon Visc 18 speed off an elderly guy, with all the price tag (£720 in 2014) docs, a Specialized Hat ( new £80 only needed a quick liner wash), and a cheap lock for £200. I know I got a bargain. I just gave the gears and chain a clean, and adjusted the derailleur…❤
You got that bike for a steal. I just scored on a used Citizen Miami. 50.00 USD. However, I'm going to completely restore it. Bead blast and powder coat, I love how you did your bike. I think your's is a Citizen. Your video is why I went in this direction.
Awesome mate!
I like 20 inch wheels for hilly terrain. Smaller wheels would be uncomfortable.
Roll smoother, faster & enjoy the ride more!
Can you use it as a shopping cart/trolly?
Good question! I’ll be providing detailed answer to this and other viewer questions and more in my next livestream in the HOBO CLUB, you can get access to loads of other good info & videos for members only. Consider joining to get the best value information, access to answers, tips and tricks for your adventure! Https://www.youtube.com/@hobocyclist/join LIVE Q&A 17/5/24 1900 GMT (check your local timezone)
What is the model?
Thanks a lot for explaining everything very well about this bike. What is the price of a new one, and what is the name of it?
What is the name of the model?
The only tricky thing about buying a used folding bicycle is that you have to carefully inspect the folding mechanism for any kind of wear and tear. But that means you have to physically inspect it, so blindly buying over the internet is not an option.
I buy online sight unseen many times th-cam.com/video/UKrSvVbjf0A/w-d-xo.html
I have tested a lot of bikes : my number one : Montague folding bike 26 inch , very solid like a mountainbike, i bought it for 100 euro secondhand. B twin ( decathlon, 20 inch & 6 speed, also bought it secondhands was a good one , because the frame is made of steel & there is a lifetime guarantee on the frame ) , Dahon black jack 26 inch was a good one too. for instance : i don't like foldingbikes that you can buy on amazone, the quality is not good enough, I prefer Dahon, Montague Trooper, even Btwin folding bike but you can't buy them anymore in stores
i give you the next link : it was a great bike with 9 speed, only the frame was so fragile that i broke it after 13 months. I was surprised that i got my money back because by the store where i bought it i always use to speed up to 24 kilometers in an hour. Nowadays you can't find it because the construction happens in Taiwan. th-cam.com/video/xN8JXVj9i8M/w-d-xo.html
I have a tern, not a brompton, but it's still a brand name, and I discovered to my dismay that it had non standard wheels, which became a problem when I needed to replace a rim recently. It had an unusual number of spokes and gears, and slightly narrower rim. I was having a lot of trouble sourcing a correctly replacement wheel. But luckily, the wheel from a old kids bike at the dump shop fit, with good condition rims, 6 speed instead of 7 but it's fine. so fixed it for $10. If the bike doesn't use standard easily accessable parts, it's gonna have some surprise costs!
Interesting I didn’t know the wheels were that different but have encountered this before with other 20” bikes axel size were slightly different when fitting to frame. Have found that some kids bike wheels from dump shop fit better than others since I routinely replace them if they get too buckled. Yeah 10 bucks for a kids 20”bike you can gets loads of parts
Hey great video! I am just curios and looking at bikes because my college has limited parking. I could het a folding bike and park further away and bike over to school. Although it probably would not hurt me to just walk lol. I did want to leave you with some constructive criticism. I think your video editing software (or maybe TH-cam or your camera) is compressing your videos too much and making them blurry. If you can, export your videos with a higher bitrate (like ballpark 5,000Kbps if you are wanting to do 1080p 60fps). This will increase the file size of your video but make it look a lot clearer. I know that TH-cam tends to compress videos a lot, but I don't think what I am seeing is TH-cam's fault.
Thanks mate! I didn’t know about this compression issue, but I had my suspicions. The issue is probably because all my vids are filmed and edited on a second hand phone.. it would be great to have a better camera/ editing set up 😂📱🏝🚲👍
What are your thoughts on something like a folding 26" mountain bike for similar uses (multimodal commuting, bikepacking, etc)? I enjoy the practicality of folding bikes but I'm rather tall and live in an area with poorly-maintained roads, but I want to be able to do things that 16-20" foldies can do. Great videos btw
Cheers mate! 👍 I’ve never tried 26” folding bike. Why not just use a normal bike with 26” wheels? It will be fast & easy to get hold of parts etc. i use 20” folding bike because i can fly with it easy. It’s a good compromise, but if I don’t need folding abilities I will use a cheap 26” wheel mtn bike like in this vid th-cam.com/video/2AmjW5YLjQM/w-d-xo.html
@@hobocyclist Thank you for the response! I mostly want to be able to do things like bringing it onto the bus, taking it inside an Uber, or putting it on the bottom rack of my grocery cart if I can't/don't want to lock it up, and the infrastructure around here is mostly trail-based. There are also people in my area selling both used 20" and 26" folding bikes. I'm just concerned a 26" will be too large for those things even while folded lol. Could be an interesting vid topic to compare and contrast wheel sizes if you ever get your hands on a cheap 26" folding bike
@@alfred8936 I use 20" bikes for that reason
@@alfred8936 I've got two 26" mountain bike folding bikes and put some slim tires on it to use it for large distances. I expected that it would cost me less energy since a large wheel always has lesser rolling resistance. However, these mountain (folding) bikes also have suspension on the frontwheel and in the frame. And any suspension on your bike will cost you extra energy. Suspension bikes are therefor very less efficient if you use them not on terrain but for just riding on the road. I therefor give you a negative advice on any suspension type of folding bike which folding mountain bikes of any size are.
Besides that, if you are big, large or do weigh more than average a 20 inch folding bike can still fulfill your needs as long as it has a long seatpost and it has a strong rear wheel with 36 13G spokes in it. I made a stronger wheel for myself with 18 12G spokes and 18 13G spokes and this wheel will not fail on me and neither on you.
But avoid suspension frames of front forks.
hi, i might buy a folding bike today- do you think this style can be used for slightly uneven roads longer distance in the long term? many thanks
Yes sure, I have cycled 1000s of km on my folding bike! Check out the zizzo forte it’s one of the strongest on the market, compare some bikes here hobocyclist.com/best-bikes Watch some of my tour videos to see what kind of terrain I’m riding on TH-cam.com/@hobocyclist All the best!
I’ve used a very expensive Airnimal Joey 24spd folding bike with 24” wheels for long trips on canal paths and tracks and lanes and now a Montague Boston folder with 3spd hub gears and 28” wheels (slim tyres).
The bigger wheels are much, much easier and quicker over uneven ground, soft or gravel trails, even with only 3 gears. Even on the road it’s noticeably quicker and easier.
I was actually thinking of getting a Brompton but it was a bit expensive so this is perfect 🤩
You’re welcome!
The complexity of changing a flat on the rear of a Brompton and non standard parts put me off buying a brompton as clever as the design is! I bought a Dahon Mariner D8 instead. And still has a front luggage truss mount too.
Nice bike choice 👍
I've been riding Bromptons since 2012-never had to change a tire on it. So, if I have to, it'll be once in more than a decade-that won't dissuade me from getting one.
@@stephenschuit7880 Good on you mate! Im changing tires every 1500-2000km historically. I guess it depends how often/far you ride (and quality of the rubber). I had a Tern bike with schwalbe marathon tires at one point,- it never got a puncture!. Maybe because of the kevlar? Bromptons might come with the same tires as standard(?) I hope so for the price!
Hi, Andy. So, since you found that used Tern that's been working out great for you, do you plan to keep it and then not ever have to buy another folding bike in the future? I'm asking because I've seen several of your videos wherein you ride a different folding bike. Cheers!
Don't agree. I've had Dahons and Bike Fridays. Brompton is, by far, the best. My best bike, of all, is my Optima Orca short wheel-base recumbent but then, that's not a folding bike and I can't take that on a bus, train, or plane - easily, anyway.
its actually sold over here, uk, as the raleigh evo 2, with stirrmy archer sram hub or shimano 7 speed derailer and also electric.
So WHAT BRAND is it ? B TWIN ? Basic info please .
Mate what is you maintenance on a steel frame to avoid rust?
Crc, wire brush 👍
Good one Andy.
It looks very much like my bike, a Kespor Thunderbolt. However mine has disc brakes which I like because if the wheel is not true, it still works without the rim rubbing on the brake pad. I do like Andy's bike frame because it does not use frame chain stay bars , making chain removal easier. Andy, I wish you would do a video about how to adjust the derailleur because I don't know what I'm doing. I'd like to have an internal gear hub with a coaster brake, then I wouldn't have to worry about it. I don't like doing the maintenance, I just like riding.
Fair enough, but what if the internal gears fail? I don’t want to pay bike shops to fix that’s why I use derailleur gears. You can adjust with a Phillips screwdriver, I flip the bike upside down and run through the gears while adjusting the screws. Pretty easy and lots of vids here on yt. Some of the best bike maintenance videos are from “park tool” channel. All the best! 🚲⛺️🌴👍
I need one of these in my life M8 !
Online bargains are out there! Cheers 🍻 🚲⛺️👍
What's the distance between two wheels compared to Brompton. Looks like Brompton wheelbase is greater than this bicycle
What is the brand and the model? I watched the whole video and didn't catch that :D
Second hand 20” wheel bikes mate, you will find something from online auctions like I did th-cam.com/video/UKrSvVbjf0A/w-d-xo.html
@@hobocyclist thanks mate! Been looking for some used Dahons lately, but the price... ;)
To properly answer your question, the brand of the bike i show in this video is "sonar" & this video shows how i got it secondhand th-cam.com/video/qB1wQxdDy5g/w-d-xo.html
@@hobocyclist thanks a lot!
Brompton is the best folding bike, but I don't like the fact they it is over priced and I has a cult following.
For the price of one Brompton, I purchased TWO LitePro bicycles (one for my wife and one for me) that have proven to be just as capable and nearly identical in design.
Great going! You will enjoy riding those bikes for many years!!
yes, if you can't afford a real Brompton, you can get a cheap chinese knock off. You have to cut your cloth to suit sometimes, when cost is important but still knowing it is not as good quality or authentic.
@@FredFox-m9v it has much less to do with can't and much more to do with won't. These aren't my only bikes so I have no reason to spend that much on an overpriced Brompton. I would rather and have put the money into other, more unique and suited to my tastes and use bikes like the Kwigglebike. So I'm quite fine with my decision. Lastly, the bikes I purchased are trifold, like Bromptons, not 1/2 folders, so overpriced golden apples, to affordable, practical, stainless steel apples.
Did I miss it? Was it a 2nd hand Brompton or another brand?
No you didn't miss it, waste of time watching this, as if we don't know second hand is cheaper than new.
This was just a filler video for a unimportant TH-cam channel
It's a regrettable click and very regrettable watch.
Life is a wheel of fish
And all the choices I made are so stupid
Like watching this video
I tried looking this bike up. What is it again and is it still being made?
Does it fit in a suitcase
If I get a folding bike with 24 inch wheels would that be ok air travel without any extra fees ?
That probably won’t fit within baggage allowance so check with your airline- also possible they will let you take it but insist on it being dismantled and placed in a box, such as the requirements for full size bike.
What brand and where can I buy it?
Hey Tony, the bike i got was secondhand, "sonar" brand if you can find one try ebay, craigslist or this is the one i recommend amzn.to/3OpihV6
@@hobocyclist tyvm. I’ll look for it used bc it’s out of my price range. 🙏
@@tonygabagool check out some of my other vids i get bikes secondhand, from junkyard etc. All the best!
How many folding bicycles do you have
1
Thanks. I appreciate your video. I’m going to buy one.❤
Really? And what "one" are you going to buy? I would love to know what he was riding, but I'm not going to search it out in his other videos.
... I ve riden couple of clones of this one in the stores (Bwin and the Stadler one)... As 20", they ride better than the Brompton, might (un) fold faster (depending on the mechanics) and are not notably heavier... However the smaller size of the folded Brompton is really precious in some overcowded railway or bus... Also you can probably expect a bit more durability and longer availability of spare parts from the Brompton... Pricedifference is offcourse excessive (Euro 250 to 700 vs. Euro 1200 to 1800 for similar none-electric bikes)
Right on! Ive heard from other riders that brompton parts are expensive and difficult to obtain in certain countries. I find that the spare parts for 20” wheel bikes are incredibly easy to get and most bits are interchangeable with 20” wheel kids bikes. The price is the bottom line for me, and when something is ten times the price it should be at least 10x as good. Brompton is a clever machine that works to solve a problem in a very British way, and is styled for use in London. For the most part there is no need to re invent the bike but folding bikes can make riding a more accessible solution.
Hi, Andy. It looks like a lot of folding bike companies use the same or similar manufacturer and spec their bikes very similarly??? I think I once heard you say that this folding bike is made by the company Tern? That's an interesting story, with the son of the creator of Dahon bikes starting his own company, Tern. BTW, influenced by you and your channel, I bought myself a second-hand Dahon Mariner D7 which is in beautiful, like-new condition, but it cost me (here in Los Angeles) $350 - you may know how crazy folding bike prices have increased in recent years, eh? This bike, now spec'd with an 8-speed drive train is selling upwards near, and in some cases over, $1,000 USD. Just a few years ago, they were in the $300s, then in the $600s range. WTH?
Anyway, I bought this bike for a trip I want to do within the next 1-2 years: the 633km 4 Rivers Ride in So. Korea. Others have ridden this course on folding bikes and this bike should be more than adequate to handle it. The only part that concerns me are some of the steep, long hills, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to try to switch out the front crank or chain ring with a lower-geared one. I'll be fully loaded, so top speed is irrelevant.
Cheers, Andy!
Nice! The Dahon looks like a great bike. The bike I’m riding is a “sonar” I believe it’s a generic Chinese folding bike design that gets sold under different brand names. It has 6 speed gears that work pretty well. I had tern d8 it’s a good bike too with 8 speed. As far as hills try riding with the crankset you have now over hills & distance and with a load attached you will soon figure out what is comfortable for you. The rivers ride sounds like a good plan! All the best!! 🚲👍🏝
@@hobocyclist Thanks for your suggestions, Andy. 🤜🤛
There's a mob in Singapore who market what's basically a clone Chinese made Brompton and on close inspection just as good as Brompton at a fraction of the cost of a Pommie made Brompton. Brompton's are like iPhones, they have a cult following, but are no better than a Samsung phone at a fraction of the price. There's one young Malaysian shela who was riding a 16" wheel Brompton who I was following on my no name also 2nd hand Chinese 20" wheel with a super strong frame and very reliable rough road folder. Her 16" wheel Brompton fitted just nicely into a pot hole that stopped her almost dead, as in almost real dead, going head first over the handle bars and meeting with the road face first. Lucky we have excellent low cost dentists here. Poor bugger needed a new set of front teeth along with a broken nose job and broken glasses. It was no laughing matter. My 20" wheels missed it. 16" wheels maybe good in first world riding, but bloody dangerous on Indo China's "watch where your going road" surfaces. 20" wheels offer an all around smoother, safer ride and still give a convenient compact fold.
I know a guy from the very north of Germany who has a custom made longer frame and 20 inch wheels on his brompton. He was pissed on the partwise very dangerous riding situations. These happened too much to his former 16 inch Brommi. It took very long, but meanwhile there are better foldong bikes on the market, then the Brompton and much cheaper ones.
I’m aware of the bikes you are talking about coming out of Singapore. I prefer 20” wheels for speed and altogether better ride. Cheers for watching! 🚲⛺️👍
Is it called 3sixty?
Errrr you didn't even say the name if the bike? LOL
Fold light one second by decathlon
Not at all, as it is only a ½ folder, and not at all like a Brompton!
And if in need of larger wheels, American Montague makes, originally a bike for the Army, but also in a civil version, like an ordinary Mtb. And with large wheels, but a single folder, like the one shown!
You didn’t mention flying with the 20” wheel bike. Am I right in guessing it might be over the normal airline weight or size limit, and that your travels by plane use one of your smaller wheel folding bikes?
yes I fly internationally with 20” wheels here is the video! th-cam.com/video/qiyHYxC5as8/w-d-xo.html
Is the rear rack strong enough for a child you reckon?
Hi man, great content..you have a new subscriber .
i have a question about the wheels size.
i know this bikes they come with 20×1,75 size wheels do you think or have you being trying 20×1,95 size on this bike ? does it feet? thank you
Yeah you can that’s fine. I run 20x1.95 btwinn trekking from decathlon about 10€ each last I bought them 2 years ago in France. All the best
Is this tern ?
Similar style, the brand is "sonar"
I'm planning to get a Brompton only because they can fit in cabins
You mean onboard an aircraft? I think brompton is very a expensive solution
@@hobocyclist yea a aircraft.
@@isaidris2705 Cool! Im interested to see how it goes! check out some of my other vids about flying with the bike here on my channel: th-cam.com/channels/j2e4WJGenNP6botVgAo0VA.html
Dont really think so... Most airlines dont allow over 10 kgr nor the size of the Brompton hardcase in the cabin... (apart from the fact that steelparts, already in this size are not allowed in the cabin). You ll have to check it in like "normal" luggarge...
@@rdnax92 i suspected this. airlines wont let youtake any steel bits & pieces in the cabin, I have had bike tools confiscated before while flying
I like Brompton on how it folds and how I can move it around easily when folded, I do not like the Brompton's ride due to its 16 inches wheel size. I enjoy the ride of a 20 inches folding bike, bigger wheels make a lot of difference on road comfort and require much less effort to ride, it can even go to some places which Brompton cannot or not desirable. However, I do not like how most 20 inches folding bikes fold, it's a lot of effort to fold and it turns into a big mess which can be hard to move around. If there is a 20 inches wheel folding bike which folds like a Brompton, I'd jump on it with my credit card out of my wallet.
I think there a 20 inches Brompton clone available in Asia but too bad it's not available in North America.
Great points 👍 thanks for taking time to leave a comment! I think the 20” wheel brompton clone is made by Mobot out of Singapore, I haven’t seen or rode one but there is a channel 2bikes for adventure that use it
Looks like my knockoff folder I bought new for $ 139 about 8 years ago that I am going to turn into an ebike
The point of a quality bike is EFFICIENCY. If you live where I live. A heavy cheap folder is gonna kill you on the hills I have to deal with. Thats when having one of the greatest like my Tern Verge X11 pays off. Theres no hill it cant climb without killing you. Its fast as a road bike. And handles better than anyother folder. I too dont like Bromptons. They are the most overrated bike of ALLTIME. Good for getting on buses and trains. But when you have a bike like the X11. You dont need to get on anything. It eats up miles so easily you will get there quickly. Thats the whole point. And in the last 7 years its saved me over £25,000 in travel expenses. Thats what nobody talks about. When a folding bike is your ONLY transport. No buses, no trains no CAR. Paying for one of the best makes sense.
If you just want a knockabout bike to commute say 4 miles to work. Or a bit of exercise. Sure buy something cheap. But when its the be all and end all of getting from A--B and taking on any part of London. The quality of a bike like the X11 is gonna come through. And save those legs from a world of hurt. When you ride over 200 miles a week......
You don’t say what kind of bike it is
What bike is this? The basic question is not answered in this video!
I would never pay the price for a Brompton, I'm buying a second hand 20 in for me and the wife, I honestly don't need any more 😊.
Yup! You got it 👍
each time he folds the bike there is a cut.
Spare you money and get a brompton if you want a viable folding bike.
I ride this all over the world if you can see, it’s…viable 😂👍⛺️🚲🌴
If you want to know what my comment is… Check out an entirely seperate video somewhere to find out ! 😂 Thanks for reading…
This folds way less than a Brompton. 😂
Brompton: folds bit smaller but it is NOT an actual bike
Most 20" or bigger folding bike, if it's decent quality: it IS an actual bike, with standard components, accessories etc. Some even have a 3x chainset.
Yes you can tour on a Brompton, in fact you can tour on foot or hitch-hike or on a donkey too.
But with a proper folding bike then you can ACTUALLY tour and do whatever you would on a big bike.
yeah i'd always chose ANY OTHER Folding bike over a Brompton because i do not feel like blowing over 1000 bucks for a bike that uses proprietary parts (especially the gear shifter and all that) and has way too small tires that barely anyone supports and also has overpriced accessories. Any other folding bike would do and the folding size difference is not really all that big anyway compared to the Bromptons.
Had one of these or at least a different branded version of it (in steel) and to be honest while it rode great it was awful to fold, weighed a ton and taking it on public transport was a faff.
I was living in London at the time and it just became a pain in the arse. Ended up replacing it with a Brompton which rides about 95% as good but folds 200% better plus was significantly lighter.
Shame really because there was a lot I liked about it but the Brompton won out in the end. Just more convenient for the big city. Plus I rode all over the Yorkshire dales on my Brompton without trouble.
You got that right, steel weighs a ton & harder to handle and lift than alu. Brompton is made for London, I believe it’s a good substitute for a car if you live in a big city, with a price tag to match!
I’m sorry but this is clearly not as good as a brompton no matter the price difference
Dont be sorry, I’m just having fun! 😂 it only cost me 20$ so happiness needn’t come at a high price. All the best!
That is bcos Brompton ur Buying a piece of art n Human engineering. While convenntioal bike, just a steel frame with 2 wheels on it. So.... Country with lesson $$$ wont even talk about Arts.
Bad Andy will not be checking your next video or subscribing. Should have given the bike price on here, Byee
bad day huh
@@hobocyclist not selling
Bromptons are overrated and overpriced. My Dahon Helios SL blows it away. Much faster and lighter. And less expensive.
Sounds like a teaser for paid content
More like 250 free vids on the channel so what you want
❤❤❤
not watchingsecond video - don't like what you did there
Thanks for watching the video & commenting mate have a good journey 👍
ffs just tell us the damn price, waste of time 👎👎
Waste of time. What brand momo?