Brompton's patent is up, that's why the copies are so rampant, so now, it will no longer be a Brompton only design, it will become a category. Plus, the market is now allowed to innovate on the base design and also bring the price down with more competition. Exciting times for consumers.
I really appreciate the public service you have provided by reviewing new bikes like the Mobot trifold. I have gone through your findings several times as research into my own purchase of a folding bike. In fact, I just returned from a shopping trip to Singapore during which I spent 3 days test riding a number of Mobot and Brompton folding bikes. Let me offer my opinions: As you have noted, the two bikes are remarkably similar. But I found the Royale 9-speed (GT M9) had a bit of a flimsy feel. The shifters and breaks in particular did not feel like they would survive much wear and tear. The Brompton 6 speed had a much more solid ride and components. The Royale 10-speed (EX M10) felt much sturdier, with Shimano parts. I also preferred the shifting system (no internal hub) and the broader range of gear ratios. The Royale 10 speed with upgraded components was also forty percent less expensive than the Bromption 9 speed, which is a huge issue given the high cost of the Brompton. As noted by others, the Mobot folding mechanism tends to come undone to the point where I bought a strap to hold it together on buses and trains. Like the Brompton, the seat post is not long enough for my 183 cm, but fortunately the Brompton telescopic seat post extender will fit the Mobot (but it will set you back another S$150). I would have had to buy that for the Brompton regardless. Further thoughts after having spent a month riding my Mobot Royale EX M10: The bike rides well-solid and smooth. I added a handlebar bridge for a phone mount and upgraded the Schwalbe tires from slicks to a touring tire. Although unlike the Brompton, Mobot does not come with toolkit, Mobot sells one that fits into the frame of the bike. I do not like the pedals, however, which are much smaller than standard pedals (I have UK size 10 feet, which are not particularly large). The rear rack, which is standard unlike the Brompton) comes with telescoping wheels for stability. Fantastic. But due to the strange triangular shape it cannot accommodate the VincIta Nash Bag (which has a wonderful mechanism to quickly attach the bag).
Too bad Brompton lost the patent and with today consumer market we do have choice, I tried both Brompton and others like 3sixty and Royale in my opinion no different just with any of this bicycle little upgrade on certain parts will bring to better feeling and nice fun ride
You can't. The Brompton still have patent protection the UK and EU (and probably the US). If you want to buy a £800 fake bike that will be worth £100 on the second-hand market, go ahead. Oh, and make sure you have decent dental insturance for when the frame fails after 2 months (and good luck trying to sue the manufacturer/importer).
@@horsenuts1831 very dramatic…. nothing of the sort is likely to happen with any bike… and re: patents… “ expired European patent in this case - EP0026800 filed on 3 October 1979, granted on 30 May 1984 and expiring on 2 October 1999” “At present, Section 51 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act says that "It is not an infringement of any copyright in a design document or model recording or embodying a design for anything other than an artistic work or a typeface to make an article to the design or to copy an article made to the design." So, in the UK, it is safe to copy a design after design rights have expired, provided the design is not elevated to the status of being an “artistic work” (a sculpture or work of artistic craftsmanship)”
Hello BikeFolded, did you buy this bike in Japan or online? I am trying to find a Brompton clone in Tokyo but I've been having a very hard time. Do you know of any shops? Also thank you so much for sharing this video. Kind regards, Mich
Nice 1.reviee but No Word and Details Show about the gear mechnism, brake and tire manufactures(+tire pressure) ,weight and length.Will there be a long time review ?
everyone dissing this bike...it's so funny. bike people are very status driven, and will justify paying thousands of dollars for a bike, because of some b.s. quality argument but it's really just elitism. almost all bike designs are knockoffs of other bikes designs. almost every folding bike is based on the dahon fold. the bottomline is if you can afford it and it meets your needs (whatever they are), it's a good bike for you. period.
I rode a 3sixty, and while it probably won't be as durable as a Brompton, I found even a 60-80km day was fine, and the 3sixty seems significantly lighter to carry.
No it's not elitism the first foldable bike was the Bickerton then Brompton came on the scene and it's evolved over the years in to what it is today Brompton have invested millions in to R+D the bikes are made in London and are brazed not welded ,you will find most people will buy the real deal than a copy
Bunch of bull crap unsupported by any evidence, but hey everyone can be wrong sometimes. Some people are just wrong more often... If every folding bike is a Dahon copy, why Dahon doesn't protect its intellectual rights in courts?
The price difference between a B. and this bike is not that important. I prefer to add the extra bucks to get the Brompton warranty. Sometimes they replace some broken parts for free. The frame have a 7 years warranty. I think that 1000$ it's too expensive for a copy
I would like to be a fly on the wall when the thief realises that he has got a cheap knock-off..... Then again, maybe there would be a market for Camp Royale stickers to fix to proper Brompton in order to make them less of a theft target.
@@orangemoonglows2692 do you mean they have two wheels guess you never heard the Brompton story so it's ok t o spend loads on R and D then someone just copy it the Brompton is expensive for a lot of reasons made in the UK London to be exact and the frames are brazed not welded if you can't afford a Brompton save up or buy secondhand like buying a fake Rolex so maybe you need to get real
I wouldn’t support a company that has blatantly copied a Brompton bike - so much for Brompton patents! It’s easy to keep cost down when the design is stolen.
It's the reviewer who doesn't know that first thing to do is to raise the seat post to unlock the rear triangle onto which front part latches. Once you master the technique one can fold and unfold those bikes in few seconds. I could do it on my Brompton in 15 to 10 seconds.
I think it’s shameful that a Singaporean company like Mobot should copy brompton. If this is the case Mobot should also copy Dyson and make some vacuum as well.
the Brompton patents expired more than 20 years ago, but it has been using whatever trickery it can to prevent competition. I personally hope some company will take a similar design to the Brompton, but improve upon it.
Brompton's patent is up, that's why the copies are so rampant, so now, it will no longer be a Brompton only design, it will become a category. Plus, the market is now allowed to innovate on the base design and also bring the price down with more competition. Exciting times for consumers.
Yup. I saw Brompton came up with A series, their cheaper version. for a couple hundreds more, I will go with Brompton I think
Good point
I really appreciate the public service you have provided by reviewing new bikes like the Mobot trifold. I have gone through your findings several times as research into my own purchase of a folding bike. In fact, I just returned from a shopping trip to Singapore during which I spent 3 days test riding a number of Mobot and Brompton folding bikes.
Let me offer my opinions: As you have noted, the two bikes are remarkably similar. But I found the Royale 9-speed (GT M9) had a bit of a flimsy feel. The shifters and breaks in particular did not feel like they would survive much wear and tear. The Brompton 6 speed had a much more solid ride and components. The Royale 10-speed (EX M10) felt much sturdier, with Shimano parts. I also preferred the shifting system (no internal hub) and the broader range of gear ratios. The Royale 10 speed with upgraded components was also forty percent less expensive than the Bromption 9 speed, which is a huge issue given the high cost of the Brompton. As noted by others, the Mobot folding mechanism tends to come undone to the point where I bought a strap to hold it together on buses and trains. Like the Brompton, the seat post is not long enough for my 183 cm, but fortunately the Brompton telescopic seat post extender will fit the Mobot (but it will set you back another S$150). I would have had to buy that for the Brompton regardless.
Further thoughts after having spent a month riding my Mobot Royale EX M10: The bike rides well-solid and smooth. I added a handlebar bridge for a phone mount and upgraded the Schwalbe tires from slicks to a touring tire. Although unlike the Brompton, Mobot does not come with toolkit, Mobot sells one that fits into the frame of the bike. I do not like the pedals, however, which are much smaller than standard pedals (I have UK size 10 feet, which are not particularly large). The rear rack, which is standard unlike the Brompton) comes with telescoping wheels for stability. Fantastic. But due to the strange triangular shape it cannot accommodate the VincIta Nash Bag (which has a wonderful mechanism to quickly attach the bag).
People call bikes like this as cheap knockoffs. I view it more as Bromptons are way overpriced, and the people complaining are label snobs.
Too bad Brompton lost the patent and with today consumer market we do have choice, I tried both Brompton and others like 3sixty and Royale in my opinion no different just with any of this bicycle little upgrade on certain parts will bring to better feeling and nice fun ride
Brompton uses Sturmey archer BWR. Don't need to upgrade any parts till it wears out. Some folding bikes are more expensive than Brompton.
Where the hell do you buy these bikes if you live in the UK? Brompton are yust ripping people off now with there OTT prices?
You can't. The Brompton still have patent protection the UK and EU (and probably the US). If you want to buy a £800 fake bike that will be worth £100 on the second-hand market, go ahead. Oh, and make sure you have decent dental insturance for when the frame fails after 2 months (and good luck trying to sue the manufacturer/importer).
and they raised the price recently!
bromptons are 2400 USD where I live..
@@horsenuts1831 very dramatic…. nothing of the sort is likely to happen with any bike…
and re: patents… “ expired European patent in this case - EP0026800 filed on 3 October 1979, granted on 30 May 1984 and expiring on 2 October 1999”
“At present, Section 51 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act says that "It is not an infringement of any copyright in a design document or model recording or embodying a design for anything other than an artistic work or a typeface to make an article to the design or to copy an article made to the design." So, in the UK, it is safe to copy a design after design rights have expired, provided the design is not elevated to the status of being an “artistic work” (a sculpture or work of artistic craftsmanship)”
@@PRH123 Nonsense.
@@horsenuts1831 Google it
Hello BikeFolded, did you buy this bike in Japan or online? I am trying to find a Brompton clone in Tokyo but I've been having a very hard time. Do you know of any shops? Also thank you so much for sharing this video. Kind regards, Mich
Looks somewhat similar to Brompton but I see differences. Thank you for showing. I never seen clones before. Good video.
we have many Brompton clones in asia
@@cheebengkoh8208 that's true 😂
"cons: folding is not smooth enough"
Yeah, because you have NO IDEA how to fold it! You're doing it completely wrong! 🤣
Nice 1.reviee but No Word and Details Show about the gear mechnism, brake and tire manufactures(+tire pressure) ,weight and length.Will there be a long time review ?
everyone dissing this bike...it's so funny. bike people are very status driven, and will justify paying thousands of dollars for a bike, because of some b.s. quality argument but it's really just elitism. almost all bike designs are knockoffs of other bikes designs. almost every folding bike is based on the dahon fold. the bottomline is if you can afford it and it meets your needs (whatever they are), it's a good bike for you. period.
I rode a 3sixty, and while it probably won't be as durable as a Brompton, I found even a 60-80km day was fine, and the 3sixty seems significantly lighter to carry.
No it's not elitism the first foldable bike was the Bickerton then Brompton came on the scene and it's evolved over the years in to what it is today Brompton have invested millions in to R+D the bikes are made in London and are brazed not welded ,you will find most people will buy the real deal than a copy
Bunch of bull crap unsupported by any evidence, but hey everyone can be wrong sometimes. Some people are just wrong more often...
If every folding bike is a Dahon copy, why Dahon doesn't protect its intellectual rights in courts?
bollocks…. performance for a specific need and use is the driver….
Folding bikes had been around for 100 years already before Dagon was even founded…
I love the colors. More variety.
Looks like front fork frame clip doesn't work. The front wheel should stay in place until the seat rises.
I have a few reviews too on different trifold bicycles. Do check it out. I hope you can also do a side by side comparison with a Brompton
Brompton has a clamp on the front forks to stop it moving when the bike is folded
The price difference between a B. and this bike is not that important. I prefer to add the extra bucks to get the Brompton warranty. Sometimes they replace some broken parts for free. The frame have a 7 years warranty. I think that 1000$ it's too expensive for a copy
thks . good alternative this bike is good
Can you get this in USA?
Yes, but you will have to pay import duty.
@@FoldingBike Where to buy from US? :D
This clone looks so stiff!!! Don't think it even comes close to Brompton.
just add bike lubricant on the hinges...
i like the wheels
Oi Pessoal, esta bicicleta não tem amortecimento do quadro para a roda traseira?
These tri-folds are sweet.
what class is this?
Looks heavy and cumbersome in folding and unfolding or is it just you.
it's just him, he's trying to unfold it with the seat post down - which is designed to prevent it unfolding !
Youn should first put up the saddlepost before moving the frontwheel forward.
Do you seek in europe?
I am interested.
Over £800 for a new one? That is still expensive
Resale value not as good as Brompton.
@@laurarettig9874 800 -> 500, bromptons are 2200 -> 1900
as a percentage of resale, it is better
but not really in net loss
Que aro es?
Con: lock it outside, it will get stolen
I would like to be a fly on the wall when the thief realises that he has got a cheap knock-off..... Then again, maybe there would be a market for Camp Royale stickers to fix to proper Brompton in order to make them less of a theft target.
who would do that?
бедная твоя невеста в первую, брачную ночь.... 😢
I have a hard time appreciating clones. "Better" should never involve stealing ideas...
all bikes are clones. get real.
@@orangemoonglows2692 do you mean they have two wheels guess you never heard the Brompton story so it's ok t o spend loads on R and D then someone just copy it the Brompton is expensive for a lot of reasons made in the UK London to be exact and the frames are brazed not welded if you can't afford a Brompton save up or buy secondhand like buying a fake Rolex so maybe you need to get real
Brompon stole the bike design from predecessor inventors: it has two wheels, chain, pedals, steel frame. Shame on Brompton.
I wouldn’t support a company that has blatantly copied a Brompton bike - so much for Brompton patents! It’s easy to keep cost down when the design is stolen.
Patents have expired.
Why buy Brompton you are paying for the name so expensive others folding bike looks the same half the price 🤣
Don't be silly
Looks are not the same as quality and after-sales service.
I'm really amused with your accent. You sound like a filipino trying to be a robot chinese accent at the same time lol
Most likely a xhinese knock off.
And with any xhinese knock off it's cheap and that's about it - disposable. 👎👎
The folding looks sooooo clumsy……..
It's the reviewer who doesn't know that first thing to do is to raise the seat post to unlock the rear triangle onto which front part latches. Once you master the technique one can fold and unfold those bikes in few seconds. I could do it on my Brompton in 15 to 10 seconds.
No brompton, no bike.
Brompton is not a bike. Every folding bike is a parody of a bike.
Copy Brompton Bicycle..????…….Bad Bad Bad….!!!!!
I think it’s shameful that a Singaporean company like Mobot should copy brompton.
If this is the case Mobot should also copy Dyson and make some vacuum as well.
How can you promote a blatant ripoff? You've just lost a subscriber.
Copying a working design is not uncommon in every industry. And this is a review of a Brompton clone, not a promotion.
it's been 48 years since the invention of the original, time for copies.
the Brompton patents expired more than 20 years ago, but it has been using whatever trickery it can to prevent competition. I personally hope some company will take a similar design to the Brompton, but improve upon it.