Touring with a Birdy or a Brompton bike?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
- We have been touring with both Birdy and Brompton bicycles.
Let's compare the strengths and weaknesses of each one.
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Bike history
01:57 Scorecard
Ride Quality
02:18 Suspension 5 pts
02:43 Bike Fitting 5 pts
03:27 Gears 5 pts
03:53 Brake 5 pts
04:13 Reliability. 20 pts
Foldability
05:47 Ease 5 pts
06:11 Size 5 pts
06:53 Airtravel 5 pts
07:34 Intermodal 5 pts
Luggage Capabilities
07:54 Front. 5 pts
08:39 Rear 5 pts
09:06 Handlebar 5 pts
Maintenance/Upgrade
09:22 Tire. 5 pts
09:43 Proprietary parts. 5 pts
10:07 Support. 5 pts
10:38 Appearance 10 pts
11:37 Final Score
*** Thanks to Alva Lee for the Chinese subtitles translation.
#Brompton #2bikes4adventure
Music Copyrights: The Day is Close - The 126ers
I started with a 1990 Brompton and it is still with me now more than 30 years later 👍🏽 superior foldability makes it the right choice for long distance flights plus the fact that you can add more recent Brompton upgrades to it such as the carrying block and the rear rack as well as the dynamo hub which I did in 2016 26 years after purchasing this fine folding bike . Now that’s what I call sound engineering and positive forward thinking .
I have been commuting with a birdy since 2011. I am 6ft tall and about 80kg. I chosed the birdy because its far more sturdy than a brompton. The birdy frame has seam welding rather than spot welding. I regular ride off kerbs and pavements on my birdy. Birdy parts are also not proprietary and therefore you can pick up spares and accessories from any regular bike shop. As for the fold, I can fold my birdy in under 10 seconds with one hand. With the bolt on roller wheel accessory (must buy accessory!), I roll it into supermarkets, trains, malls etc. The Brompton is smaller when folded but takes longer to fold and that is critical when u want to dash into shops ot trains. If i had to buy a new bike, it would be another Birdy. The Birdy made my life better!
The Birdy with the suspension fork is really impressive when it comes to gravel sections!
It’s my first choice in the crazy traffic!
I fold my Brompton in 3 sec.
@@ma-kugan4998 LOLx, are you sure?
Shouldn't really take more than 10 seconds for an experienced Brompton user.
I have both bike...brompton way easier to fold...Birdy need to balance a bit when folding
Love the video! Well structured content, pleasant and clear voiceover and nicely done edits along with appropriate graphics. 👍
always love your detailed works
Excellent comparison, very professionaly done. I always look forward to your videos!
Always! :)
Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time and sharing your experience. Really interesting to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for taking the time to put this great review together. Your combination of expertise and miles traveled is a great help to this of us contemplating a folding bike.
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Your experience shines through on yet another excellent video.
Wow -impressive presentation - extremely thorough -after all these years i feel like i finally and truly understand what i would be choosing if i bought a BROMPTON - this video is definitely a service to the community -THANK YOU!
Lots of info and professionally edited.👌
Thank you so much for this detailed comparison!
Excellent review, very insightful!
Outstanding Video, Thanks!
Great video and review, thanks. Really useful information.
wow big difference between the ride quality thanks this helps greatly for me to make my decision
You have made a remarkable video. I have never considered a folding bike. However you ladies have made them your long term friends. I will keep an eye out for these bikes. thank you
Great video..loving my brompton, its opened up a whole new world👍
Detailed impartial advice thank you. I'm a Brompton owner and really enjoy watching your videos.. keep them coming ..😎
this video is exactly what i want to know!! thanks!
I have had both Birdys and Bromptons. That includes the 9 speed but also the Rohloff version. Birdy really is a bike you could travel the world on. Amazingly durable and comfortable.
Brompton do a much better job in promoting themselves on social media and in creating a community so that when you buy a Brompton you feel like you're part of a movement. On reflection I'm not that interested in being part of a movement I just want a really good and convenient bike.
In contrast to the Brompton, very little is done to promote the Birdy via social media.
On the Brompton which I had there was a bit too much plastic. That included the gear shifters which felt a little bit tacky.
I do agree that the folding on the Brompton is a little easier. But both are pretty good and I don't I need to fold my bikes very often. Usually all that I need to do to regularly is drop down the seat and the handlebars and both models will fit easily into a small hatch.
I would take the Birdy every day for it's comfort, ride quality, technical superiority including the vastly better brakes, and simply amazing durability.
very solid review. thank you!
It's not just a media thing: As explained in the video, the Brompton folds smaller, and it can an issue when travelling.
Besides, Brompton dealerships are rare outside major cities, but Birdy dealers are close to non-existent.
And these days, a Birdy costs ~2x the price of a Brompton.
For those reasons, I prefer the Brompton even with its defaults/quirks although the Birdy rides better.
@@vincentdelporte when I bought my Birdy it wasn’t that expensive. I have travelled on Eurostar with it. Have been down Moselle and other places in Germany on it. It was lighter than the Brompton. However I have the a Brompton now so have to get on with it. Not getting any younger!!
@@asredbirdy ...but more elegant, considering the bike. 👍🏼
@@vincentdelporte Is a brompton that cheap? where i stay it's comparable, the later Birdy City and a Brompton 6 speed. However, the backlog means i have to wait a year for a Brompton delivery even if i want to order today. Covid made many people to start cycling...
very rare to see a thorough review like this for both great folders. I would have bought brompton if it had disc version. So ended up owning a 3rd gen birdy since 2016 and air traveled multiple times with birdy suitcase without fuss. a number of issues for birdy mentioned in the video have been improved in 3rd gen, such as front handlebar post lock mechanism and chainstay. but the rear plastic latch remains as an issue as I had mine snapped last year. parts are hard to find outside Asia pacific region. I ended up having to order a few spare ones online from China. Ridea and Colorplus are also two popular brands in Asia producing a lots of tailor made parts for upgrade.
Thanks for your updates on the 3rd gen Birdy. The rear plastic latch is probably a profit center for the Birdy manufacturer (we broke one as well). Brompton solved their rear latch problem long time ago, time for Birdy to fix it too.
Where do you order Ridea parts from USA?
This video is epic... very thorough
Nice video:) as an owner of a 2019 S6L Brompton I can’t complain. Awesome bike. Using it like 4hrs a day for almost two years, I haven’t had any problems at all. I’m surprised since this is my first folding bike after having a few road bikes and mountain bikes.
Very nice reviews, got both bikes too. Very informative, keep it up.
which do you prefer or does it depend on the trip?
@@26realmc It depends, if flat and just city biking with public transport in mind, Brompton. On more challenging terrain and don't need to fold, Birdy.
Very acute and fair comparison.
Is this one.of the greatest reviews ever? I'm positive about it!!! Really nice useful review. Thanks a lot!!! 🤙🤟💛
Great content.. hope to see you tour again with Birdy.. 😍
Awesome comparison, thank you!
... and wishing a red Brompton for Thuong for 2021
@2Bikes4Adventure possibly 😅 We still need to try out a Birdy.
Wow what an awesome video.
Mk1 birdy here, rides so good with big apple tyres!
Excelente video, muy buena explicación y con buenos ejemplos. Saludos desde México. Tengo una Brompton.
An option with Bromptons is to fit MTB handlebars. If you want an M-type, take an S-type and fit a MTB riser bar. You can add 1-2 inches to the width of the bar without compromising the fold or ability to fit into a bag. A M-type with MTB bars would give it a more aggressive riding position, but you end up with much stiffer bars that can take more accessories/lights.
To me it all depends on the purpose of the bike. When I bought my brompton I was thinking more about the ease of use, weight, and its footprint, rather than how many gears I have and how advanced my suspension is. If I want a high-tech bike - i'd rather buy something non-foldable without any compromises on the "techniness".
Great review, well balanced. I have a Brompton P6R, I know the P type bars are no more and those bars may look odd but having dual height bars is great if your back aches a bit, just like drop bars on my old 70s racer from that point of view.
Great Review!!.. 👍
Love my Birdy, very comfortable ride
Very good video. :)
well done 👌 🤙
재미있는 비교 설명 감사합니다 ^^
終於看到很實用的介紹影片了😊
Very nice compare ! i have them all Brompton and Birdy. Personaly i prefer Birdy. It has better frame an feel more comfortable as tall person 190 cm
I glad to see some Korean letters in your small video showing Brompton bike. As a Korean Brampton owner, I am happy to see you had toured with Brompton in Korea!
South Korea has one of the best long distance bike trail system we have seen. Hope to return once things get back to normal in the world. You can see a summary of our trip on the 4 Rivers trail here: th-cam.com/video/C9ZUwmaU0rM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks again for sharing; interesting and informative as always.
Brompton "M bar brace'" is a useful addition to increase real estate at the cost of a little extra weight.
Take care
I had a Brompton, then sold and bought a Birdy - then I had the whim to get rid of it and buy another Brompton. I wish I'd kept the Birdy. The Brompton is cute but the Birdy is great up hills and I used to keep up with people on conventional bikes up hills and on flat.
The things you wish you had not done! NOT sold the Birdy
I live next to the birdy factory, and I have been enjoying my birdy GT it's a great bike. I do agree with the points brought up in the video. For ease of travel the birdy is a bit more chunky.
great comparison, well presented. Thank you!
In 2004 I set out to cycle to India from England. I had a superb mountain bike that I used in Europe and Asia for 14 years. But due to airlines changing the rules I replaced it with a Giant folding bike. I only travel with a bike now, not on a bike, but I've visited 7 South American countries, Mexico Nepal ad 4 European countries with it. I miss my mountain bike so much!
why not buy a second hand mountain bike?
I am surprised the Birdy came out so far ahead in ride quality. It is its ride quality that impresses me most with my Brompton. While I have not ridden the Birdy, ever, I find the Brompton more comfortable in the riding than my expensive full-size Scott Electric. It may be because the Brommie fits me very well... I was careful to choose the 'H' handlebar for more upright riding position, a better view around, and no pain in the neck. These things really count when you are 74.
Hi @Effyleven, always nice to hear from you.
Our comparison grid results are based on a “Touring” scenario (60-100Km/day + luggage for a multi-week trip)
For shorter trips, the ride quality difference between the two would have less of an impact, but on longer rides, the Birdy’s front suspension, adjustable stem, better gearing and brakes definitely make for a more comfortable experience.
At the end however, we still transitioned to Brompton. We feel the advantage provided by its smaller fold and robustness is worth it, even if this meant cycling slightly shorter days.
@@2Bikes4Adventure Thanks for your response.
I have done a little cycle camping.. just a few days, but I wish it had been longer. However, I have to admit, for that trip I used the electric in order to cope with the hills of the Isle of Wight and keep up with my son.. which I did, almost too well, apparently!
Thanks again.. Happy cycling to you both, and please continue to keep us so well informed.
I have ridden both bikes extensively. The Birdy is the clear winner in ride quality. I don't think the Birdy looks better but you know what they say about beauty
@@sophocles1198 I wonder, do you think it is the riding position that is better on the Birdy, or the fact that it is a full-suspension bike? Both?
I do appreciate that slightly larger wheels than the Brompton would also smooth the ride to a degree.
Thanks in advance.
@@effyleven My impression is that the biggest difference is in the wheel size. I am sure riding position and suspension also favor the Birdy, but it is hard for me quantify.
Well done.
I tried an early bird and was impressed by the ride and gear choice but chose a Brompton because I love the design, it folds well and has a cult following. Alas the steering is quite twitchy when making signals and feels slow in comparison.
I’ve had both bikes. The Birdy is amazing to ride. The Brompton is not stiff enough and slow.
영상 감사합니다 저는 2024년식 버디 뉴클래식 탑니다 영상에 클래식 버디를 보니 반갑네요 ^^
2:13 point of interest - the icon choice is nice
Brompton user here. Best for city and travelling. When you are tired can ride PUV
Great review, thanks. After using my Brompton for about 7 years, 25 airline flights with the Brompton and touring the Camino De Santiago in October 2019 my preference is the Brompton.
Hi,
So how did your Brompton do on the Camino ? Did you use the road that people walk or you used different road ?
And were you able to bring the bike as carry on or you have to check it ?
Thanks !
I have just converted my Brompton to 20" wheels and it has transformed it from an OK bike to a great bike with a small increase in folded size.
Used the kit from Eerder Metaal / debromptonwinkel or some homebuilt solution?
I absolutely love the Bike Friday for touring. They sell Samsonite travel cases that convert into trailers you can tow with the bike, which gives tons of storage and eliminates the problem of having to stash the travel case somewhere. It's perfect for me. A bit pricey but highly recommend it.
Still, it is difficult to beat the Brompton fold if you are doing lots of inter-modal travel.
We purchase most of our folding bicycles on the 2nd hand market (we had 11 of them at one point (Montague, Dahon, Birdy, Brompton,…)). Unfortunately, BikeFriday owners seem to keep them instead of re-selling them, unfortunately for us. Maybe one day we will be lucky (n+2)
This is a good point. I understand that the Bike Friday was designed specifically with this sort of travel-touring in mind, and while not as easily folded might be a better tourer than either of these.
do you have any more info on the Samsonite travel case that converts to trailer? I've searched far and wide in Australia. .
Wow, you've been to South Korea, too. :-) Thanks for your video. it really helps!
We hope to return to South Korea and complete the Cycling Passport “Grand Slam” one day.
I wanted a BIRDY becos of the speed and wheel size. I ride more than needing to fold. Birdy fold is decent enough to roll and commute in train when necessary.
Consider to share the rolling ability with on both bikes. Maybe with and without ezywheels attachment.
Thanks for the video, I ride a Birdy, a mark 1 24 speed, I find it super comfortable and with a basket on the front it slows down the steering which makes it feel like a full sized bike, I weigh 95kg, and am 6 feet tall, as for my wife's bromton, I just don't fit, it feels skittish and just not very good up hills. as for the Birdy, you can fit junior BMX tires which make it far better off road. Thanks.I suppose it's horses for courses. Ps parts that wear out on the Birdy can at least come off the shelf instead of being bespoke items.
Thats cool
I Love your Videos and this amazing grafiks and Animation.
So let me ask. Wich tool do you use, to create the Animation Grafiks? Thanks a lot
Apple Keynote was use for most animations (plus Apple Motion for some titles).
Thanks for a really informative video. I have inherited a Mk1 Blue Birdy as a bit of a project - thanks to this video I can now work out where it sits in the Birdy timeline! I have upgraded the stem to the Mk 2 version which is a lot stronger. One question; what headset will fit a Mk1 Birdy?
Hi JackandAbbie. Not sure I can help you concerning the headset. The marking on mine says: Cane Creek Aheadset SAS/STS. There is also a US Pat # 5095770. Couldn't find any part number. A quick search on the web points to Mk2 and Mk3 headsets suppliers, but not Mk1. If you find out, I would like to know as well. Good luck.
Last month bought Birdy Touring 3x8 drivetrain with Radical Design trailer hitch. Good to know my decision is as per your expert opinion. :)
I own a Birdy and also drove a Brompton for a couple of times. If the Birdy beats the Brompton 19-9 in ride quality (it does), then the Brompton beats the Birdy 20-5 at foldability. Folding the Birdy is a pain in the a..., no comparison to the Brompton. The same holds for carrying the folded Birdy in Buses (nearly impossible) or trains (only if not full), that's what you have a folding bike for primarily, so you're missing TRANSPORTABILITY or FOLDING SIZE (not putting it in a suitcase dissasembled), here the Brompton beats the Birdy again 20-5.
I have a titanium Birdy, rides good and be a collector item.
I love my Moultons ❤️ This design comparison is intriguing and very relevant for bikes designed to travel. My bikes would lose on folding to either Brompton or Birdy, but in my experience the Moultons win over many conventional frames for carrying capacity, ride comfort and fun 👍
Moulton bikes are legendary but, as you said, not sure it would be our first pick for touring. Having the chance, wouldn’t mind testing one however.
This is a great comparison video. Myself and my wife share a mk4 Brompton and a mk2 Birdy. I prefer the Birdy to ride as it's so much more comfortable, but there's no doubt the Brompton wins the folding game. I like them both as fantastic pieces of engineering. My favourite thing to do with them is throw them in the boot of the car along with my son's bike, and drive somewhere nice to ride. No bike racks, no car seat folding, just a quick pack and go.
I couldn't agree more. The Brompton wins hands-down for a commuter bike or city bike for sombody living in an apartment or boat. They are ideal for the first and last mile of a train commute. The ride is 'acceptable', but can never compare to larger-wheel bikes. Personally, I find them really tiresome after about 8 miles.
The Birdy has better range and comfort, but future parts availability is a concern. For a longer ride, the Birdy will win.
In an ideal world, one would own both.
But for pure engineering brilliance, folding size, and convenience, if you live in a city, the Brompton can never be beaten.
If money is no object, buying both does solve the dilemma (although finding Birdy parts in some parts of the world will remain an issue).
Very nice comparison. I used to have birdy and I figure out it was really not very fast to fold and I had problem to quickly response in the train when I was about to miss the train. I want to buy golding ebike and been confuse between cube fold sport with Bosch motor and brompton ebike. What do you think of cube fold ebike ?
Very interesting if very arbitrary scoring. I have a brompton, I would really like to get a birdy. Given my much abused high mileage brompton needs replacing it would be a real shot in the dark to go for a birdy rather than go for something that is proven in my hands. Your last statement captured it all, horses for courses, having said that I have ridden over100 miles on my brompton without issue.
The strength of one bike is the other’s weakness (ex.: the size of the fold, comfort on longer ride,…). Availability and purchase price could be a big factor too. Despite the arbitrary scoring, we hope this video help somewhat in your decision making process. Good luck.
When I travel and want to bring a bike, a Brompton M6R has been my choice for the last six years. I just bought a M6L for my wife and daughter to use. When we ride together, we mostly use them to explore cities(just NYC and Philly so far because of COVID) so the intermodal compatibility of the Brompton is very important to us. Also, I’ve never been stopped from bringing my Brompton into any shop, restaurant or hotel during my travels. I doubt I’ll ever try the Birdy because I’m invested in the Brompton now, but I don’t see the Birdy suiting my purposes as well. Thanks for the video though.
As much as we liked our Birdy, once we started touring with our Brompton, we never used our Birdy to travel ever again.
@@2Bikes4Adventure - Why did you ultimately decide to choose your Bromptons over your Birdys for your touring needs?
Good question, we will elaborate in an upcoming video.
Hi, I'm loving your videos. What do you guys do about preventing your bikes from getting stolen whilst touring?, do you ever lock them outside or just take them everywhere with you?, thanks!
Most of the time, we do not bring locks. This way, we are not even tempted to leave the bikes unattended (they come with us in hotel rooms, supermarkets, restaurants and museums). This also save the extra weight.
For brief stops, since there are two of us, one will stay “on guard” outside while the other one will go in (ex.: quick stop at convenience store)
In the rare occasions where we decide to bring a lock, we favor our Abus Bordo 6000 folding lock. Not as good as a U-Lock but better than a cable.
I actually looked this both of these when I was looking for a folding bike to take to the beach and places. I need one that weights very little...as I am only 86lbs. I was also short on money so only looking at used ones. Both weight about the same. I lean towards the Brompton mainly because I have a Mini Cooper and two kids, so that leaves little room for a bike....so yes. Also I found a used old M6L that ended up less than $300 so I made my decision. The bike needs some tuning, wash, new chain for sure but I still can't afford it. I have taken it out alot...biking for hours with no issue. I guess I like the look because it does look like an older vintage bike which I really like. While the Birdy looks modern and cool. My son would pick the Birdy for sure. I do not tour so just the Brompton is fine for short traveling or biking to work, post office, church.....I also love the front block.....I just need to get a bag now.
Sounds like you made the right choice with your new bike.
As far as bags go, most of our Brompton bags were bought 2nd hand.
We will shortly do a video on DIY front bags for Brompton.
Great review. How much effect does the Birdy front suspension have on the ride quality?
Small wheels bikes make you feel all the bumps in the road. The Birdy front suspension does make you forget you are riding on 18” tires.
It doesn’t transform it into a mountain bike, but makes it significantly smoother than the Brompton.
Спасибо! Люблю когда в видео присутствует не только обзор, но и весомый опыт катания. Сейчас я развиваю идею перемещения на велосипеде вверх по реке и обратного сплава и рыбалки на лодке. Дорогое конечно это удовольствие. Мой товарищ на днях купил себе автомобиль по цене птички. Все равно я буду развивать идею "байкрафтинга". Дороги у нас правда оставляют желать лучшего:много ямок и неровностей, нередко встречаются гравийные покрытия где ямок и разных камней еще больше. Думаю бромптон в этом плане мне мало подходит, но велосипед интересный за свою уникальность. Отдельное спасибо комментаторам! Поисковая система выдает одинаковые результаты и найти новую модель велосипеда для изучения превращается в проблему. Ваш опыт очень ценен! Привет из России)
Canadian roads have potholes as well once spring season arrives, so it can be difficult for Bromptons at times. Good luck with your plan for a cycling/boating TH-cam channel!
I have a proper full suspension 29er trail bike and bought a Brompton recently. I really like it for long distance city rides (100km+). I've used it on gravel paths as well but I have been careful with my lines, not going too fast and it was decent- have not experienced a puncture yet. I guess a Birdy will be somewhere between these two bikes that I own.
Hi John. The Birdy’s 30mm front suspension travel will be significantly smaller than your full suspension bike. With the proper tyre, it could make a good gravel bike though.
My favourite folding bike is an older (70s) single speed folding bike with coaster brake. All standard bike parts nothing can break and cheap in maintainance :)
There might be a brand name on the frame somewhere
...or other interesting details like a certain type of front brake.
I agree with you Stan. A single speed coaster brake bikes are popular in the Netherlands a city bike. Hardly any maintenance or brake down.
If you use your folding bike a lot, I would buy the birdy.
The screw of the luggage holder just broke (maybe I didn't obey the 10kg limit 😭)
The 16 inch wheels makes it high maintenance.
But the weekest part are the brakes, they are quite week on 16 inch. Sometimes dangerous...
As a new Brompton owner-to-be(expect on 2021 Feb.), and after in deep research, I totally agree with your points. Thank you for your useful vides so far.
Hummingbird is the world lightest foldable bike , Brompton has the world best and most compact fold , birdy bike the best off road foldable bike , bike friday the best touring foldable bike , I chose dahon mariner d8 that is good to nothing of these but make all of these pretty well , much cheaper , good build quality and unatractive to thieves so I can lock my bike like a normal bike and don t have to carry with me allways and drink my beers relaxed
I have both Birdy and Brompton, everytime I fold my Birdy, I want to sell it. I ride my Brompton most of the time especially in cities...
I guess we can say the Brompton is at its best when folded while the Birdy shines when unfolded.
I have an airnimal rhino which is very poor at folding, but extremely good to ride, in particular when the going gets rough. I prefer to spend hours enjoying riding and some minutes being frustrated at the fold, rather than spending a few seconds feeling smug folding, but spending hours on an awful ride and having to dodge every little bump.
Learn to fold it properly...
I too have both..i had multiple bromptons at one point..
But I never liked the way it rode..
I've since bought a birdy and love it.. I've not touched my brompton ever since.
Long bars, hydraulic brakes dual suspension..i can ride it anywhere, unlike a brompton
Have them both also just bec their both desirable to own.
Thanks for this good comparison.
Can you make a comment about foldable Nanoo bikes (italina design)
If we have a chance to find/ride one, be sure we will make a video about the experience.
@@2Bikes4Adventure Thanks in advance!
Great content ! Thinking of getting my first foldie. I'm looking at the Single Drive 60 gear inches as I don't intend to do any future upgrades.
I live in the city and intend to travel on public transport with it's lightness and simplicity.
And occasional short to medium distance of leisure cycling.
I live in a slightly higher elevation with 5-10% gradient over 1.5 km.
Seeking some expertise insights here. Thanks in advance ;p
@Shane, assuming no wind and standard temperature and humidity, as a rule-of-thumb, an average (non-racer) cyclist, weighting 70Kg maintaining a 60rpm cadence on a 60 gear-inch bike should expect to climb a 10% slope in about 60 seconds before being exhausted. This increases to 30 minutes on a 5% slope.
Your results may varies depending on fitness level (These results were extrapolated from functional threshold power (FTP) of an “untrained/non-racer” cyclist ( www.cyclinganalytics.com/blog/2018/06/how-does-your-cycling-power-output-compare )).
If you are comfortable with those results, a single gear bike may be right for you.
Great overview. I wish Brompton would make a 20" model with some key component upgrades. I'd sacrifice a bit of the folding compactness for the ride benefits.
It s a bad idea, compacity is the best choice for à folding bike, and brompton is the best about this
@@MrFroggy29 That would mean an alternative Brompton for touring. The original would still be around as the best commuting option.
Check out website of Kinetics Bike Shop in Glasgow, they customise Bromptons , with 18" and 20" wheels !!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to Copenhagen
The Mecca for world cyclists!
I really want a birdy!!
I'm not really interested in folding bikes as I switched to kick bikers a year ago. Nonetheless I love watching your videos on the subject because they are so well done! Keep up the good work!
You were in korea! Thx for visiting :)
Indeed, we cycled the 4 Rivers Trail in 2018 : th-cam.com/video/C9ZUwmaU0rM/w-d-xo.html
Looking forward to return and complete our cycling passport now that travelling is back to normal :-)
Birdy would be my first choice after watching this video. I did test ride a Brompton at a local bike shop. I wasn't impressed. Can't find a Birdy to test ride in my city. As long as I can throw it in the back of my Scion XB, the "perfect folding" feature of the Brompton isn't that important to me. I go for performance and ride. BIRDY is cute and looks incredibly strong.
I ride a Xootr Swift foldie, not sure how it compares with the Birdy or the Brompton in the ride quality department. The Swift uses non-proprietary parts and accessories and rides like a road bike.
As a foldable bicycle i prefer brompton more. You can push the bike when its folding not lifting it up. Take it to the grocery shop and use it as a stroller. Very usefull.
Taking a Birdy to a grocery shop would be a liability more than an asset.
After watching your Brompton bike travel video I searched about Brompton bike price in my working county my heart bursts 😢 triple the price of my salary
Great review !!! Thank you so much ! Question: i live up in a steep hill. Can only decent or ascend. 400m up on 4km length. Which one would suite me best? Brompton 6 speed or Birdy 24 speed? Thank you !
The lowest gear on a Birdy 24SP would be around 21 gear-inch (1.7m of development) as opposed to the 29 gear-inch (2.3m) on a Brompton equipped with 44T chainring. This is quite a difference (especially on a 4km 10% slope). The lower, the better (obviously).
If you own a bicycle already, check its gear development and compare it with the Brompton and Birdy, it will give you a rough idea which gearing you are likely to prefer.
The Brompton shines when folded. If your use case doesn’t include much multimodal commuting, and budget is not much of an issue, the Birdy 24SP could be a better choice. If you are taking public transport multiple times per week, buy a Brompton (and relocate downhill?).
Wow! Expensive bikes
i agree...too expensive. still would like one.
Our 2 Birdys were purchased used for about $US300 each
@@2Bikes4Adventure that was a bargain!!
I don’t need disc brakes,but i would like to ride 20‘ wheels 🤙
@@2Bikes4Adventure that is an awesome price! I have been hunting for one on German ebay, cheapest price for the first generation was like 460, many others (still talking about the oldest design) are offered for 600 and more, one costs 1800 which is crazy. I got one for 500€ with 21 gears. Well I'm still waiting for it, I hope it'll be fine
That’s a good price for a 21 gears.
The only problem with older models is finding specific spare parts.
Interesting I’m in the market for folding bike, the ride quality really twice better on the birdy compared to brompto? I wish I can try both.
Birdy has better suspension, gearing, brakes as well as an adjustable stem (to optimise the riding position).
So, focussing on bike riding quality only, it beats the Brompton.
The next question is the importance you put on the foldability factor. This is where the Brompton has the upper hand on the Birdy.
Cost / availability in your area of the world could be a serious factor as well.
I've been touring on a Decathlon foldie with 20" wheels and six gears. Though she can take some really harsh climbs, I do experience a toll on my knees. Also, since I began to get broken spokes, I was advised that the bike was basically built for short commutes rather than 80+ kms day excursions. By the way, she weighs a good 15 kgs.
Point is, how do you guys manage climbs? I have a 52 tooth crank. Also, I live in a hilly area with road conditions kinda evil for a foldie.
Pardon me if you find me naive.
Hi Neelesh. Looking online at Decathlon Tilt 120 and 500 folding bikes, the lowest gear development seems to be 2.96m or about 37 gear-inches ( you can measure yours by multiplying 20 x 52 / number of teeth on your largest sprocket).
As a comparison, Decathlon mountain bike low gear is about 20 gear-inches (1.6m) and our Brompton is about 29 gear-inches (2.3m).
The easiest way to improve your bike hill climbing capabilities would be to decrease the size of your chainring and/or increase the size of your sprockets
@@2Bikes4Adventure ok. Thanks. But all in all, Decathlon guys say she isn't made for long distances ☹️
And yes, she clocks 37 gear inches. 2.97m.
❤
Seems like a Tern Link or Dahon MU SL might slot right inbetween these two and address some concerns.
You may be interested in our video comparing a 20” (Dahon Mariner) and 16” (Brompton) ( th-cam.com/video/p6bjWHg2XJ8/w-d-xo.html )
Nobody talks about this but how long does it take to replace a flat tire on a Brompton compared to a disc equipped Birdy 😂