My Long Term Brompton Folding Bike review 2024, part two the Good the Bad and the Ugly. Video 2 of 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- In this 2nd and final part of my review I cover the options available with the bike, what’s gone well and not so well in 6 years of owning and riding Brompton bikes. .
• My Long Term Brompton ...
You can patch a flat without removing a wheel, just need to slip the deflated tube past the brake to give you enough room to fix it while still on the bike.
This is how I was taught to do it when I was little, before quick release wheels were commonplace, and still works fine on the brommy
Yes I’m aware of that method, tried it once or twice but found it very difficult to find the puncture, having said that I can definitely see it’s worth trying if you don’t have the confidence to remove and refit the wheel
@@terrysallbikes Yeah best way if you have water and there’s something you can use as a dish nearby is to partially inflate the tube, put in water and look for bubbles. I’ve managed to find it just by listening for the hiss and confirming location with a wet finger as well, if you don’t have that to hand. Once you’ve got the knack it’s faster and a lot less annoying than removing the wheel
@@bytesabre Just take a small sprayer of water.... inflate and spray .. look for bubbles and hissing sounds
@@bytesabre Dead right ... a patch kit is essential anyway in case you run out of spare tyres.
Great review of the iconic Brompton. Wow that chain is close to the rear triangle. Ive got a Tern Verge X11. Beautiful bike and amazing hill climber. They geared it to perfection...
Thanks, gears are arguably the weakest facet of the Brompton
MKS pedals also essential when packing the bike for flights.
They certainly help👍
My present version of a 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton has now reached 8,5/8,75 kilo with mudguards, and a lot of extra Titanium and carbon parts from mostly China and Taiwan.
About the same as a similar, Mudguard Version of a T-line, but for little more than half the price, and with 6 gears!
And when I got it (flame painted) from an ordinary and - combined Cph. Bike Shop as a finished bike in the shop, I gave it, as a first, an "Auto Polish" all over and found out that the Factory, clear tape "Protection" was nearly worn through after - two folds, so I ordered a set of protective "Carbon plates", and a fork-shield, from China, for all the known week spots on a Brompton!!!
After all those years and they still haven't found a solution! And congratulations if you are able to remove the wheel with the ordinary toolset, even using the cover as a an extra lever. Finn. Denmark 😄
And you are able to buy new Brompton Stickers from China!
I have to admit I’ve neglected to protect the paint work as I should have
I have the new stickers
@@terrysallbikes Mine is still as from new by my additions of carbon protection plates all over (Though my fork and triangle are from Titanium, as my seat post and most all bolt, nuts and discs on my bike! Also parts of my brakes and pads! I still miss replacing the brackets on my mudguards (titanium stays from the factory) to carbon and aluminum, though I have them ready for a change, when the Danish Day of Summer comes! 😁Finn
And I will also spray "Rust Protection" inside my frame (A product for cars, as much used in Denmark, with salty roads during that). Though my cellar is dry and not that cold. Finn
Thanks Terry for this 2 videos, they were great, hope to see your next bikepacking video soon, if you want i have a review of the T Line in my channel, there are a few points in common with your bike, have an amazing weekend my friend!
Thanks, I’ll be sure to look that video up soon
The cast iron hinge bosses are machine brazed, I believe. The rest of the brazing is manual.
Thanks for the information
When I got my "SuperlightM6LXBrompton" (An H stem with an M handlebar), I wondered for what use I had the low gears, till I met a steep serpentine road on the Danish Island of Bornholm, and had to walk up! But 12 gears, absurd! Finn. Denmark
We all have different needs, I can definitely see advantages in a 12 speed B but won’t be making that investment in the near future
@@terrysallbikes I still own a 33 speed "Vision Kilo", based Full Shimano XTR, oversize, disc brake Mtb. I can't even start in the low gears and obtain riding speed! But up an absurd hill in a wood they are fine!
But you hardly meet those riding a Brompton! The limited speeds on one of those are mostly not a reason for that amount of gears, to my opinion, even though mine is now an extreme lightweight version, very close to an original T-Line?
But what You like may be different? Finn
Must be a great bike if you are wearing Rims out ...... You must enjoy it a lot .... going into depth about it so much ...... I have one and i love them
I’ve had many bikes, this was made to rule them all👍🚴♂️
I am always wondering why brompton owner buy an expensive bike and changed all the parts. I have seen many doing so with parts are all aftermarket. So will it be better to just buy a clone and change all the parts. Since both won't be original and many china parts are made. (Even the original brompton source many parts from china)
Good point, for me most of the bike will always be original. Like many however I like to tweak the performance of the bike or sometimes just add a little bling, at heart it will always be a Brompton
To lighten things and customize….
I'm not that bummed out about the new 12 speed (I have a Superlight M6). Often I think just 3 speeds with a 39T chainring would be more useful than what Brompton give people which is a chainring with too many teeth plus more gears than they need.
Agree Brompton don’t cater particularly well for those of us struggling up the hills.
@@terrysallbikes I have a 6 speed and wondered for what use I had the low gears, till I met a steep hill and had to walk on top, to go up! But waste money for that one or two times?
Yes not necessary if you’re riding in relatively flat terrain most of the time
I can't remember the original number of teeth in front, but I have several ready for a change to other sizes, if needed? Also titanium wheels for my S.A. gears but the same size, just less weight. I would like a 7 speed wheel and a new single changer for ease of use, and less weight, but for now I manage with what I have. My use of the bike is only leasure and fun, also making it much lighter than the original version. Finn
06:09 Shutter Precision (SP) were the SON replacement dynamo.
You could fit an Spa Cycles 36T chainset, it effectively makes the 44T range go down one gear, eg: the new 6th gear is the old 5th gear and so on, making the new 1st gear = 23.1” (not done it myself, but have hummed and haaed about doing it, also contemplated a compact double chainset).
I’ll look into that 36 t chainring, wasn’t aware of it. Have seen the doubles but not for me, lm happy to bumble along in the lower gears.
Most people fit 38 - I have fitted 36 but the chain can slap the chainstay if it gets a wee bit slack.
@@Flintynicknacks As your ‘removing’ 8 teeth from the chainring (44-36), then using a 98-link chain you’d need to consider removing at least one chain link, possibly even two, then rejoining the ‘new’ chain with the existing split links.
@@platypushatstand yes - did that - but it’s still at its limit really. Most people go for 38 as you have a bit more separation.
That's definitely NOT patina. That's Brompton being lazy.
To be fair the bike has to work hard for me, but I do think some of the issues are due to sub standard manufacturing
@@terrysallbikes Yep, also, there's no need to make excuses for Brompton. They charge an arm and a leg for their products and yet they won't stand behind their warranty when things go wrong. It's always your fault. Don't let them gaslight you. I do love the T-Line though. Test rode it last week.
I don't understand why these bikes are so expensive.
Hand made in the uk with lots of parts that are unique to them, relatively expensive I know but hold their price well
You can fit a standard bottle cage to the handlebar stem . I have a Zefal Pulse L2 fitted after I purchased a couple of 3D printed clamps . They grip well .
A good solution, but I really like the Monkee Cage it’s much more versatile than a traditional bottle cage
It's your bike so do what you want with it. Don't take any notice of the 'expert advice'.
I appreciate Brompton's use of patina but when a bike is going rusty I'd prefer it didn't have it.
Thanks for your thoughts, hope to see you do some more tours soon.
Thanks, I’m itching to get out for a night or two, hopefully early February
Nice set-up. Mine is very old and worn so only used for essential train travel. Some surface rust on lower parts as you'd expect. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Robert, although mines not that old, it’s had a hard life. Full refurb in progress
Great video! How long after owning your new lacquered Brompton to the rest start appearing? Also I’m wondering which bike is best to buy that has the least amount of rust challenges.
I live in the United States, Virginia, Central, Virginia specifically it’s Sunny most of the time nowhere near as much rain as you get in the uk. The fact that you write in the rain a lot more be a reason why you find you’re getting rust on your bikes?
Thanks for the answers, I’m looking to get a new Brompton this fall, either a four-speed or 12 speed electric, for day-to-day commuting in my Hilltown, and I would replace the wheel and leave the battery at home, with one like yours on this video, for touring in Europe, one day, one day,
Thanks for your comment. I think they have improved the quality of the raw lacquer finish now, however the standard finish may well fair better
@@terrysallbikes how soon after owning it did rust start appearing?
It was 4 years old when I got it and was already affected
It was 4 years old when I got it and was already affected
It was 4 years old when I got it and was already affected
What if your pulling a trailer up hills?
Well that could be hard going
This is why I bought a Tern Verge X11. I wanted a folder that fears no hill. And can give a road bike a run for its money.
I also has the raw version, like yourself I was not impressed and told by the shop it was normal. If I was informed that I would not have purchased one as living by the sea it happened very rapid, however my wife's painted version has lasted well and after several
years is just starting to show small amounts of blemishes on the chrome parts.
I can totally empathise with you, raw lacquer was sold as a premium finish, unfortunately that’s not the experience of many.
I think you need to be very secure in your masculinity to ride a bicycle like that.
😂😂😂
@@terrysallbikes Great work horse and great video 👍
@@Simon-vt1zp thanks👍
If it’s good enough for James May, it’s good enough for most blokes 🤗