The Little Magic Bike
I had a great time on my Brompton today. It was a typical work day but I had a meeting scheduled after work, and because I needed to get across town from my office to the meeting, the little Brommie came with me all the way in on the train instead of staying back at the bike locker.
Wow, what an awesome vehicle for multi-modal commuting and city riding. I hadn’t ridden it in the city for a while and I’d almost forgotten how well-suited it is to urban traffic. It is so precise and responsive at speed, yet it handles wonderfully at walking speed for threading through pedestrians or snaking through narrow alleyways. Just perfect for a crowded city.
Where it really shines though, is on the train. If you’ve ever taken a bike on a busy commuter train with too few rack spaces for the number of bikes, you know that entering and exiting the train while everyone is jockeying for position can be more than a little nerve-wracking. The great thing is that because the Brompton can fit even the smallest rack space, or better yet, fold up and stow behind a seat, you can just stand back, relax, and wait until everyone is finished before boarding. What a difference.
When I arrived at the meeting location, I folded the Brommie and brought it in with me. I placed it along with my C-Bag next to where I was seated and waited for my appointment. It’s pretty amazing that such a tiny package enabled me to get across a sprawling suburb, onto a crowded train, then across a dense urban area with so little fuss, all the while carrying a computer, camera, food, water, a change of clothes, and other personal items.
The best thing is simply that the Brompton is so much fun to ride. It’s a cool looking bike that gets lots of comments and starts conversations wherever it goes. Just today I folded it for a half-dozen curious people who were wowed and amazed by what one person dubbed “the little magic bike”.
18 Responses to “The Little Magic Bike”
I ride a Dahon Curve D3 (3 Speed Sturmey IGH, <30 Second Fold, racks, fenders and not too expensive ($350) in Beijing. Living in an urban jungle, folding bikes are the best way to go, especially if you are worried about theft. I fold my bike up at night and bring it inside my tiny apt. Ride it to work and put it next to my desk during the day. If the weather turns foul or you get tired for some reason, fold it up and toss it in the back of a taxi.
But the best thing of all is just getting on a bike and riding past the parking lots they insist on calling freeways.
Thanks for the blog Alan, it always puts a smile on my face. If not for this site, I'd probably still be trying to ride a road bike with a backpack to work.
I couldn’t agree more Alan,
I’ve had a Brompton now for a grand total of two weeks now. It’s not my first folding bike; I’ve had a Xootr Swift for about 4 years now. As much I love the Swift, the Brompton has really impressed me.
For me, the trick to getting along with it is to consider it more as a “transportation system” than a bicycle. The real value in a Brompton is that it works remarkable well in what it’s designed to do. Combined with the impressive luggage system, it really is an ideal way to get around a city. It’s also great of inter-city travel with it’s ability to go by train, bus or car with no issue.
It’s a specialist tool, and like most specialist tools, it becomes less useful when you try to use it outside of it’s intended purpose. For instance, it’s no speed machine. But it’s fast enough that in an urban setting I’m just as fast as point A to point B as I am on the Swift. Out in the country, especially in the hills or the in the wind the Brompton is quite a bit slower & most of the advantages are lost.
I don’t think I could ever have a Brompton as my only bike, it’s not generalist enough. Having said that, I don’t think I could ever be without one either.
It’s funny you should post this now – I just got sent a photo from my aunt and uncle of a Brompton they’d encountered which they clearly felt was remarkable enough to warrant a photo. Folded, they really are extraordinarily small. I want one, but I don’t quite need one enough to justify the price. I’m working on it though!
The Brompton is an amazing bike that attracts lots of attention. I’ve folded and unfolded mine more times for demonstration, to interested people, than any other purpose.
Love those Bromptons. I had a chance to spend 3 months with a raw lacquer M3L. Here is a link to my bike blog with the story. It also has a link to a 12 part set of Brompton blogs I did for NYCeWheels.
http://turbobobbicycleblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/brompton-m3l-extended-test/
@Riley
Thanks for checking in all the way from Beijing! If ever there was a place for folding bikes, I imagine Beijing as being it.
Dahon Curves are nice. Probably the best deal in a reasonably priced folder on the market.
Thanks for sharing…
Alan
@Ben
Well said! I totally agree; the Brompton excels in the city. At times I think of it more as a “transportation tool” than as a bicycle per se. I haven’t taken mine on any longer-distance rides on open country roads, but I’m curious to find out how it does in that setting.
Thanks much-
Alan
@Sally
Bromptons always elicit questions and comments. If you get one, I can almost guarantee you won’t regret it.
For fun, here’s NYCeWheels custom Brompton building tool:
http://www.nycewheels.com/brompton-folding-bike-alc-custom-video-configurator.html
Lots of good information there.
Regards,
Alan
@Bob B.
Great article, Bob. Thanks!
Alan
Yes, Bromptons, I think the strongest point of one is it’s ability to let you smile.
I had one (M3L) for 1,5 years, this was 3 years ago.
Since a week I have my new M6L in Raw Lacquer with Kojaks and a few tweeks and it is marvelous! It’s much more comfy with the Kojaks (On the M3L I had Marathons) and I surprised what a fast bike it is. I’ve sold my Koga-Miyata to pay (partially) for the Brompton and I don’t think that I will regret this decision.
In two weeks I go onto a little tour with a friend, 3 days, around 280km, I’m curious how the little bike will perform, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be fine.
Thanks, Patrick. Your new bike sounds fantastic (love the raw lacquer). Let me know how your tour works out. I have plans to do some longer rides on the Brompton and I’m eager to share experiences with people doing the same.
Alan
@Alan, et al
If I understand Brompton’s site correctly, Bromptons can be ordered as 1, 2, 3, or six speeds (and retrofit kits are available). That seems pretty smart of Brompton given the first/last mile problem of mass transpo modes, scenarios where terrain is fairly level, and the desire of many on the fence for simplicity. In other words, 1, 2, or 3 speeds might be enough to get you by in an inter-modal scenario. Dahon, for example, doesn’t seem to follow this business and design model.
What do you think?
@voyage
I think you’re absolutely correct; the simple drivetrains are probably sufficient for a majority of last-mile/multi-modal situations. The drop outs are very narrowly spaced on this bike for compactness and to save weight. As soon as you wedge a full-sized IGH like an Alfine 8 into a folder you pay a size and weight penalty, both of which are very high priorities for a bike of this type.
Alan
@Alan
I’ll do that, we’re doing something around 80km per day (exception day 3: 120km) so there’s enough time to take some pictures. I will mail you a flickr-link and will write down a few experiences.
My friend rides a 28″ touring bike (german VSF Fahrradmanufaktur with fenders, rack, hub dynamo, steel frame, Magura hydraulic rim brakes, brooks saddle) So I can compare the Brompton to a “real” touring bike ;-)
@Patrick
I’m looking forward to it – thanks! Have a wonderful and safe trip.
Regards,
Alan
Sorry, I can’t agree that a Brompton is ill suited for travel in the country. I’ve done several 30-40 mile day trips (Salinas-Castroville-Monterey, Salt Spring Island BC, Swartz Bay-Victoria BC, Oakland-Montclair-Dublin CA) that were largely out in the country, and the Brompton was no less a delight than it is in the city. I got Ergon grips with bar ends for my M-type, and added a Schlumpf Mountain Drive so hills don’t bother me.
My wimpy day trips are as nothing compared with the tales of centuries and extended tours from the BromptonTalk group on Yahoo, and Todd at Clever Cycles in Portland did a long trip down the Pacific Coast on a Brompton and had a fine time of it:
http://clevercycles.com/2010/11/26/down-the-pacific-coast-by-brompton/
I bought an M6L to use for work following a spate of thefts from the bicycle shed. However, I was informed by factory management that my folded Brompton was not allowed on the actual premises as it was deemed a security risk!!!!!! I am now back to using the car for work again as I will not risk having ‘another’ bicycle stolen from the unmonitored cycle parking at work :-/
@Scott:
I didn’t mean to infer that a Brompton is ill suited for travel in the country. I’ve ridden mine down Scottish country lanes and had a blast.
However, it’s not what they are really designed for. If you are a taller rider, it’s nigh impossible to get into an efficient riding position when you are headed into the wind. Gearing is a bit limited too. It’s not that you can’t do it on Brompton, or even that you shouldn’t. But, there are other bikes out there (folding and otherwise) that do that kind of ride more efficiently.
A century on an appropriately built up rando-rig, or say a Bike Friday with drop-bars, is going to be a much easier proposition than a Brompton. Then again, no telling which ride would be more interesting and fun — which is the whole point.
Certainly, a 100 miles on a Brompton gives you more bragging rights.