Since April I've been getting lighter and fitter and I've been using my bike locally. I like the idea of a portable one that I can use away from home. I earned some money the week before last and sort of decided I could spend it on a Brompton. I had a vague idea that they cost about £600 but it seems I'm out of date - think £800+.
I want mudguards and I think a six speed is a good idea but beyond that I was hoping to explore options with a dealer and try one out. No such luck- went to the dealer in Cheltenham today who have no demonstrator, no stock, and a five month lead time.
I know we have at least one Brompton expert here - any tips or guidance will be welcome !
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I was looking at Bromptons here just recently Manatee. They had quite a few in stock. Would involve going into central London though...
www.cyclesurgery.com/folding/bikes/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true
Edit - I was at their Great Portland St store
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Wed 29 Aug 12 at 22:27
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I have a six-speed with standard gearing, which I think is a little too high in that the lowest gear is not low enough for climbs.
Top gear is almost too high for regular use, and certainly a bit too fast for mixed user paths.
Depends on your fitness, but I am going to get the front sprocket changed on mine to change it to the lower geared option.
As you've discovered there's not much stock about.
The bike chain Evans has some, but Brompton don't allow courier despatch, so you would need to visit a store.
www.evanscycles.com/
Brompton don't allow discounts, which at least means you don't have to worry about chasing around to find it cheaper.
My understanding is a factory order to your spec could be filled within a month or two, so it might be worth visiting another dealer local to you to see what they have to say.
Bromptons are excellent bikes, you hear very few complaints about them - apart from the price.
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>> Bromptons are excellent bikes, you hear very few complaints about them - apart from the
>> price.
How much?? :)
www.evanscycles.com/categories/bikes/folding-bikes/f/brompton#!
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Here you go Manatee - with no gears and twice the weight you'll only have to cycle half the distance to get the same amount of exercise on one of these. And use the left-over cash to get some nice new lycra shorts and a good supply of inner tubes:
tinyurl.com/dysm4t (Halfords)
:)
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Very helpful replies, thank you. I can get into London, may well have to be there on Tuesday as it happens. I wondered about the gearing which is why I wanted to try one. It sounds as if the smaller chain ring might be better for me too - I'm certainly not super fit and definitely quite a bit heavier than Brompton. I'm aiming to be no more than 77kg and I still have 6 to go.
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...I can get into London...
Do you come in from the north west?
I was in the Evans store in Watford Way, Hendon, a couple of weeks ago, they had a demo Brompton and a few in stock.
www.evanscycles.com/stores/Hendon
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"Bromptons are excellent bikes, you hear very few complaints about them - apart from the
price"
And the broken bones.
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Shouldn't you be waving flags as the Paralympics ?
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Someone will be competing at the next one if they buy a Brompton.
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>> Shouldn't you be waving flags as the Paralympics ?
AKA "The Limpy Games"?
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Looks good value Dog - not sure the saddle goes high enough though.
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not sure the saddle goes high enough though.
Well use a lower gear then!! ;-)
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You certainly need to look at a few demo models before deciding what spec exactly you want. Evans and Cycle Surgery in London usually have a few permutations you can try.
On gearing I'd definitely recommend a six speed. Mine's just got the standard set up and suits me perfectly. I regularly use 1 thru 5, 6 is bit long legged for anything I encounter on the commute, does get used occasionally on leisure rides though. The three would definitely have too few choices for me. Whether you need to the lower (or higher) options is a personal thing.
You'll also need to experiment with bars. Mine has the original M type ape hangers which are OK but if I had my time again I'd go for the P butterfly version for a choice of hand positions on longer rides. The M is fine for the commute but on a day ride I'm getting cramps in my hands. Others swear by the S. Originally for a more sporty ride it's found a second niche with smaller framed riders, particularly women. I found it too twitchy.
I wouldn't want the lightweight titanium bits, too much expense for any gain. The luggage rack is occasionally useful for it's intended purpose and makes for a much more stable & manoeuvrable folded package. OTOH the bike's so easy to fold/unfold that it's usually pushed unfolded.
The pannier system at the front is brilliant. Carries tons, stabilises the ride slightly and the only slight downside is wind resistance.
Dynamo lighting is not worth the money; battery jobbies are so good these days.
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I've just returned from my first ride on my lower geared Brompton.
The dealer fitted the sprocket for £45 all in, which is under a tenner for labour.
Not bad, because the chain also needs to be shortened.
I was able to climb a hill which was previously too much of a struggle, so the gearing is right for my relatively low level of cycling fitness.
I asked the dealer about a factory order and he reckoned December.
He's been told Brompton is now working seven days to meet demand, unheard of for them.
They give the impression of being a traditional British industry who are probably not over-keen on working Friday afternoons.
I agree with Bromptonaut about the rear carrier - the folded package sits neatly on it.
He's also right about the lights, my factory dynamo does have a capacitor, which means the lights glow for a bit when you stop in traffic.
But I'm told folding the bike nearly always breaks one of the cables eventually.
I expect Bromptonaut is right about the bars, too.
Mine are the same ape hangers as his, but I rarely ride for more than half-an-hour at a stretch, so keeping the same hand position all the time is OK.
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Are you new to the machine or just the lower gearing iffy? I assume it's the chain ring that's swapped rather than the sprocket?
I hired a P6R (if I understand the nomenclature correctly) today, take it back tomorrow. Seems to make sense to have an hour or two tryout before spending £900.
I like it. Clearly needs more attention than a large wheeled bike, and bumpier on a poor surface, but it's fun to ride and manoeuvrable enough. Very well made.
I like the P bar. I'm a sit up and beg rider these days but I can see me using the lower hold into a headwind. It has the telescopic seat post but I don't need it.
This dealer has a M3L in stock at £810. I'm tempted as I could have one straight away but it's probably worth a ring round to see if I can get the P bars, 6 speed, and possibly a rack - the four roller wheels with the rack do look more stable and robust than the tripod ones with one on the mudguard.
The dealer was a proper chap who said if I wasn't using public transport then a decent 20" folder would do the job at half the price. But they clearly aren't as well designed or made, and I value the small folded size regardless - the car will be full as often as not when I take it away.
I'm just going to do a bit of pricing up...
Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 30 Aug 12 at 21:01
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Yes, it's the front chain ring which is changed.
I've had my bike a while, but am only just getting into it properly as the new hip allows.
I'm guessing your hired bike is on standard gears, but changing is only a matter of changing that ring, so if you buy one and find the gears don't suit it's not the end of the world.
Your riding impressions of the Brompton accord with my own, seems there's more to those funny bars than I thought.
Fair play to the dealer, 'a decent 20" folder' would be a good bike and a better ride in some respects, purely because of the bigger wheels.
I can see the attraction of the stock bike, the three speed is a bit neater because there's no rear mini-derailleur (although Brompton don't call them that).
Whatever they are called, they can be vulnerable to damage because they are low down due to the small wheels.
The dealer should give you a short, clean ride on the stock bike, and a carrier could be fitted if it doesn't have one.
But your preferred spec is a six speed with the butterfly bars.
Decisions, decisions....
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Thanks iffy.
The rear derailleur is really slick in operation, as is the hub gear. Strange combo, especially as they don't operate sequentially - to step up one gear, you go up on the sprocket - unless you are already on the high sprocket, then you go up on the hub gear and down on the derailleur. In other words the hub gears are more widely spaced than the 3 speed and the intermediate steps are achieved by leaving the hub gear alone and using the higher derailleur setting. I'm almost used to it after half an hour.
The prices are a shocker. The 3L is £810 and I couldn't understand why the Evans price for the 6R is £995 - but it's becuase their imminent stock has the hub dynamo at £75 as well as the rack (£50) and 6 speed (£60).
I will enquire whether they want to sell the hire bike I think, subject to a bit more testing tomorrow.
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...to step up one gear etc etc....
I wondered if you would work all that out - took me a while.
Another way to look at it is the rear sprocket gear is an overdrive.
So you have first on the hub, then overdrive first if you go from lower to higher sprocket, then second on the hub, then overdrive second by going from lower to higher sprocket, and so on.
The prices do click up with the spec, mine included an extra tenner for the stronger tyres and I think it was a bit more again because I wanted a different colour front and rear.
The hire bike could be a good proposition, although used Bromptons make good money, so you may conclude for the sake of two or three hundred you want a shiny new one - if such a beast is available.
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Well, he won't sell the hire bike. 4 years old and good enough to convince me speaks of decent quality.
The standard ratios seem OK to me. Anything I can't climb I'll wheel it up. Did 7 miles or do on undulating lanes today and enjoyed it. The p bars too for sure. Just have to be surgically separated from nearly £1000 if I want one!
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The deed is done, ordered from Evans who were showing stock of the P6R+hub dynamo. Should collect from Milton Keynes next week.
Could have done without the dynamo at £75 but I'd rather not wait until January and not really get any benefit until Spring. There's a price rise in January too and the dealers are cagey about standing on the current price if it comes after then, though I dare say that could have been overcome.
I'd better addle some more brass now.
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I've just got back from my usual 10-mile round trip.
I'm blowing a bit, but what fun.
Bromptons are one of those rare consumer goodies that you should only need to buy once, so I'm sure you won't regret going for a spankers new one.
What colour?
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Ooooh, I want one now...
How much did'ye say?
Going to London next week too...wallet twitching already.
:-(
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Another tip for prospective owners:
Those blue shopping sacks customers can use in IKEA make a reasonable cover for the folded bike.
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Now that is dangerously close to being too tight Iffy !
:-)
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...Now that is dangerously close to being too tight Iffy !...
I take that as a big insult from a Scotsman. :)
Have you seen the price of the Brompton carrier bag?
www.brompton.co.uk/explorer/accessories/?bp=14
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>>Have you seen the price of the Brompton carrier bag?
Kin L.
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>>What colour?
Turkish Green - the standard colours are this, black, white, or "hot pink". Most seem to be black.
www.brompton.co.uk/images/colours/medium/Turkish_Green_open.jpg
P6R - this one has a white main frame but shows the bars.
www.brompton.co.uk/extranet/downloads/Key_Models/mid/P6R_White_TurkishGreen_angle.jpg
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...medium Turkish Green...
Nice, a bit girly, but nice all the same.
The standard saddle is much improved since your hire bike was made, other than that, it should be much the same.
I believe the ape hanger bars are set slightly higher on the latest ones, but that may not apply to your butterfly bars.
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You lot are made of money - nearly a grand for a bike, already?
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Don't pay more than about 500 pounds for a folding bicycle plenty of good makes out there .
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>> Don't pay more than about 500 pounds for a folding bicycle plenty of good makes
>> out there .
I dare say some of the less expensive ones ride a bit better. But they don't pack away nearly as well, and when you have no use for it you lose most of your money.
I know what I want, I've spent £15 on a real life test rather than a ride round the car park, and I've decided I will afford it.
It comes out of savings, the purpose of which is to be spent at some stage - and they'll be topped up when I get paid for the bit of work I did a couple of weeks ago too.
Nobody bats an eyelid if you spend £1000 on a cruise that's over in a week, that's what I call frivolous expenditure. But each to his own taste, as the French would say if they spoke English.
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>> Don't pay more than about 500 pounds for a folding bicycle plenty of good makes
>> out there .
>>
There's plenty of rubbish too. Any fool can make a bike with a hinge in the middle, whether it still holds together after a couple of years is another matter.
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How many years do you want tweny? Have a look on the net 1000 quid to much for a folding bike.Fool with a hinge in the middle funny.>;)
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Make the £700 we are agonising about, for carpeting the lounge/diner, seem modest!
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>>Make the £700 we are agonising about, for carpeting the lounge/diner, seem modest!<<
Plus you can have far more fun on a carpet, Dodger (ask Teddy!)
:-}
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"Make the £700 we are agonising about, for carpeting the lounge/diner, seem modest!"
It is.
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Aye but to be fair to Roger, I've been through more than one period in my life when £700 would have seemed like a substantial outlay. Probably, no, almost certainly, will again. No shame in that. Money is a bore if you have it. Less so if it's scarce. I'm alright at the moment but I've got a good memory and also don't need to be Mystic Meg to predict some elements of my future.
No offence or confrontation meant to any contributor by the way. Just saying...
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>>...medium Turkish Green...
>>Nice, a bit girly, but nice all the same.
Yeah, have to say, it might be in danger of looking a bit ( insert alternative word for covered footstool )
At least now though you won't look like a fat covered footstool...
:-))
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Ha ha!
It's a bike, not a dress! I would probably have gone for black but it wasn't showing as available. TBH it wouldn't have bothered me had it been Hot Pink. I bet you've been man enough to sport a pink shirt on occasion Humph?
It's a lot of money to me as well. That's why I'm spending it on something I want and will get something back from - not fags or Sky TV, which might be what other people want, and good luck to them. Some people even keep a dog or two, I've heard - I bet they cost more to run than a Brompton ;-)
Dutchie - I'd thank you for your counsel but your timing was poor, I'd already bought it! In any case, the portability matters and the Brompton excels at that - it takes very little room up in the car.
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>> ...medium Turkish Green...
>>
>> Nice, a bit girly, but nice all the same.
There's a lass who turns out on the Origami rides who complains that the latest pink is too Barbie; she has the earlier iteration.
>> The standard saddle is much improved since your hire bike was made, other than that,
>> it should be much the same.
>>
The standard saddle can be further improved by changing it for a Brooks.
>> I believe the ape hanger bars are set slightly higher on the latest ones, but
>> that may not apply to your butterfly bars.
AFAIK the higher set 'ape hangers' are an option - H Bars. The original M bars remain as the start point.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 00:22
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Another Brompton adventure today - my first ever organised cycle ride.
I did the medium 10 mile route of the Durham Big Ride.
Mine was the only Brompton I saw, they are not common up here and several of the other riders commented 'nice bike' and asked me about it.
To make this relevant to the OP, I discovered why there's a warning in the Brompton handbook about cinder tracks.
It doesn't handle them very well, a bit like riding on ball bearings.
A couple of times the rear wheel made a break for freedom, I instinctively steered into the little skid and remained upright, but I will need a more suitable steed if I am to do a lot of this type of riding.
Part of the ride was on a bridleway and my little front wheel stopped dead in a hoof hole.
I would have dismounted via the front door had I not been going so slowly.
Everything is on a hill in Durham and the 25 mile ride has some really nasty climbs.
The circuits merge for the last few miles, and I take my hat off to some of the riders who whizzed past me, still giving it full beans with 20+ hilly miles under their belts.
www.durhambigride.co.uk/
Last edited by: Iffy on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 20:54
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There, proof be it that you need a proper bike.
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Maybe I'll join you on the next one ;-)
I did my test the other day at Croome near Pershore. I left the boss to look around the house and park, and did a few miles around the lanes. The roads and car parks were strewn with pea gravel and I did feel that the front wheel was more inclined to do its own thing than my hybrid's would have been.
Not the best ride on those bumpy worn out tarmac sections of road either, with probably 100psi in the tyres.
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The ride - as in comfort - is not the Brompton's strongest suit.
I liken it to a supermini, can be jiggly over uneven surfaces.
The suspension choc at the rear does a decent job, but I'm guessing the front forks are just too short to offer the kind of bump absorption quality full-size forks do.
I was suitably smug in the car park after today's ride.
The others were messing around removing wheels or spending ages fixing their bikes to racks.
I folded the Brompton in seconds, popped it in the boot, got the roof down on the CC3 and was away.
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I've done a few of the Origami Rides www.foldsoc.co.uk/origami/index.html. The B copes OK on, for example Sustrans tracks on disused railways. It's not in it's element and needs to be ridden with care but so would a tourer on 700c*28 wheels over the same terrain. It can however drop you very quickly indeed on a slippery surface - as I found to my cost on 3 July.
99% of the time there's still enough warning to correct or get a foot to the ground. Even in the remaining 1% the worst consequence is usually no more than an undignified heap on the ground.
Only other time in 13yrs I was caught out to that extent I just picked myself off Sunninghill High St and pedalled back to my room at the Civil Service College to treat the bruise on my b*m.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 22:42
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...It's not in it's element and needs to be ridden with care but so would a tourer on 700c*28 wheels over the same terrain...
Yes. I was wondering how the fellas on those sort of bikes were getting on.
My other Brompton incident was in a dried out puddle which still had a thin coating of mud in the bottom.
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>> ...It's not in it's element and needs to be ridden with care but so would
>> a tourer on 700c*28 wheels over the same terrain...
>>
>> Yes. I was wondering how the fellas on those sort of bikes were getting on.
>>
>
Worse than the B probably. The unclassified road from here to the next village has a cycle track/footpath alongside. Surface is degraded tarmac with loose chippings occasionally top dressed with broken glass and doggydoo.
It's easy on the mountain bike and passable with care on the B. On my Dawes Galaxy which runs on 27*1.25 with a central contact 'ridge' I'd rather take my chances on the road.
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...I did my test the other day at Croome near Pershore. I left the boss to look around the house and park..
Couldn't let that pass without comment - Croome Court was near the farm at which I spent my formative years.
The house belonged to the Earl of Coventry, but they moved out because it was too big, and they had another pile at Earls Croome, which was even nearer to me.
The earl I knew, Bill Coventry, managed to break the family trust to get at the money.
He spent some of it on a new Bentley Turbo - first one I ever saw - and the rest on drink, which killed him at a relatively young age.
Quite a bit of jet setting went on, it was a regular sight to see his mates arrive and leave in helicopters.
Croome Court ended up in the hands of a non-mainstream religious community before lying empty.
To everyone's surprise, they looked after the house quite well - it was run down when they moved in, but no worse when they left.
I think the title of Earl of Coventry passed to a distant cousin who lives in Canada.
He has shown no interest in it, partly I imagine, because there is little or no money left.
Last edited by: Iffy on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 22:42
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What a coincidence.
Hare Krishnas I think.
From what the boss said on her return the house was lucky to have survived having had a period of being empty before coming to the NT four years ago IIRC. The rooms are empty, the furniture, or some of it anyway, having gone to Kelmarsh Hall as the "Croome Collection"; they are considering bringing it back.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 23:34
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Well, I've got it. Picked it up on Monday.
Oddly, it hasn't got the hub dynamo and lights. Which I wouldn't have ordered anyway given a choice. This caused an unbelievable kerfuffle in the shop. I'd paid by Paypal, because the card auth kept falling over on Saturday when I was trying to pay on the web, and the Evans stores can't do a part refund on Paypal. They suggested they refund the whole payment to Paypal, and then I pay with a card. No way did I want Paypal owing me a Jimmy, and in the end they just gave me a front bag I wanted anyway in lieu of the dynamo, which meant I came out slightly ahead.
I've added the "Eazy Wheels" which improves the rollability, and a battery lighting set. Still waiting for the mounting block to take the front luggage (C bag for the cognoscenti). I guess the bag might slow me down a bit as it sits athwartships attached to the head tube.
It's better on the uneven tarmac here than I expected. My first run to the shop and back, about 4 miles, was actually quicker than I manage on my 18 speed hybrid. I might try blowing the tyres up on the hybrid, the ones on the Brompton are at close to 100 psi.
Very pleased I took the plunge, even if I ended up spending a bit more than my windfall £1000 after the accessorizing.
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Any sailors wink at you?
:-)
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I'll have you know it's been much admired.
Mainly by me.
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...My first run to the shop and back...
What do you do about security while you are inside the shop picking up the comestibles?
I do limited shopping on mine - pint of milk, jar of coffee - but a Brompton is so nickable I'm wary of turning on my back on it for more than a second.
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It's a small community shop in a quiet village street, and I can keep it in sight. If I'm going to linger I'll fold it and carry it in.
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Same as Manatee. If I'm in the village shop I'll leave it outside. Boots or Smiths at Euston and it gets folded an goes with me.
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I wheeled the Brompton around a garage shop - they didn't seem to mind.
The aim of that expedition was to buy an energy drink - two 500ml tins for £2.
Bargain, or so I thought.
Consumed one, it made no difference.
Attempted to mount the other on the Brompton's carrier to have later.
What a fiddle that was.
The tin wouldn't sit squarely on the carrier, and the bungee cords wouldn't hold it in place.
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Energy drinks are terrible from a diet point of view - caffeine and sugar. You might as well eat a Mars bar and have done with it. Clearly Brompton knew this when they designed the rack to reject them ;-)
Just been for an 8 mile potter. The best seat height for me is fully extended, and I thought I'd been forgetting to extend it properly. After about 5 miles I realised that the saddle had been gradually descending. Adjusting the seat clamp up to the correct torque took half a turn on the clamp nut. So much for the PDI!
It's now just about as I want it I think. The luggage block came today and I fitted that.
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>> The luggage block came today and I fitted that.
Most of us find a bag on the front actually stabilises the ride a bit. In other words the bike's designed to carry a load that way without upsetting the handling/braking.
Check and re-torque the block's fixing bolts every few weeks until they're stable. Properly attached the block will carry quite a bit (like x 1.5 and big bit) more than it's specified max load. But there's no quicker way to ruin the fixing then letting a load bounce around on loose bolts.
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>> Energy drinks are terrible from a diet point of view - caffeine and sugar. You
>> might as well eat a Mars bar and have done with it. Clearly Brompton knew
>> this when they designed the rack to reject them ;-)
Family brought Lucozade into hospital for me after my recent tumble. Was offered 'words of advice' by consultant to avoid it. Others on the ward with similar tastes and dietary issues, in one case diabetes, were loudly and publicly rebuked.
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There's a case of Lucozade in the ward.
Make's a change from dysentery.
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I managed to get my rear derailleur caught up in the spokes of my back wheel yesterday on a steep fast loose surface descent. Of course that completely locked the back wheel instantly. Apart from a left hand which is now twice the size of my right one it wasn't too catastrophic if a little unnerving at the time...
Fortunately I had a chain breaker in my wee under saddle pouch and was able to jerry rig the bike to a single gear to get back to the car.
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That used to be a sign above the counter of my once local Motor factors counter! - Lucas aids recovery!
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Might be worth you rough and tumble lads getting one of these spoke protectors - haven't seen them for a while -
goo.gl/yD3gs
I appreciate your horse has bolted.
I've done nearly 50 miles on the Brompton now. It's no slower than my hybrid, even after I've blown the tyres up and cleaned the transmission on the latter.
Comments range from admiring to mild ridicule, which I smugly ignore. Usually followed by "how much are they?" which I avoid answering properly.
My daughter noted with approval that it is "Cambridge blue" which it is, near enough, and sounds better than Turkish Green.
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 10 Sep 12 at 16:22
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>>I managed to get my rear derailleur caught up in the spokes of my back wheel
I assume you mean the chain got jammed between your gear and hub?
That used to happen to me until I sorted out a washer to fit between them.
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I took it to mean that the side plate of the little pulley business got hooked in the spokes. Very messy and if the mech. can be straightened out it will never be the same again:-(
Mine wasn't.
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Yep that's right Manatee. May have to be a new bike in fact, could be hidden but potentially serious frame damage too, cough...
:-)
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Mon 10 Sep 12 at 18:56
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How unfortunate ;=)
I'm sure you've explained to the boss that you can't economise on safety.
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>derailleur
How the hell do you get that caught in your spokes? You should be relegated to a three speed Stormey Archer.
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Might have got a bit bent earlier in the ride. We were (as my son says), "going for it" a bit...
My hand is quite sore now if anyone cares?
:-)
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>> Might have got a bit bent earlier in the ride. We were (as my son
>> says), "going for it" a bit...
>>
>> My hand is quite sore now if anyone cares?
>>
>> :-)
good job you got an auto. you'll need one of those flappy paddle electric gear changes for the bike it seems.
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>> >derailleur
>>
>> How the hell do you get that caught in your spokes? You should be relegated
>> to a three speed Stormey Archer.
TBH it's pretty easy. There's about not many turns of the lower range limit screw between smoothly engaging the biggest sprocket and going ting ting ting or worse against the spokes. Push it a bit and the whole thing catches a spoke. Derrailliuer a write off and unless v lucky drop out bent too.
Might straighten it with a wrench but you're never sure it's right and safe.
Best to invest in a new bike and end of season is good for 'Bargains' ;-)
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When I did this years ago it bent the dropout. I "adjusted" the derailleur for it but of course it never really worked properly after that.
If the dropout's bent, don't try to straighten it by just applying force to it. Deformed metal hardens where it bends and when you try to push it back it bends somewhere else nearby instead, probably the seat stay You'd have to get it done professionally unless you have the gear and the expertise, even if it's economically fixable and I wouldn't be sure of that.
If it's aluminium alloy rather than steel, and it's been more than usually stressed, it may be more likely to fail subsequently as a result - and you don't actually know the stress applied or the resultant strain.
That should convince her.
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 10 Sep 12 at 22:21
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Had a blast around York on the Brompton today.
Quite surprised to see Brompton dealer Cycle Heaven has at least 15 Bromptons in stock.
They have two shops, including one in York station, quite clever given there are hundreds of bikes parked at the station.
Saw a few tasty ordinary bikes, including some from Dutch maker Gazelle.
Lovely finish on them, which there should be for about £800 for a hybrid.
Some interesting engineering bits, one I looked at had a mini drum brake at the rear.
www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/bikes/brands/gazelle/
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Bromptons - Runfer D'Hills
