Brompton cycles choices

[Brucey]

if you keep pedalling but without pressure during the shift, you can use the same technique for both types of shift.

cheers

[mercalia]

Brompton Handle bars. For those who have the bikes what do they think of the various handle bars you can get. Coming from a bike that has drops ( though I never use the drops but do use the various postions on the top ) I am not sure about any of the options - even the P one really only has a drop that wouldbe too low for me to use. the vertical bit seems a bit strange? Shame they dont do a drop handle bar version?

[JakobW]

IIRC you've got reasonably limited options if you want to maintain the fold; anything with too much sweep starts to foul, and drops are right out. You can add a little bit of reach by angling the bars or using a stem clamp extender thingy, but a Brommie has a fairly upright position anyhow, so I'd probably go for something that put the bars at about saddle height. With the extended or telescopic seatposts the S-bars are fairly aggressively low. The P-bars offer two vertically stacked flat-bar positions; whether the lower one offers enough of a benefit in a headwind to offset what are surely some of the ugliest handlebars around is going to depend on your use case and sense of aesthetics...

[ambodach]

If you are used to drop bars I would go for the S bars with bar ends. The grips supplied by Brompton are rubbish anyway so better changing them to ones with built in bar ends.

[mercalia]

i am 6'3" by the way

[JakobW]

I'd probably go for the M-bars then and fit aftermarket bar-ends, but worth seeing if you can get a test ride somewhere to compare? My local big Evans has S-type and M-type test bikes they'll lend you for a couple of hours.

[Tiberius]

If you are used to drop bars I would go for the S bars with bar ends.

+1...

Before I bought my Brompton I had a test ride on bikes with all four of the available handlebar options. I found that simply riding a Brompton was SO different to riding a bike with bigger wheels, that the various handlebar options were the least of my problems and that there wasn't THAT much difference between them. I decided to buy a bike with M bars, my thinking being that as these were the most popular choice then the bike would be easier to sell on if I decided to get rid.

I actually prefer drop bars, and when I had got used to riding a Brompton I had another spin on an S bar Brompton and realised that I had made a mistake buying the M bar bike. The S bars offer a sportier riding position which I much prefer to the M bars. I also think that the S bars look a lot better than the M version.

I did look into changing the M bars to S bars but it's a bigger/more expensive job than I expected. Along with the bars you need a new stem, and a new S type colour matched stem doesn't come cheap.....not much 'bang for buck' with Brompton.

[JakobW]

Might be worth seeing if you can find a suitable pair of shallow riser bars? An M-type stem and shallow risers gives a similar position to the S-type, and should be fairly cheap.

[mercalia]

If you are used to drop bars I would go for the S bars with bar ends.

+1...

Before I bought my Brompton I had a test ride on bikes with all four of the available handlebar options. I found that simply riding a Brompton was SO different to riding a bike with bigger wheels, that the various handlebar options were the least of my problems and that there wasn't THAT much difference between them. I decided to buy a bike with M bars, my thinking being that as these were the most popular choice then the bike would be easier to sell on if I decided to get rid.

I actually prefer drop bars, and when I had got used to riding a Brompton I had another spin on an S bar Brompton and realised that I had made a mistake buying the M bar bike. The S bars offer a sportier riding position which I much prefer to the M bars. I also think that the S bars look a lot better than the M version.

I did look into changing the M bars to S bars but it's a bigger/more expensive job than I expected. Along with the bars you need a new stem, and a new S type colour matched stem doesn't come cheap.....not much 'bang for buck' with Brompton.

how tall are you? In my case @ 6'3"I wonder whether the S would be too low as some one already said and maybe the M or H more normal and not a sit up and beg position as it would be for a shoter person? Yes I will have to visit a shop to see what their options ride like. I am still at the thinking stage, I nearly bought that P6 from the ads but glad I didnt though some one got a bargain.

I really want to do some bus-cycling now I have the Freedom Pass and thought the Brompton the best option for problem free travel.

[rfryer]

Another +1 for S bars with bar ends from me. But I am only 5' 7; I'd echo other's suggestions of seeking out a test ride in case it's too low.

I tried the other bars before I bought - I thought that the P bars might be good with the lower position, but found that the bottom grips with no access to brakes weren't great, and none of the positions were anywhere near as comfy as bar ends.

FWIW, the normal seat post, fully extended, is just right for me.

[Tiberius]

how tall are you? In my case @ 6'3"I wonder whether the S would be too low as some one already said and maybe the M or H more normal and not a sit up and beg position as it would be for a shoter person?

Fair point. I'm 5' 10" and I can easily ride with the S bars, but I'm not sure how I would get on if I was 5" taller. Even at my height the Brompton always feels like a very small/low bike. I came very close to buying the extending seat tube but I JUST managed to get away with using the standard one by mounting the seat on the higher position on the pentaclip....my inside leg measurement is 31".

[Gattonero]

how tall are you? In my case @ 6'3"I wonder whether the S would be too low as some one already said and maybe the M or H more normal and not a sit up and beg position as it would be for a shoter person?

Fair point. I'm 5' 10" and I can easily ride with the S bars, but I'm not sure how I would get on if I was 5" taller. Even at my height the Brompton always feels like a very small/low bike. I came very close to buying the extending seat tube but I JUST managed to get away with using the standard one by mounting the seat on the higher position on the pentaclip....my inside leg measurement is 31".

That sounds a bit strange. Pretty much everyone over 5ft 9" would need the extended seatpost. My inside leg is 82.5cm and with the std, seatpost I cannot get my typical 74.5cm saddle height.

[iow]

... I'm 5' 10" and I can easily ride with the S bars, but I'm not sure how I would get on if I was 5" taller. Even at my height the Brompton always feels like a very small/low bike. I came very close to buying the extending seat tube but I JUST managed to get away with using the standard one by mounting the seat on the higher position on the pentaclip....my inside leg measurement is 31".

+1 - 5' 10", 32" inside leg, Brompton saddle (these seem to have a relatively high profile) pentaclip upside down and right at the top of the seatpost.

[Gattonero]

...and I thought I had short legs!

[Tiberius]

Fair point. I'm 5' 10" and I can easily ride with the S bars, but I'm not sure how I would get on if I was 5" taller. Even at my height the Brompton always feels like a very small/low bike. I came very close to buying the extending seat tube but I JUST managed to get away with using the standard one by mounting the seat on the higher position on the pentaclip....my inside leg measurement is 31".

That sounds a bit strange. Pretty much everyone over 5ft 9" would need the extended seatpost. My inside leg is 82.5cm and with the std, seatpost I cannot get my typical 74.5cm saddle height.

I'm not sure if it's strange or not, but that is the case for me. Pentaclip upside down, a Brook's B17 saddle and I'm just right. I'm really glad that I didn't have to go with the extended seatpost as I prefer the slightly more compact 'fold' with the standard post.

Note to the OP. Will Butler-Adams (Brompton CEO) is 6' 4"....I'm GUESSING that he fits just fine on the full range of Bromptons irregardless of handlebar style.