Brompton Electric. Game changer?

[georgew]

This is hardly new as the ARCCinnovations Brompton pedal assist has been around a good time now.

https://arccinnovations.com/brompton.php

[Randy_Butternubs]

I've looked at secondhand Bromptons and this is certainly true. Not so sure it'll transfer to the electric version - I don't have a crystal ball but I would be surprised if any electric bike produced today would look attractive against one produced in 5+ years time.

There comes the humble Brompton whom designs hasn't changed in decades

I'll wager the battery and motor doesn't stay the same for anything as long as the bike has. Why would it if the technology improves? Or do you think it's already reached it's zenith?

Electric motors are a mature technology and are already extremely efficient. Given the low power output of a legal e-bike I think current motors will remain 'just fine' for a long time if the law doesn't change.

The battery is a different issue as new ones will become incrementally better through technological advances whilst existing batteries degrade as all batteries do. Hopefully Brompton will keep the connector block standard so that owners can buy the new, better batteries in the future.

[Gattonero]

...Hopefully Brompton will keep the connector block standard so that owners can buy the new, better batteries in the future.

They are known for keeping their bikes serviceable during time. That's why I bought one

[simonineaston]

There was a 'nano' motor which was available for the front wheel of a Brommie for a long while - are they no longer available?

Tony Castle, the bloke who does the conversion work at nano, has my Brompton at the mo' for purposes of said conversion He's a fine fellow, who is always thinking about new ideas and is totally into bikes of all stripes. I took my Brompton to his small workshop near Pewsey t'other day and am jolly looking forward to the results. Might even be persuaded to write a line or two on the subject, for you folks!
Nano make three options available, a ready converted, new Brompton, they'll convert your own Brompton, or else they'll simpy send you the parts. For further info, contact Lynda, nano's excellent coordinator. She does, as they say these days, Great Comm.s lynda@nanoelectricbikes.co.uk

[[XAP]Bob]

...Hopefully Brompton will keep the connector block standard so that owners can buy the new, better batteries in the future.

They are known for keeping their bikes serviceable during time. That's why I bought one

And given that it looks like they have used the existing luggage block as a basis for the connector then there is no benefit to futzing it...

[ChilledOut]

It would be great for any members who have had electric conversions posted how successful the different conversions have been.
I bought an actual electric Brompton which had to go back to the factory for, allegedly, a new motor and controller as the power kept switching on and off going uphill. It was returned worse than it was before it went back to the factory, so I got a full refund.
So please...... post how the different conversions are working for you!

[Marc]

With one of these for £200 and one of these £190 and the cost of rebuilding a wheel to the hubmotor, and a standard Brompton, you get something like this 'cept neater and lighter and 2-speed which is great for hills, and save around £1000.

Nice idea! Shame it doesn't work.

Bromton use 75mm wide front wheel hubs and have 8mm wide dropout slots in the fork, hence the usual 100mm wide front wheel hub motors with 10mm axle simply don't fit.

[Marc]

Grin Tech in Canada offers Bromton Pedelec conversion kits based on two small Cyctalyte direct drive hub motors: https://www.ebikes.ca/product-info/brompton-kit.html Since these are direct drive hub motors, they even sport regenerative braking with the included controller.
The info page got nice images, explains some quirks (compared to normal Pedelec conversions) and has an installation guide.

Since the hub motors are modeled in their online Ebike Simulator, you can calculate how fast your electrified Brommi would go with either of the motors, compare how well they will climb hills and what range to expect from your battery: https://www.ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html

The actual conversion kits are here: https://www.ebikes.ca/shop/electric-bic ... -kits.html
I'd advise to spend the extra $20 for the Statorade upgrade, even if you don't live in a hilly area. That stuff works as advertised to keep the hub motor a great deal cooler, without adding noticeable drag (if done right): https://www.ebikes.ca/product-info/statorade.html

That's a conversion kit worthy of this little smart bike, designed by one of the leading ebike pioneers (no exaggeration if you know who Justin Lemore is and what he done) and converts your Brommi at least to the same quality level of the Bromton Electric (assumed its any good, of course). If you choose the optional Cycle Analyst, it's most likely the better kit (I'll never build an other ebike without a CA).


I'm not affiliated with Justin or Grin Tech. Just a happy user of their products (paid from my own money) and fancy myself as one of their 'beta testers' (Cycle Analyst v3, Satiator, Phaserunner, Statorade).