Brompton suitable for long rides?

[LWaB]

A friend rode the 1200km Paris-Brest-Paris, 1400km London-Edinburgh-London and 1600km Mille Miglia brevets on his Brompton. Several other folk have completed 1000+km brevets on Bromptons. They aren't the best bikes for long distances but are surprisingly capable.

[syklist]

sounds logical; however there could be a fault in the wiring to transformer primary, or in the transformer secondaries, or the rectifier; any of these could cause an absence of DC output.

I guess a sensible next test would be to test for mains voltage at the transformer. Something as simple as a mains neon installed at the relay output will soon tell you if the relay is powering up the transformer or not, and this may help to diagnose an intermittent fault.

If it is the relay, it'll be a fairly easy and cheap fix!

There are no obvious faults with the wiring no signs of damaged insulation, loose connections or burnt plastic. I think I will contact the manufacturers again and see what they say. Thanks for the "meedenken" (as they would say in Holland).

(I've just been browsing Dutch bike forums so I can't think of the appropriate term in either English or Norwegian right now

[giannifilippini]

Definitely suitable and great fun too! In my experience when you don't have months free to travel it makes bike touring so much more convenient than a regular bike. If you have limits on time to bike around places you can include transfers by train, buses and cars and plan your tour so that you ride only the best places you want to ride! Lots of info and Brompton Touring experiences on http://worldcyclist.blogspot.com

[rualexander]

Couldn't decide whether to go walking or cycling today, so threw a backpack with walking gear in the car boot along with the Brompton and drove up to Strathyre. As the weather changed on the way, I decided to go cycling and rode up round Loch Earn and back to Strathyre, probably about 45km.
Had I gone hillwalking instead at least the Brompton would have been safe out of sight in the car boot, not so simple with a full size bike on a rack.

Some pics from the day, the last one is of the new stretch of cycle path between the Kingshouse Hotel and Strathyre, smooth wide tarmac.

[Bikefayre]

The usual is needed, proper servicing, lubrication, fitting best bits, you should know all that. The most important thing is to fit long distance tyres, a common mistake made. My old club taught me the difference between short and long distance tyres. For long distance you want a quality make, decent puncture protection and the same low rolling resistance compound found in road bike. Fitting Presta valve tubes helps keep the pressure in. Also try to find lighter components if possible.

[Jerseybean70]

Hi

I see from your photos you have an ortlieb handlebars bag attached to your Brompton-do you have a link to the mount for it?

[Marcus Aurelius]

Many years ago I was lent a Brommie as an advertising / marketing exercise for a Brompton hire scheme, that was launched in my locale. They told me to ride it as far as possible in one ride, and then they’d big up the bikes capabilities. So I did a 200 mile ride in one hit. The bike mostly made it, but the tyres were screwed, and it needed a new rear wheel. Still, 200 miles in one hit is pretty good for a folder.

[rmurphy195]

Furthest distance I've done on the Brommie was about 35 miles, a return trip mainly on a railway-based cycle tracks e.g. Return Ashbourne-Parsley Hay, Bristol - Bath as far as the nice railway station cafe, from the M'way parkand ride then across the big bridge and along the south side of the river, and a fe rounds of the Forest of Dean. But for sure I prefer my tourer especially where there are hills (OK slight slopes!) and so on, and I can sling sarnies/flask/clothes etc. into the panniers. Both bikes are a joy to ride in their own way.

[simonineaston]

While I'm aware of lots of happy punters using Brompton for longer distances and finding them quite up to the job, my own experience is that the absence of suspension on the front and their rather quick steering make them less suitable for longer distances than some other small-wheeled alternatives, in my case, preferring one of my Moultons. I've found that the leaning forward stance I have on my S, means that I can either have the front tyre blown up hard and enjoy the consequent performance benefits, or else drop the tyre pressure a little to remove some of the high frequency vibrations that transmit when the tyre's up to a harder pressure.
The slightly twitchy steering that comes with any Brompton is slightly dampened by a loaded bag on the front luggage clip, and you either mind it or you don't. Using one of the aforementioned Moultons, I'm out of the frying pan and into the fire, I'm afraid but there you go!

[Tangled Metal]

Many years ago I was lent a Brommie as an advertising / marketing exercise for a Brompton hire scheme, that was launched in my locale. They told me to ride it as far as possible in one ride, and then they’d big up the bikes capabilities. So I did a 200 mile ride in one hit. The bike mostly made it, but the tyres were screwed, and it needed a new rear wheel. Still, 200 miles in one hit is pretty good for a folder.

What was it that made those tyres only just last? Were they new or used tyres? Do small wheel tyres fail quicker? My recumbent had a 20" front wheel and it did miles and miles without failing.

[hoogerbooger]

'RE twitchy steering, mounting a bag to the handlebar stem rather than using one on the Brompton frame block much reduces the twitch and with sensible bag weight seems to have no ill effects on balance.

Various ways to mount luggage can be found online & above. Here's mine. Best tip above I think is presume (on good to average road surfaces) take your normal touring distances in miles and you're probably best to convert that to km for a Brompton tour. (But if the going gets rough or loose you'll probably be pushing)

Brompton touring feels and is a bit different to using a proper tourer, but it makes some things possible you'd have difficulty doing with a full size/ non small fold bike. CTC magazine has an article currently on an interrail trip with a Brompton.

[simonineaston]

Nice, neat-looking setup there, hb

[Marcus Aurelius]

Many years ago I was lent a Brommie as an advertising / marketing exercise for a Brompton hire scheme, that was launched in my locale. They told me to ride it as far as possible in one ride, and then they’d big up the bikes capabilities. So I did a 200 mile ride in one hit. The bike mostly made it, but the tyres were screwed, and it needed a new rear wheel. Still, 200 miles in one hit is pretty good for a folder.

What was it that made those tyres only just last? Were they new or used tyres? Do small wheel tyres fail quicker? My recumbent had a 20" front wheel and it did miles and miles without failing.

It was the route that did it. A lot of poor surfaces, and unswept back roads. I believe they were on single wall rims as well, hence the knackered rear wheel.

[simonineaston]

Wheel can't have been put together properly. In my own experience, 20", let alone 16" wheels, are virtually indestructable if built correctly in the first place...