Cycling UK Forum

Is there anyone in Cornwall with a brompton that wouldn't mind me giving it a test ride?

90% of my riding means I don't have to leave my bike unsecured, but 10% I do and I don't like it (spend the whole time worrying). My thought is if I get a brompton I can take it into the chip shop/asda/pet shop and if I get a new job (as we all do sometimes) I don't have to pick and choose my job to weather they have somewhere to store my bike as most places could find a space for a folded brompton.

Thanks.

Can you not just buy a cheap bike that fits and make it more ugly to a potential thief. Things thieves consider ugly likely include mudguards, kickstands, bits of odd paint applied wherever, high rise quill stems, drop bars (on a cheap looking bike), friction shifters...you get the idea. If they can't shift it, they won't attempt to steal it.

A Brompton is, in my eyes, a folder first and a bike second. I wouldn't want to ride one without definitely needing a folder (short commute from train to work or something), they are also expensive. I say buy something cheap, make it uglier and try not to worry unnecessarily about it (and still have a bike that is comfortable for riding more than a couple of miles).

Sorry, the 10% you leave it unsecured, do you mean unlocked and outside or locked and outside? If the former, why would you need to leave it unlocked?

I leave it locked up but I don't own a cheap bike. I also live in a 2 bed flat (downstairs) and am running out of room with the 4 (one tandem) I already have.

Well, I think your problem is you don't own a cheap bike

How much riding will you do on it? More than a handful of miles and I'll think you'll find the Brompton a compromise too far. Can't you sell one of your nicer bikes (sacrilege, I know) to make way for a hack?

I NEED them all. It's only a moulton, orbit tandem, dawes mountain bike and my sons bike.

fossala wrote:Is there anyone in Cornwall with a brompton that wouldn't mind me giving it a test ride?

http://brompton.com/dealers/4207/clive-mitchell-cycles

http://brompton.com/dealers/4267/natural-cycles

http://brompton.com/dealers/4358/the-bikeshed

???

Went and test rode one this afternoon. It was a 6 speed model. It was fine up the hills but the cockpit seemed very close. I'll look into if there is anything I can do to extend it.

I had to slide the saddle right back on mine. You can also reverse the saddle mount, which gives extra height and length.

mike_dowler wrote:I had to slide the saddle right back on mine. You can also reverse the saddle mount, which gives extra height and length.

I may ask them can I borrow there demo bike overnight after I come back from LEJOG. This would let me try it on roads I know like my commute to work in the morning.