Brompton was born in London in 1975. It has grown into a global brand, supported by urban cyclists for its excellent portability, high riding performance, and functional beauty of design. The perfection of its folding mechanism has reached the point where it can be considered an art form. In this article, we will explain how to choose a Brompton from three perspectives.
About Handlebars
M handle
Surprisingly few people know that the original Brompton had only this type of handle. When I bought my first Brompton, there was only this M handle, and it was classified as “light,” “tour,” or something like that. In a sense, this handlebar shape is like the hometown of Brompton.
The handlebars are positioned between the sporty S handlebars and the long-distance P handlebars, with a not-too-confined forward lean and gentle handling, and I think this handlebar is still a Brompton icon. The handlebars themselves are designed to be flexible, which is also true of the P-handle. This is similar to the P-handle, but the handlebars themselves are designed to flex to reduce arm fatigue when horseback riding long distances. There is no suspension, but I think this is a great idea.
S Handle
S stands for “sporty” and is suitable for people who want to ride hard like in the Brompton World Championships, etc. This S handle is designed to maximize the performance of the vehicle. The S handle is more rigid than the M handle and converts the rider’s step into more propulsive force. The S handlebar is more rigid than the M handlebar and converts the rider’s footsteps into propulsive force. Also, you may wonder why the grip position is the lowest model, but it is for small people (women in the 150cm height range, for example). P-handle
P-handle
Foldable bicycles and drop handlebars are basically incompatible (when folded), but this handlebar is a two-dimensional version of the drop handlebar that allows the rider to hold various parts of the bike. The handlebars themselves are designed to be more flexible than the M handlebars, which makes it easier to ride long distances and for longer periods of time without getting tired.
About gears
Three-speed internal gear shift
The internal gear shift is a gearbox in the hub of the wheel, which is a part of the hub, and it has an extra or reduced rotation by meshing with the gears.
Since the gear is contained in the hub, there is little trouble even if the bike is ridden in the rain or in other adverse conditions, and this is actually one of the key factors in Bromptons’ reputation for sturdiness. One drawback, however, is that the many gears on a Brompton make it heavier than a standard “external gear shift” bike, which has a chain that moves around. It is a gear that is typical of a bicycle born in the “foggy City of London,” in other words, a city where it rains a lot.
Exterior 2-Speed Shift
It is actually rare to find a bicycle with a 2-speed gearbox, and many people may wonder if it is safe. However, the public presentation of the Brompton itself is quite good. However, the performance of the Brompton itself has cleared considerably, and thither is a growing add up of people who think that this is sufficient to employ mainly on Machinori and in a city wish Sapporo where thither is a lot of flat land. More or less people call back that there is not much difference in weight between the titanium model with internal pitch transfer and the normal 2-speed model, although the absence of an internal gear box makes it lighter. The Brompton’s character as a practical vehicle tin be clearly seen.
Many people think that a small straddle of gear shifting means that it is difficult to climb, but this is not necessarily true. Some people think that because the vehicle itself is light, the Brompton is easier to climb uphill. It is such a clear impression that it runs easily and smoothly. As an external gear shift, the social structure is very simpleton and trouble-free, and it is a very nice gear shift.
3 interior x 2 exterior = 6 speeds
The combination of the right and left levers allows the user to select 6 different gears. In fact, this is the most common gear combination chosen, and although it is a 6-speed bike, the range between the lightest and heaviest gears is as wide as that of a 20-speed road bike, and will expand your riding radius.
For those who are buying a Brompton for the first time, it is actually hard to know if your legs can handle the bike, so it is understandable that you would want to choose a bike with a wider range of gears. So, if you decide that you don’t need six steps after riding the bike, you can remove either the exterior or the interior, which is actually quite economical. In the opposite case, you will have to add parts, so you should keep in mind that you will have to pay a certain amount of money for them.
About carriers
L type
The L-type is lightweight, meaning that it does not have a rear carrier. If you think it looks neater and cleaner without the carrier, the L type is probably the best choice. In fact, although it is called a carrier, Bromptons require a little ingenuity when loading luggage.
R type
The R type is equipped with a carrier. When I first learned about Brompton, the top-end model was this type, so my image of Brompton is this type.
And as mentioned above, Brompton carriers have not been developed for carrying luggage. Then what? What is it when you fold it up and roll it around and move it around? I think that many people think that folding and rolling a Brompton means “going on a bike trip” and that you have to put it in a bag and lift it up, but if you get to know your Brompton well, you will realize that folding and moving it is not only for “going on a bike trip” and that you can get to know your Brompton like that. When you can use a Brompton in such a way, you can see the advantages of the R-type.
If you consider the above points, you should be able to find the perfect bike for you! If you still can’t find a bike that you like, you can customize parts to make your BROMPTON one-of-a-kind!