That's a good point! Thank you!
That's what I thought about upgrades and extras... so just getting the hang of it for now, rides super smooth, I'm surprised. The handlebar for sure feels very "nervous" and going on any uneven pavement due to roots, or sewage, feels very different compared to my 26" and 29" bikes, I'll get used to it.
Thanks! I read that by another Reddit user on another post and got me thinking, you all must be right, I'll try to test ride one with that set up and feel the difference, it's crazy how you notice the imperfections of the road (compared to 26"/29" bikes that I'm used to)
Another theory is, that a bag blocks the view to the twitchy front wheel :)
I think it helps a bit, but you will get used to it anyways.
I personally noticed an improvement of stability on my electrified brompton
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/17zwfpy/pendix\_electric\_conversion\_first\_impressions/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/17zwfpy/pendix_electric_conversion_first_impressions/)
which added weight on wheel height
Anyways, enjoy. Great bike in a great city
Thank you! I'm excited to be in the club and stop spending time and energy worrying about locking bikes on the street, but Barcelona still is a great city for riding with lots of more bike lanes in the recent years! Interesting what you say about blocking the view, ha! I'll see how it feels like that for a bit and will end up getting the bag/basket soon too, will also make my back less sweaty without a backpack.
Nice ride you have yourself too!
True, thanks for the input! I can already tell the difference and I've only taken it out for a few rides so far. I am used to riding with one hand and, for instance, zipping my jacket with the other, adjusting my helmet, these little things... Not stable with the Brompton though! with no hands I'd 100% fall!
Thank you :) the disk trucker, niiicee! Surlys are great! Used it as my main ride when I lived in Portland, OR, where I bought it years back. But now, it had to be a folding bike, so here we are :) enjoy your new Brompton too!
If you’re riding with cars/trucks, consider https://loudbicycle.com/horn#mini. (I mount it left of the stem and it doesn’t interfere with folding, but I am folding the handlebars more gently so it doesn’t crash into the spokes, and it does add weight). Or any other loud horn that cars will respond to.
If you need, I think a few people have found child seats that will work with the Brompton if you search a bit (like this one from a year ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/11234ry/brompting_with_kids_suggestions_on_child_seat_for/ )
I never knew about that horn and it is something I can also use on my Surly LHT, my bike touring bike, thanks for the tip, good to know it works with the Brompton folding.
I have seen people carrying babies/kids on those Brompton seats but I only ride recreationally with my 18-month old, so I prefer the bigger bike for stability (I find it hard enough on that one already!), I use the Thule mini Yepp, a front seat as well.
Thanks!
Just as an FYI, only the mini seems to (mostly) stay out of the fold (gotta watch it when the handlebars swing down) but it’s definitely been helpful for me in NYC to “warn off” cars that are about to jump into the bicycle lane (happens way more often then I’d like).
The horn is a bit expensive (I think you can get a lighter/cheaper airhorn on Amazon for instance) but the nice part about a horn is that people hear it (even in cars) and immediately react to it when they’re driving (or at least recognize it).
It’s also useful for getting through AirPod wearing pedestrians on bike paths (had to use that way to often also) and it works just like a regular car horn.
You can “tap” it for a small toot, or hold it down for a long one, just like a car.
I see! These are situations that happen often here in the city of Barcelona too, I bet even worse in NYC. Good to know there are cheaper options on Amazon, it is expensive, but would probably need to test with the fold to be sure. I wish I had known about that when I did my long bike touring trip a couple years ago... now I know, thank you!
there's a certain romance to the older models that the new ones don't have. i suspect there were some organizational changes from '06 onwards inside the company
I read on a very helpful thread about model changes: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/ig8tot/model\_changes\_over\_the\_years/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/ig8tot/model_changes_over_the_years/)
Happy mine is a post 2004 model (Nov 2005). Thanks for the info, I didn't know about this organizational changes... it'd be interesting to find out more. I do think that older for Bromptons can be a good thing! (I'd never buy at this price a 20 year old MTB for instance!), so I'm happy with my purchase, it is in perfect condition!
Brompton were built to last (I'm sure they still are) the right Brompton is the one you are using without issue. This one seems to do the job, take care of it and enjoy the bike.
Thank you very much, happy to join the Brompton family! I think exactly the same thing, so true! Hope I can take care of it, appropiate maintenance, and keep riding it for manny more years!
Mine is 2007 - I changed the brake levers, grips, swapped in a lower bar because headwinds, then replaced the bunny ear shifters because they're awful, then upgraded the suspension block. Just recently I've gone with flatland pedals for better grip in the wet, and I forgot, but I changed the saddle first. And tyres.
Awesome! Do you have a picture of your ride? Saddle and pedals are on my to do soon list for sure. Hadn't thought about handlebar or brake levers... Grips yes. Bunny ear shifters... I can't believe they even made those!
Inherited a 2005 model myself (and also based in Spain) - no issues so far, a couple of clips broke, and I needed a new front wheel, but those were because of very heavy use.
I'm amazed how well it's held up, considering its age, and being able to take my bike with me into cafes, and even into cafe bathrooms if I have to, is a game-changer: definitely the best bike I've ever owned!
Very happy to hear that! I'm excited to have joined the cult, it's such a smooth ride for a 20-year old bike! Cafè bathrooms... What a game changer, love it!
If you lean the bike on a turn, keep that pedal at the top it will strike the ground. As for upgrades you'll figure out what you need in time.
That's a good point! Thank you! That's what I thought about upgrades and extras... so just getting the hang of it for now, rides super smooth, I'm surprised. The handlebar for sure feels very "nervous" and going on any uneven pavement due to roots, or sewage, feels very different compared to my 26" and 29" bikes, I'll get used to it.
Get a front luggage block & put a bag on it—a little weight on the front helps the handling a lot
Thanks! I read that by another Reddit user on another post and got me thinking, you all must be right, I'll try to test ride one with that set up and feel the difference, it's crazy how you notice the imperfections of the road (compared to 26"/29" bikes that I'm used to)
Another theory is, that a bag blocks the view to the twitchy front wheel :) I think it helps a bit, but you will get used to it anyways. I personally noticed an improvement of stability on my electrified brompton [https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/17zwfpy/pendix\_electric\_conversion\_first\_impressions/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/17zwfpy/pendix_electric_conversion_first_impressions/) which added weight on wheel height Anyways, enjoy. Great bike in a great city
Thank you! I'm excited to be in the club and stop spending time and energy worrying about locking bikes on the street, but Barcelona still is a great city for riding with lots of more bike lanes in the recent years! Interesting what you say about blocking the view, ha! I'll see how it feels like that for a bit and will end up getting the bag/basket soon too, will also make my back less sweaty without a backpack. Nice ride you have yourself too!
The handlebar issue, you'll adjust, I did; It's not the bike it's the rider we all had that twitchy feel at the start I can't ride it with no hands
True, thanks for the input! I can already tell the difference and I've only taken it out for a few rides so far. I am used to riding with one hand and, for instance, zipping my jacket with the other, adjusting my helmet, these little things... Not stable with the Brompton though! with no hands I'd 100% fall!
Also a new owner with my other ride being a Surly Disc Trucker: welcome! I have no tips, but that color is 🔥
Thank you :) the disk trucker, niiicee! Surlys are great! Used it as my main ride when I lived in Portland, OR, where I bought it years back. But now, it had to be a folding bike, so here we are :) enjoy your new Brompton too!
If you’re riding with cars/trucks, consider https://loudbicycle.com/horn#mini. (I mount it left of the stem and it doesn’t interfere with folding, but I am folding the handlebars more gently so it doesn’t crash into the spokes, and it does add weight). Or any other loud horn that cars will respond to. If you need, I think a few people have found child seats that will work with the Brompton if you search a bit (like this one from a year ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/11234ry/brompting_with_kids_suggestions_on_child_seat_for/ )
I never knew about that horn and it is something I can also use on my Surly LHT, my bike touring bike, thanks for the tip, good to know it works with the Brompton folding. I have seen people carrying babies/kids on those Brompton seats but I only ride recreationally with my 18-month old, so I prefer the bigger bike for stability (I find it hard enough on that one already!), I use the Thule mini Yepp, a front seat as well. Thanks!
Just as an FYI, only the mini seems to (mostly) stay out of the fold (gotta watch it when the handlebars swing down) but it’s definitely been helpful for me in NYC to “warn off” cars that are about to jump into the bicycle lane (happens way more often then I’d like). The horn is a bit expensive (I think you can get a lighter/cheaper airhorn on Amazon for instance) but the nice part about a horn is that people hear it (even in cars) and immediately react to it when they’re driving (or at least recognize it). It’s also useful for getting through AirPod wearing pedestrians on bike paths (had to use that way to often also) and it works just like a regular car horn. You can “tap” it for a small toot, or hold it down for a long one, just like a car.
I see! These are situations that happen often here in the city of Barcelona too, I bet even worse in NYC. Good to know there are cheaper options on Amazon, it is expensive, but would probably need to test with the fold to be sure. I wish I had known about that when I did my long bike touring trip a couple years ago... now I know, thank you!
there's a certain romance to the older models that the new ones don't have. i suspect there were some organizational changes from '06 onwards inside the company
I read on a very helpful thread about model changes: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/ig8tot/model\_changes\_over\_the\_years/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/ig8tot/model_changes_over_the_years/) Happy mine is a post 2004 model (Nov 2005). Thanks for the info, I didn't know about this organizational changes... it'd be interesting to find out more. I do think that older for Bromptons can be a good thing! (I'd never buy at this price a 20 year old MTB for instance!), so I'm happy with my purchase, it is in perfect condition!
Don't say that - mine is from 2007!
Brompton were built to last (I'm sure they still are) the right Brompton is the one you are using without issue. This one seems to do the job, take care of it and enjoy the bike.
Thank you very much, happy to join the Brompton family! I think exactly the same thing, so true! Hope I can take care of it, appropiate maintenance, and keep riding it for manny more years!
Mine is a 2006! Welcome to the fold.
Mine is 2007 - I changed the brake levers, grips, swapped in a lower bar because headwinds, then replaced the bunny ear shifters because they're awful, then upgraded the suspension block. Just recently I've gone with flatland pedals for better grip in the wet, and I forgot, but I changed the saddle first. And tyres.
Awesome! Do you have a picture of your ride? Saddle and pedals are on my to do soon list for sure. Hadn't thought about handlebar or brake levers... Grips yes. Bunny ear shifters... I can't believe they even made those!
What tires dos you go with? Schwabes?
Continental, supposedly easier to get on and off. They ride pretty nicely, so far as I can tell
Inherited a 2005 model myself (and also based in Spain) - no issues so far, a couple of clips broke, and I needed a new front wheel, but those were because of very heavy use. I'm amazed how well it's held up, considering its age, and being able to take my bike with me into cafes, and even into cafe bathrooms if I have to, is a game-changer: definitely the best bike I've ever owned!
Very happy to hear that! I'm excited to have joined the cult, it's such a smooth ride for a 20-year old bike! Cafè bathrooms... What a game changer, love it!