2000 Miles on the Brompton: Is This Your Next Bike?
My commute drastically improved with Brompton. Yours can too.
I have ridden a Brompton as my daily commuter for almost 2 years. This bike is the Swiss Army knife for urban commuting, and has opened up so many possibilities for my transit.
When I first purchased my Brompton I had a 5.5 mile bike-only commute in the city. Now I have a multimodal commute from the suburbs where I take a train and ride my bike. My current mileage is 20–30 miles per week, but have ridden this bike over 2000 miles total. It’s been through rain, snow, sleet, wind, and a few tornado warnings.
Disclaimer- Brompton is not affiliated with this post in any way. This is not an ad, and any purchases mentioned in this article were completed with my own funds. I was not compensated in any way for writing this piece.
My Bike:
I have a 2019 Brompton S6 in Tempest Blue. It has standard gearing, Schwalbe marathon plus tires, Brompton silver fenders, and a Q-type rack off eBay.
Why the S6L?
Throughout the browsing process, I was debating between the S6 and the S2. The S type handlebar was a top priority for me. I’m a road cyclist at heart, so I can’t do the upright handlebars- it feels like I’m a sail in the wind and it’s just not my style.
Though I live in Chicago which is flat as a pancake, I didn’t want another single speed bike. Gears are helpful to battle the Chicago wind, or to ride up and down hills if I take a weekend trip to Wisconsin.
I also figured it would help me future-proof my commute if I happen to move to another city with hills. Side-note — no bikes are future-proof. Ask any cyclist how many bikes they’ve purchased. The answer will never be just one.
The buying process
It took me about 2 months from the time I first considered buying a Brompton until I finally pulled the trigger. I’m a researcher to my core, so I spent a LOT of time watching useless videos on YouTube before I went to actually test ride a Brompton.
Finding a Brompton dealer in the US is hard. In the whole Chicago area there are only 4 Brompton dealers, and not all of them had bikes in stock when I was looking to take a test ride.
The test ride convinced me, and later that day I was online building my custom Brompton on their website.
My local dealer recommended I customize my bike online using the Brompton bike builder, and then ship it to the store. They would assemble it and give it an initial tune up. The catch is that I would pay local sales tax on the purchase, which seemed reasonable to me. My local dealer also offered a free tuneup after 500 miles of use and free installation of any Brompton accessories purchased in the shop.
Building and shipping takes a long time
Within 24 hours of customizing my bike, I received a confirmation from Brompton that they were building my bike! It would take 6 weeks to assemble, and then another 1–2 weeks to ship across the pond.
It actually took about 12 weeks from the order until I had my Brompton. The bike was held up in customs for about three weeks on it’s way across the border.
The Fold
Folding the Brompton is easy. The first few times it was a little awkward and I did almost scratch the frame. As someone who just spent a ton of money on a folding bike, this made me nervous.
Now I consistently fold/unfold the bike in under 20 seconds while people on the train platform stare in disbelief. The hinges are very solid, and I never worry about the integrity of the folding components.
Fenders and racks
If you plan to ride in any wet weather, fenders are a must. Nobody likes a muddy stripe up their butt when they get to work.
I went with the standard Brompton front and rear fenders. Pro-tip: you need to also order the fender stays to mount the front fender. I learned this the hard way.
For the rear fender you either need a rack to mount the fender, or the rear fender stays. Make sure you have the right fender for your bike setup because the mounts are different (L version fender + stays without a rack, and an R version fender with a rack).
I messed this up and had to mount my rear fender to the rack with a zip tie because the rack didn’t have a fender mount.
I purchased a cheap Q-type rack from eBay to function as a kick stand when the bike is folded. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I have used the rack to haul something but my bike stands up straight when folded.
Carrying the bike
The Brompton is light, but it’s not that light. It’s about 26lbs. I break a sweat when I carry it more than 50 yards.
I used to carry it all the way from the train out to the street, but that stopped that a while ago. Rolling the bike in it’s unfolded state is just so much easier.
My typical method is to carry it by gripping the top tube, but there are carrying accessories out there which allow you to carry the Brompton over your shoulder like a messenger bag.
Bringing Brompton on a commuter train
Unfortunately, the Brompton isn’t as portable on public transit as I would like. I take a heavy rail commuter train with 2 levels inside each car.
Sometimes if I get into an older car, there’s barely enough room to maneuver the bike up the staircase. It’s possible, but it’s a tight fit.
I can’t take up just one seat on the train if I bring my Brompton. It doesn’t fit at my feet unless I want to sit in the fetal position.
The bike just barely fits between seats on the lower level, and takes up too much of the isle on some of the seats upstairs.
There is a luggage rack on the train that I could theoretically use. I would need some strong bungee cords to make sure it doesn’t tumble off the rack and seriously injure someone below.
Luckily, I commute during off hours, so I don’t need to worry about any of this. I have plenty of room to sit with my Brompton. This is my typical train setup:
Brompton on a subway? Don’t count on it
I’ll let this picture speak for itself. Can you picture someone bringing a folding bike onto this train? Me either.
I have only taken the Brompton on a subway-type train a couple of times because it’s not convenient.
The only time I did this is during off-hours because of a flat tire. I would not choose to use a Brompton as part of my daily commute during rush hour on a crowded bus or train.
Uber/Lyft is manageable
The good news is that using a Brompton in an Uber or Lyft works quite well…if you are the only one in the back seat or if there’s room in the trunk. The bike can fit on the floor depending on the type of car.
It fits comfortably on the floor in an SUV or minivan, and in some sedans if the front row of seats isn’t too far back. I’ve hitched a ride a few times with my Brompton and it was totally fine except for the confused looks from the driver.
Storage at work or home
My Brompton takes up a footprint of 28” by 24” by 16” with the seat on. With the seat off it measures 23” by 22” by 16”. Brompton advertises 10” wide when folded buy I don’t see how that’s possible.
I measure the bike at about 16” when I measure at the widest points. I don’t see how it could only be 10” wide
I previously lived in a 350 square foot apartment and I had no issues storing my bike. It fits right next to the couch, but it does become part of the room. If you plan to tuck the Brompton behind a couch or chair without anyone noticing it, you may be disappointed with the result.
The bike fits next to a couch, but it doesn’t “tuck away” under the armrest like you might expect.
Riding Speed
Your perception of ride speed will 100% depend on what kind of bike you used previously. I’m an avid road cyclist who rides a carbon road bike for everything other than my commute. Compared to my Trek Emonda the Brompton feels slow.
High effort when pedaling:
I notice that with the same perceived effort, I am consistently 2–3mph slower on the Brompton than on my road bike. There are 3 reasons for this, rotational inertia, frame stiffness, and fit.
Rotational inertia is limited on the Brompton due to the small wheels. This helps when accelerating but it’s bad for maintaining speed. Coasting results in a dramatic loss in speed compared to a standard bike.
What makes riding the Brompton more tiring is the fact that you simply need to put out more power to maintain speed. You can’t really stop pedaling without losing momentum.
Frame stiffness is mostly a non-issue. The Brompton’s frame is obviously not a single piece due to the fold. The top tube hinge is very stiff. I never notice any issues in the top tube. The most flexible part of the frame is the rear triangle. The Brompton has a rubber suspension block where the rear triangle meets the seat tube.
These suspension blocks come in different stiffnesses. The standard block feels soft to me. When riding, I can noticeably feel the frame flexing with each pedal stroke. This is good for comfort on bumps, but bad for speed.
The fit affects speed as well
I’m not the tallest person. I’m too tall to be a professional jockey, but too short for everything else. At 5ft 6in, I have no issues with the Brompton fit.
That being said, it’s not very adjustable. The seat-post moves up/down and the saddle moves forward/back- that’s it. You’d need some custom modifications to modify the handlebar position. There is no stem to adjust, so the handlebar position is stuck where it is.
If you are a very tall person, there is an option with a longer seat-post, but you may end up feeling like the reach is too short.
I would prefer the handlebars were a little lower to make the position more aggressive. The riding position on the Brompton is definitely more upright than a road bike. I catch a lot of wind while riding the Brompton and this adds to the reasons why I think it’s slow.
It’s all relative! Some may feel like the Brompton is fast.
If you typically ride a ride-share bike like Divvy, Citi Bike, Lime Bike etc, then the Brompton will feel fast. If you ride a heavy mountain bike on city streets, the Brompton will also probably feel fast. You can expect to gain 1–2mph at the same effort on the Brompton vs. these heavy bikes.
Handling
The handling on the Brompton is… different. It’s more jittery than a standard bike. There’s no stem which makes the steering more sensitive. I think the lack of a stem is probably the bigger factor for the handling than the small wheels, but it’s hard to tell.
This sensitive steering does have its benefits. The Brompton is great a maneuvering in tight spaces. You can make tighter turns between cars/around corners than you can on a standard bike. However, it makes riding one handed slightly more challenging. If you’re someone who uses a lot of hand signals while riding it may take some practice.
Braking
The Brompton stops just fine. I’m not overly impressed with the stopping power like I am with modern disc brake bikes, but it’s not an issue in dry conditions.
Rain is an issue. When it rains, the stopping power is significantly reduced- not to the point where it’s dangerous, but it’s very noticeable. I’ve tried a few different brake pads and it didn’t make a difference. I’m currently running the kool-stop salmon brake pads which have been my favorite of the bunch.
So. Many. Gearing. Options.
The Brompton comes with many gearing options- I’d almost say there are too many options.
These include multiple levels of single speed, 2 speed, 3 speed, and 6 speed bikes. Each of these speeds have an option to swap out the front chain ring and make the overall gearing higher (harder to pedal) or reduce the gearing (make it easier to pedal).
Brompton gears function differently than a standard bike. The Brompton has an internal hub gearing system. This means that the gears are all internal and enclosed around the back axle. You’ll typically see this in ride-share bikes as well.
The internal hub has 3 standard gears which is what comes stock on a 3 speed Brompton. My 6 speed has this internal hub, but also an additional cog on the back. So, I essentially have 3 main gears with a “high” or a “low option.
I initially bought my bike with a -12% gear ratio. This was a mistake for my riding style. I like to cruise at about 17–18mph on my commute, and this gear ratio didn’t allow for that. I had a gear that would give me 15mph or 19mph at my preferred cadence. One mph over my preferred cadence doesn’t sound like much, but it makes a big difference when riding. I was mashing on the pedals and it wore out my chain quicker.
I have switched back to standard gearing. This gives me a gear at my desired 17mph to cruise, and many lower gears for acceleration from a stop or going uphill. I also have a few higher gears that allow me to go 25+ mph but I don’t use these often. I think standard gearing is the way to go for most riders.
Maintenance
Brompton maintenance takes similar effort to a full-size bike but it’s just different. I put more time/money into my Brompton than my road bike simply because I ride it nearly every day in all types of weather. This naturally causes more maintenance needs.
Drivetrain
The Brompton eats chains faster than a full-sized bike. The chain is closer to the ground so it accumulates more grime which wears away at the bearings. The chain also makes a tight turn around the rear derailleur which increases friction and wear.
I wore out my first Brompton chain in 200 miles but this could have been prevented. I didn’t clean it as much as I should have, and I neglected some crucial maintenance after riding in wet conditions. Since my first chain, I haven’t replaced it and it’s only showing minor signs of stretch. I still have a few months before I need to change it again. Chainring and rear cogs are still in great condition after 2000+ miles.
Brakes/rims
Similar to the drivetrain, the Brompton eats through brake pads faster than a standard bike. The small wheels have less surface area, which produces more friction and heat while braking. The increased heat wears through the rubber faster than a standard bike. Overall this difference isn’t very noticeable for me. I’ve replaced brake pads twice in 2000 miles, and that was more due to personal preference than necessity.
The rims on the Brompton get filthy anytime there is moisture on the road. I’ll finish a wet ride and the tires have a nice layer of black water/dirt which acts like sandpaper when I brake. The grit can wear away at the rim and get little pieces of metal stuck in the brake pads and it becomes a vicious cycle. I rinse off the rims and brake pads after each wet ride otherwise it becomes a big issue for my maintenance.
Fixing a flat
If you get a flat with no option to Uber to your destination, you better hope it’s the front tire. Fixing a flat in the front is no issue as long as you have a wrench to remove the nuts on the axle and a flat kit.
Fixing a rear flat is a different story. It’s not ultra-complicated, but it’s different from a standard rear tire. The construction of the Brompton is very different from standard bikes, and the majority of the parts are proprietary. This means to take off the rear tire the cables to the rear derailleur need to be removed, the pieces stored carefully throughout the change, and then re-assembled before riding away.
I have fixed a rear flat about 5 times since I’ve owned the Brompton (all with the stock tires- I don’t have this problem since I’ve upgraded). If it happens on my commute I bite the bullet and catch a ride the rest of the way. I don’t take off the rear wheel often enough to have the process down by memory. Once I get home, I give myself enough time to look up my instructions and complete with no issues.
My Maintenance Routine
- Wipe down and oil chain weekly
- Inspect tires for glass shards weekly
- Full chain clean with chain cleaning tool monthly
- Rinse/re-oil chain after wet ride. If I don’t, surface rust will appear overnight.
- Rinse/wipe down whole bike after wet ride
- Wipe down rims after wet ride
- Adjust brakes every 2 months
- Adjust rear derailleur 2–3x/year
- Tune up once per year
Costs
Buying a Brompton is not cheap. There are other folding bikes out there, but in my opinion the Brompton is the most durable and has the smallest footprint. I chose long-term reliability over affordability. Even with the higher price tag, owning a Brompton still much cheaper than owning a car. With taxes included I paid a total of $1564 for my Brompton. The sticker price was $1419 and $145 of sales tax.
Maintaining a Brompton is also not cheap. If you go on Brompton’s site and look at parts/accessories they are mostly proprietary. Proprietary parts are hard to get and they are expensive. If I want to replace the hinge for the Brompton I don’t have many options.
I try my best to maintain the bike to avoid wearing out the original parts. It costs about $60–100 per year to maintain my Brompton between new parts and my yearly tune up. I can do all of my basic maintenance, which decreases my need for a full tune up. I do this when I need work on the bottom bracket, head tube, or bearings. If you want someone to do all the work for you, plan to spend $100–150 per year to keep your bike maintained. I’d recommend a full tune up at least once a year if you ride the bike as a daily commuter.
Can the Brompton replace a full-size bike?
It depends on your goal! For me, the answer is a hard “no”. When I transition from a road bike to the Brompton it feels slow, flexible, and jittery. But it makes my commute a lot easier and that’s why I own it.
Serious road cyclists will be frustrated with the Brompton if they want to ride fast. It’s just too slow and doesn’t offer much adjustability for different body sizes. There are modifications that can be made to increase the speed, but they sacrifice comfort.
I’ve seen Brompton bikes with ultra-stiff suspension blocks and fast Kojaktires. These modifications are fine, but I like comfort, and bulletproof tires for my daily commute. I save the fast rides for my road bike.
Casual riders can probably replace a full-sized bike with a Brompton. They’re lighter and faster than your typical mountain bike that people seem to ride in the city.
Here are some areas where the Brompton excels:
- Adventure: The Brompton can fit on a plane or a train and allow you to explore a new city without a car. Some have used the Brompton for touring as well due to its tough steel frame and ability to haul cargo.
- Portability: This bike is great for portability in the city. You can take it on a train, bus, or Uber but likely will have issues taking it on public transit during rush hour.
- Storage: If you have a small apartment the Brompton takes up a lot less space than a full-sized bike.
- Durability: This bike is tough. Bromptons are known for their longevity. I know I’ll have to replace parts periodically but a Brompton can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
Things they don’t tell you
- Get ready to talk about your bike… a lot. This bike gets reactions. People watch in awe as you fold/unfold the bike on a train platform and then will chat you up about it. You’ll have to frequently answer the dreaded “how much does that thing cost?” question. It’s one of those things that has become a chore when I have to take my headphones out to talk to someone who wants to chat me up about my bike. Those of you with cute dogs will know the feeling.
- It’s not that light
- It looks even cooler in person
- When folded, it’s wider than you’d expect
- It makes some noise when pedaling. This is normal for internal hub bike. It’s a quiet clicking/humming while riding.
What would I do differently?
- Gear ratios: I would’ve purchased the standard gearing from the beginning. The -8% gears just didn’t work for me.
- Number of gears: I really don’t need 6 gears in Chicago. I use 2 or 3 of them. I could have saved myself some money and a couple of pounds of weight if I bought the 2 speed bike. But if I ever move somewhere with more hills I’ll use all 6 gears more often.
- Tires: I should have purchased Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires right away. It took me 3–4 flat tires before I made the switch.
- Rack: I should have purchased a rack that had a spot to mount my fender, or purchase the fender that’s mounted without a rack.
Overall, the Brompton is a fantastic bike. It’s my main mode of transportation to and from work. I’m not sure what I would do without it.
