r/Brompton

Just tested G-line electric, Vektron P5i and 20Pro.

What I look for: light/highly adjustable/super assist on hills/ no batt anxiety

G-Line £3.7k
Pros: Freaking fast acceleration past the speed limit when I want it; very agile; compact and lightest
Cons: handlebar not adjustable. I prefer upright position ( less load and strain on shoulder and neck)

P5i £4K
Pros: highly adjustable/somewhat smoother and quieter ride than G-line
Cons: noticeable “deceleration” past the speed limit. ; less nimble than g-line but no biggy.

20Pro £3k
Pros: surprisingly comfortable for me (5’10). Loved the ride the most even though the adjustability is not great. Auto gear shifting is good. Cheapest b/w the 3 by £1k!
Cons: I like the auto gear shifting but it also seems to lag behind my intentions. No manual shift/ not sure how it’ll react on slopes.

Any user experience on those please? What are your thoughts? (I’m leaning on UTO 20Pro)

My commute to work will be doubling in distance in the coming months. My electric C line has been a pleasure to use but I'm now looking for something more comfortable for the longer ride.

I was convinced I'd change manufacturer and buy a much larger bike, but once you get used to Brompton's practicality, there's no going back. Add to that I live in London, so locking anything outside is a Russian roulette on whether you'll find it when you get back.

I haven't had a chance to ride a G Line yet but hope to in the next few weeks. I'll visit Brompton Junction in Covent Garden.

Until then I just wanted the opinion of some G Line owners. Is comfort a lot better with the bigger wheels? Is the fact it folds larger an issue? How is handling with the newer style handlebars? Anything worth noting would be great. Thank you!

Hi, I have the brompton Cateye amp500 light mounted above my front wheel underneath the carrier block and really wanted to get another light as a backup in case it dies mid ride or even perhaps something more powerful. Does anyone have any suggestions what to do other then buying a second Cateye amp500 light ….

I don’t want to get a handlebar mounted light or anything that attached to the stem

Hey all, excitedly awaiting a renewed 6 speed C Line arriving in a week or so. First new bike since I was 10, have wanted a Brompton since I was 17 and finally thought I’d take the plunge after an unexpected tax rebate!

I’m taking the wait as an opportunity to try and get properly set up for safety and maintenance - I have the time to wait for stuff to ship from china/Taiwan after all. This is my first bike since uni, when I was less than good with care etc - lots of leaving it in the garden, not locking it properly, never cleaning and lubing and so on. Keen not to let history repeat itself.

I’m looking for recommendations on lights. My step dad advised Cateye, for the front I’ve gone for an AMPP 500s with an above break mount. For the rear less sure - their rack lights look good but aren’t USBC charging and pretty poorly reviewed on Amazon. His advice is good (ex-cycle courier) but about 30 years out of date bless him, as he last owned a Brompton in 1996 😂 - said to ask about upgrading to the firmer rear suspension block and the shop said they’ve all been firm and locking since 2007!

Anyway, would be great if anyone has recs for a good, usbc charging rack light with a British-legal integrated reflector. Considering putting on a Q-rack and want to try and keep things looking as clean as possible. Seems to be a bit difficult to find?

Below are a few other new-owner questions too. Apologies for the ramble, have been in a bit of audhd hyperfocus given the big purchase:

- Do Brompton sometimes build their ‘renewed’ bikes? I got a slightly odd/avoidant reply from support when I questioned the 2-3 week delivery, as I thought everything was in stock, 2 day delivery.

- Worth it to get the chain hot-waxed immediately? Not having the mess of oil sounds like an absolute dream. Local bikeshop said they could do it for £40 (all-in with the price of a new chain, didn’t want to do it on a refurb chain apparently), then I’d just keep it up with the liquid silca.

- Rust prevention strategies to practice from day 1? Frame taping seems necessary combined with using minimal water when washing, but seen all sorts of strategies like motorcycle rust-preventers in the frame etc. Bit anal, but would rather not have the faff of constantly touching up frame rust/rust on the bolts etc.

- Essential things to keep on top of day to day/ what do I need in terms of lubes, soaps, degreasers etc. Was just going to grab the £10 decathlon cleaning kit with degreaser for the rims, cleaner for the body, and a chain lube for the hinges. Anything missing?

- Small low effort safety upgrades? Was going to use black reflective tape for the frame taping above (black frame obviously!), cheapo helmet lights with more reflectors, fold out mirror in the handlebars, best lights I can afford etc.

- Aliexpress electric pumps, sound ok? I can’t afford anything mad, but for about what I’d spend on a mini pump (which by all accounts are miserable to use anyway), a small electric pump with less potential to damage the valves and a pressure gauge is tempting. I’d be much more likely to keep the tires at proper pressure if it’s dead easy, vs getting a track pump out. Keen to hear experiences.

- Brompton ez wheels vs decathlon kids skate wheels. Conscious of the reports of damage with skate wheels, and don’t want to fuck the rear triangle for the sake of a saved tenner. I note the biggest redesign with the 2025 frame is the straight bar for the roller wheels - seems the fragility there was a big enough issue they were forced to do a frame redesign?

Apologies for the ramble. I’m of course aware the answer to much of this is ‘stop obsessing and just get out there and enjoy riding the damn thing!‘ - which I fully mean on doing! Just excited, and would love any tips you have for good habits/tweaks for a new owner starting from scratch.

I’ve been wanting to become a Brompton owner for a while, but they’ve usually been outside my budget. I found a local 2006 Brompton S6E listed for $800 USD, which seems high to me given the age.

I haven’t inspected it yet and have only seen a couple of photos, so I’m trying to be informed before negotiating or going to see it. From what I can tell, it looks to be in okay condition, but I know older Bromptons can have issues like hinge wear, rust, seatpost slipping, drivetrain wear, etc.

Assuming it rides, folds, and shifts properly, what would be a fair price for a 2006 S6E? And if I find things like rust, hinge play, missing parts, or non-original components, how much would that affect the value?

Thanks.

Update: Seller is now around $500 USD. Should I go for it?

Two weeks ago I was about to take my second ride that day. In mounting my trusted Brom I suddenly found myself on the floor. When checking the cause I found the following:

https://preview.redd.it/r994ay7vr2bh1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c9ad0ce27b9d9cc62bdcd51a3b0d3ee2dafb20b

https://preview.redd.it/0yxecy7vr2bh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=90d0e1ad62c7f700f93f4edc96377b5515f2954b

https://preview.redd.it/44m6ey7vr2bh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a4f43355b20aa24968eefdd70980130cc7d5830

https://preview.redd.it/gsn89z7vr2bh1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=790ef65d83325c7692044affa606f541f3d3a678

https://preview.redd.it/vxppty7vr2bh1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d93eae422d32848adc18775648c0d629f2b4fc4

https://preview.redd.it/g8pukz7vr2bh1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64c0d9695cad1d8d69dedba4b5b7937953e78f07

Got in contact w/ Brompton on warranty. On June 22nd they wrote "we aim to send you a full response within the next 3 working days." Never heard from them since...

Hi All! Have recently got my first Brompton (C Line in Dune Sand), I have a £150 Brompton voucher to use, what does everyone recommend? Thanks!

The site recognizes me —has my name and my email. All my purchase history has disappeared though. Any tips? I am using Safari.