Brompton M-Type Folding Bike Reviews

hingysaid's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
Report this review

Good Points: Build quality, finish, compactness of folding design... and general engineering.

Bad Points: Nothing really.... although some people may find a starting price of around £500 a touch steep (although the saying "you get what you pay for" couldn't be more true.)

General comments: I've had my ML3 Brompton for quite a while, and this particular bicycle was manufactured around 1991/1992, and still going strong to this day. All the major parts on the bicycle i.e. Frame, seating and handlebars are all the originals, and the only things that have been changed or replaced are the typical items that you would expect.... ie. cables, tyres, brake blocks etc.

I use this bicycle regularly in and around London and have found it a very 'complete' package, it will carry my frame (13 stone) plus luggage, and handles very well.... the 5 speed gearing on my particular model is via a Sturmey Archer S5-2 rear hub setup.... which is very reliable as long as regularly serviced, which is something I would do myself. The gearing has a great range to allow an easy hill climb and also will allow you to build up a bit of speed on the straights. Some believe the Brompton to be an over-priced bicycle, and when you bear in mind that you can buy other folding bicycles from as little as £80... they might be right. But when you want a folding bicycle that rides like a full size bicycle and has little or no flex in its folding frame and has only the best components, then there is no compromise..... It must be a Brompton. The Brompton is also manufactured in full in the UK, just on the outskirts of London.... this I would imagine would account for the price tag... buts it's good to know that should you need parts or advice, then help is not far away.... I've contacted the Brompton factory for advice recently on a part which I could not find for my model.... I received a reply in 24 hours, and they even sent me the part I need completely free of charge - now that's a brand & company you want to deal with.

I recently bought another folding bicycle, based on lots of reading up on it, and a quick test ride from a shop... this is a Mezzo I4.... another great folding bicycle, it rides as good as the Brompton, and the build quality is again excellent... and it is made completely from aluminium, and anodised to finish... only down side is that it does not fold as compact as the Brompton, and is more expensive.

In summary.... If you live in London as I do and need a bicycle which will survive a daily commute and perhaps needs to be taken onto a busy train during rush hour... then there is no choice in the matter... it ' s a Brompton.... you'll not find any other bicycle that ticks all the boxes, trust me I speak from experience!

gadgetjunkie's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
Report this review

In my view Brompton folding bikes are leagues ahead of their competitors. None of the others offer the combination of ride quality, practicality, easy folding and transportation that Brompton offers. The design that lets it fold down to such a tiny size in seconds is pure genius. The build quality is superb, it feels like it will last forever and it's British made !
At first the small wheels and upright riding position take a little getting used to. The hub gear on mine has 3 speeds which is ade ...