Thomas asked about any experiences with the new 20" Brompton G Line. I've had a Brompton for 10 yrs and they are great at what they are designed for but you just have to know their limitations.
I was recently in a Brompton store and had a chance to try the Titanium version (VERY light and also VERY expensive) and the G Line 20" model. The G line rode like a "regular" bike. Not twitchy, very comfortable position (they have three sizes), and the big tires let you ride anywhere. But - their folded size is pretty big, and they are very heavy (like 33lbs). If you want 20" wheels I think I'd opt for a Bike Friday (I've had them as well) - they ride like a good steel bike, are lighter, some models take big tires and can be used for gravel or touring and they're custom made in Oregon. They just are not as great in the folding fast department. On Friday, June 20, 2025 at 11:53:05 AM UTC-4 [email protected] wrote: > I have taken both a Brompton and a Clem on crowded New Jersey Transit > trains. One experience is objectively better than the other! > > smm > > On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 11:45 AM Matthew D <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Interesting thread about Bromptons, and I'm genuinely surprised there is >> so much enthusiasm for them here in the Riv group. Regarding the low trail >> issue, I've always wondered why Brompton doesn't offer a higher trail fork >> since many riders use their Bromptons for commuting without much need to >> carry anything heavy. >> >> Kind Regards >> >> >> >> Matt D >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> on >> behalf of Benz Ouyang, Sunnyvale, CA <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Friday, June 20, 2025 8:38:48 AM >> *To:* RBW Owners Bunch <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* [RBW] Re: Any Brompton Owners Out There? >> >> Resurrection of an older thread! :) >> >> I bought a Brompton in 2009 to use in a bimodal commute to work. The >> Brompton took care of "the last mile" of the commute, bookending a >> 30-minute train ride. While Caltrain did (still does) allow bicycles >> onboard, in those days, there was only one train car that was set up to >> accept bikes. Those bike cars were often oversubscribed, leading to >> cyclists getting "bumped" (i.e., unable to board). A Brompton (or any >> folding bike) allowed one to bypass that restriction because they were not >> considered bikes but luggage (like backpacks) when folded. >> >> My Brompton remained in service when Caltrain added a second bike car to >> every train to alleviate "bumping", because it was fine for my "last mile" >> that was really 2 miles; much longer, and I'd had preferred a "proper" bike >> because I find my Brompton a bit flexy, takes a tad more effort to keep >> speed, and the gears on the 3-speed IGH are spread too far apart (33% jumps >> if I remember correctly, corresponding to almost 3-gear shifts on a more >> conventional "road" cassette). Nowadays, with the post-pandemic train >> ridership being dismal, and my employer offering a generous office-remote >> ratio, my Brompton sits mostly dormant. >> >> Note: if you're considering a Brompton, always test ride with a front >> load. Bromptons have low trail front geometry intended to carry front >> loads, and can get a bit squirrelly if there's no front load. You can get >> used to this squirrelliness, but it often catches riders who are used to >> more conventional mid or high trail geometry (of most other bikes) off >> guard. I often question why Brompton dealers send test riders out without a >> front load, because I'm sure they lost some potential business from this >> quirk. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/7fTQT-m5goA/unsubscribe >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >> [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/07a6e5db-e477-483b-9bd4-d1768ee9217bn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/07a6e5db-e477-483b-9bd4-d1768ee9217bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/7fTQT-m5goA/unsubscribe >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >> [email protected]. >> > To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/BN6PR1001MB2210704C2D12A542AD2014E4A17CA%40BN6PR1001MB2210.namprd10.prod.outlook.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/BN6PR1001MB2210704C2D12A542AD2014E4A17CA%40BN6PR1001MB2210.namprd10.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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