Which Brompton (Gears question)

cjw

I'm shortly going to be starting a new job in London and intend getting a Brompton to both get to train station and avoid having to use that strange transportation in which everyone stands under each others armpits in order to catch whatever virus is the latest craze :?

Total distance won't be much - say 6 miles total cycling each way - not much in the way of hills either (one shortish at about 3% gradient).

Anywho... any advice on what gearing to get? I'm a reasonably strong cyclist with hills not too much trouble anymore and my average speed on rolling countryside is 18mph over 60 mile. Currently cycle about 150 miles per week.

Don't want to get sweaty either. So thinking about 2 gear option and keep the standard ratio rather than go for higher geared option but your thoughts would be welcome

sashmo

When I rode mine in Central London, I found the standard 2 gear option to be ideal. The low gear was good to get away from the lights and on my route I never really got enough of a run between lights to spin out of the high gear.

I guess it all depends where you will be cycling. There is a hill on the way to the station I couldn't get up, but that is probably 12-14% and is quite long, and equally I have found that I could push a higher gear on long flats and downhills. You sound a stronger cyclist than me.

I guess you could get all scientific and work out the gear inches...

ride_whenever

Get a kansi instead, the 3-speed version over the singlespeed. Amazing little bike that rides well unlike just about every other folder.

cjw

I'm looking for the best fold rather than ride (as the ride is short). How is the Kansi compared to the Brompton in the folding stakes?

cjw

Looks to be a bulkier package to me, also the pedals both stick out.

ex-pat scot

Brompton S2. Low gear fine from the lights and high gear fine for cruising around town.
I can just about winch myself up the local 1-in-6 with mine.

cjw

Thanks for the replies.

Reckon I'm going for the 2010 S2LX then

tgotb

If budget allows, I'd strongly recommend the 6-speed. Given the sort of riding you're used to, the limited gearing and big gaps could get quite irritating...

Why not figure out which gears on your proper bike the two available would correspond to, and then go for a ride using just those gears to get a feel for it?

Clever Pun

3 gears should be all you need. adding another 3 to 6 just complicates the bike imo

cjw

Good suggestion to check the ratios.

I've checked the ratio on the 2 gear and it equates to middle of cassette to big ring and lowest gear cassette to big ring so should be fine. The three speed gives a slightly higher gearing and slightly lower.

Won;t need a lower gear as I can tackle most hills on the big ring of road bike - certainly there is nothing on the commute route that would need lower. Higher gearing would be useful but on 2 speed would just have to accept that I can't go so fast - agree that it wil probably be a little irritating but this is purely for the commute and not pleasure riding per se.

Also adding the 3 gear or the six adds quite a bit of weight which I want to avoid due to having to carry the thing.

dhope

cjw wrote:

Good suggestion to check the ratios.

I've checked the ratio on the 2 gear and it equates to middle of cassette to big ring and lowest gear cassette to big ring so should be fine. The three speed gives a slightly higher gearing and slightly lower.

Won;t need a lower gear as I can tackle most hills on the big ring of road bike - certainly there is nothing on the commute route that would need lower. Higher gearing would be useful but on 2 speed would just have to accept that I can't go so fast - agree that it wil probably be a little irritating but this is purely for the commute and not pleasure riding per se.

Also adding the 3 gear or the six adds quite a bit of weight which I want to avoid due to having to carry the thing.

I thought it was possible to go for a slightly higher gearing on the Bromptons, 8% of thereabouts?

Clever Pun

yup I think it's 10-11% higher though... I've went for that option. and I'm top 40 in the world

shouldbeinbed

Chattng to a bromptonite after last years Manchester to Blackpool, comparing folders - he'd done the full gently undulating 60 miles with a few short sharp shock climbs on a 2 speeder

cjw

Clever Pun wrote:

yup I think it's 10-11% higher though... I've went for that option. and I'm top 40 in the world

Excellent... you must have gone to Blenheim then I'd paid to do the 100 mile sportive but the weather scared me off cause I'm a wimp :oops:

SamWise1972

I've got the 6 speed, and I like it, with some caveats. The shifting is as much of a cludge as it sounds like. I mean, it's well engineered, and it works, but it's a faff like half step gearing is a faff, albeit without the need to reach for downtube shifters. Having to shift the hub up and the derailleur down mid sprint is NOT my favourite, specially since the hub inevitably shifts first, what with needing to pause, and then you're two gears higher, waiting for the derailleur to catch up.

Also, my flat cruising speed is a little faster than I can comfortably spin in 4th, but not quite fast enough to make 5th sensible. I need to just MTFU on that, however. I don't think I'd want to use the wide ratio hub without the derailleur though, it'd be like having 3 different single speeds; you'd never quite spin fast enough in one gear to be properly ready for the next (and I'm a devotee of normal SA 3 speeds).

Fudge Cycles will convert to a Shimano Nexus 8 speed, and will soon sell them off-the-peg, ready modified. It costs about £500 to have it done, but of course, off the peg, you'll get back the cost of the 6 speed wheel and shifters and whatnot, presumably. I reckon that's a good bet, to get the most useable Brompton.

SamWise1972

And really, you won't find it a problem to carry through a station, or into an office or wherever. I have the 6 speed, and it's fine. The saddle is like a handle, it's well balanced, and folded, you can carry it straight armed. Also, unfolding it is quick enough that for any distance, you can just do that and walk it.

prawny

A chap I speak to regularly has had muchos problems with the 6 speed in the wet, bad seals apparently. He comes in here now and again I think he mus do 100miles+ a week on his, proper rapid too.

SamWise1972

If the seals are the problem that would affect all Sturmey Archer equipped bikes. I don't think that typically there's any problem though.

cjw

Have just collected my shiny (well actually nothing is shiny as it titanium and black )new Brompton S2L - X. Very nice.

Only had time for a couple of minutes outside but seems the gears will be OK. Will give her a good ride tomorrow

OldSkoolKona

Enjoy the bike cjw! I got my Brompton back in April and it has really changed how I treat heading into London, much more than I ever expected it to. Mrs OSK also zips about scalping RLJers in central London on hers :P

CP - chapeau on the Brompton World Champs result - will have to look at having a go at it or the Nocture in London next year

SamWise72

Ooh, titanium, S bars, two speed - light! Did you go for the Kojak tyres? Can't recommend those enough, very fast.

I would like to supplement my loaded-with-everything Brommie with a titanium S bar job, which for some reason I want in sky blue with sand yellow extremeties. Not really a go-faster paint job, but there we are. Chances of my affording one? Nil.

cjw

Thanks for the tip on the Kojak tyres.

The Brompton Greens seem very - um - sticky. Had a run around the reservoir near me as couldn't resist trying her out tonight (about 11 miles) and it seems a pretty nice ride - better than I was expecting tbh. Averaging 15mph with max of 22 (got scared above that as it seems very twitchy) - the gearing is a little low but will be fine on a commute.

Clearly being lighter titanium I'm faster than you Sam