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Brompton folding cycles

TopCat

Putin fanboy
I get a fair tax break for buying a Brompton through cycle to work.

Are they worth it? What are they like to ride and carry?

Is the P range worth the extra over the C range?

Will I look a twat?
 
It’s eye watering the difference between the C range and the P range. A bit lighter, a grand more money.
 
Love mine. Used it almost everyday when I was working out of Westminster. Fantastic engineering. Not light to carry, but you can wheel it everywhere ( except certain branches of London Waitrose obvs). I have the one with a two speed rear derailer and that is great. Not sure how good the SA multi gear ones are. Buy the bag that clips on the front.

Ride is great, rock solid and doesn’t feel too close coupled even though you would think it would be.

Hire one as above to see if it’s for you.
 
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I’m not sure I’d bother with the lighter one for that much extra money. You can wheel them most places , and half fold them and then wheel them like that on little dolly wheels when space is at a premium.

When I was using mine every day I could fold or unfold it in less than 20 seconds.
 
Surely a Brompton is meant for doing part of a commute rather than the whole commute?
Although on second thoughts the foldability might be attractive for home storage as well as carrying on trains.
A neighbour of mine had his new Brompton nicked the first time he took it on a train. He wasn't even far away from it. I guess you have to stand next to it to be on the safe side.
 
A neighbour of mine had his new Brompton nicked the first time he took it on a train. He wasn't even far away from it. I guess you have to stand next to it to be on the safe side.
Yeah that sounds like another downside. It wouldn’t be the first time I would have to continue paying for something I no longer owned either.
 
A neighbour of mine had his new Brompton nicked the first time he took it on a train. He wasn't even far away from it. I guess you have to stand next to it to be on the safe side.
I had a long combination lock I used when I left it in the Thames link luggage racks - Annoyingly the gap between seats on the new stock is half an inch too small to get a folded Brompton in.
 
Just to stress that with cycle to work should you leave your job you will have to pay the remaining balance off and it should be deducted net (so no tax benefit):

There’s also usually a final payment made direct to the cyclescheme provider which transfers ownership to yourself.
 
Cheap cycle lock and attach to the train seat frame.
If there's somewhere to attach it. On our trains there's no way you could attach it to a seat. ISTR his bike was locked to itself in the luggage area but there must have been a rail he could have used. Live and learn, eh.
 
Bromptons are British and the best folding bike on the market. Even old ones fetch very good money and they are regularly nicked...because they are so highly regarded.
I've owned two and had one nicked. Regret not having them any more.
 
Surely a Brompton is meant for doing part of a commute rather than the whole commute?
Although on second thoughts the foldability might be attractive for home storage as well as carrying on trains.

That's the main reason I had a folding bike when I could cycle. Most of the time at home I only had to fold the pedals and handles, so it was still really quick to use.

Also meant I could usually take it right in to work and often into pubs and restaurants - I always asked and was fine with a no, but nearly all the time it was actually easy to fold it fully and stick it next to/under the table, especially if you were sitting in a corner area. Often it meant not having to lug around a D-lock at all.

I replaced the wheels it came with with tougher road tyres.

And never let it out of my sight on public transport. I mean, that is asking for it to be nicked. Think I rode them for about 10 years before I gave up due to my own issues. If I got a bike again it'd probably be a foldie.
 
Surely a Brompton is meant for doing part of a commute rather than the whole commute?
Although on second thoughts the foldability might be attractive for home storage as well as carrying on trains.
I know people who do a proper commute on one. They are a massive target for thieves though. Decathlon might do a cheaper version.
 
I know people who do a proper commute on one. They are a massive target for thieves though. Decathlon might do a cheaper version.
The idea is you don't need to lock it? Perhaps difficult like going to cinema but for commuting ok?

You can take one on Eurostar....this almost makes me want to get one.
 
I miss the first new cycle I had which got stolen so I understand. It stays with you a bit.

I had one that I had shepherded through multiple dodgy countries and was stolen the first night it was locked up outside my flat. It was only there because a housing officer claimed it was a fire risk in the communal hallway (it wasn't. It was a wide hallway with a side bit right next to the door that I suspect was actually intended for bikes and prams). 3 hours or so and it was gone. Still miss that bike.

There's someone near me who locks up a really posh light blue bike to the street railings almost every evening and has done for at least 8 years. It's definitely the same one - it's distinctive. I often wonder what mundane superpower they have to not have that bike stolen. Are they a local drug baron who rides a light-blue women's bike with a basket?
 
I had a go on a pals old Brompton last night. It was more stable than I thought it would be. Quite a long wheelbase.
I liked it!

So after reflecting overnight I checked the figures again. Cycle to work suppliers often bump the price up. On the P Brompton however it’s pretty much the same price everywhere. I note the second hand values are high. Not much depreciation at all.
So with the tax deductible payments, it’s cracking value.

My new bike is coming on Thursday. :)
 
I had a go on a pals old Brompton last night. It was more stable than I thought it would be. Quite a long wheelbase.
I liked it!

So after reflecting overnight I checked the figures again. Cycle to work suppliers often bump the price up. On the P Brompton however it’s pretty much the same price everywhere. I note the second hand values are high. Not much depreciation at all.
So with the tax deductible payments, it’s cracking value.

My new bike is coming on Thursday. :)
Is this going to be a rare example of a cycle to work bike actually being used to cycle to work and not for solely leisure purposes?
I will commute at least once to work and stick pictures on our intranet. Sorted.
 
We got an anomaly with our wages in 2022 where, because we get paid four weekly instead of monthly, we got paid 14 times instead of 13. Somehow this means that I now owe the tax man more money (even though I still paid tax on the ‘extra’ payment) and my child maintenance payments have gone up by over 10% due to this anomaly.

Whinge over. Maybe I’ll take advantage of this scheme in 2025.
 
if you can afford one they are very nice but your defintly pay for it
Carrera Crosscity Folding Electric Bike 2020 | Halfords UK I brought this on the cycle to work scheme because I can store it securely at work you could take it on a train once you wouldnt want to do it regualry you can with a brompton.
it costs me 53 quid a month with lock lights etc half the bus fare and half the time.
 
I have a Brompton electric conversion I want to sell, as I am getting on and use the buses these days.
Very good bicycles for riding but also taking on trains and buses folded.
 
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