djbombscare
Plays with knives
Damn I thought I was going wrong
Folding bikes - Brompton, Dahon, Mezzo etc - recommendations and chat
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chico enrico
No hair shows you care.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
They hang on to your debit/credit cardWhat's to stop you just cycling away with it?
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
You could no doubt leave a cash deposit
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
Well what do you expect the bike shops to do? You would need to have some means of paying if you were going to buy the bike, which is the circumstance under which you would be (claiming) to want to test ride it...
I know. Bang goes my test drive of a Brompton though...
editor
hiraethified
Well if you can't afford one and have no intention of buying one, you can't really complain can you?
You can always pick up a second hand one or buy cheaper makes like Dahon.
editor
hiraethified
Then why are you so interested? Just do what I did and buy an elitism-free cheapo Dahon.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
It'll be load$.
Their cheapest bike is over £600 and this one costs over a grand.
They're lovely machines though.
http://www.brompton.co.uk/
Christ alive it's been beaten shitless by the ugly stick!
If I was looking for a folder at the moment that's probably what I would do. You've got mega miles out of yours without too many problems.
But I'd still be wondering what's so 'special' about a brompton. Did you notice any discernible difference between the Brompton and your Dahon?
editor
hiraethified
The biggest difference is size and weight and, I'd imagine, construction and after care.
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
What you are talking about is the absolute elitism of the economic system, nothing to do with Brompton specifically!
You can often leave a passport or driving license as well.
Your ability to test Brompton bikes will be exactly the same as your ability to test any other bike of the same value.
That'll be why I mentioned Brompton, and not "the absolute elitism of the economic system".
That's good to know. What's your opinion of Dahon bikes?
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
that's a non-sequitur. They vary obviously; they are generally good to ride, but poor compared to Bromptons when it comes to folding (don't stay folded as well, don't fold as small, don't fold as easily imo). They have larger wheels than Bromptons (20" as opposed to 16"), which means that they maintain momentum better and are more stable, but are slower to accelerate (the larger wheels obviously also contributes to the larger folded size). Some of the top-end ones are possibly lighter than the lightest Bromptons, because they use more lightweight 3rd-party components, especially wheels.
It's worth noting that many of the folding bikes 'made' by the big-name brands (Specialized, Trek, etc) are actually made under license by Dahon.
Don't try to tell me what I'm saying. Better?
Cheers for the advice on the Dahon bikes. Appreciated
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
OK then - why are Brompton bicycles more elitist than anything else you can't afford?
Cheers for the advice on the Dahon bikes. Appreciated
no probs
Edited to add that I can't afford a Brompton either
OK then - why are Brompton bicycles more elitist than anything else you can't afford?
no probs
Because that's how they are marketed. The best, the elite.
editor
hiraethified
Actually, no. There's folding bikes that costs a lot more than Bromptons.
Try this puppy for size:
Yours for £2,200, with far more expensive custom options available.
http://www.airnimal.eu/Chameleon/Ultima.php
Actually, no. There's folding bikes that costs a lot more than Bromptons.
Try this puppy for size:
Yours for £2,200, with far more expensive custom options available.
http://www.airnimal.eu/Chameleon/Ultima.php
I didn't mention price there. What I said was they're marketed as the best, the elite.
Brompton have created an expensive niche market. I'm not surprised they have because that seems to be the road British engineered products have taken. I think that's a shame because I would love to see locally designed and produced bikes taken for granted as being the norm.
editor
hiraethified
Don't blame the company for that. Blame globalisation, capitalisation and cheap foreign labour. Even Raleigh gave up on UK production and they used to be the biggest bike manufacturers in the world.
Brompton have had to create their niche to survive.
Fuck Capitalisation!
I know that but I have no problem with blaming Brompton or any other British company. Things are changing rapidly now and if they haven't got the balls to react to the newly developing economic reality, and the growing demand for locally produced products, then fuck them. If they don't have the money to expand they could make a start by moving towards a cooperative model.
I know that but I have no problem with blaming Brompton or any other British company. Things are changing rapidly now and if they haven't got the balls to react to the newly developing economic reality, and the growing demand for locally produced products, then fuck them. If they don't have the money to expand they could make a start by moving towards a cooperative model.
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
If you think the best way for British manufacturing firms to survive is to aim at the low-cost mass market, then you're living on another planet.
Lemon Eddy
Disliked by dwyer
Britain is a fucking expensive place to produce items, compared to other countries. As such, if you want to buy a locally produced product then it will cost more. If your products cost more, targeting the lower end of the market is out.
That leaves Brompton with the choice of either outsourcing production to somewhere cheap, or going for the top end of the market.
Basically, I don't follow at all what you think Brompton should do?
sim667
All aboard the 303 bus.
I really like bromptons and am hoping to inherit my dad when he retires (i cant afford one)
what does piss me off is the twats who buy a full lycra outfit and top of the range racing helmet for them, it defeats the object of having a small convenient fold up bike!
what does piss me off is the twats who buy a full lycra outfit and top of the range racing helmet for them, it defeats the object of having a small convenient fold up bike!
