1.2 mile journey to work -thinking of getting a Brompton?

[VivaLeBeaver]

Is it worth it.

Will have a train journey of an hour followed by a 1.2mile walk which I've been told takes about 30 mins. Slightly uphill there and obv then a bit downhill on the way back.

I'm guessing a 30 min walk would be a bit less than 10 mins on a bike? Never been on one before but I'm in Birmingham next weekend and see there's a stockist bike shop so thinking of going to have a look.

Is a Brompton worth it over cheaper bikes. I don't want something which is fiddly to fold or heavy to cycle. At the end of the day I need to reduce my commute as much as possible. 2hrs 20mins an Day sounds better than 3hours a day!

[Checkedwoolblanket]

Oops I have just read my old thread, I see that I have repeated myself a bit (nothing new there then), I changed my mind on the gears after ordering and went for six. I had read that anymore than three wasn't smooth but the shop didn't agree and after thinking about their advice I changed my mind.

The gearing is a bit different in that you have to stop pedalling to change gear (I don't think I have had a Sturmey Archer before). I came to a stop on my first hill because I hadn't changed gear in time but I quickly got used to it.

[Checkedwoolblanket]

I did holly (have name changed) and I absolutely love it, so convenient and there isn't anything about it I don't like.

I got six gears with reduced ratio, an Ortlieb O Bag (Brompton have the 2015 model bag reduced to £80 instead of £200+ on their webpage) and an Ortlieb backpack and manage to carry everything I need, a laptop and files when necessary and a bit of shopping on the way home.

I wear my Carridice poncho when it is tipping it down (poncho not for the faint hearted) because I had one anyway.

I had a dynamo hub which is fab, I have one on my other bike and didn't want the faff of a non dynamo bike. I just went for the Shimano one (£100 from memory).

I didn't buy the rear rack, I was absolutely set on it (because I have always had a rack) but Cycle Heaven in York advised against it, said the design is such that you are better off adding weight at the front and the rear rack adds a fair amount of weight.

So I just added mudguards, pump, dynamo and bag thing. I have sold my car which is fantastic and rely on this 99% of the time to get to work/about.

I only do five miles most days, some hills, but I don't have the time to walk that far with work and other commitments.

I imagined I would switch to one of my other bikes if I wasn't going to work (nowhere safe to lock it up) but I haven't and my Brompton has become the bike for all my errands during the week.

The place I bought mine from do a hire for a month scheme and then deduct the hire cost off the price of your bike. I didn't do that but I bet other places do the same thing.

[hollybarfoot]

Did you end up getting the Brompton, my DH is looking for one for his commute and would love to know your thoughts. Thinking of getting one from Hargroves because there local to us, but it comes made for you so need to be 100% sure before buying (especially as they aren't cheap!)

[ElanorGamgee]

Oh I see, Viva bought a bike, see upthread. I just revived it when I had the Brompton idea.

Fekko, I do carry quite a bit, laptop, daybook, maybe a lever arch or two and with a 20l bag on the front I can pick up some food on the way home.

Am happy it is a really good solution for me for the next few years.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

elanor the scooter suggestion was for the Op not you

[Fekko]

I thought it was 1.2 miles!

[ElanorGamgee]

I can’t walk three miles in 15-20 minutes.

[Fekko]

Do you need to carry much? It wouldn’t take all that long to walk that though - 15-20 mins.

[ElanorGamgee]

I don’t want a scooter thanks.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

At that distance I would really recommend a kick scooter- a micro scooter or similar (adult sized).

Takes me 12 minutes to go 2 miles on mine and I don’t even work up a sweat. It also folds in seconds and fits under my desk.

[ElanorGamgee]

Well, I have ordered one! Slightly different to what I imagined I would order, I went for just three gears, with a smaller chain wheel for hills, a dynamo hub and light set (hard to move back to batteries), no rear rack but the front bag thing and the Ortleib O bag, mudguards and a pump.

The bike shop were fantastic, dissuaded me from the rack and gave me all the reasons why the front attachment was better.

Now I just need to wait for it to arrive.

[ElanorGamgee]

I am going to give one a test ride at the weekend Viva.

No brainer really given the net cost and resale value when a few years old if life has moved on. DH rates the build quality (major bike snob) so, as expected, he is fairly encouraging.

He has gone from saying I will never be seen on a Brompton to saying perhaps I could take it when I go to London!

[Vivalebeaver]

Yes someone at work keeps theirs under the desk.

[ElanorGamgee]

Interesting Viva.

My commute isn’t long at all (well it won’t be once we move house), no train involved and I don’t need a car so will be selling one.

I could easily walk but don’t go straight home on two nights, travel a couple of miles away from home so three miles to get home. I have one very late night at work one day a week and would rather be cycling home at 10pm rather than walking.

A normal bike wouldn’t last very long where I need to park it and I won’t really notice the cost on a bike to work scheme, especially as we will only be running one car.

I could see a Brompton being used by both of us if I got the extending seat post.

[Vivalebeaver]

Didn't get a Brompton in the end. Bought a 1970s Philips Folda which i guess is a Brompton ancestor. Wasn't enough gears for the hilly commute.

Then discovered the train station has a secure cycle hub/lock up. So bought a new hybrid and use that. Quicker than a small wheel bike as well.

But if I'd had to have the bike on the train every day id have stuck with the folda.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Completely the opposite view no way 1.2miles should take 30mins to walk. Nice brisk walk once you are fit should be 15 mins at the most. You would spend more time unfolding and folding your bike than you would walking.

[eurochick]

If you only need a bike at one end of the train journey can you just get an ordinary bike and leave it at the station overnight? Most mainline stations here have rows and rows of bike racks.

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Just a thought, but couldn't you just get a cheap second hand bike? You could leave it at the station and only use it for the journey between work and the station. Then you wouldn't have the hassle of taking it on the train.

That's what dh does. His station had loads of bike racks, so no one would notice if you were on holiday! And bike theft is a constant risk, but so far he's been lucky - you need to make sure your bike doesn't look like the easiest target.

[ivykaty44]

Scooters a great idea 💡

[ApacheEchidna]

I have a folding Tern Link - much cheaper than a Brompton and although my Brompton riding BIL is very snobby about the assertion I honestly think it's much better value for money. Yes the fold takes about 10 seconds more and it is slightly heavier to lift but I wouldn't pay the extra £600 for those marginal benefits.

[ElanorGamgee]

Did you get a Brompton Viva?

I am thinking of getting one for a similar journey, only because of the cycle to work scheme tbh.

I want a rack and butterfly bars and am looking at this one.

I am not sure I can justify the extra expense for a dynamo hub as I have one on my other bikes so will just use lights we already have here.

Main reason for thinking about a Brompton is that I can wear work clothes without changing and I can keep it in my office. I don’t have secure bike parking and I am not sure how long one of my nice bikes would last parked in town (seeing as the badges have been pulled off both our cars recently while I have been parked at work).

[SingleDadReally]

I would get a Brompton definitely. I acquired mine second-hand for about £700 (it has a front bag clip, dynamo lights and a rack) as a sort of novelty, but it's absolutely ideal for the sort of trip where you have to go 2 miles at the other end of a train ride to somewhere. I've done more than 6,000 miles on mine. I've stripped it down once and replaced the rear wheel (but I'm going to rebuild the old hub and swap them over periodically), replaced the headset, replaced the chain-ring, chain and sprocket and will replace the bottom bracket soon. The folding pedals probably won't take too much abuse, mine failed after about 3,000 miles. Compared to other folding bikes Brompton have a great spares operation and dealer network so you'll definitely be able to keep the bike going. I remember seeing one at the start of a 200 mile audax (I was on a conventional bike) thinking the bloke was a bit of a pillock, but that was the last I saw of him as he disappeared in the distance.

[TheApprentice]

Dh likes his 6 speed one! He has sent this link if it's of interest:-
www.free cycle.com/about

[VivaLeBeaver]

The six gear one is only £65 more. It's just all the issues of the BWR with the six speed which I've read about which put me off. I read a comment on here from someone saying their six speed Brompton hates wet weather so they use a 3 speed one all winter.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Did think about that Ted but even with a good lock I'm not sure it would last long. Bike crime is rife apparently, but I guess if it was a really cheap and nasty bike maybe it wouldn't be a target? Would the bike not be taken away by the council if it was there for say a week if I had a week's holiday?

Been and test ridden a 3 speed Brompton today, took it up a slight hill which I would say is similar to the slight hill on the commute and it was a lot harder than my usual bike! But doable, plus if I order a new one direct from Brompton I can have the gears lowered by 12% for free which would help. Would that mean it was 12% easier?