# Motorhomers' best folding bike gets design award



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

We love our Bromptons. I know peejay does, too. Nice to see them achieving further success and recognition. Do your duty and get behind Britain's biggest bike manufacturer and exporter - buy one, preferably two! 

"Andrew Ritchie, the inventor of the Brompton folding bicycle, has won the Prince Philip Designer Prize in its 50th anniversary year. The announcement was made by The Duke, who chairs the judging panel, at a reception celebrating 50 years of British design genius at Buckingham Palace."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...ventor-wins-Prince-Philip-Designer-Prize.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brompton_Bicycle
http://www.brompton.co.uk/

Dave


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Dave, I call your Brompton and raise you a Bickerton*:






SD :wink:

(*sadly out of production since 1991)


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Bikes*

Which Model is best?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Define best and I'll have a crack at an answer.

Dave


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Best*



DABurleigh said:


> Define best and I'll have a crack at an answer.
> 
> Dave


Least Expensive lightweight for occasional use.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/brompton_avc_m3l.htm


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Well deserved recognition.

We had our first go on a Brompton a few years ago when we met Dave & Alison on an aire in France. That trial convinced us and we ordered two on our return to UK.
They certainly ain't cheap but the build quailty is superb and no other bike folds as easy or as compact as a Brommy.
We have 2 M6R's, I've got a silver one and Judy has a girlie bright yellow one.
They are always in the van and we wouldn't be without them, they are always a talking point wherever you go, especially abroad. We even had Japanese tourists madly taking loads of photo's of them in Annecy.
I doubt we'll ever sell ours.

They even have their own >World Championships< :wink: 










Pete


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Last Sundays 'live' magazine (Sunday Mail) reviewed a dozen bikes.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/legacygallery/gallery-8637/Fold-bikes.html

tony


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

....or for the Motorhome owner who thought he had everything, how about the new Dethleffs Carad - a snip at €1,799 :wink: ...










Pete


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi 

I heard last week that the Brompton had picked up some award, or was it earlier this week ? Well deserved in any case 8) 

We also have two M6R's, and like Peejay they are always on the van ready to go. The build quality is second to none and they give a surprisingly good natural ride too. I went out with my brother once, he was riding a mountain bike with 26" wheels and I was on me Brommy and he had trouble keeping up with me.  Top bikes in my book.

steve


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yup. With 6 gears good for mountain climbing, too :roll: :wink: 
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/DABurleigh/France2009Share#5368449394753541330

Dave


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

So what gizmo's have all you Brompton afficionado's got fitted to your pride and joy...

Ours have;

Brompton front panniers
Fi'zi:k Vitesse saddles
Brompton Anti-Flop Clips
Abus Bordo locks

next on the list is a set of easy wheels.

Pete


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

They are lovely looking and very stylish , but £600 +, you can buy a decent motorcycle for that


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Front panniers
Easy wheels
Abus Bordo lock (though only got one and could do with two)
Dynamo lighting set
Short bar ends

Fancy a nano motor to try but too much £
http://www.electricwheel.co.uk/nano_brompton.html

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Just to enthuse about our brand-spanking new Brompton bikes!

They are fantastic and do even more than what's said on the tin.

Folding/unfolding? Seconds to do - the design is superb.

They stow so easily in the garage of our VAN522, via the narrow door, side-by-side behind the Truma unit.

We lose only one crate of wine storage space, sad, but manageable!

We had tried a cheap second-hand folder with 20" wheels but felt very wobbly and insecure on that. Now sold for what we paid for it.

The 16" wheels of the Bromptons put us closer to the ground and the whole experience is much more stable, especially in terms of stopping/starting and getting on/off.

Now, we haven't cycled for years so how did a couple of bus-pass holders manage?

We spent a week cycling half a mile each day just to get used to them.

On Sunday we cycled about 9 miles along the Brecon Canal and on Monday about the same distance (but much hillier!) along the Ystwyth Trail south of Aberystwyth.

The only muscles that ached were in our bums!

We have his ♂ and her ♀ Brooks saddles and now realise, as the blurb states and I quote:
_This beautiful traditional saddle will give years of comfortable cycling, the leather moulding *with time *to the rider._
Just how much time we will see!

So, what did we buy?

M6RU.

They have the 3-speed Sturmey Archer plus 2-speed derailleur.
We chose the low ratio option to make hills easier.

Lighting - battery type as we will not be using enough in the dark to warrant dynamos.

Front bag carrier system.

Rear carrier.

Bike cover that stows in a little bag under the saddle.

So, overall - expensive but worth every penny because of the stowability, foldability and comfortable (eventually!) ride.


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

Delighted to see Brompton getting an award, even though we are the owners of two Strida bikes. Having looked at the video of the Brompton 'Fold' we think the Strida 'Fold' is probably simpler. But we are all fans of folding bikes aren't we?

All friends now eh?

http://strida.co.uk/english/technology.php?subpage=features

Click on arrow for folding demo and even quicker unfolding demo.

Ca


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Welcome to the MHFBAC Pippin.

(MotorHomeFacts Brompton Aficionado Club)

Can I recommend decent security in the form of an Abus Bordo lock for each bike, you'd be gutted if they got lifted...

>Abus Bordo<

Attaches nicely to the seatpost downframe and doesn't interfere with the fold.
Have a look at the photo in DAB's post to see how well it fits.

Pete


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

And the Brommies hold their price too. I just sold my wifes one on flea bay (because she was nervous when on the roads and wasn't using it) for more money than I paid for it just over two years ago. 8O 

Still got mine though and wont get rid either.

steve


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Peejay and/or DABurley

Do you use the 70cm or the 90cm version of the Abus Bordo?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Pippin,

Don't think nukey will know ;-)

I don't know about the lock length offhand; there wasn't a choice when I bought. I'll look at it tonight.

As to your saddle, the good news is you have bought a great saddle for the discerning rider who isn't that bothered about saving every gram of excess weight. The bad news is that you will never break it in properly using it just for motorhome occasional use.

There is much conflicting advice varying between softening it is equivalent to breaking it in, to softening it is the LAST thing you want to do because you want it hard even where indented.
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3822
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html

Dave


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## OTRagain (Jul 26, 2010)

I'm all for buying at home ... but something less expensive would fit my bill and not have to worry quite so much about it getting stolen while I'm in the shop. 

I jumped with joy at another thread where folders were going for 65, but alas they had been all sold ;-(

Cheers


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

pippin said:


> Peejay and/or DABurley
> 
> Do you use the 70cm or the 90cm version of the Abus Bordo?


Neither, I have the 75cm version. :wink:

Pete


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

That saves me doing it - I've got the same - which is fine for one bike, possible for two sometimes, but then more limiting in how you use it.

Dunno whether 90cm stores on the Brommy.

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Peejay - from your avatar - do you *really* need to practice folding/unfolding your Brompton so much that you don't have time to ride it?

Incidentally, we did a 10 mile ride on ours yesterday!


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## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

With soooo many MHF fans, perhaps there's a case for Brompton Racing at a MHF Rally :idea: :lol:


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## foll-de-roll (Oct 29, 2007)

Hi you boys



Never mind, when you are a grown up, perhaps Mummy and Daddy, or even Santa, will buy you a real grown ups bike.    


Andy :wink:


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_will buy you a real grown ups bike._...............

that won't fit in the van?


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

When big boys on big boys look in amazement at our Stridas we always say that we are getting real bikes for Christmas. Cracks them up.

Ca


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