10 Essential Brompton Accessories

[@GyrobotCoUk]

Thank you for the video review of the accessories. It's great that my EZ Clamp Springs have made the cut, thank you for supporting the original designer, Steve.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback, Steve, and thanks again for your amazing Clamps, I am a big fan )))

[@norfolkchas]

EZ Clamp Springs are a genius invention that Brompton should be paying you to fit as standard.

[@pawel8365]

Bless you for adding timestamps! I can 100% vouch for the Zefal spy mirror. Such a cheap but perfect gadget.

[@staskucherenko]

Sure, my pleasure, glad timestamps were helpful :) Fully agree, Zefal mirror is amazing, can’t imagine cycling in the city without it

[@Robert_Thomas832]

Nice upgrades. I added a Decathlon bottle carrier, very useful. I adapted an army field pack for the front bag- with the block and fittings it cost £35 here in UK. 15L, not as good as the real thing but it works for minimalist travel. Thanks and good luck 🌻

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback, glad the video was helpful :) Good idea on field pack btw, thanks for sharing! All the best for your cycling adventures :)

[@simonf2220]

Brilliant video, thanks for sharing.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your kind words, Simon, glad it was helpful :)

[@olgalykholobova988]

Thank you!

[@staskucherenko]

Thank you for watching! I appreciate your support.

[@slicedpage]

I used my own bag and bought a Brompton bag adapter from Ebay, saved a lot of money

[@staskucherenko]

Very cool, thanks for sharing! Can you please share the link, if you don't mind me asking? I am very curious about the adapter and how you can attach it to the regular bag.

[@GreenGibbon]

Good man, Stas! After 35 years of cycle touring on 27 inch wheels, I've just bought a Brompton and will now head off to parts foreign on that. Your "explanation" videos are excellent. Cheers, from Australia!

[@staskucherenko]

Thank you very much for your feedback, Felix, glad you liked the videos :) All the best with your Brompton trip, sounds very exciting!

[@GreenGibbon]

@@staskucherenko Back to Vietnam and Cambodia, touring. I've spent a lot of time there on bike. Then maybe to Eastern Europe - Bulgaria & Romania in Sept. A big lot of touring this year! The Brompton should be interesting!

[@staskucherenko]

@@GreenGibbon wow, that’s quite an itinerary you have for the tour, sounds super exciting :) please share your experience of cycling in those places if you would have some capacity, super curious how does it feel like :)

[@platypushatstand]

On my H6R I use: * Ergon GP-4L grips, they don’t foul the fold. I can use the 4-finger bar ends of the Ergon grips to vary my hand positions over the course of a ride, they’re also useful for climbing hills out of the saddle. * I recently installed the Mountain Mirrcycle, remove the Ergon bar plug and it fits inside the handlebar end and grips using an expander wedge. I positioned mine below the handlebar, so I can easily see behind including when I’m using the Ergon GP-4L bar ends. * Brooks B17 Flyer Select (bought new, now 10yrs old). I’ve only recently tightened the nose bolt, though it gets regular 6-monthly Proofide treatments, mine also came with a drawstring waterproof riding cover, that when not in use can be stored rolled up and velcroed to the saddle rails. * Wellgo B087U flat platform pedals with built-in pegs (bought new, now 10yrs old and never needed any maintenance, the reflectors fell off some time ago, but spares can be bought online). Far better than the narrow pedals Brompton supply. * Exposure Trace and TraceR front and rear LED lights (solid or flashing, you can vary the brightness levels and hence increase battery life between charging). I also have the Exposure Strada 800 front light with remote handlebar switch for unlit roads at night (the Strada has a mode where it mimics a car headlight with a dipped low beam and a high beam, the switch allows you to switch between the low/high modes without taking your hands over the grips, I velcroed mine around the front brake clamp between bar and lever and operate it with my right thumb). *Joseph Kuosac 100mm low-rise handlebars (they’re 600mm wide and have indicated cut marks, I trimmed mine down to 560mm overall. * Cateye Velo 7 bike computer (current, max and average speed, time and ride time, total distance and trip distance, pacer arrow) unit operates in either imperial or metric and uses a replaceable CR2032 coin battery. I recently replaced the bracket and wire (as the wire broke and it stopped recording ride data) for the Enduro version as the cable is much thicker and more durable and came with a 150mm length of the cable wrap to tidy the cables on the bike. This computer is very durable and can withstand being dropped onto a hard surface like concrete without any damage, neither to the unit and/or it’s operation. It’s got very wet on rides and continues to work. Can be bought for circa £16.99 if it ever broke I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another and I’d fit the Enduro cable. Recommended.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for such a comprehensive comment, absolutely love it :) I was not aware that Ergon GP-4L is also ok with folding, somehow I assumed that GP-3 is the longest option you can roll with, so that's very helpful! Also love the idea of mounting the mirror inside the handlebar, sounds indeed more ergonomic than sacrifising a horn as a placeholder :) How is your experience with Flyer saddle btw? I heared some very positive feedback on added suspension, but for the price of significant extra weight of the saddle. Joseph Kuosac handlebars is also in my shopping list of upgrades, the argument of tailored width and additional ermonomic bends sounds very appealing to me. Cateye Velo 7 also sounds like a very roobust device, thanks for the reference :)

[@GreenGibbon]

Helpful! I just bought my first Brompton, so am currently decking it out. Cheers, mate! Ah, "platypus hat stand". Hmm, I'm not sure that's legal here in Victoria, but hey, Australia's a big place! 🙂

[@mramg6038]

It's interesting to hear how Europe has been americanised. For example, food shopping in the UK at a market/supermarket becomes grocery shopping at a store/megastore. Anyway, good video. I personally have the brompton electric & the best attachments seem to be the larger wheels for the folded configuration, with a strap to allow it to be pushed around the shop.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks :) On americanisation - indeed. There are probably some regional differences and specifics across the UK, but I would probably agree with you on overall trend for americanisation. Thanks for sharing your experience on the accessories, I assume you are cycling C-line electric, right? One other helpful thing to complement larger wheels for folded configuration, that my friends riding C-line mentioned a lot, is Easy Wheel Extender - it's like a little telescopic bar, that extends from the axel with wheels of the rear rack when needed and widens the frame for rolling when folded. It can be quite helpful specifically for shopping with Brompton and navigating around grocery stores and markets.

[@eudaimona]

Amazing video. The bungee cords costing 25 GBP is absurd though, completely agree with you that they ought to be included with the brompton!

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your feedback :)

[@Diffusion8]

Good tips bud 👍🏻

[@staskucherenko]

@@Diffusion8 thanks, glad it was helpful :)

[@k_k_18]

Hi 👋🏻 thank you for sharing, very useful 😊

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your comment, glad it was helpful :)

[@alexmorgan3435]

Very well presented. Quad lock do specific cases for most popular phones so you don't need to buy an adaptor and stick it on the back of your phone. Also the Quadlock phone case is very robust. It has saved my i-phone numerous times when I have dropped it. I think they cost about £30. The Zefal Spy Mirror is brilliant. I have been using them for many years on various bikes including my Brompton. After many years having various bike lights, finally Exposure which are are the best, I bought a Brompton front dynamo wheel with SP dynamo hub. I fitted Supernova E3 Pro 2 front light and corresponding rear light. to my Brompton. Wow. They are bright, but not as bright as my Exposure Max D front lights though which I still sometimes use as well on really dark nights.

[@staskucherenko]

Thank you very much for sharing and your feedback, Alex :) Quad lock case sounds like a great deal indeed, I am surprised that it is not much more expensive that the adapter itself, but for the full package :) On Zefal mirror - fully with you, I am a big fan of it as well :) Thanks for the reference on the lights, super helpful, I was considering buying Brompton 500lm Front Light, but your suggestion made me contemplating :) I really like the dynamo / self-charging functionality as I always keep forgetting to top up my lights.

[@allanb2906]

Thanks Stas, as a new Brompton owner, I'm really hooked on your channel. I think that the improved grips will be my 1st upgrade along with the EZ clamp spring.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot, Allan, glad you like the videos :) Great choice btw, I think the grips are probably the biggest quality-of-life improvement from all the items, and EZ clamp is a small thing, but makes the folding process significantly less annoying :) I would probably place saddle in the 3rd place, but depends on whether you’ve got Brompton saddle as a default (which I heard to be quite good), or the one from Fizik (which I got and didn’t like it at all).

[@robinferguson8911]

We are kindred spirits. I have most of these :)

[@densitydad]

Really surprised to not see folded pedals. It's probably the toughest thing for me as a fairly new Brompton owner (>1yr). Always hits my shin. Great video as I will definitely be picking up the EZ Clamp Springs.

[@staskucherenko]

You mean the one that you can actually fully remove and then clip in? I was strongly considering it, it should be super handy for packing the bike in a hard shell case or transporting it in general, plus they are much lighter and I think a bit wider than default pedals. So far I am still a bit worried that I will just loose one of the pedals somewhere this way :) But overall, I am with you - that is probably another solid upgrade for the bike, and to the best of my knowledge, in the new 12-speed P-lines they have these pedals as a default option already.

[@densitydad]

@@staskucherenko This makes complete sense. I went A Line to have some flexibility on aftermarket pieces. Thanks for responding!

[@doejohnes]

Nice video! Can’t disagree with any in this video. Essentials

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback :)

[@fiveletters]

Check out the Corky Urban mirror. I've had it on my last two bikes and absolutely love it. Convex for good visibility, attaches to any 7/8ths bar end, and folds flat when you're not using it!

[@staskucherenko]

Very cool, thanks a lot for recommendation. Corky mirror looks great indeed, I particularly like the folding aspect, would be very handy with all the Brompton’s folding action

[@Pete40-b1u]

Great vid. Good list of upgrades and comment. Getting the saddle in a couple of days sure will be great after the break in period. Agree the bag is expensive but very practical and is good quality. Will add some of the other items to my wish list 🤞. Thanks for taking the time to film. All the very best Pete 🚲

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your feedback, Pete, appreciate it a lot :)

[@5217tuber]

Good video - thank you. Interesting, I have half of your recommended products on my Brompton! I’ll look into the Cateye Rapid Mini.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your feedback, glad it was helpful :)

[@Alex-j3b6l]

Як завжди - дуже корисне відео! По світлу - на звичайний велосипед я купував на Амазоні Cycleafer® Bike Lights Set. Декілька років користуюсь - задоволений

[@staskucherenko]

@@Alex-j3b6l дуже дякую )) лампи класні, дякую за рекомендацію! Я після цього відео таки купив Бромптонівську передню лампу, в принципі нею задоволений, яскравість світла дуже ок, можна спокійно вночі їздити, але її вистачає лише на кілька годин.

[@olgalykholobova988]

Great video, Stas! 😃

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot :)

[@gustavbrinkel5489]

Lovely video bro

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your feedback, Gustav, glad you linked it :)

[@tbear4291]

Good information and good English. Amazon has increased the price of mirror.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback! Regarding the mirror - that’s a shame of course, but probably not very surprising given all the inflation figures and economical situation out there.

[@phillblake6829]

Great video

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks :)

[@Muddy283]

Nice video! A couple of points for reflection. 1. Have you considered the Zefal Spin 15 Mirror? It's very small, folds under the handlebar, and - very important - it's convex, thus giving the widest mirror view I've ever encountered with a bicycle mirror. The folding under handlebar option is also very important for me as I live in Europe, where of course we drive on the right-hand side of the road (thus potential bicycle folding issue as you mention). 2. Regarding the front carrier block, I regularly go over the 10k Brompton recommended weight limit, without any observable issues so far (I've been cycling a Brompton since 2005). IIRC, I've even gone up to a whopping 20k on occasions! Brompton are in general very conservative with their advice, and understandably so to protect their riders and of course to protect themselves against litigation, but the Brompton is a remarkably sturdy bike.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback! Regarding the Zefal 15 mirror - I was not aware of it tbh, but I love the idea, thanks a lot for sharing! The point of mirror being convex is amazing, this is probably one of the main things I would change in my Spy mirror. And the fact that you can fold it makes everything miles easier. Do you mount it inside the edge of the handlebar? On the carrier block - thanks for flagging, that’s super helpful! I had a suspicion that 10kg is probably a conservative number, but with your post now I have a proof point for it :)

[@Muddy283]

@@staskucherenko Thanks for the reply! Regarding the mirror, it mounts in exactly the same way as the one @platypushatstand refers to in his post: you just remove the handlebar plug and it _"fits inside the handlebar end and grips using an expander wedge."_ Btw another accessory well worth considering, particularly for those who don't have a rear rack, is *Valeria's Universal Carrier Block Adapter.* It works really well as a Brompton Rear Carrier Block: extremely useful for touring. It also really stabilises the bike if baggage is equally loaded at front and back when in semi-folded rolling position. Consequently, it's an excellent configuration when food shopping in the supermarket.

[@staskucherenko]

@@Muddy283 very cool, thanks for your reply! Honestly, I think these discussions and recommendations like yours provide as much value to the community (if not more), than the video itself :)

[@Muddy283]

@@staskucherenko No, not *_more_* valuable. In my opinion, your video on Brompton accessories is directed to an important target audience that is new or relatively new to the Brompton, while my thoughts (and those of some others here) are more directed to us seasoned Brompton oldies. Having said that, your video did give me, as an oldie, important new information about a new generation of more powerful front bicycle lights that I should have known about but didn't. I definitely need to investigate further on that one. Thanks for that! And maybe I've shown you a rear mirror that is even better than the one you showed (but you'll be able to tell me if I'm right on that or not if you decide to test it for yourself!)? By the way, I forgot to mention that I suspect the Valeria's Universal Carrier Block Adapter won't work correctly as a rear carrier block unless used with a telescopic seat tube as there may be a problem configuring its position to allow the seat pillar to descend low enough to lock the rear wheel when folding.

[@richmck007]

I bought a P Line. It’s now sub 10k. I am not going to spend the recommended 400 pounds you suggest to to increase its weight and the opposite to y bank balance! I am perfectly happy with my new baby. Oh, and i have a 6 Speed Black edition at 11 kilos after some adjustments! Brooks saddles take some time to wear in but the Fis: ik version and standard Brompton saddles are just fine. A Brooks saddle is a status thing. Absolutely not necessary.

[@staskucherenko]

@@richmck007 100% with you, bike is pretty good right from the shop. Everything else either just adds some additional utility or makes it a bit more comfortable. For me handlebars probably was the item that added the most of comfort. Plus I’ve also started using crazy Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres, had only one puncture in 18+ months of active use, super happy with those. All of these however add quite a bit of weight to the bike.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a Dane we don't do that much trade with GB anymore, because it has become too clumsy, so I bought my two clamp guides in China, with an extra metal spring, and in near any color wanted. Actually China is able to supply any part needed for a Brompton or Copy, also titanium frames and - parts if wanted. I have changed near all loose parts on my former 2019 Superlight til Carbon and titanium, so for now it weighs close to 8,5 kilo and still with mudguards and 6 gears. Finn. Denmark

[@staskucherenko]

Wow, that’s seriously impressive weight, thanks for sharing! Plus I would assume fully titanium frame should be very shock-absorbent as well. The story with trade is extremely unfortunate indeed, but I guess it is what it is :( Regarding the parts replacement - if you don’t mind me asking, did you do them yourselves, or brought your bike to a bike shop for the job?

[@whazzat8015]

China is great as long as you don't mind patent violations and lack of quality control Laws are only for other people, anyway. The money you save will help when they steal your job, too.

[@curiouspenguin6887]

The korky handle bar mirror plugs into the end of the Ergon grip and you don't lose access to the Ergon horn.

[@staskucherenko]

Very cool, thanks a lot, didn't know about this item. Just to double-check - this is the guy you mean, right? Sounds like the best of both worlds indeed :) www.condorcycles.com/products/corky-bar-end-mirror?variant=41461081112726

[@curiouspenguin6887]

@staskucherenko I think the one with the clip is meant for drop handlebar as pictured. I use the Corky Urban on end of Ergon Gp4 grips with rear roller rack on bike. There is still ground clearance and only the handlebar horn, not the mirror gets closest to the ground. Be sure to close mirror before folding handlebar.

[@staskucherenko]

@@curiouspenguin6887 very clear, thanks a lot!

[@curiouspenguin6887]

@@staskucherenko Glad to help. I've learned lots of customization tips from the Brompton community videos.

[@curiouspenguin6887]

@staskucherenko I cover it and fixing at @funwithbrommie. Enjoy 😉.

[@AlexeyDXman]

Стас, видно на видео как вы похудели! Это только один велосипед или в комплексе еда, другой спорт?

[@staskucherenko]

Алексей, добрый день, спасибо за ваш комментарий )) С велосипеда все началось, но потом добавил силовые тренировки и поменял питание / начал делать интервальные голодовки. Велосипед сам по себе сжигает много энергии (за длинную тренировку на пару часов в среднем темпе можно спалить 2-3к калорий), но потом очень растет аппетит и метаболизм быстро приспосабливается чтобы эффективнее расходовать энергию, что уменьшает эффективность похудения. Силовые тренировки в первую очередь нужны чтобы увеличить мышечную массу, что повышает базовый расход энергии в состоянии покоя, и по большому счету позволяет есть больше и при этом не набирать вес. Ну и диета - наверное самый эффективный инструмент, из того что я читал, можно многими способами оптимизировать диету, но в любом случае главный принцип - есть меньше калорий чем сжигается в день. Интервальные голодовки - тоже штука неоднозначная. Мне этот инструмент очень нравится, так как это в первую очередь очень удобно, плюс есть некоторые исследования, которые говорят что в целом периодические голодовки имеют преимущества для здоровья, но с ними есть риск потери мышечной массы, так что есть плюсы и минусы.

[@dooley-ch]

Nice video. But for me the Tern Tool 2.0 easily trumps the Brompton tool kit in both functionality and bang for the buck. Also using the standard Busch & Müller USB back light means that the saddle post is left clear to attach a saddle bag allowing you to carry up to 10kg off the saddle post which is just as easy to remove of a bag from the front of the bike.

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for sharing! Ten Tool 2.0 is indeed very cool, I was not aware of it before, but looks like a solid alternative to Brompton toolkit, plus it is actually cheaper. Where do you carry it on your Brompton btw, in the saddle bag you have mentioned? For me the key selling point of the Brompton toolkit was this idea that you can hide it in the frame. I carry folded inner tube in other sections of the frame, so it gives full usage of the Brompton’s real estate :) On the saddle bag - that’s something I am thinking about as well, do you have any specific ones you can recommend? Also very fair point on the rear lights. I heard that with standard Brompton saddles you can slide CatEye lights into the saddle and still use the fixings for the saddlebags, but my default Fizik one didn’t have the right placeholder for the lights unfortunately.

[@phillblake6829]

No it’s not as cool and convenient as the in frame Brompton one. What an amazing design that slots into the frame. Loads better

[@brucemackinnon-k3x]

For that price the saddle should pour hot coffee too, and play music.

[@staskucherenko]

Well, not sure about coffee, but it might start squeaking rather melodically if not lubricated often enough, will all the metallic rails and rivets it has :) On the serious note - it is indeed fairly expensive and very heavy, but it’s two selling points - ridiculous durability and this feature of moulding into rider’s anatomical shape, given the hammock design. I am using it for a bit less than 1.5 years, it is indeed pretty comfortable and looks pretty good, doesn’t even have too many traces of tear and wear. One thing I miss is the cut-out in the middle to be honest, I got a little bit of discomfort while cycling more than 3-4 hours, but to the best of my knowledge Brooks are also selling similar-shaped saddles but with cut out in the middle, so might be a good alternative.

[@greenerick]

Brooks saddle no way to heavy have a Brompton lightweight saddle. Anyway interesting video

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks :) Indeed, I’ve heard lots of good feedback regarding the Brompton’s Superlight saddle. I like my Brooks a lot, but now considering trying either Brompton’s Superlight or some of the similar Specialized saddles.

[@muratmustafa4532]

My Upgrade list so far: 1-)Brook B17 (tried cambium C17 first) 2-) Ergon GP1 3-) Phone Quad lock and case 4-) Matamura Scrowave suspension 5-) Front medium roll top bag 6-) Frame bottle mount and holder 7-) Metro saddle pouch 8-) Cateye rapid back light 9-) Brompton 500 lumen front light 10-) Shimano PD EH-500 SPD pedals (not installed yet) Apart from metro pouch and Shimano PD EH-500 SPD (not tested yet) pedals I can highly recommend all the upgrades to make the ride of the bike much more comfortable and safer and to increase the functionality of the bike. Next upgrade is Spurcylce bell.

[@olgalykholobova988]

Great updates! Thanks very much for sharing!

[@staskucherenko]

Indeed, thanks a lot for sharing, love the list, I think our lists overlap quite a lot! I have swapped my front Bontrager light to Brompton 500 lumen few weeks ago, super happy with it so far. Matamura suspension sounds like an amazing idea, didn’t think about it before, does it add significant vibration dampening from your experience? Pedals are also very cool, they are basically wider, lighter, have option for cleats, but you cant fold one pedal and have to remove and store it somewhere while the bike is folded, right?

[@muratmustafa4532]

@@staskucherenko I have mixed feelings about the front light. While it’s great, lots of cyclist complaining about the glare. I cycle at dark and narrow cycle path so some cyclist are extra sensitive to lights. The difference from the suspension is really noticeable. Suspension makes the rear of the bike more connected to the road and to the front of the bike making the ride more stable and safer. Also dampening of the vibration is increased with the new suspension. Additionally the bike does not loose as much speed when going over high frequency vibrations as it is better connected to the ground. I have only tested one day so far but initial impressions are positive. There are some cheap copies of it and reports about broken suspensions. So make sure you get an original one. Also depending on your weight you might need to go for the firm one. They have two different firmness settings. Yes foldable double sided pedals are not many and comes with significant price increases and lot of fuss. So yes I preferred to go with non quick release model and learn to live with it. Hopefully it will be an another good improvement on the cycling performance without too much problems due to non folding paddle. I commute 60 km with bike on bad tarmac with 10 kg front bag. So trying to make the bike as efficient and comfortable as possible.

[@staskucherenko]

@@muratmustafa4532 thank you so very much, super super helpful! Got the suspension in my bucket list, following your advice :) I also do long rides every now and then , so very much with you to ensure the bike is as comfortable as possible, even relatively small improvements can be a big deal if you need to be in the saddle for multiple hours.

[@juanmiguelgataberruezo9774]

Por lo que vale una B bien podía llevar de serie el Brooks. En la mía llevo un modelo "swallow" aún más caro.

[@martynpearce4754]

I tried a B17 saddle on my touring bike in the rain and the leather started to peel away also the sides of the saddle seemed to rub my inner thigh, which was a bit comfortable. Returned saddle and got a refund. So wouldn't recommend if you cycle in the rain a lot. PS I dont have big thighs😂

[@staskucherenko]

That’s a fair point, water is probably the biggest problem for B17 and other leather saddles. With proofide the saddle will be more durable and water resistant for sure, but still not to the extent to push through a heavy rain with no issues. I did light rain few times and saddle endured it fine, but the experience was still quite miserable regardless. Regarding the problem with rubbing - that’s unfortunately always possible I guess, I was lucky enough to avoid this problem with my B17, but had it with my default Fizik saddle, this was largely the reason why I almost immediately decided to replace it. If you are still curious to try Brooks saddles - they have different sub-types of B17, like B17 Short, B17 Narrow, or B67 (wider option), etc., that theoretically can fit better. However it well might be the case that their templates and designs just don’t work for you and you would be better off with Specialized, Fizik, Ergon or other saddle brands. You can usually try different saddles at bike shops to see which brand and model will be the most comfortable to fit your anatomy and bone structures.

[@bromptinowner763]

I have a brompton and have no interest in a Brooks saddle, a selle trk saddle for me

[@staskucherenko]

@@bromptinowner763 thanks for sharing! I am considering trying a new saddle also, especially for long-distance rides, will check Selle TRK out. I also heard lots of good feedback about Specialized saddles, like Bridge Comp, might be worth considering

[@staskucherenko]

Hi guys, check out my 4 best upgrades for your Brompton from Decathlon: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ravKoX6PlLqffpY

[@keatingjpk]

Hi Stas. Can you tell me what size Ergon GP3 grips you purchased? I know they come in 2 sizes. thanks. Jeff

[@staskucherenko]

@@keatingjpk Hi Jeff, thanks for your question! Good catch indeed, forgot to mention it, I got size Large for my GP3s

[@keatingjpk]

Thanks Stas. Much appreciated. From looking at your videos your hands don't look to be very big (like mine) so GP3 large should work for me also. Thanks.

[@staskucherenko]

@@keatingjpk indeed, I am 1.78m high, so have rather average male height and probably have averagely sized hands as well. Plus installing size Large Ergons was a bit of an effort, it well might be the case that size S won’t fit on Brompton handlebars very well, so L is probably a safe bet here.

[@keatingjpk]

Thank you

[@bromptinowner763]

Or could buy a mini q rack for a quarter of the price

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your comment, Mini Q rack looks pretty cool indeed!

[@whazzat8015]

700£ ~$900 options. No prob Plus helmet, gloves, extended seat tube on $1,800 bike. add another $300 in sales tax Good thing i'm made of gold

[@staskucherenko]

Lol, this is pretty much word to word what my wife has been telling me about all these items :) But on the serious note, I am very much with you, the price for Brompton and especially price for all the acessories is a little bit bananas. The good thing about it though - Brompton holds it's value quite well, so if you decided to sell it - it won't lose nearly as much value as most other bikes. I also used Cyclescheme, where you can effectivelly buy the bike and all the accessories tax-free (creating quite a sizeable discount) and also pay for them over time, which softens the blow to the budget quite a bit.

[@whazzat8015]

@@staskucherenko I'm a foldy nut (Bike FridaySatrday, plus, ok) Hard to get a decent bike of any kind for less than $600. I have an S6L bought as a closeout new with bottom fished quality accessories. good tool for what is was built for. Good vid.

[@garevat5837]

Die Ergon -Gummi Griffe, sind nicht zu empfehlen ( der Gummi wird nach gewisser Zeit klebrig). Die Hörnchen sind vermutlich aus Magnesium also kratzempfindlich. Besser, Ergon Griffe aus Kork.

[@randyholloway920]

Brooks needs to make a vegan version of their iconic saddles.

[@staskucherenko]

Interesting idea indeed! They have a range of saddles made of cambium, combining natural rubber and cotton. It is probably quite close to what you have in mind, as all the components are vegan. However I heard some mixed reviews about cambium saddles, mainly quoting that they are much less durable compared to leather ones and not very easy to clear and maintain in decent shape.

[@hobocyclist]

Bro this bike is crazy expensive. Good video though

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks for your feedback :) Regarding the price - that’s unfortunately very true, especially if you account for all the additional items and upgrades. I got curios on why exactly Bromptons are so expensive, so here are some top reasons I have found: 1) Brompton’s frames are still handmade in UK, which cascades manufacturing cost into the final price 2) Brompton’s design has lots of rather unique components, that are not used in other bike, so you can’t leverage economies of scale as you would manufacturing regular bike 3) The design itself is rather non-trivial, so you have lots of different and moving parts, which should be made from expensive & robust materials like steel, to survive the load. 4) Interestingly enough, Brompton’s frame is brazed rather than wielded, and the process is more expensive, if I understood correctly. 5) If we are talking specifically about P-line, they have several titanium components, replacing original steel ones, which is great for weight reduction and vibration dissipation, but pumps up the price quite a bit. On the other hand, Bromptons are very durable bikes, and they have very high reselling value, so value amortisation doesn’t hit them as hard as regular bikes. From my own experience - I have been riding mine for a bit more than a year, I have replaced the chain, everything else is pretty much intact so far.

[@staskucherenko]

Btw, other thing I forgot to mention - there is also a great way to buy the bike much cheaper in the UK, called cycle2work scheme. In a nutshell, via the scheme you are buying your bike with pre-tax money, making the bike ~20-30% cheaper, and you spread the cost, paying for it in instalments, like via Klarna or other similar services. That’s the way I got my bike also, and I am quite happy with the scheme so far.

[@hobocyclist]

@@staskucherenko Neat! it all helps get more people on bikes, & people on bikes = happy people!

[@hobocyclist]

@@staskucherenko i took a 4 month tour on the other side of the world for less than the price of a brompton, (all up and including the bike& flights to Europe from NZ!) no mechanical issues and all parts can be sourced easy. I would try riding a brompton and compare but i think many owners of brompton can not make honest reviews and comparison due to the sunk cost. At the end of my day the bike is a tool to get me around not some kind of investment. Im in full support of riders of all kinds of bike, getting out there and doing it is the real experience!

[@megatz2012]

Price is subjective.

[@volodymyrpetrov9677]

Stas, sorry for asking, but are you Ukrainian or Russian by any chance?

[@staskucherenko]

Hi Volodymyr, indeed, I am Ukrainian. Доброго вечора :) awesome profile picture btw, Interstate 60 is one of my favourite movies :)

[@volodymyrpetrov9677]

@staskucherenko Oh... That's a relief, I must say... But now I'll subscribe with an easy mind. Just yesterday my brother in UK has bought a Brompton for me, as I was thinking about one for a looooong time. Now I just need to finally sell my BMX after it has been gathering dust for like 15 years. Most likely in UK, as it's hard to get a proper price for a quality custom in Ukraine. PS: Interstate 60 I've watched like a dozen times. Scripts as that one don't occur too often nowadays. PPS: Доброго вечора, ми з України ;)

[@staskucherenko]

@@volodymyrpetrov9677 warm welcome to the Brompton Community :) I have been using my Brompton pretty much as BMX lately, given all the wet leaves and mud on the roads these days, so I am sure you won’t be disappointed :) On Interstate 60 - I am very much with you, I watched it for the first time when I was a kid and it has been in my top list ever since. The moment when Mr. Grant opens the box and pulls his lovely new ape smoking pipe is an absolute masterpiece :)

[@Alex-j3b6l]

Катвюсь на звичайному Trek dual sport з гідравлічними тормозами. Цікаво, як не за ісі гроші світу можна модернізувати гальмівну систему Бромптона?

[@staskucherenko]

@@Alex-j3b6l дякую за ваш коментар! Щодо гальм - гарне питання. Бромтон нещодавно випусти g-line, і там вона поставили дискові гальма, думаю це буде найкращий апгрейд, але скоріш за все на стандартні велосипеди це буде коштувати не мало. Я пробував різних виробників гальмівних колодок на стандартні rim brakes - різниці особливо не відчув якщо чесно, головно калібрувати позицію гальма при зміні колодок

[@peterbedford2610]

Great advice. Buy a really expensive bike and then spend another $500 making it good...😂

[@staskucherenko]

Kind of, it would be a lie to say you are wrong :) Three points I would add however - 1) Brompton accessories are indeed quite expensive, but you can fit lots of items not specifically designed for Brompton and they will work perfectly well with the fold and all the mobility benefits for a fraction of the price. On that note - I recently did a video of my favourite Decathlon items for my Brompton, which fit it perfectly and are very budget friendly - kzbin.info/www/bejne/ravKoX6PlLqffpYsi=smHWNmC0xC72p_N1 2) Other point - Brompton itself is an expensive bike for sure, but what you are paying for is having a bike that is both portable as well as robust and durable. Non-foldable bikes have much less moving parts to take care off and given fixed tubes and structures - can leverage cheaper materials with less processing required to assemble them together. So if you don’t care about the whole portability / foldability thing - the price is crazy for sure, however if portability is a big thing for you - then value-for-money balance comes much closer to a reasonable ground. 3) And the last bit - I love my Brompton and I am of course positively biased, but I would argue that Brompton by default is pretty good bike, and all these bells and whistles on top of default package either bring it from good to great (like Ergon handlebars), or add some very specialised features not everybody wants (like the whole idea to do grocery shopping with your bike or ride late in the evening / early in the morning, hence the need for powerful lights, etc).

[@BadByte]

I think it more like Brompton as is from factory is good but from factory it is set up as a short distance commuter. For longer distances you start notice things that could be better like the handlebars, for short quick run abouts they are fine but for say a 10km commute each way you may want something a little better like the egron grips.

[@ARlELATOM]

Please remove the stickers from your frame, it’s driving my ocd crazy 😂 Awesome video though 👌

[@staskucherenko]

Thanks a lot for your feedback :) On the stickers - white one in the middle of the center tube is still there for a no good reason indeed :) but the red one on the head tube is from registering the bike with UK BikeRegister scheme, here is my other video about the scheme and the whole process - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnbYnH6CZtBmkJI But proceed with caution, as these lovely stickers are getting on to the frame during the video :)

[@veyrethomas3934]

I was about to make the same comment about those ugly stickers…

[@Robert_Thomas832]

I added a Decathlon bottle pouch similar to yours, very handy. I adapted an army Field pack as a front bag. Volume 15 L - total cost with carrier block and fittings was £35. Good video, thanks.