Brompton T6

My Brompton T6 arrived today.

It’s good to have a gadget that gets you covered in oil when you need to fix it.

A few notes:

• The riding position is a bit too upright, for someone over six foot at least. I’m not sure how to fix this - adjusting the handlebars so that they lean forward makes them foul the front wheel when the bike is folded, so I might need to invest in some small bar-ends and adjust the position of the saddle.
• Steering is a little disconcerting - twitchy thanks to those tiny wee wheels, to a degree that varies depending on your speed. The gear-changer thingies are also a little awkward - I’m used to those push-button ones you get on mountain bikes - which can lead to more wobbles as you try to remember which of the three changers does what. Shouldn’t be a problem after a few proper rides, though.
• The gearing is just absolutely perfect for tootling about town, though there’s room at the top when you’re going quickly. (This makes me wonder about the gearing on factory spec. Bromptons - the previous owner of this one added a double chainset.)
• Folding and unfolding is a piece of piss. I was initially stumped by the catch that holds the front forks to the frame when the bike is folded, but there’s just a little lift-and-shuffle knack to it. All you have to do is twist a couple of screws, and it pretty much falls into place, as long as you remember that it’s the seatpost that holds everything in place (ie. you really don’t want to unfold the rear forks and wheel when the seatpost is down.)
• Finally, you know something’s not right with the world when it’s too bloody hot in Glasgow for a long bike ride!

Posted at 11am on 08/09/04 by Jack Mottram to the technology category.
Permalink · Add to del.icio.us
Tags: cycling