Originally Posted by
blakcloud
The best thing about the Brompton is the fold. It is the most elegant fold that is so quick, I don't think any other folder can beat this.
All bike designs represent compromise; folding bike designs especially so.
Once Mr. Ritchie replaced the Le Petit Bi handlebars with the patented Dahon side-folding handle post (~1981?) IMHO he had what was and remains all these years later the most impressive fold in the business - chapeau! I'm not surprised the basic Brompton layout has been adopted on various models by Beiou, Burke, Chedech, Dahon, Flamingo, KHS, MIT, Neo, Nyfti, Oyama, Pico, Sanye and probably others.
I don't understand why Brompton has clung to those twiddly knobs for forty years instead of moving to latches, though.