Kevindale

I'm currently riding my Brompton S2L without the rear frame clip. As some of you may recall, I got two used titanium Bromptons recently, one with a clip, and one without. My wife was riding the clipless one, and had a minor spill, and was rattled when she tried to right herself, and the rear wheel tucked under. She had trouble getting out of traffic, things were spilling out of her front basket, etc. It was her first long ride on the bike, so she wasn't really used to it, and I had foolishly ridden a few dozen meters ahead. Anyway, I took the clip off my bike and put it on hers, and she feels much better about not being on a bike that might collapse in the wrong situation. I don't mind not having the clip, since so far I never need to carry it unfolded, and I'm getting very comfortable with the bike. I did do a recent emergency stop a few days ago when a scooter pulled in front of me, and when I hit the scooter the rear wheel started to fold under, but I stayed upright and it was no big deal.

My question: is getting a clip worthwhile from a safety standpoint? I can imagine trying to jump a curb and having the rear wheel stay down and cause a problem. Commuting here in Amsterdam is a daily thrilling exercise in accident avoidance, and I want to know if there's a good reason clips became standard on these bikes.

Schwinnsta

I think it was added so people could carry it unfolded, easier.

berlinonaut

I'd say it does not matter - it is a comfort feature in the first place. The clip became standard only in January 2008, so for more than 20 years Brompton riders have lived without it and many of them still do (and some even prefer it that way). Never heard a story of someone crashing due to lack of the clip. Very rarely heard of someones rear wheel folding under while doing an emergency stop - but those stories are rare and usually told for curiosity reasons rather than for safety ones.

In my opinion you should avoid jumping a curb with the Brompton in the first place. At least if you want to ride it a little longer w/o damaging it. And jumping a curb in a way that the rear wheel could fold under seems even worse.

rishardh

I would get the clip just to have a peace of mind. It has already tried to fold under you once and you will be thinking of that every time you have to brake hard. They are fairly inexpensive and no real weight penalty. I almost got an older Brompton without the clip and the first thing I planned on doing was installing a clip because I ride with my kid and have to constantly lift my bike on and off curbs because she is unable to jump them.

Kevindale

I'm definitely not curb hopping in the usual sense - the bike and it's tiny wheels are clearly not meant for that. The curbs along the bike lanes in Amsterdam tend to be rather low (just enough to catch you out, esp. when riding a road bike and approached on a tangent) or the curb is banked with a softened profile, with the expectation that cars and trucks can readily go over them when necessary. On my commute, delivery trucks frequently block parts of the lanes, and it's common for tourists especially to either walk into the bike lanes, or to ride their rented bikes erratically, and so I'm constantly ready to do emergency maneuvers and frequently have to quickly alter my path, either onto the sidewalk itself, or into the roadway. A lot of those maneuvers require quickly lifting the front wheel a bit and "hopping" into a slightly different direction to deal with those pesky curbs. So far I haven't noticed the rear wheel being an issue in this, other that it stays in contact with the path/road while the rest of the bike is lifted, and so catches more of the curb or ridge.

I appreciate the comments about the clip being added to make unfolded carry easier. I experienced that a few times when I was riding the Brompton that is no my wife's, and I was getting used to the whole concept. Now that I'm used to the bikes, and I'm in situation where I only carry it folded, so I think I'll do without for now. Thanks for all the input.

fietsbob

Got a Mk2, bought the clip kit, so it would not fold, as I picked it up..
rotating the suspension block you can get it to not lock , again, if you want..