Pahana

Brompton is changing the model names for 2022.The B75 is now the A Brompton. The rest is the C models with the electric the C electric. Also the handlebars are no longer labeled S,M and H. It's going to be called something like low, medium and high. Coral will replace orange and the tempest blue is being replaced with a slightly lighter shade of blue. The L version with the fenders is standard with the front luggage attachment as well. I guess this means the E version is gone except for the A model. If anyone has an idea why after all this time they are doing this please feel free to chip in.

Jipe

From unofficial sources, two other "lines" should come.

A P-line which is actually the previous Superlight = steel-titanium frame but only with Brompton derailleur, no IGH and 4 speeds/cogs.

And more interesting, the only real new model, a T-line = full titanium frame.

Pahana

Great news about the full Titanium model. If only they'd come out with a Big Apple tire version. It's hard being part of a cult that changes names. Last week I was folding up my bike and a woman in a car stopped and asked where to ride her Brompton around here. She had the glove box removed so she could put her Brompton on the passenger side floor. At first I thought she was crazy but then it turned out that she was driving across country and I assumed she was sleeping in the back of her minivan. If removing a car's glove box isn't a cult what is?
Also it looks like the A model which is the B75 is going to be in white next year. Is the p line only available in 4 speeds. I like my 2 speed ti but I may guess that the new 4 speed is similar in weight. Any word about the full Titanium speeds and gearing set up? I can only imagine the full Titanium model to be about $5,000 plus. Now I remember back in the spring talking to AL from Portapedal and him saying that changes were coming. I had forgotten about that till this moment.

tcs

"What was our big news this year? We offered a new color with a cute name!"


Seriously, a factory full Ti model is cool...if it's UK built.

Jipe

The titanium fork and rear triangle have been manufactured at several places since they exist, including Russia.

Brompton had several times quality and delivery problems with these two parts that affected the availability of the Superlight and CHPT3.

But from what I read, the current titanium fork and rear triangle are made in UK by a joint venture company between Brompton and a UK titanium parts specialized company.

The full titanium frame could be built by the same company in the UK.

tcs

The factory Ti mainframe model is going to be what it's going to be and there's not much need to speculate beyond the entertainment value in doing so. I will note that it would be technologically possible to braze a Ti mainframe in house.


"The best defense against copying is innovation.” Will Butler-Adams

BobbyG

OMG That is brilliant!

Pahana

I feel for the people who spent $5,000 or so for the overpriced CHPT3. The value of that bike will drop as soon as the full Titanium is released. It always seemed like a bad purchase for me. I really don't believe that the price was justified when a regular Titanium was almost half the price. As for the ride I can't really say that the Titanium model is better than the steel. I own both and other than the weight I like the ride of the steel better. The steel absorbs shock on the rougher roads better and the additional weight makes it more stable. These bikes are jumpy to begin with so if carrying is not a big factor in your purchase I say go with the steel. I think most Brompton owners would purchase a new Brompton if they gave people a better variety of tire sizes. I just changed out my 305mm tires on another ride from 35mm tires to 57mm and now can ride off road. The world of bicycle tires is going bigger by the day as it only adds to the quality of the riding experience.

Jipe

The CHPT3 cost 2930€, i.e. not twice and actually not that much more than a Superlight but indeed, like all he special editions its overpriced just for a special color and some different but not really better components.

Instead of making a full titanium, Brompton could do a stainless steel frame like Moulton does. These frames are lightweight and really gorgeous with all the ride benefit of steel.

And its silver brazed what Brompton should be able to do in their own factory.

Besides the frame material, Brompton should move to a real derailleur instead of their slow, dirt sensitive simple gear changing system.

Joe Remi

It's here. 4-speed, bigger and spoked EZ Wheels, they finally created a stock version of a Brompton the aftermarket has been building.

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/2022-...lery&gallery=1

tcs

Gearing looks like:


which illustrates the compromise of derailleur gearing on small wheel bikes: you have to use tiny cogs or huge chainwheels to get higher gears. Compare this to a Hummingbird or BikeFriday pakit 54x18 fitted with a Sturmey-Archer X-RF4* giving gear inches of 40, 52, 66 and 85.


*which seems like a lot less trouble than designing a proprietary hub, cogset and derailleur.

Joe Remi

I think it's an interesting alternative for a line that mostly does use IGH. A mini cassette and hub is lighter than an IGH, plus easier to remove on the road for a flat. The gear range seems fine to me for a Superlight version of Brompton.

Joe Remi

Also it probably should be considered an upgrade from the 2-speed cog, not downgrade from 6-speed hub.

bike.gang.uk

And the potential to add extra two larger cogs is there !!!

Mwahahaha ...

Winfried

It's a lot easier to patch a flat by just pulling the tube from the side and leave the wheel on the frame, à la Dutch bike.

Wish I had known that trick years ago.

Pahana

I have a question on the new 4 speed derailleur. My Brompton is a pre 2017 and doesn't have a barrel adjuster. Do the newer Bromptons have an adjuster on the shifters. I don't see any barrel adjuster on the derailleur but I could be wrong. Just this week I had to adjust the barrel on my Eezz D3 because the shifter was a bit slow. Any guess how to adjust the new derailleur?

veganbikes

Brazing Titanium is extremely tough, to weld it needs to be super clean in the shop, to braze apparently it needs to be even cleaner and it might be best to do it in a vacuum rather than the normal back purge of Argon gas (or other inert gas) However I am not a brazing expert I just had done some research after wanting a filet brazed ti frame a while back and realized that was not really feasible. I am excited for whatever they bring as a full Ti Brompton would be cool.

I do like the quote though!

CEBEP

I'd say model name changes is nearly not an issue compared with lack of availability and price hikes.

Joe Remi

I can find plenty of Bromptons right now at the old prices. Plenty of used ones, too. It's only an issue if you don't want to spend the money.

CEBEP

Please do. I'll take Flame laquer black edition, H stem. Here in Istanbul at the old prices. Waiting for the links to buy.
​​​​

Joe Remi

I can do USA, I don't know anything about Istanbul. Maybe they'll ship.

https://portapedalbike.com/catalog/b...on-superlight/

CEBEP

So for me in Turkey it's not the issue that I don't want to spend money then?

Jipe

In Europe, the Brompton is easily available, either directly from Brompton or from dealers, an example of a dealer who has 4 pages of Brompton in stock.

CEBEP

I'm not in Europe but in Turkey. Local distributors claim they can't get what the order and accept whatever Brompton sends their way. I talked to 2 Brompton dealers in Istanbul when I ordered mine, one had only blue ones, one had last two black editions, flame laquer and black. No option to choose anything and not one H model available.

Jipe

Its probably a local distribution problem in Turkey or shipment of bikes to/import into Turkey, because Brompton has a lot of bikes in stock.