Riding the Brompton M6L Superlight folding bike
Unfolds in about twenty seconds, handles like a normal bike.
- Answers
- How does a Brompton folding bike ride?
- Topics
- Amsterdam · Durable · Freedom · art · bike · design · mobility · review
- Full article on willem.com
- https://willem.com/en/2022-09-15_the-ultimate-freedom-bike/
Summary
I rode an orange Brompton M6L Superlight in 2022 and found it handles like a normal bike: quick acceleration, direct steering, effective brakes. It unfolds in about twenty seconds and goes where other bikes cannot.
Full text
Andrew Ritchie invented the three-part fold in 1975; today there are more than 1500 official dealers and 15 Brompton Junctions worldwide, including one in Amsterdam. My M6L Superlight uses lightweight titanium parts and came with six gears, two on a derailleur and three inside a hub, plus dynamo lights. I added a Brooks Cambium saddle, an integrated toolset and puncture resistant Schwalbe tires. The small wheels are no handicap: the gears and frame are balanced for them, and the smaller wheel circumference makes the brakes more effective. After a few kilometers of getting used to the agile steering, my trained legs took it much faster than I thought possible on a folder. Where it really shines is off the bike: take it on the metro, bus, tram or train, into a car without a carrier, onto a plane, or simply inside with you, away from thieves and weather.