Electric vs classic Brompton. Which is the better folding bike?

Рет қаралды 5,477

Жыл бұрын

Brompton, the iconic British folding bike brand, have recently released a folding electric bike, but how does this compare with the classic non-electric version? We have a look at the performance and usability of the eBrompton
#electricbike #ebike #Brompton

Пікірлер: 25

@awatt Жыл бұрын

The times I could have done with an electric assist bike when my daily commute going home was up hill all the way. It was great in the morning freewheeling most of the way to work but the return journey....not so nice.

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Definitely. Hills are a killer, especially om a rainy day. Time to go electric :)

@scoops2007 Жыл бұрын

Nice video - always good to get different perspectives. You mention some other solutions in the chat (yes the ARCC system does look very good) but none of them are cheaper than the official Brompton one unless you already have a bike and so the cost of the bike doesn't have to be considered, unless you are buying one with the sole purpose of adapting it. The cost title in the video seems a bit misleading - this is a £3000 bike and 6 speed only at the moment. How did you find the harshness through the front wheel? I have seen complaints that it is much worse than a regular Brompton?

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Good point and agreed that there are lots of different Brompton variations with different price points which I could have been clearer on. On the front wheel, took a little getting used to but I found it OK, though saying that I've ridden Bromptons for a while and am used to the smaller wheels, so probably easier for Brompton users to transition rather than someone riding on a 700c wheel

@gc1418 Жыл бұрын

Great review. I'd add a third option - buy a swytch kit and convert your Brompton to electric. I converted a road bike and am happy with the result. The Brompton electric is nicer, but the swytch converted would be cheaper, esp if you buy a used Brompton or you already have one.

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Yeah! The ad for those look cool. Haven't tried one before but seems like a pretty neat solution. There's also a cool conversion kit from a company called ARCC also

@deekyevans5235 5 ай бұрын

I tr7there one , never worked properly and is not as easy and responsive as the brompton appears. Never got that big a boost even at max setting. had to send it back, cannot fault their customer service but would not do that again

@Nelovideos 6 ай бұрын

Nice video. I have a question for you. In case the battery is low it will be harder to pedal due to the electric motor right? Have you experienced this case? Thanks in advance.

@BillyWu 6 ай бұрын

Thanks. Yeah, my experience from various ebikes is that when the battery charge is low, the delivered power is lower than when fully charged; making it harder to pedal. Even more so when the battery is fully out

@richmck007 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to create this video. I was a cyclist for years with lots of invested money and time in bikes. I still have three expensive bikes which I ride for fun but I use a 2018 Brompton Black Edition 6 speed for work. I am 60. I carry a rucksack and live in a humid area of Europe therefore I sweat if I ride fast. I have three steep climbs on my 25 min journey to work which are starting to be problems as age and fatigue are not in my favour. Would you say that the electric version was a wise investment as I also considered looking at Hummingbird ebike ( although it is larger and with 20’’ wheels…) until watched your video which has convinced me to a certain degree, but the price of the bike is off putting in Europe. 17 kilos is pretty heavy for a small folding bike. Is the climb really noticeable where hills are concerned compared to my normal Brompton. I am quite light at 80kilos and I still ride fast but sweating is something you cannot avoid where I am. My other bikes are all under 11kilos ( carbon fibre Ibis mojo and an M5 aluminum lightweight Specialized FSR Elite ) frame which is the EXACT weight of my Black edition. I reduced its weight by tweaking the bike and changing parts like pedals, seat post, seat and mudguards…

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Yeah, unfortunately the Brompton is a bit heavy but I would say the folding mechanism is still the best. This one is a C-line with a steel frame, but there is now a P-line with a titanium rear frame. I'm still a big Brompton fan but because the bikes are so expensive, they are also top targets for thieves and therefore I would only take it out if I keep it with me. A cheaper ebike would be much better for locking up. I think if you do a part train commute (e.g. cycle-train-cycle), the Brompton is great! Quality is also good, but there are also lots of other cheaper ebikes which are more or less the same in terms of performance. I haven't tried the Hummingbird but have seen the specs which seem impressive. What I would say is the Brompton service is very good. Other colleagues that have had one comment on the excellent service. 1 thing to note, is that I've heard (but not experienced myself), that because of how the battery is clipped in, when going over aggressive bumps, the battery can disengage and the motor lose power. So, overall, I would say the Brompton is good quality with the best folding mechanism, but here are other more value for money options out there, especially if you want to lock the bike up.

@richmck007 Жыл бұрын

@@BillyWu Thanks for the reply first of all. I am firm believer of out of sight out of mind therefore I never lock up a bike. If I cannot go inside with it, I don’t take it out of my home. Post sales maintenance and service is excellent where I live where Brompton is concerned. The folding and reduced space make it worth the while to carry onto a tram bus or train. It occupies not space for me. The down side is the price of another one if it is to be electric. Your mention if the battery pack disengaging over bumpy roads is a concern for me as the investment is quite a lot. Like everything, the pros and cons need to be considered. Nevertheless, I believe I will invest in one in the near future. Looking forward to any other video posts you upload. Thanks once more.

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

@@richmck007 Thanks Rick. Great to hear different perspectives of how people use their bikes. 1 other consideration for you is there are also various conversion kits available to make non-electric bikes electric. Swytch bikes and ARCC both have kits. Haven't tried myself yet and they aren't cheap but cheaper than a new eBrompton. Might be worth looking at

@DJFAmenHeavy 9 ай бұрын

Hey. How does electric feel to ride without the battery? Does it feel like a normal Brompton, or do you feel slight resistance from the motor? Still trying to decide between electric vs normal. I’m a fit guy so don’t need the electric, but it would be fun. But I’d probably use it without the battery also. Thanks

@BillyWu 9 ай бұрын

Great question. Without the battery there certainly is more resistance than a normal Brompton but it isn't unrideable though not ideal. Electric is fun and I'm definitely less sweaty after a long ride. Some other people who have eBromptons have said that they've had some issues after riding in the rain. So both have pros and cons. eBrompton is noticably heavier.

@yigitcanbaysal824 6 ай бұрын

Sorry to bother you again professor , but I have another question _what are the effect of reinforcements on the mechanical properties_? I'd be grateful if you could help me to understand it

@BillyWu 6 ай бұрын

Sure. It depends on the system though. If you are talking about fibre reinforced polymer composites, then the polymer matrix transfers load to the fibre which is normally stiffer; increasing the stiffness of the overall composite. If its a dispersion-strengthened composite then the reinforcements are small and they hinder the movement of dislocations in a material; increasing the stiffness

@yigitcanbaysal824 6 ай бұрын

@@BillyWu The two rule of mixtures ,for example, can you explain a bit more ?

@kentwydell9322 Жыл бұрын

You should plug the charger into the electric supply first and let it settle. Then plug it into the battery.

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Good suggestion. Haven't had any issues with the charging so far but good to know

@lolnyanterts 9 ай бұрын

Imagine a brompton bike share with battery share stations for when you want to go electric and challenge that difficult hill.

@BillyWu 8 ай бұрын

I think there's a few Brompton bike hire lockers around the UK with this idea in mind

@domestique3954 Жыл бұрын

Riese und Müller‘s Birdy entering the Chat.....

@BillyWu Жыл бұрын

Exciting. Brompton's are great but a bit pricey. A bit more choice will be good

@domestique3954 Жыл бұрын

@@BillyWu The problem is the folding mechanism.Wears out too soon. The Birdy is technically higher developed and has front suspension and you only fold the chainstays with the rear wheel,while the frame is one piece. Makes it much more stable to ride.Also the wheels are with 18‘ a bit bigger and therefore faster. You can go off-road with a Birdy,it’s basically a fully. But it is even more expensive than a Brompton.....