In this video I discuss what in my opinion are the best tires for touring on a Brompton and show you in details what you will need to do to replace them and adjust your hub gears.
Recent Post
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Interrail trip with a Brompton
Monday, January 11, 2021
Fixing a Broken Spoke on a Brompton
Not a common event on the strong little wheels of a Brompton but if you do have to fix a broken spoke on the road or while touring it might be useful to have a look at how this is done. Good advice from an amateur mechanic and Brompton rider.
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Is touring harder on a Brompton?
One of the most common questions I get asked is how much more effort is needed to cycle on a folding bike compared to a touring bike. This is not surprising. At first sight my Brompton folding bike loaded with luggage at the back and at the front might look like a harder setup to ride.
It is a rather vague reply but it is my experience over the years. I have extensively toured with mountain bikes and touring bikes in the past. On a folding bike you trade-off a little bit of comfort but in most situations, you will hardly be able to tell the difference.
A more interesting question to ask would be:
“Is the ability to tour and explore places limited by using a folding bike?”
The answer to this question is a resounding NO.
While touring, my longest daily mileage ever has been 160 kilometres and it was done on a Brompton. The highest mountain pass I have ever climbed on a bike was 5300 metres and I did it riding my Brompton. I never meant to set records but these are clear examples that they are more than capable bikes. Provided you avoid, as much as possible, rocky trails or muddy roads where folding bikes perform rather poorly, the ability to go anywhere else is only limited by your willingness to adapt a little and by your mindset.
I am sure there are mathematical formulas that contradict what I say and tell you that according to physics, the resistance of a 16” wheel compared to a 26”, will make you a certain percentage slower but you won’t notice this as much in practice.
As far as other aspects that will make it marginally harder I will mention a few in an effort to be fair and as exhaustive as possible.
( 1 ) Aerodynamics They will play a part, especially if riding on strong headwinds. You might find that folding bikes usually allow you to take a position that is less aerodynamic and offer more resistance.
( 2 ) Handlebars Beyond what is offered as standard, they tend to be smaller and less customisable because they fit with the specific folding system of the bike. You will probably have more limitations in the hand grip and in the position your body can take while riding. While touring long hours each day this can contribute to a less comfortable ride. When your body position and the ability to change it is restricted, it becomes paramount to find a folding bike that is as comfortable as possible right off the bat.
( 3 ) Gears There are folding bikes, especially those at the higher end of the market, that offer wide ranges and lots of gears but these usually come at a higher cost. Generally, folding bikes are more limited in the number of gears they offer and less options will mean a harder ride at times. On my Brompton I tour with 6 gears only which means that I have less choices to adapt exactly the ratios to the terrain I am riding. If this might sound like a great discomfort, I would argue that you also do not need to have 20 or 30. A few gears with well spaced ratios that are soft enough to climb a steep hill and hard enough to push the pedals when descending are all you need.
While they might be a little harder to ride, my conclusion is that folding bikes are perfectly capable bicycles for riding a long tour provided you are willing to make small sacrifices for the flexibility they bring.
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Discovering Japan on a Brompton

Visit the blog to read information that could be potentially helpful also for other bicycle travellers through Japan, such as list of bicycle roads, helpful web pages etc.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Sweden to England on a Brompton
In mid September, I was still in Sweden. The nights were getting chilly, and a new Covid wave was breaking out across Europe. I needed to go back to the UK, and I wanted to cycle it. I wanted to try the route along the North Sea coast, which looked as if it would be very different from the inland route I'd taken on the way out. But what with one thing and another, I was hesitating, delaying setting off. Suddenly, however, I realised that a lot of campsites would close at the end of the month. So, if I was going to ride it, I had to go pretty much immediately. The weather forecast was bad - tons of rain - but I packed up the bike, and late one Friday night, I set off. It did feel a bit mad to leave our cosy sitting room and ride alone to the docks in the dark and the wet. But I was pretty sure that, come what may, I’d enjoy myself. Anyway, here's what happened! Hope you enjoy the film!
Monday, December 7, 2020
Brompton Factory Tour
I managed to get on the last Brompton Factory in Greenford for this year. It was a great experience. I definitely learned a lot about the Brompton Bicycle that isn't as obvious through their marketing. I definitely recommend doing this tour. Huge thank you to Nigel for extending our tour and answering all our questions.
Friday, December 4, 2020
England to Sweden on a Brompton
When the UK lockdown began in March, my husband was in Sweden and I was in London. Finally the restrictions eased and we could travel, but planes and long-distance trains still felt risky. So in August I took my tent and my Brompton, and I cycled through the Netherlands and Germany, and then sailed over the Baltic to Sweden. Before leaving London, I dehydrated enough meals for the whole journey, so that I could largely avoid going into shops along the way, apart from a couple of lovely bakeries, a brilliant sausage stall, and (quite a few) outdoor cafes serving apple cake. Before I set out, I knew little about the region. I found it super interesting. There's lots of history, good and bad - glorious old trade-route towns, as well as poignant reminders of the Nazi era. I found out that n the Dutch woodlands where I pitched my tent there'd been a labour camp from which people were sent to Auschwitz, and only a few miles south of my route in Lower Saxony was the site of Bergen-Belsen. The ride was beautiful, and really thought-provoking. Hope you enjoy the film.
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Touring Sicily on a Brompton
Friday, November 20, 2020
B&W Foldon Box
Check out another option for a suitcase that can protect your Brompton folder when you travel. This is a folding bike box from B&W - for folding bikes and perfectly suitable for Brompton bikes. The video shows how it works, as well as weight and dimensions.
Friday, November 6, 2020
Fix a Rear Puncture
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
West Japan on a Brompton
A nicely shot bicycle travel in West Japan. Traveling by Shinkansen or bullet train, from Tokyo to Kyoto, it gives an insight into the historical and calm city as well as beautiful Shimanami islands of Japan. This was done with a Brompton W12 Folding Bike.
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
6 Brompton Accessories
With the increased popularity of Brompton bikes right now, some of you may be wondering if there are any accessories you can get for your new ride. From as little as 4 US dollars to over a hundred, this video shows you six accessories you can get for your Brompton.
Friday, September 11, 2020
Lighter Brompton Tour Setup
Terry Hilbert runs through a very light setup option for touring with a Brompton. Making use of a T-Bag and a large saddlebag he removes the need for a Brompton rack. Depending on much gear you are planning to take with you this might offer a good alternative.
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Gearing options on a Brompton
Watch this video explaining in great details how Brompton gears compare to regular bikes and touring bikes when it comes to range. Pam and Gilbert, thanks to their experience in touring with Bromptons, offer and expert advice as to which gearing system is best if you consider touring with a Brompton.
Saturday, August 29, 2020
2500 km tour on a Brompton
I have always hoped one day to be able to cycle from the UK, my adopted country, to my hometown in the Italian Alps. I was finally able to do it and complete a ride that vaguely followed Eurovelo 15 down the Rhine before a diversion into Bavaria, Austria and finally Italy. All in all 2500km of easy and flat terrain and cycleways for the most part of the trip.
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Around Singapore on a Brompton
A video of a day trip around Kranji on my trusty Brompton, stopping off at many of the area's well-known tourist attractions. Kranji Countryside, shows an alternative side to Singapore filled with farms, trees, and a little bit of history.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Riding a Brompton in Tokyo
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Best 60K on a Brompton
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Why Tour on a Folding Bike
Monday, June 15, 2020
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
2020 Brompton Bags range
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Bromptons across India

Watch this exciting short video of two Bromptons cycling around India. A treat to the eyes and professionally shot it entices you to take your Brompton a little further...
Watch full video here
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Unfolding Travels
I am pleased to announce the publication of a collection of travels exclusively on a Brompton. This collection of stories include trips that I have taken over the last seven years on my trusted Bronte. The bike is now retired and I am waiting for a suitable replacement to carry on with more traveling. The ten chapters including 50 original drawings, cover some of the most epic roads in the world such as the Karakoram Highway, Manali-Leh and the US Pacific Coast and many more.
The book is available right now on Amazon as a kindle ebook as well as paperback. If you would like a sample chapter, I have included a link to a PDF file you are able to download for free and read.
GET THE BOOK ► https://amzn.to/2C2m4DI
GET THE PAPERBACK ► https://amzn.to/32nFqxO
GET SAMPLE PDF CHAPTER HERE
Thursday, April 23, 2020
North of England on a Brompton (italian)
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Patagonia Carretera Austral on a Brompton
Watch this travel movie about a Brompton Folding bike tackling the legendary rough roads of the Carretera Austral in Patagonia. Starting from the Chilean town of Coyhaique I headed south and after 575 kilometres crossed the border with Argentina to end my tour in the hiking mecca of El Chalten.
Watch movie here
Monday, March 30, 2020
Brompton Climb Dolomiti
Who said these bikes are not good for climbing... I am sure it must be every Brompton owner dream to be one day able to climb the magic mountain passes of the Italian Dolomites. This video shows the 6th Edition of the event organised by Brompton Italia. Our hearts go to all our friends in Italy in such challenging times. Me these be soon over and let's look forward to the next edition in a glorious sun!
Watch 2019 edition video here.
Watch 2018 edition video here.
Gear Shifter Troubleshooting

Some Brompton owners who purchased new models with the updated shifters ( 2017 model to date ) refer of an issue when the shifters are affected by extremely hot temperatures and humidity. During travels in hot countries users reports how their shifters happen to get stuck and unable to shift to a higher gears.
The solution is explained in this article but for a clear video on what is involved should you have to fix it Wilhelm created a clear video explaining the procedure.
Watch video here
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
The Ultimate Brompton
For all those who like to modify their Brompton to suit their taste I have never come across such a through article explaining in details all aspects of customising your folding bike.
Read full article here
Traveling with Bromptons
Watch this video showing how Brompton folding bikes are transported in a hard case.
Watch full video here
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Brompton and trains in Sri Lanka
With a Brompton you can decide to tour a country using only the bicycle exploring and cycling only the best parts. In this video of a three weeks tour in Sri Lanka train transfers and a bike are used in combination to make the most of both worlds!
Watch the full video here
Monday, November 11, 2019
Lofoten Islands on a Brompton (Peter Forde)
Arctic Norway! A 10-day bicycle trip along the fjords, alone with the gulls and hills and sea, miles and miles between scenic fishing villages! I ached to begin. Then. Six months before setting off to cycle the Lofoten Islands, I was diagnosed with angina and atherosclerosis. My airline tickets had long ago been confirmed, the route throughly planned, the Brompton purchased and the hotels pre-booked. There was no way I was going to miss this trip. Kathy and I agreed that if I was cleared by the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, I could go. After exhaustive testing and a consult with a wonderful Mayo doctor (and my promise to get off the bike and walk if necessary), we all agreed it would be possible. I adopted the Mayo Clinic Heart diet, lost ten pounds (I was pretty skinny to begin with), religiously took my statins, obtained an amulet for the nitroglycerin and carried on with my training regimen. I’ve been cycling since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, had ridden many national and international multi-week tours and, at age 73, knew my limitations; “as we age” was a phrase I was all too familiar with. This was the adventure to began yet another chapter in my love affair with travel and cycling.
I had chosen the Brompton for its simplicity and compactness; it would be taken on large and small planes, car ferries and small fishing boats, trains and possibly busses, in and out of hotels and walked up the steeper bridges and hills. My entire “ride” weighed only 46 pounds which included the bike, clothes for the ten days and all of my gadgets (camera, iPad, mobile phone, chargers, toiletries, medicines and my cane). Yes, my cane. A cycling accident, followed by not so perfect spinal surgery left me with nerve damage and a calf muscle that did not respond to my every wish. My six speed Brompton has been “souped-up” with a smaller, 40t vs. the standard 50t front chainring to accommodate my “as we age” cycling style and with large downhill mountain bike platform pedals that allow full foot placement over the pedal axle.
Tromsø (geo: 69.682778, 18.942778) was overcast and chilly for a Floridian when I landed. It took me only twenty minutes to unbox, unfold, and repack the Brompton for the six-mile ride to the center of town and my hotel. Tromsø was an amazing arctic city. Modern architecture along the waterfront contrasts with the traditional wooden houses of the side streets. The Norwegian government, wanting to reinvigorate the city, had founded a world-renowned university in Tromsø and stressed its importance as an international center for Arctic research.
“If you build it, they will come,” and the city is bustling and vibrant and young. The bike shop I went into for my last-minute tidbits had an amazing selection of both traditional and e-bikes. Although expensive, the e-bikes are used for everyday transportation in Tromsø. Since cars are so expensive to own and the town area quite hilly, the e-bike is seen as the perfect way to get around. During my explorations of the city, I wished my Brompton had been electrified.
Although I consider myself a solo cyclist, there is something to be said for the conviviality of small hotels and B&B’s. A few of my lodgings, although very comfortable, resembled shipping containers in size and others were spectacular. However, one evening, I had to abandon my planned (and paid for) guest house because it was so derilict, scary looking and just plain dangerous. I was saved by the Hotel Marmelkroken, in Risøyhamn, and spend a wonderful evening watching the fog roll in over the bay. The Quality Hotel Saga in Tromsø was great and served traditional afternoon waffles garnished with thin brown wafers. What was this? The Swiss woman next to me pantomimed that is was cheese made from a combination of cow and goat (or was that “baaa” a sheep?) milk with caramelized sugar. Her young daughter encouraged me to spread jam on top. I could get used to this arctic lifestyle.
The Art Studio, on Langøya Island, was the beautiful apartment of famed Norwegian artist, Britt Boutrous-Ghali www.edelmanarts.com). I had a 3-room apartment with the cyclists dream, a bathtub. Not just a bathtub, but a giant bathtub. That day I had forgotten that most shops are closed on Sunday. So after cycling around Sortland in the drizzling rain, all I had found was take-out pizza. When I reached The Art Studio, I begged a beer from Britt’s son, Paul, and had pizza and beer in the tub. Glorious!
After a very plush night, I had a nice, leisurely breakfast and left around 8:00 for the 11:10 ferry at Melbu, 25 miles away. I met Paul a mile down the road and he beckoned for me to come and see his new project. He had purchased a 1938 wooden, gaff-rigged, 50-foot boat that had unfortunately sunk over the winter. The history of the vessel was fascinating. Built in Tromsø, it had been commandeered by the Germans during the war and used to transport prisoners around the Lofoten Islands. His plan was to have it trucked to his farm and restore it to be a floating classroom for the schoolchildren of Langøya Island. We got so wrapped up in the project that I lost track of time and finally discovered that I had two hours to travel the 24 miles to the ferry. I cycle like molasses in January. For the next 120 minutes I time-trialed to Melbu and the ferry. I arrived just as the last cars were coming off and I zipped onboard. I was pooped ! I had cycled from Langøya Island to Hadseloya Island over a crazy, steep bridge (another walk, and this was during a time trial). The ferry took me to Austvågøya, where Svolvær, my next stop, was. Needless to say, I dawdled the remaining 22 miles and arrived at The Scandic Svolvær hotel quite spent.
One thing cyclists love about the Norwegian towns is that there are specific bike/walk lanes into and out of each city. The path out of Svolvær went on for 6 miles, until we cleared the “burbs”. The next 10 miles were on the E10, the Long Island Expressway of the Lofotens; one lane each way with no shoulder. I just did my little-wheel thing and the cars and RV’s and busses avoided me and we all seemed to just get along.
In contrast the 815 was one of the most beautiful 24-mile stretches of road I have ever ridden. Craggy cliffs and meadows on one side, the sea and inlets on the other side, very few cars and great tarmac. I was in Brompton heaven. I took 3 1/2 hours to traverse this road; I stopped for photos, explored roadside art installations, turned down little side dirt roads to find quaint beaches and even found a cafe for coffee and cake. As I sipped my coffee and enjoyed the homemade chocolate cake (sorry Mayo) I enjoyed watching two children frolic in the icy water.
As I entered Stamsund and was literally right around the corner from The Live Lofoten Hotel, I stopped into a little gallery. What caught my eye was the art installation piece in the front yard. ULF M ( http://ulf-m.net ) is a surrealist artist. He is one interesting fellow; has shown in a gallery in Chelsea (NYC), and his work is hanging in my hotel. We spent a good portion of the afternoon discussing Surrealism, Dali (St. Petersberg, Florida, has the largest Dali museum in the world) and his eclectic collection. He wrapped the poster I purchased in a cardboard sleeve and later, I wondered how I would get it home with my minimalist packing. That was the fitting culmination of one terrific day. Dinner was a hodgepodge of yoghurt and fruit and bread and nuts and beer from the nearby Joker Market.
My schedule was quite casual and the daily mileage ranged from 30 to 50 miles. With sunlight all day, I was able to meander along and not worry about what time I arrived at my evening’s destination. I cycled with my camera always at my side and stopped often to capture the spectacular views. My only logistical concerns were catching the numerous ferries that connect the islands within the Lofoten archipelago and finding my lodging by using Lat/Long coordinates since the houses do not always have street numbers. I was also never stressed about losing time when I had to walk up a particularly nasty stretch of road nor the very steep bridges that connected some of the islands; whistling kept me company. My daily routine, once I recovered from jet lag, was to have a leisurely hotel breakfast of homemade bread, salmon, herring, granola, yoghurt, fruit and those luscious waffles and nice flavorful, black coffee, pack up the Brompton and be on the road by 10:00 (or perhaps 11:00). My exhaustive research ( I love that little yellow gal on Google Maps) had prepared me for point-to-point rides with no services along the routes. Arriving at my destination town I would check out the local Joker or Coop, chat with the locals, and prepare for dinner. Most of my hotels did not offer any dinner, so I dined on canned sardines or kippers (note the repetition), fruit, peanut butter (when you see it, buy it!), bakery bread and a local beer. If armies march on their stomachs, cyclists pedal with their protein. Not knowing any Norwegian, I sometimes found myself eating canned something or other that I thought were sardines but actually... I still do not know. When I was lucky
enough to find a resort restaurant along the road, I engaged with culinary passion. One such experience came as I was cycling down the western side of Andøya Island. I happened upon an unexpected restaurant overlooking a beautiful lake and stopped in for lunch.
On the restaurant chalkboard - Dagens suppe: Potter med Hval
Looked good. I caught the word soup and it was a tad chilly. I ordered the suppe, bread and coffee.
Waiter: How was your soup ?
Me: Very nice. Was that potato and mushroom?
Waiter: No sir (they call me sir here) potato and whale.
Me: Excuse me?
Waiter: Potato and Minke whale. You can also have that as an entree.
Me: No thank you, I’ll just have the the check.
It did taste just like mushroom.
I had read about the numerous tunnels in Norway and was prepared with front and rear lights and orange outerwear for the dim but always lit passages and I always pushed the “sykkel” button to let the vehicles know I was in there. There was so little traffic along my route that I was never anxious about being in the tunnels, some of which were almost 2 km in length. When I did encounter a car or RV, the drivers were extremely courteous and waited patiently behind me for a safe place to pass (just as in Florida). I was able to bypass the notoriously dangerous Nappstraum Tunnel, connecting the islands of Flakstadøya and VestvÃ¥gøya, by taking advantage of an entrepreneurial fisherman who set up a ferry service during the off fishing-season. The 76-year-old cod fisherman ferried cyclists between Ballstad and Nusfjord in his traditional 34 foot, diesel-powered, fishing boat. Fishing since he was 14, he piloted his boat (during my only very rainy day) through a seemingly endless maize of reefs, fog and small rock islands. Cod fishing, which takes place during the winter, is a lucrative, but dangerous occupation. Sailing alone and setting a line of 1500 baited hooks, he goes out most days and, by law, must not spend the “night”. This, of course, is during the Arctic winter when there is nothing but “night”. We landed safely and I continued on, to the end of the tarmac in a village called Ã…. Taking a photograph of the Ã… signpost (I guess it’s like dipping your front wheel), I backtracked the few kilometers to The Lofoten Rorbuhotell in SørvÃ¥gen from where I could catch the ferry in
Moskenes to Bodø the next morning.
My original plan was to take the ferry to Bodø, which is on the mainland, where I would continue my journey by train to Oslo and meet Kathy. Plan B. There were no sleeper cabins available for the two-day trip, so remembering my promise to Kathy to take it easy, I decided to fly from Bodø to Oslo. Luckily, a Red Cross thrift shop in town had just the right chair cushions I needed to safely pack the Brompton in my Ikea “dimpa bag” for the flight. The airport was close to town, and after a 30-minute fold and pack, the bike was checked onto the plane and my journey was completed.
Relaxing in our apartment in Oslo, I collected a Brompton carton from the very nice people at Spin Bicycle Shop in Majorstua, and shipped the bike home using ShipMyBag, whom I had used on my previous trip to Scotland. Easy peasy. Kathy and I then set out to enjoy Scandinavia for the next five weeks.
Did my “condition” alter my touring style? Yes. My daily mileage was about half of what I had done in the past, I was very conscious of my diet (lots of fish, whole grains, nuts, few pastries and no red meat) and when the road became too vertical, I walked. The alternative, to stay home and mope, was not even considered. “As we age” can be a wonderful adventure.
By Peter Forde
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Hebrides on a Brompton
Follow this Brompton tour on the spectacular Hebrides Islands. Who said Scotland is too wet and windy to be cycled on a folding bike!
Watch the full video here
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Charging Gadgets on your Brompton
As I use my mobile phone for pictures, videos and to store my maps for guidance it is important to make sure that I have an efficient way to keep it powered. These two gadgets solved the problem.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Seoul to Busan on a Brompton
A 633 kilometres tour on this famous cycle route that stretches from Incheon down to the beautiful coastal city of Busan. It's a world class cycle lane dedicated to only cyclists and pedestrians with breathtaking views of mountains, rivers, farmlands, bridges and parks.
Watch the full video here
Monday, September 30, 2019
Pakistan on a Brompton Bike
A travel video about a Brompton cycling the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan. It was always a magic road that I hoped one day to be able to cycle. The mountain sceneries were of course stunning but what impressed most was the kindness of Pakistani people that made this tour full of joyful memories. Starting in Islamabad I headed up the Murree Mountains before climbing Babusar Pass at over 4000 metres and joined the Karakoram Highway to Gilgit and Hunza.
Watch full video here
Friday, September 20, 2019
Brompton in Tokushima Japan
Another well shot video from the guys at Awa-re.com.
What is it like to live in rural Japan? Awa-Re offers many truly unique bicycle tours and rentals on the legendary folding Brompton Bicycle.
Brompton Folding bicycles have long been hailed as the best engineered, most compact, folding bicycle available. Awa-Re has a fleet of Brompton’s for any group size.
Awa-Re Brompton tours give you the flexibility and mobility to experience rural Japan in a way not possible before.
Tours can be customized to your needs, but most tours offer an easy ride, with stops at culturally significant spots, featuring epic views, unique experiences with locals, and a lot more. “A New Life Abroad” really captures the feeling and emotional connection only possible on a tour such as this.
Watch the full video here.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Korea's Four Rivers on a Brompton
A short video of a very popular cycling route in South Korea, the Fours Rivers.
Watch full video here
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Brompton Bicycle Tour in Japan
Watch this group of Japanese Brompton fans inspired by the simple transportation and joy of riding these folders. A Journey Through Iya Valley is sponsored by AWA-RE a company that provides unique bicycle tours in Japan.
Watch full video here.
Friday, June 21, 2019
Folding Up Scotland
An account of how I slowly unfolded my Brompton up through Scotland in a journey of under five hundred miles in nine days at 9mph and with very little pushing!
I bought my Brompton L6 in 2004 but only used it for commuting to work. It didn’t occur to me to use it for touring until I retired in 2011, and eight of us began a tour of the Orkney Islands by catching the train from Edinburgh to Thurso.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Tokyo to Kyoto on a Brompton
Watch this four days ride in Japan on a Brompton. It starts in Tokyo and includes sites of Mount Fuji ending in the historic city of Kyoto.
Watch full video here
Sunday, May 26, 2019
How to tour on a Brompton
- You are planning a tour on decent, mostly surfaced roads.
- You will not be touring in extreme cold temperatures.
- You will not be for any extended time in remote areas where self efficiency is a must.
( 1 ) Brompton's are sturdy bikes and can withstand more abuse than you imagine but still their small wheels and thin tyres are not best suited to rough terrains and muddy tracks. I have at times cycled on unpaved roads and you will be able to cope with the odd exception by walking, but if that is the condition of most of the roads you will travel on, an expedition touring bike or a mountain bike will be a better choice. Mud, due to low clearance of the mudguards and limits on the choice of tyres, is something that Brompton are definitely not made for.
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Myths on touring with Brompton
I was the first to believe this. When I decided to use a Brompton Bicycle for touring I was extremely careful in choosing a route that wouldn't entail much climbing. Cycling the US Pacific coast on a couple of occasions I limited my efforts to uphills that never took me over 1000 metres and grades that seldom exceeded 6%. The reliability and total fun of touring with this bike brought me this year to do something a little more daring, cycling in the canadian Rockies and in the end I was able to tackle pretty hard climbs that I would be hard pushed to climb on any other bike I could chose. I cycled along the Icefield Parkway both ways, climbing cols over 2000 metres and more challenging even, Duffey Lake Road from Lillooet to Pemberton in British Columbia ascending 1500 meters often as steep as climbs in the european Alps. All it took were a few minutes pushing the bike where the road was just too steep but these were out of well over two hours of climbing time. I am by no means a strong cyclist, I don't necessarily train before my tours. I get fit as days go by so a sensible first consideration is to not plan the steepest of climbs on your first few days when your body needs to get conditioned to the effort needed to cycle long distances.
I reached the conclusion that it is indeed possible to climb mountains on a loaded Brompton and the limitation are not that much different from those you have to consider when touring on a heavy loaded bike.
On a Brompton you can chose ( and you should! ) the six reduced gearing option and if this is not enough to get you going, walking is more efficient! On my softest gear while climbing the most difficult sections on Duffey Lake I would cruise at 5 or 6 kmh just above walking speed. Should I need lower gearing I would be better off pushing the bike up when I needed.
I believe this is the same on any bike loaded for touring; you end up using the softest gear and should you go below the five kilometres threshold it hardly makes sense pedalling and it becomes easier pushing the bike to get over the toughest parts. Of course it goes without saying that tourers on touring bikes or mountain bikes will in the end carry much more weight than you do and I often found that to the contrary I was faster while climbing than they were!
You can't ride too far with a Brompton
Another myths I used to believe. Ideally a day ride on my tour will not be so long that I am not able to stop frequently, eat loads and take all the beautiful pictures and videos and still make it to a campsite by 4pm. Talking about distance on average I find that 70 or 80 kilometres is an ideal distance.
Of course sometime we have constraint on times or it is necessary to ride longer to get from point A to B, so what then?
Surprisingly, I found that covering long distances on a Brompton is not impossible either. On a recent tour where I had to cover longer distances than I would have liked I completed several days where in the end my speedometer was just short of 130 kilometres. Indeed this is on par with the longest distances I ever covered on tours with my mountain and I was twenty years younger too!
Friday, May 24, 2019
Luggage on a Brompton for Touring
This setup is very stable and makes a rucksack the perfect cycle touring solution on Brompton.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
A Brompton Tour Packing List
Here is a complete list of what I carry while bike touring with a Brompton. This setup works really well for me and has been improved as a result of several tours and several thousand kilometres on the bike. I assume one is not touring in extreme cold temperatures. The ability to carry luggage on the Brompton is limited therefore it is crucial to limit the things you bring, finding an efficient way to pack them by having weights well distributed and making them easy to access during your tour.
Everything you need is carried on the bike inside two bags. A front T-Bag with a capacity of 30 Litres and a hiking backpack of 40 litres capacity sitting over the rear rack of the bike.
Backpack content:
T-Bag content:
The front T-Bag contains most of the valuables and things that need to be accessed easily while you are cycling. With its clip it is easily removed from the bike and is therefore never left unattended. In the inside zip pocket I usually keep my passport and other travel documents. At the bottom of the main compartment I insert my lightweight tent and cable accessories. Next I put my jacket and depending on the weather my sweater, gloves and hat. On top I keep my camera, Go Pro and all the cable and accessories I need to take pictures or shoot movies during the ride.
My iPhone is usually strapped around my neck with a lanyard and rest in my shirt pocket. This makes it easy to access it securely at any time while riding or still. This always leaves space for food when I do my groceries during the day or before setting up camp. The T-Bag has also two rear pockets, one I normally use for a water bottle as it fits perfectly the other one I generally use to keep my wallet and my gadgets charger should I need to re-charge things on the go. The outer mesh pockets are very spacious and are an excellent place to keep my lock, repair gloves and bananas or energy bars that are consumed regularly and are convenient to access at any time.
Clothes:

In the picture above you can see all the clothes I take with me while touring. It might seem very spare but I assure you it is all you need to be comfortable and warm enough to tour in most weather conditions. Most garments come in sets giving you the ability to always wear a clean set while you wash and dry the other one. In order to be light I choose clothes that are comfortable not only for cycling but also provide a good option for all the time I spend off the bike. The only cycling specific garment I take with me is one pair of cycling shorts. These I normally wear under my light trousers at the beginning of the tour when I am not used to be on the bike for long hours and the padding will make this transition more comfortable. The downside is that they are not quick to dry so I limit their use to the minimum necessary to ride comfortably. I still use underpants while wearing them as this will keep them much cleaner and should you wish to, you will be able to wear them a few times before a wash. I have talked about the great qualities of Merino wool in another article, suffice to say that my merino base layers and socks provide odour free and comfortable wear for many days without the need to be washed. Zipped trousers are used in their short version during the ride and the extensions can then be zipped at other times allowing for a very flexible use. Long johns are very useful to provide extra warmth with a very little addition to space and weight. I mostly wear them at night while camping. Riding long hours each day doesn't mean that one cannot keep clean during a tour. A very useful trick I figured out is that wearing light and quick drying underpants that are washed each day under the shower (perfect sponge too...) or with some water is a great way to keep clean; having two pairs of them means that you can wash the pair you used during the day, wear the clean ones for the night and the following day while the others are put on the outside of your luggage to dry. This works a treat and also brings a degree of theft deterrence while you shop! All the clothes that are not worn during the day are stacked on top of each other and rolled. I then put them inside an Exped 8 Litres waterproof compression bag. Once at the campsite I can have easy access to them when I need to get changed. Also this bag design, without buckles and straps makes for an ideal pillow.
As far as shoes I have used a light pair of trekking shoes, again avoiding the cycling specific solution. Yes it is more efficient to have clipped shoes that you can attach to pedal and very stiff soles that don't bend while you pedal but my view is this. Clips might had a little speed and distance to your day but come at the risk of being tied to the bike. Even those who are used to them might not react as quickly when their bike is fully loaded with weights. Bike shoes might not be as comfortable when you are off the bike too. I next plan to try riding on Keen sandal type shoes which are much used by cycle tourists and seem to offer a good balance between riding and comfort.