How to tour on a Brompton


Cycle touring is my passion, and a bicycle is my favorite way to discover new places. Over the last eight years, I have used a Brompton folding bike, and I can confidently say that it exceeded my expectations. It has become my bicycle of choice for cycling tours ever since. When I fly, I pack the Brompton into a soft folding bike bag. My setup for carrying all I need on my tour consists of a Brompton T-Bag at the front and a standard rucksack fitted on top of the bike rack, as described in this article. Over the years, it has become a tried and tested way to carry luggage on the folder, utilized by Brompton travelers worldwide. It offers a stable and well-balanced ride, proving extremely versatile in any multi-modal tour where some form of transportation is an option. In just a few minutes, you can switch from a fully loaded bicycle to a packed setup that you can hold in your hands and carry on a car, bus, train, or plane.

Every bicycle traveler loathes the difficulties of transporting bikes to destinations, finding boxes to pack things, and managing two or more panniers simultaneously. This setup prevents all that and makes it easy and mostly hassle-free. Concerns about the reliability, comfort, and ability of a Brompton folding bike to cope with hills, descents, and long days of riding with the weight of my luggage proved unfounded. Touring on a Brompton has been a pure joy. I believe there are three conditions and a few trade-offs worth considering before you begin cycle touring on a Brompton. If these don't seem too limiting, I would have no hesitation recommending it.

  • You are planning a tour on decent, mostly surfaced roads.
  • You will not be touring in extreme cold temperatures.
  • You will not be in any extended time in remote areas where self-sufficiency is a must.

( 1 ) Bromptons are sturdy bikes and can withstand more abuse than you might imagine. Still, their small wheels and thin tires are not best suited to rough terrains and muddy tracks. At times, I have cycled on unpaved roads, and you can cope with the occasional exception by walking. However, if most of the roads you will travel on are in such condition, an expedition touring bike or a mountain bike would be a better choice. Bromptons are not made for mud due to the low clearance of the mudguards and limits on the choice of tires.

( 2 ) This might seem a bit arbitrary, but I have found that my setup has to be really compact and light to work best and provide the benefits that a folding bike brings. Traveling in freezing temperatures means having to carry much more weight and gear to be comfortable during the tour. Each kilogram you add to your setup will put further strain on the bike and make it harder to be carried on public transport if needed.

( 3 ) Bromptons are reliable bikes, but they're not bulletproof. In addition, they utilize numerous specific and proprietary spare parts. If you find yourself on an extended journey through remote areas and encounter a technical issue, fixing it might prove challenging. Navigating remote areas requires self-sufficiency, meaning you'll need to carry a substantial load of supplies compared to a more conventional setup. Hauling ample water, food, and all the necessary gadgets and utensils for the journey is no easy feat on such a compact bike.

Reliability

Over more than 10,000 kilometers, I've encountered hardly any reliability issues—likely on par with or even fewer than the problems experienced on mountain bikes or touring bikes I've used in the past. Throughout all my tours, I've only had to deal with punctures and the odd tire replacements. The key is to maintain your bicycle diligently, ensuring it's well-tuned and fully functional before embarking on a tour. My approach involves being more proactive than I would be with another bike. I routinely replace parts that require changing after reaching a recommended mileage. Chain and sprockets are swapped when necessary, and gear cables and brake cables are also newly fitted every few years, reducing the risk of failures during a tour when spare parts might be hard to come by. Marathon tires, even in such a tiny size, are exceptionally tough. However, one thing to consider is that the rear tire will wear out faster than on larger wheels. It's only natural that the increased contact of the small wheels results in increased wear. If possible, I try to bring a spare quality 16" tire, as these are not always easy to find in bike shops around the world. In the past, I have simply swapped tires when I felt that they were not evenly worn, but a tire failure shouldn't be a reason to wreck your plans. Being small, a spare tire can be easily carried. Wheels always performed faultlessly, staying perfectly tuned to the last day. I always carry several replacement spokes too, again due to the fact that if you need to fix the wheels, a shop might not have the right sizes. These are stored in the hollow tube holding the rucksack. Something I am always aware of is to try to be gentle on the bike. While climbing a steep hill, I refrain from standing on the pedals and rocking the bike as I would do on a regular bike. When the road is bumpy and uneven, I ride in a very conservative way and do not hesitate to dismount and have a little walk if I believe it safer for myself and the bike.

Comfort

The great benefits in portability mean that you have to make some compromises in comfort, but these are less noticeable than you might think. With a 6% to 12% reduced gearing bike setup, you can climb most hills or even mountains where gradients are not too extreme. You will find these gear ratios adequate to cover various terrains, fast descents, flat sections, etc. Using a Brompton makes you more conscious of the weight you carry; you'll travel light, making you faster or as fast as any cycle tourists you might encounter along the road. On descents, the opposite is true. Always be aware of rolling on small wheels and therefore be more cautious and focused. Your pace and the daily distances you can cover will likely match those of other tourers with more traditional setups. A front T-Bag with the heaviest load and a lighter rucksack at the back turns out to be a very efficient way to load the bike. It is well balanced, secure, and the handling of the bike feels more stable than unloaded. Having a rucksack instead of dedicated bike panniers is much more versatile. If you want, you have the ability to take a day off the bike and go for a trek, and when you have to take the bike on buses or trains, you have a fast way to put luggage on your shoulders while having your hands free to carry the folded bike and T-Bag. Older Brompton versions had brake deficiencies, especially on long descents, but more recent models, certainly from 2013 on, come equipped with adequate brakes and feel secure on the steepest descents even with the extra weight you are carrying.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Brompton folding bikes offer an ideal setup for a multi-modal tour where one or more transfers by other means of transport are involved. It provides a  ride with a position that, although not as aerodynamic as that on other bikes, is comfortable and fits well with long hours spent on the saddle. It is much easier to carry to and from the start of your journey. These important advantages come with a small tradeoff in comfort. Yes, there might be times where the road is too steep, and your limited gears will not be enough. I see those times as chances to take a break from the movement of cycling and enjoy a short walk and pushing the bike when I have to. If you would like to delve into all the details of how to travel with a folding bike consider reading 'Touring on a Folding Bike' where I go into specific details of a tour from the planning stage to its completion, hopefully offering some good advice that will make your journeys trouble-free and more enjoyable



19 comments:

Atle Norheim said...

Great blog Gianni. i was wondering how it is to fly with Brompton only in a soft bag.What about damage to derailleur, chain and other parts?

Gianni Filippini said...

Thanks Atle! As far as derailleur and chain are concerned they are inside the fold, which is perfect for protecting parts as well as keeping you clean when you carry it. I put up a video on how I pack the bike to protect it a bit more. Of course it isn't as a good option as a rigid bag, but rigid bags limit you in the sense that you can't carry them with you once you start cycling and also it is more obvious you are carrying a bike and airlines will jump at you and ask you for more money... In my experience and from what I have heard from other Brompton travelers unless you run into particularly rough luggage handlers your bike should be ok.

Anonymous said...

Hola Gianni, no sé si entiendes el español. Yo no hablo inglés, lo siento.
Muy de acuerdo con tu artículo sobre las posibilidades de una bicicleta
Brompton para la práctica del cicloturismo yo he realizado viajes con ella
y nunca me ha fallado.
Enhorabuena por tu gran página y magníficos videos.

Saludos. Gerardo.

Gianni Filippini said...

Muchas gracias Gerardo!

Unknown said...

Hello Gianni,

As a owner of an M6L x 50T (2016 build), I found the hardest gear useless to me with my casual riding style. But, I found the 3rd and 4th gears great for flats.

After deciding to reduce my gearing with a 44T chainring, I now find it be be noticeably easier. But, I need to relearn what my favourite flat gears are.

Just curious. What gears you prefer to use in which situations? If you don't mind me asking.

Regards
Ciro D

Gianni Filippini said...

Hi Ciro I have never tried the 50T ratios. As you can see from the site I use the Brompton for touring mostly and I found that with the extra weight of the luggage I carry the 12% reduced gearing is perfect. Favourite gears on flats are 4th and 5th. 1st is mostly used on steeper hills and when used it means traveling at a speed of 7/8 kph. Below that I would think I rather walk as I would travel as fast! Hope it helps. Enjoy this fantastic bike!

Unknown said...

Gianni, I have found almost all your travel videos on You Tube and finally came back to this web page from one of the links. Your tour videos are one reason I went for the Brompton as my retirement bike. I ordered an M6R with 12% reduced gearing- perfect for my legs and all the hills here in Michigan. I hope you keep traveling in fun and safety like this. Your videos are fun to watch. I feel like I'm peddling along with you as I watch. What's next?

Gianni Filippini said...

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your comments and am glad to know that my videos helped you make a decision. They are very nice bikes to ride and very versatile as you can ride them in a city or fold them to quickly take them with you in a car, train, plane etc. I just returned from a short week riding around the Bay Area and will upload a video of that too in the next few months. Good luck with your traveling plans!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the reply :-) I'll watch for your latest video.

Federico said...

Hey Gianni. Great blog. I´m currently teasing with the idea of traveling Europe on a bropmton but I´m not sure if it will be right for me. I weight about 100kg, which is close to the limit brompton recomends, and I don´t know if it will be advisable to do long distances (80km) being so close to the limit. Also, what are your thoughts about the riding position of the bike for long hours? Did you noticed any pain, something you had to improve to be more comfortable? Thanks!

Gianni Filippini said...

Hi Federico, thanks. It's not easy to answer your question but if I were you I would first check that your weight and weight of the luggage you carry are not too much over what Brompton recommends. I assume their recommended weight is on the conservative side as they have to be extra cautious. In my experience it is a very sturdy bike and I haven't experienced any failures in 10000 km or my trips. I would also make sure that the bike is well maintained and parts are replaced when needed and then test your setup on day rides where you can get a feel for what the bike can do. Riding position personally is pretty comfortable,I don't experience any pains on my trips. It is important to have an alternative position for your hands as that allows you to move the body every now and then and use different muscles. All you need for that is some kind of grips. I use Ergon and highly recommend these. Take care and good luck with your plans.

DAS said...

Hi. We have one Brompton 6 speed with the older Sturmey Archer narrow range hub, so to get an equivalent low gear to the wide range hub and 44T crank, we put on a Shimano 39T ring on the crank.

Unknown said...

Hi Gianni, great read about touring with a Brompton. I'm currently buying a Brompton M6R, and plan to do a set up like yours. Can you recommend any equipment ie backpack,tent, sleeping bag/mat, cooking equipment? I like to pack very light. Many thanks Brian

Gianni Filippini said...

Hello Brian and sorry if this comes really late! You might have bought all equipment by now! If you haven't I would suggest you go to my YouTube page at Brompton Traveler. I have a few videos on packing and the things I carry when I travel on a Brompton. With these bikes you must travel light. Backpack is a 45L Exped which was the lightest I could find, tent I waste 500 gr but love the comfort of a 2 men Hubba Hubba MSR. Of course many more things than I can list here! Take care.

Unknown said...

Hi Great Blog

I and my partner have been a cycle tourist for many years and we have always used Moutain bike. Last year my partner and I used brompton for a trip to the north of England, Hadrian's wall and Liverpool.
We have used the standard model bicycles 3-speed .
We have token only the Tbag, a little bag, where was the clothes for the rain, under the brooks saddle and a small backpack on our shoulders
The trip was a very positive experience. But the 3-speed brompton is at the limit in fact we have decided to buy the 6-speed - 12% reduced gearing.


We wanted to buy the explorer model but it is sold :( and there expansive. So we purchased a customized model and we tried them on our hills in Bologna and they look perfect. I had already organized a trip to Scotland for this year but I have to postpone it :(

http://www.cycle-travels.com/category/inghilterra/coast-to-coast-con-la-brompton-hadrians-wall/

Carles Freixas said...

Dear Gianni, first of all congratulations for your amazing website! It is a very well documented and sweated work. I've watched several of your videos and they are incredibly tempting (specially -at least for me- your trip in Ladakh). Your way to move around with the brompton is so simple and easy going that makes me think seriously about replacing my touring bike for a brompton. Actually I owned one between 2005 to 2009 and I had plenty of fun with it (not only for commuting but also for one day excursions and some off-road). You have encouraged me to get a new brompton with 6 gears and a 44t chainring instead of a 50t. I hope I will be able to do my next bike trip with such a tough and agile bike! Grazie mille and keep going with your calling and your splendid writing and filming!

Gianni Filippini said...

Thanks a lot Carles, most appreciated. I wish you and your new Brompton some exciting adventures as soon as we are able to move again! :)

celebwiki said...

So I kinda wanna get into blogging. I was wondering where can I make a blog where people might actually read it?.

Gianni Filippini said...

More than where it is about the content you create I think. Work on any platform ( Youtube, Instagram, Podcasts, Blog ) to create interesting content and if you see some respond better than others concentrate on those.