East Taiwan on a Brompton
Brompton Borough Roll Top bag
If you are planning a tour with a folding bike a large front bag is a no brainer. Sitting on the front block of the frame it is the perfect way to carry luggage without affecting the bike handling. The Borough Roll Top bag with its 28L capacity is just that, a perfect bag for touring on a folder.
Raz Pro Smart Tail Light
The Raz Pro Smart Tail Light is a product by Shanren, a company that in the last few years has developed some interesting cycling accessories with innovative features yet affordable prices. The Raz Pro offers unique smart features that make it much more than a simple light. You can get it in 2 versions according to the mount option you prefer. One is to fix it to the under saddle rails and the second option allows mounting the light on a helmet or on a seatpost. They also offer the mounts as a separate purchase.
The main features which make these lights really interesting are Brake Warning, Road Bump Warning, Colour Selection, Light Sensing and Auto Wake-up as well as Synchronisation.
Brake Warning operates thanks to a sensor that detects a sudden slowing down motion and activates a brighter light as it is standard on motorised vehicles.
Road Bump Warning uses the same sensor but this time it detects a jolt in the bike caused by hitting a road bump or an uneven surface. This is useful when cycling with others as it will warn them by flashing a continuous white light for a few seconds.
Light Sensing allows the light to detect the level of ambient brightness and adjust its luminosity accordingly.
Auto Wake uses the motion sensor to detect whether the bike is moving. When stopping for an assigned time the light stops flashing and restart once you begin to move again.
Sync is a fun feature. When you have more than one of these lights or are riding with others that do, if they are set up with the same flash mode they will automatically synchronise and after a few seconds start flashing together.
The Raz Pro Tail Light is setup using a simple App available for iOS as well as Android. Via this App it is possible to customise all the features as well as the colour options. Once these are setup the light is used by operating a single button and you don’t need to use the App anymore, unless you want to modify the features or have an accurate read of the battery charge. Despite being advertised as a Tail Light the fact that you can customise the colours means that you can also use it as a front light and mount it on the handlebar, for example using the seat post mount.
What I most liked about the Raz Pro is how responsive the Brake and Road Bump Warnings are. For cyclists using their bikes in cities or riding in traffic, these are very useful features that beyond making you more visible can increase your safety.
The advertised battery runtime of 24 hours seems a little optimistic and might be achieved by using the light without some of the smart features enabled. When these are all turned on, they do affect the battery charge which doesn’t come as a big surprise. I tested my unit in full daylight which would trigger a brighter light and with all features enabled after 2 hours of riding it retained 62% battery charge. Given all the extra functionalities This is quite good but if you are planning longer rides I would recommend disabling some of the smart features such as Road Bump Warning, Ambient Light or even the Sync function unless you are riding with others.
One thing I would change is the magnetic charge cable. I am not sure if it was done to make the light as compact as it is but as nowadays many gadgets use mini USB cables, it would make the Raz Pro Tail Light more compatible and should you misplace the cable or even lose it, you could still be able to charge the battery using cables that you probably already have.
The Raz Pro Tail Light retails in the UK for £29.99 and in the US for $30.99
Touring on a Folding Bike
For all those interested in a Folding Bike Touring manual I have published "Touring on a Folding Bike" It is meant as a guide on how to travel and explore the world using a Brompton but also any other reliable folding bike. Discover the advantages of touring with a small and easy to carry bicycle and the amazing opportunities it opens up for the keen cyclist. Hopefully you will find some good advice, fruit of several years of experience on a Brompton folding bike.
While the book is mostly for the less experienced cyclists, maybe thinking to tour for the first time - at least on a folding bike - I hope that even the more experienced bike tourist will find some valuable and useful advice. For those that have followed my YouTube Channel, while some of the information has been covered in the videos, the book provides more insights into the process I follow before and during a bike tour, in what I hope is an easy to read and well structured way.
A Brompton and a Train in Devon
A Brompton folder combined with a train ticket can make it really easy to explore the best parts while skipping what is less interesting or places one has already seen. In this ride along the South Devon coast Andy makes the best of the ease with which our favourite folder can be easily transported.
Transporting a Brompton Hardcase vs Soft Bags
Folding bikes do come with a great advantage. A small footprint that makes it easier to pack them ready for transport. How you pack them depends on the risk you are willing to take and to a certain extent the type of tour you are planning.
There are two main choices here. You could use a hard case or go for a soft bag.
Hard Cases
They use their hardcore shell to protect from damages and have lots of padding on the inside to further ensure your bike will be found as you left it no matter what happens. They are usually expensive, large and cumbersome but on the plus side quite comfortable to move about as they typically include wheels for easy rolling. Airlines charges vary. As a general rule you will find that a bicycle carried in this type of luggage falls into the ‘sport equipment’ meaning that extra fares will apply. You will pay more due to the weight but also the size of the package. You might often need to check in your luggage at special gates designated for Extra Large items. They do not have much space left for anything else beyond the bike. This means that you will have to carry much more weight in the cabin. Often airlines will not let you bring more than one bag for example and will also want to know the weight. You see where this is going. This can result in additional charges, adding to the frustration of negotiating through stressful situations.
As far as affecting what kind of tour you will be able to have, a hard case poses a practical problem too. You will have to store it somewhere when you start cycling. For a tour from point A to point B, you'll need transportation to return to the starting point once you've completed your journey.
Provided the above conditions are not too limiting, a hard case ensures that your bike will be safe and undamaged.
Soft Bags
Especially when traveling by airplane, soft cases are not as effective as hard cases in protecting your bicycle. On the other hand, they provide you with the freedom to decide where to stay and how to travel. Being light and foldable, they can be carried as part of your luggage, giving you the flexibility to use them when taking transportation in the middle of a tour. You can find an effective bag for not much more than the cost of a cup of coffee, and being lightweight, they minimize the chances of incurring extra fees during transport.
Certainly, the last thing you'd want is for your bike to get damaged during transport. With a soft bag, extra attention and care are essential when packing. Enclose the bike with soft items, and for a Brompton with a rack, I have found it crucial to place a sponge or some kind of soft padding at the bottom making sure the bike is not resting on the rack which if dropped with some force can bend it and damage it. Consider also inserting cut-down cardboard as an extra protective layer around the frame of the bike.
Soft cases are the only type I've used for all my touring travels. Experience has taught me how to compensate for their vulnerability with the ideas you've just read and more, which you can also find in my videos on the subject.
Bike Packing South England on a Brompton
Catalonia on a Brompton Bike
A beautifully filmed short movie on a two days ride on a Brompton following the Penedès route in Catalonia. For a total of 153 km and 2100 metres total climbed and using a light back packing style on a Brompton.
Freitag x Brompton Backpack
Freitag, the Zurich based bag manufacturer and Brompton have announced their collaboration in producing a new backpack, the F748 Coltrane. It is the perfect companion to a Brompton as it is designed to clip on to the front carrier block of the bike. Freitag is world famous for giving new life to used materials and the F748 is no exception and it is made of recycled truck tarps and shoulders straps and all straps and handles are manufactured using discarded seat belts.
The bag is 19L capacity, is water repellent and each one of them is a unique piece with its patterns and colours. It's a great backpack as it is but, if not used on the bike, it is also possible to remove the aluminium frame by unfastening a couple of velcro straps and sliding it out. As far as storage the bag is simple but very functional. In the main compartment you will find a pen loop holder, the nice touch of a matching leather mud flap, 2 thin compartment, one with padding material meant for tablets or laptops, as well as a zippered inner compartment. On the outside there is a zippered pocket for things you want to access easily, even while seating on the bike. The bag has a second zipper for easier access to the laptop compartment.
Retailing for £ 320,00, this is an expensive bag so what else do you get for your money?
For one thing you get Freitag renowned build quality which is apparent in the stitching and attention to details. With a little care you get a unique and trendy bag that will probably outlast you and bring a lot of joy into your commute with a Brompton. I was surprised at how comfortable it feels as a backpack despite the frame and how soft the seat belts strap feel on the shoulders. What I loved most though has to be the ease of shifting from cycling to wearing it as a a comfortable backpack, Brompton on one hand, able to walk easily into the office or grabbing a latte at my favourite café. Nothing could make it easier than this bag and a Brompton, they really are a perfect match.
Watch the video review here
https://www.brompton.com/freitag | https://www.freitag.ch/brompton
The bag is 19L capacity, is water repellent and each one of them is a unique piece with its patterns and colours. It's a great backpack as it is but, if not used on the bike, it is also possible to remove the aluminium frame by unfastening a couple of velcro straps and sliding it out. As far as storage the bag is simple but very functional. In the main compartment you will find a pen loop holder, the nice touch of a matching leather mud flap, 2 thin compartment, one with padding material meant for tablets or laptops, as well as a zippered inner compartment. On the outside there is a zippered pocket for things you want to access easily, even while seating on the bike. The bag has a second zipper for easier access to the laptop compartment.
Retailing for £ 320,00, this is an expensive bag so what else do you get for your money?
For one thing you get Freitag renowned build quality which is apparent in the stitching and attention to details. With a little care you get a unique and trendy bag that will probably outlast you and bring a lot of joy into your commute with a Brompton. I was surprised at how comfortable it feels as a backpack despite the frame and how soft the seat belts strap feel on the shoulders. What I loved most though has to be the ease of shifting from cycling to wearing it as a a comfortable backpack, Brompton on one hand, able to walk easily into the office or grabbing a latte at my favourite café. Nothing could make it easier than this bag and a Brompton, they really are a perfect match.
Watch the video review here
https://www.brompton.com/freitag | https://www.freitag.ch/brompton
#FREITAGxBROMPTON
#frtg #ridewithfreitag
#bromptonbicycle
#mybrompton
Brompton 2004 M3R Rebuild
How to pack gear on a Brompton
Follow this interesting tutorial on how to pack gear on a Brompton for travel. Susanna Thornton shares her experience after years of experience touring with our favourite folding bike.
3 Brompton Compatible Multitools
Another very informative video by 2Bikes4Adventure. Very few bike multitools are compatible with Brompton bicycles, and here they review 3 of them plus a few additions to tools you may already own. A must watch for every Brompton enthusiast. Head to their Youtube channel and don't forget to subscribe!
