At long last, I’ve joined the fold! After purchasing a P-Line 12-speed several months ago in England, I finally joined it a week ago and will be using it, together with trains and cars, to see the country. Though I have ridden (but not owned) several other folding bicycles in years past, until now I had only test-ridden a Brompton in Vancouver for about 20 minutes, so it’s still new to me. So far, I’m mostly loving it, though there have been a few hiccups. The first was doing a proper fold – on my first past through the turnstiles onto the platform of a train station the bike decided to unfold itself, because I had not properly put the seatpost down far enough to lock it. I also sometimes forget to set the pedal on the ‘folding side’ to the back of the bike, and have to back up, unfold the rear wheel, set the pedal where it needs to go and then carry on. On my first rides, though the 12-speed has a pretty good gear range, I found that the lowest gear wasn’t low enough for some of the hills I encountered, so when I passed through Sheffield I picked up a 44-tooth chainring and a friend of an English friend of mine put it on. It helps, but I think my 68-year-old legs and lungs would appreciate something even lower – the small wheels and the layout of the frame and handlebars makes it less comfortable than a full-size bike for getting off the saddle and standing up on pedals. The same new friend who put on the chainring also helpfully reversed the brakes for me – muscle memory from many decades of riding meant that having the rear brake activated by the left brake lever would have eventually sent me over the bars. The bike handles and brakes surprisingly well on fast descents, but the small wheels mean you have to pay a bit more attention to potholes.
Overall, I’m delighted with my new ride.
by saltspringer