New bike T Line Ceratech Black Gold

I saw the T-Line Ceratech at Brompton Junction in London last year and immediately fell in love with it. I debated buying it for a while but didn’t pull the trigger quickly enough. Being a limited edition, the 4-speed model with mid-rise handlebars that I wanted eventually sold out everywhere. I emailed stores around the world trying to track one down, but had no luck.

In this sub, I found u/kingfrank_bromptons (also on IG: kingfrank.brommies), who had a 4-speed in stock and was able to convert it to mid-handlebar and ship it to me in the US at a very good price. If you are looking for a Brompton, I couldn't recommend him enough – this guy knows his Bromptons, and he ships hundreds of them worldwide every week. He was a pleasure to deal with, answered all my questions promptly, and I will buy from him again for sure!

Now back to the bike… it's fantastic and my new daily commuter. I only had to make some minor adjustments:

• removed the front carrier block (don't need it)
• replaced the grips with Ergon GS1 Evo
• added the excellent Corky Urban folding rear-view mirror
• added the Peak Design Universal Bar Mount to hold my phone
• added the Brompton Be Seen Lights (I have more lights on my Lumos helmet and also wear the ORTLIEB Commuter-Daypack High Visibility backpack)

I will be replacing the stock Schwalbe One tires with Continental Contact Urban next time I get a flat. Surprisingly, I haven't gotten a flat yet, but I expect it will happen soon, based on my previous experience with these tires. I'm also thinking of spray painting the stock shiny black mudguards to grey or black matte to match the rest of the bike, but I am not sure if it's worth the effort.

Finally, I need to figure out some of the creaking and clicking sounds that the T-Line is notorious for, by going through this brilliant thread.

This bike will be replacing my beloved CHPT3v4, which has seen very little use since I got it in 2023. As much as I love the CHPT3v4, it was just not a good choice as a commuter bike. The T-Line Ceratech was definitely an investment and I look forward to many years of happy folds with it!