Join me and my new (to me) Brompton B75 and find out what I like about it, a couple of challenges and if it is love or not!
If you don’t know, Paul LOVES his @bromptonbicycle and you can find out why in most of the videos in this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYdb7ReeNldQOtwZguluM9P6Cn_C2mWP
We are Sarah & Paul of Velo Works, a small independent bike company. We specialise in hand built wheels, bike restorations, local servicing and we also have an online store.
Some of the products in this video you can find on our online shop. These are products we have paid for ourselves, enjoy using and we have not been gifted these items or under any type of sponsership. Do consider purchasing products if you are in the UK from our online store as we are a small independent retailer.
Saddle : Madison U300 GelCel
Front Bag: @Restrapltd City Loader in black
Water bottle Holder / Stem Bag: @Restrapltd City Stem Bag in black.
Our store is here: https://www.veloworks.co.uk/
We also have another shop selling components, groupsets and wheels here:
https://www.veloworkshop.co.uk/onlinestore
hi this is Sarah from Val works and Paul has finally convinced me to guess a bromton if you don’t know he loves his Brompton join us for this video and find out if I also love my new Brompton so if you watched our video for the love of small wheeel bikes at the end I introduced my new Brompton my new to me my b75 and here it is in all its beauty I’ve do a little bit of riding on it and today you to come for a ride with us and tell you a little bit more about it and do I love it as much as Paul loves his Brompton let’s find [Music] out so I’ve done quite a bit of writing on the Brompton and I like it Paul has kindly changed the saddle for me say same saddle I’ve got on my Molton which is the Madison gel cell saddle and I love it um so we’ve got the saddle on there I’ve got my bottle holder here I’ve got the restrap city loader on the front it’s surpris so some of the things I’ve noticed it’s surprisingly light compared to Paul’s Brompton this is the b75 which was brompton’s base model although still very good bike they no longer make it and it doesn’t have the Hub the Dynamo that Paul has I’ve got Hub gears but it doesn’t have the Dynamo also doesn’t have a rack on the back I love that it’s light I don’t need the rack because I won’t be touring I don’t think on this it’ll be more like City Cruiser we do plan to do some City trips abroad but that might be sort of more credit card touring or Paul will carry the tent and I’ll just carry my day stuff in the back yeah so one of the challenges I’m finding is the fold so um a couple of weeks ago I nailed the fold I got it I kept practicing and I got it today cannot do the fold so I think it’s just a matter of practicing I got Paul’s video which I’ll link up here which shows you how to fold and unfold it and I just need basically Paul with his bromton stood show me how to fold my bromton but yeah so far I do really like it but do I love it so direct some direct comparisons with my molten well obviously this has got slightly smaller Wheels which I have found a little bit twitchier I was a bit nervous I came down quite a steep hill in Bristol called Park Street it is a wet day it was a little bit Twitchy for me I think I’ll get used to it though and also my molten does have the Billy bonka tires on which have much more grippy tread than these I really like the hand position slightly lower than the m mol obviously the saddle’s the same so my bum is are very happy the Molton has got bigger wheels 20in wheels and suspension so the ride is definitely different this is perfect for the city we just went into a cafe had a coffee folded it up didn’t need to worry about it can’t do that with my molten have to sit outside because there’s no way I’m locking that up anywhere so it’s just a different bike for a different type of riding and I love it oh do I love it let’s find out fly too high thanks for coming for a ride with us I do love my bromton I’m very happy with it um it is the perfect City bike I’m in Bristol at the moment we’ve done lots of lovely cycling around the center the harbor and around the back of Temple Ms and it was just lovely I can’t compare it to my molten my molten is the bike of my dreams I love it the joy I get from riding it is immense however I felt very joyful on this as well is totally different I can’t compare them and I think I’m just going to fall more more and more in love with it so I’m sure we’ll do some more videos sorry it isn’t Paul Paul Paul’s videos will resume soon so let me know are you absolutely in love with your Brompton I probably need few more months maybe six months to really fall deeply but let me know what you think and um if you like our Channel Please Subscribe thank you [Music]
30 Comments
Hi – I’ve just bought a H6L C line and noticed your handlebars are pointing slightly inwards. Did Paul adjust them for you and did it affect the fold or need the cables to be adjusted ? I need to move mine inwards but am afraid of messing everything else up !
I have a B75 and love it. Take it all over the world.
It will grow on you it is different in a good way. I fitted an extension handlebar retainer (from SJS Cycles) which allows you to move the levers / assemblies up to a more normal hand position. I did the first modification for my wife's Brompton liked it so much converted mine. The bonus is it does not interfere with the fold. Enjoyed the vid 👍
I love my C Explore because I'm retired and have the time to travel to visit friends and family. I used to rent and borrow bikes, but I love to have a bike I know well, always at hand. I live on the ocean in Florida, so I also had a beach cruiser I got for free, but it can't leave home. I learned that my Brommie is better for me because even though I paid nothing for the cruiser, I still locked it outside places and worried a bit about it getting stolen. And it was eventually stolen. If you haven't seen Andrew Richie's explanation that he invented the Brompton because his regular bikes were repeatedly stolen outside his London engineering job, it's a treat. I call myself a cycling flaneur. Flaneur means to go for a stroll wherever your whims take you. It turns out that my Brompton does that very well because it takes any road in its stride. A few years ago my whims started taking me off-road, and to my surprise, the Brompton seems to like it!
Great video. Thanks! I love my lime green high C-line – so ugly it's gorgeous, and just right for a city centre flat-dweller.
How do you find difficult hills on this bike? You must have flatter terrain than I do forget which gear you have on your bike – could never do in my hilly town. I have an E Brompton, but I am looking into getting a nonelectric to fly around the world with. Likely a 12 speed.
Matching bike and helmet very chic!
I definitely love my Brompton- in fact I probably tell people how much I love my Brompton as many times as Paul does. I have a number of other bikes – including modern gravel & hybrid bikes, an 80’s steel tourer, and a 1973 Lejeune racer which I’ve just restored- BUT, if I could only keep one of my bikes, it would be my Brompton (“Shackleton”)
Great video. I too love my Brompton so much fun to ride. Can’t really take yourself seriously when out for a ride which is all part of the enjoyment. Thanks for filming all the best Pete 🚴
My Brompton has never let me down. If for some reason I can't pedal it, I fold it, put it in an Uber, tram…I never lock it up, if I can't take it with me, I am not eating at your restaurant, I am not shopping with you
When I feel strong, I pass ebikes, road bikes and folks ask me "where is the motor?" I find it's easy maintenance. Adjustability is great. What other bike do you need?
I am more of a tinkerer than a cyclist and that is probably why I am not in love with my Bromptons, I love the versatility of external gears and if there were a derailleur hanger on them and the possibility to fit a 8-10 speed cassette I would be sold because the fold and size is unmatched!
Nice video and nice to see you falling in love with your Brommie and perfectly acceptable to love more than one bike. I have always loved my 9 year old Brommie but even more since I had it converted by Kinetics in Glasgow and it is just a stunning bike. I love the fact as you alluded to in the video that it goes everywhere including inside cafes and shops and thus is theoretically less stealable as it is seldom left anywhere and can live inside the house too. You mentioned 'twitchy' at the front and there is no denying that but like the fold you get used to it. I bought a rear view mirror which attaches to my glasses so I don't need to turn my head and ended up using it on all my bikes and never go without it. You don't have a rear rack and apart from load carrying, the bike rolls better when part folded with a rack, so worth considering for that alone. You can roll it by the handlebars or the saddle around shops or at stations etc and is far easier than trying to carry it, except for the final bit. I'd consider a rack for that alone never mind load carrying on tours.
Enjoy and welcome to the 'fold' 😂
I really like the colour of your Brompton, but your helmet is even better! Please tell me what it is..
Me and the wife have a B75 each. Take them everywhere and on our holidays. Love them.👍
I'm really keen on a C-Line Explore…….just a really versatile little bike. I've been sold on one for touring…….
What a contrast to see a channel promoting real world bikes, unlike the usual channels falling over themselves over the latest race bike release……..
I’ll give my two pence worth.I just bought my third Brompton,a C-Line H6R.The rack gives the bike more stability in the parked position,also the rack can offer a place to put a light jacket if you don’t want to carry the front Brompton bag.I have two Moulton bikes and also some other bikes that realistically you can’t compare with a Brompton.Thanks for sharing your experience with us and offering a place to learn more about these great little machines.
Purchased a C Line Explore last week. About to start the journey 😊
I've been riding an aluminium Dahon for a couple of years and have newly acquired a superlight brompton. The brompton feels like a rolls royce to ride but the dahon feels like a Ferrari.
Yep, I love my Brompton and it’s my regular take on public transport, but like you with your Moulton, I feel that my Birdy is a slightly better ride, not so twitchy, but it’s not as good a fold and needs a good service by someone who knows what they’re doing, my Thorn Nomad is my regular ride and I’m off to pick up a load of bottled water with it later this morning, as we have to use bottled or boiled water after Bert’s destruction in South Wales 😎
The fold is what brought me to Brompton. Being able to get on a bus and have bike rides in any town!
Hello Sarah,
I am pleased to hear that you love your new Brompton… I think the B75 was a good model and the price point made getting your first Brompton more affordable. See you on the next one.
Take care.
Paul,,
As to folding: after parking the bike (swing the rear wheel under the frame) the bike folds to the right, therefore you need to stand on the left hand side of it, and fold it ‘away’ from you. Simples.
Had my H6R, from new since 2012, and yes I ❤ it.
I think the B75 is now the A-line. I'm considering getting one, and with all the extras like mudguards and a rack I want to put on it, arguably I "should" get a C-line which has 6 speeds. But right now I get around on a big Electra 7-speed cruiser and there are only 3 speeds in the middle of the gears that I actually use. I like the simplicity of just having 3 speeds.
hi sarah I have the same moulton as you and a tsr 30 plus 2 brompton bikes, I have to say although I agree the Moulton are a plusher ride with the suspension there is something about a brompton bike and I always have a smile on my face when I ride them 😄
I’m glad you’re having fun! I purchased the standard seat post for my B75. My(I think all) B75s came with extended seat post stock. It makes the fold more compact. I also added mudguards. I have flown with it, very fun to explore on. Cheers, enjoy, from Chicago.
Folding, stand on the other side, there's videos to watch, helps remind you of all the steps
Welcome to the fold. Love my Bromptons. Am amazed at the condition of your B75. Glad you added the front carrier block. Perhaps some mudguards would be nice too. Keep things cleaner. I would have loved to see a comparison with the moulton – perhaps in a future video? Thanks for taking the time to make this.
I just love my M6. Met so many nice cyclists and seen so many great places.
Love Brompton.
I love my Brompton bike 😍😍
I have a moulton too. Bought the TSR 2 and completely rebuilt it the day I got it. I love it and it will never leave from my posession. But I might need a Brompton too. 🤔😄
I current own the Brompton A and C line folding bikes and I'm considering purchasing another Brompton folding bike. They are well constructed and tight folding bikes but they aren't the fastest folding bikes that I own. There are diagrams on top of the frame on the Brompton bikes the shows one how to fold and unfold the Brompton bike.