Brompton - 2-speed vs 3-speed

[PAC]

I've got a S2L which is absolutely brilliant - added bar ends & Deore XT pedals and also changed tyres to Schwalbe slicks.  Simple, very quick, easy to ride & handles superbly.  Two gears are plenty on a Brompton!

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

The least used gear on a 3-speed is the low gear,

For me it's the top gear. I suppose this is the benchmark for one's definition of over- or under-geared. YMMV, as they say.

If 3 speed top(highest) gear is your least used, doesn't that mean you want the 2 speed to match the lower 2 gears of a 3 speed or is there a typo?

[ian]

I have the one with all the gears. Those and the flat bar make me faster. The three speed hub does seem to put a bit of a fight (I have another folder with a three-speed Nexus that spins a lot more freely). That said, I frequently ride the 20-odd miles home, and that includes some robust hills. The shifters are shit though, the three speed one tends to stick every now and again and requires great force to get out of a 3, and the derailleur has a habit of flipping itself when I hit a pothole. I could try avoiding potholes, of course, but there are parts of the A23 that are mostly pothole.

My only other gripes are that carrying it makes my shoulder ache and that stupid bendy pedal that gouges chunks out of the frame.

[Kim]

I have the one with all the gears. Those and the flat bar make me faster.

I'm in the 'all the gears you can eat' camp too, because hills and knees.  But mine is a bike that fits into a small space and part-time mobility aid, rather than a multi-modal commute enabler.

My only other gripes are that carrying it makes my shoulder ache and that stupid bendy pedal that gouges chunks out of the frame.

Carrying it is for unavoidable steps, I wheel or ride it as much as possible.  But as I say, I'm not using it for anything that requires much of that.  If I were, I'd certainly sacrifice some bike functionality in favour of less weight, which is where 2-speed becomes attractive.

I have bad history with bendy pedals.  The Brompton ones came off mine anyway to facilitate SPDs.  The Wellgo QRD socket is 100% frame-gouge free, but can do a nasty to your ankle if you fold the bike with the left crank down and then try to leap through a person-eating fire door Indiana Jones style while carrying it (DAHIKT).

[ian]

The annoying thing about that pedal is that if you nudge it slightly out of alignment (i.e. by carrying it) then it flips into the frame and makes itself busy by removing the paintwork and Brompton decal. I'm not actually sure whether that's just mine, my clumsy carrying style, or a bit of duff design.

I have to carry mine into the mothership or the receptionist for the building tells me off. Apparently, it's not allowed to wheel a bike across the marble floor. I'm not sure why, the tyres aren't the sort that leave marks. No sense arguing with senseless rules.

I have all gears because I like spinning. I had achy knees a few years back so I try not to grind. Plus I ride up two very big hills, steep enough that I can't get out of the saddle without the back wheel spinning if the road is wet.

[BucksBrompton]

Hi
On the first post it says you can no longer order increased gearing. However I've just ordered a new 3speed with +8% as I find the 1st gear way too low for me (I don't live in the Alps!).
Ordered a new 3 speed S type in Raw Lacquer & Brooks saddle to replace well used S6

[Pickled Onion]

The annoying thing about that pedal is that if you nudge it slightly out of alignment (i.e. by carrying it) then it flips into the frame and makes itself busy by removing the paintwork and Brompton decal. I'm not actually sure whether that's just mine, my clumsy carrying style, or a bit of duff design.

It's duff design. The current version of the cranks has a clever little sticky out thing that stops the pedal doing that.

I have to carry mine into the mothership or the receptionist for the building tells me off. Apparently, it's not allowed to wheel a bike across the marble floor. I'm not sure why, the tyres aren't the sort that leave marks. No sense arguing with senseless rules.

If you have easy-wheels and bag on the front, then you can fold, re-attach the bag to the mount, and use the bag handle to pull the whole lot along like a wheelie suitcase.

[citoyen]

On the first post it says you can no longer order increased gearing. However I've just ordered a new 3speed with +8% as I find the 1st gear way too low for me (I don't live in the Alps!).

I just looked again and yes, it had the +8% as an option.

I'm sure that wasn't there last time I looked.

[ian]

Oh, they'd gripe if I used the easy wheels (which I don't have because I didn't go for the rack) too. No wheels on the floor! They get quite excited. I did ask why once. Why because NO WHEELS ON THE FLOOR, that's why. I'm surprised we're allowed to walk on the precious floor rather than gently levitate from entrance to office. I'm not sure what happens if someone turns up in a wheelchair. Perhaps minions emerge from hidden hatches  to carry them swiftly to their destination. Or they get squealed at by harridans from behind their swanky iMacs.

I've gnashed the frame with the pedal enough times now to be familiar with it. I noticed the other day some woman who'd folded hers with the pedals in an alternative orientation (I'm not quite sure how, I'm useless at folding Bromptons, I didn't want to stare too hard in case she though I was admiring her backside or planning to steal the Brompton), presumably to avoid just that fate.

The alt-gearing was a definitely an option when I bought mine last year.

[Jurek]

Oh, they'd gripe if I used the easy wheels (which I don't have because I didn't go for the rack) too. No wheels on the floor! They get quite excited. I did ask why once. Why because NO WHEELS ON THE FLOOR, that's why. I'm surprised we're allowed to walk on the precious floor rather than gently levitate from entrance to office. I'm not sure what happens if someone turns up in a wheelchair. Perhaps minions emerge from hidden hatches  to carry them swiftly to their destination. Or they get squealed at by harridans from behind their swanky iMacs.

I've gnashed the frame with the pedal enough times now to be familiar with it. I noticed the other day some woman who'd folded hers with the pedals in an alternative orientation (I'm not quite sure how, I'm useless at folding Bromptons, I didn't want to stare too hard in case she though I was admiring her backside or planning to steal the Brompton), presumably to avoid just that fate.

The alt-gearing was a definitely an option when I bought mine last year.

No rack required for easy wheels.
I haz easy wheels.
I haz no rack.
Comme ca

[Kim]

The easy wheels do work better when mounted on a rack, thobut.  (Not so much for wheeling, as for not tipping over.)

[Jurek]

Indeed.
Mine gets wheeled on rare occasions because err...... it doesn't wheel very well.
I can only imagine that withouth the easy wheels, it wheels worse.

[Kim]

I noticed the other day some woman who'd folded hers with the pedals in an alternative orientation (I'm not quite sure how, I'm useless at folding Bromptons, I didn't want to stare too hard in case she though I was admiring her backside or planning to steal the Brompton), presumably to avoid just that fate.

It'll fold quite happily with the right pedal above the front wheel, so the left crank points downwards away from the main tube of the frame.  Or at least mine will.  This may be facilitated by a) non-Brompton pedals (it's fine with both the SPD and the flats)  or  b) non-Brompton cranks (though mine are 10mm shorter, which shouldn't help).

[Kim]

Indeed.
Mine gets wheeled on rare occasions because err...... it doesn't wheel very well.
I can only imagine that withouth the easy wheels, it wheels worse.

I do generally prefer to wheel it when it's bike-shaped.  Easy wheels mostly get used for the final slide into a convenient corner, but shopping trolley mode is occasionally handy.

[Biggsy]

Yes, the rack enables four Eazy Wheels - nicely helpful on the Tube, for example.  Not needed for one short stretch of smooth floor, though, I imagine.

Quickly-removable spuds is another option for the pedals that I've experimented with, although I manage well enough with normal spuds, really.

[citoyen]

I'm planning a test ride of an S2L tomorrow or Friday.

[Jurek]

I'm planning a test ride of an S2L tomorrow or Friday.

I'd love to be able to contribute something useful as to how my S2L performs on gradients (I know there are some is one between your abode and the train station) - but, if I'm truthful, I've never attempted to shove mine up a significant hill, and the limited feedback I have had is from ian (whose commute is Alpine and on multiple gears ) and Pippa whose opinion is that on hills, Brommies (her 3 speed) are Teh Shite.

[Kim]

Brummies [...] are Teh Shite.

TBAGO

[Jurek]

Brummies [...] are Teh Shite.

TBAGO

Corrected!
El Capitan spellchecker is not my friend.

[citoyen]

That acronym is defeating me - if I google it, the Internet thinks I want to book a holiday in the West Indies.

Anyway, I find even my overgeared 3-speed fine for tackling the occasional hill (the one on the way home from the station, for example) but the overall weight of the bike would make it a dog on a properly hilly ride.

I'll be testing the 2-speed on the flat streets of central London though. Might have to go as far as Primrose Hill for testing purposes.

I think I'm pretty much set on the Black Edition S2L but it's worth going for a test ride since it's an option.

[ian]

I like the low gear because otherwise big hills become a grind and I have one 50m 1-in-4 hill and a low slow grind from the backside of Croydon to Sanderstead to counter, and they're both in the last quarter of a 20 mile ride. I wouldn't say climbing hills on a Brommie is a pleasure, but it's not as bad as all that. I guess gearing depends on your thighs. I'm a utility cyclist mostly, so I'd get the bus up Mont Ventoux.

Without the Eazy Wheels, I can confirm that Brommies don't roll at all. I'm not sure what those other wheels do other than occasionally snag your shoes when you pedal. Anyway, no wheels at all on the reception floor, Eazy or otherwise.

Yes Kim, I think that's the fold, though presumably the pedal just bashes the rear triangle instead. I've covered my scratches with dirt. It's probably best to just carry it with the bendy pedal facing away.

[Kim]

That acronym is defeating me - if I google it, the Internet thinks I want to book a holiday in the West Indies.

Typo, But A Good One

[Kim]

I like the low gear because otherwise big hills become a grind and I have one 50m 1-in-4 hill and a low slow grind from the backside of Croydon to Sanderstead to counter, and they're both in the last quarter of a 20 mile ride. I wouldn't say climbing hills on a Brommie is a pleasure, but it's not as bad as all that. I guess gearing depends on your thighs. I'm a utility cyclist mostly, so I'd get the bus up Mont Ventoux.

With a ~24" equivalent^[1] bottom gear, my Brommie climbs just fine.  Indeed, climbing is when it doesn't feel frustratingly slow, as the limiting factor is the engine.

It's gone up proper chevrons in the Pennines wihout too much fuss.  The limiting factor there is Brompton braking on the way back down.

More importantly, I can pootle along without overly stressing a b0rked knee on it when walking is contraindicated.



_{[1] Gain ratio of 1.8}

[citoyen]

Verdict: I'm sold. I could easily have walked away with the bike there and then but thought I'd better get domestic clearance first. 

The thing that surprised me most was how stiff the front end of the S-type feels compares to my M-type - that's partly because my Brommie's head tube is knackered so there's extra wobble, but the M bars are pretty flexy anyway.

[Kim]

Verdict: I'm sold. I could easily have walked away with the bike there and then but thought I'd better get domestic clearance first. 

The thing that surprised me most was how stiff the front end of the S-type feels compares to my M-type - that's partly because my Brommie's head tube is knackered so there's extra wobble, but the M bars are pretty flexy anyway.

That was pretty much my experience when I test-rode an S-type (I'd only ever ridden M-types previously).  It almost feels like a proper bike.

Apart from the domestic clearance bit, I'd already obtained that.