Author Topic: Conventional luggage on a Brompton  (Read 2974 times)

Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« on: 17 March, 2018, 09:15:37 am »
I know the basics about this - Bromptons are too small for panniers on a rack, and so on. However, I've got some very good, small Ortlieb rollers, and I'd like to carry on using them if I buy a Brompton. So:

  • Could I put a small Ortlieb on a Frame Alone carrier?
  • I think a Xootr Crossrack would mess up the fold, even if I could find the product available? Anyone tried it? Probably fitted to the front - it would stop the seatpost dropping!
  • The Brompton Pannier Rack is just as expensive as everything Brompton, but on the other hand it saves buying a Brompton bag

All suggestions welcome. I'm posting this of course because I need to replace my Dahon.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #1 on: 17 March, 2018, 09:40:35 am »
I put a no name pannier on a carrier similar to the frame alone one, don’t about an Ortleib though.

If you go that way I don’t need mine anymore - got a Brompton bag in a sale - so I’d be happy to sell.

Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #2 on: 17 March, 2018, 09:52:28 am »
Excellent - I'll be back to you one way or the other as soon as I've sorted out a new bike - which won't be long because it's my commuting machine.

Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #3 on: 17 March, 2018, 11:43:23 am »
I think LEE of this parish has the Kinetics front pannier rack thingy and rates it highly, but for a single pannier it's probably overkill - the small carrier frame should do, though I'd try and double-check in a shop that it won't foul on anything.

Kim

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Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #4 on: 17 March, 2018, 12:48:57 pm »
My review of the Kinetics rack is here: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=91394.msg1878181#msg1878181
You can use it with a single pannier, but it looks utterly daft.  A pair of Ortlieb front-rollers have about the same capacity as the C-bag, so I generally use that as it's more convenient, unless I really need the waterproofing or being able to split the luggage at my destination is useful.

Bodging a pannier onto a Brompton bag frame would seem like an eminently sensible approach.  Unfortunately the position of the fixings on a front-roller aren't immediately conducive to this.

Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #5 on: 13 April, 2018, 09:33:16 pm »
Here's what I ended up with - PaulF's rack cannibalised for the plastic parts, with new aluminium rods:


I've got a C bag as well, which is very good but, as in Kim's review, large - great for carrying a lot, but bulky if you're just carrying a few things. Based on an idea from Instructables.

I do wonder about carrying things on the back. The limitations are obvious, including the need to use the platform as the base for the folded machine, and heel clearance. However, something like a luggage block on the side of the rack maybe? Bit beyond my fabrication skills though.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Conventional luggage on a Brompton
« Reply #6 on: 13 April, 2018, 10:08:21 pm »
:thumbsup: great solution happy to help!