Any thoughts on the Brommie TI

[Aunt Maud]

Groanings.

I'm thinking of getting one for the shitz and giggles, anyone tried one or has one who cares to comment?

[rogerzilla]

I didn't know any were available - I thought they'd all been stagged on eBay.

In principle, a Ti Brompton is a good idea as it reduces the carrying weight.   I would just checl the warranty, given the woeful reputation of Ti for cracking.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I saw my first of the new Ti Brommies in the flesh this lunchtime. A tempting piece of kit but I can't justify replacing my existing B. The reduced gear range of the new Ti B is about the only step backwards for me. The rest of it mostly seems to be improvements.

[Aunt Maud]

I didn't know any were available - I thought they'd all been stagged on eBay.

In principle, a Ti Brompton is a good idea as it reduces the carrying weight.   I would just checl the warranty, given the woeful reputation of Ti for cracking.

There's a batch available from Brompton at the moment.

I saw my first of the new Ti Brommies in the flesh this lunchtime. A tempting piece of kit but I can't justify replacing my existing B. The reduced gear range of the new Ti B is about the only step backwards for me. The rest of it mostly seems to be improvements.

Any good LWAB ?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I haven't ridden one further than around the block, so my opinion is mostly formed on the basis of the A-to-B magazine review and knowing something about the performance of some of the components e.g. the plug-in pedals with integrated pedal holder. That isn't really enough to back my judgement regarding a fairly expensive bit of kit.

Lighter weight is always good for a folding bike, provided you don't lose function. The narrower gear range is ok for train commuters but a little disappointing for touring-oriented or faster riding. I cruise around in 3/4/5th on my L6 and spent a whole lot of time in 6th (50t chainring) during the 2019 Brompton World Championships. The 4sp derailleur loses both the top and bottom ends. The plug-in pedals/ sockets will wear over time. The Tubolito tubes will eventually be binned for something less fragile.

[Cudzoziemiec]

amazingly enough, all the original band members are still alive.  Sabbath ti that's got to be some rugged metal.

...is how I keep reading this thread title.

[Aunt Maud]

The tyres do look gash and they'd go even before I went for a spin on it. It wouldn't look as swish with marathon plus' on it, but then it wouldn't look swish fixing a flat every time I went into town on it.

I'd like to see one in the wild first too.

[Adam]

Forget about Ti - Brompton are going Al, as in Aluminium (or Aluminum if you're American).

https://bikebiz.com/brompton-to-use-hydros-low-carbon-aluminium/

Only about 40 years behind the times.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Forget about Ti - Brompton are going Al, as in Aluminium (or Aluminum if you're American).

https://bikebiz.com/brompton-to-use-hydros-low-carbon-aluminium/

Only about 40 years behind the times.

Not quite. The article is about using low-CO2 Al in manufacturing Brompton's rims and possibly other components down the track. Nothing about welding Al frames. I am not familiar with the trends about low-CO2 manufacturing of Al but I would guess this is just swapping to using Al smelted by hydro-electricity instead of fossil-fuelled electricity.

Rims are a fairly easy product to get made - source an appropriate material, create an extrusion die, find somebody with some heavy equipment to make the extrusion and roll it to size, then anodize it.

[mzjo]

Completely off post but has anyone ever made titanium rims? Most other bits seem to have been Ti at some time or other but I've never heard of titanium rims (or magnesium rims on a spoked bicycle wheel). Too difficult to make, poor braking response or other reasons?
Money can't be a reason why not - there's always someone with a wallet deep enough to pay for exclusive exoticness!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I vaguely recall reading a mention of Ti rims (for the track?) many decades ago but I think Ti has the wrong material properties to be formed into a good rim. It is twice the density of Al, so needs to be very thin-walled to get down to the same weight, which then isn’t so good at supporting the concentrated loads from the spoke nipples.

[velosam]

I lifted one, and it’s very light and lovely.

[hubner]

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/reviews/brompton-t-line-review

The headline with this bike is undoubtedly that the frame is made from titanium. Brompton says this has been part of a seven-year partnership with Sheffield-based C.W Fletcher.

This titanium fabrication specialist produces the orbital and tig-welded frame and headset, plus the T-Line’s superlight rear end, and 3D-printed bottom bracket shell. The frameset is then shipped down to Brompton’s west London headquarters for building.

[Aunt Maud]

Anyway.

So I walk/ride/wheel my bike into the Brompton store for a spin on a Brommie Ti and the bloke wants to do a straight swap, my shiny 6 year old Ni Brompton for a new T line.

Is he mad or am I mad not too ?

[Adam]

I ended up getting a P-Line in metallic black, as I just wasn't keen on the lustre of the T-Line, compared with my Ti road bike. 

But go for it - a lot lighter than your old one!

[Aunt Maud]

After doing some critical thinking and admiring my nickel coated steed, I turned the bloke down and have decided to use my future employers tax efficient bicycle purchase loan scheme to buy a 4 speed T line instead.

I think that's called having the best of both worlds.

[rogerzilla]

Anyway.

So I walk/ride/wheel my bike into the Brompton store for a spin on a Brommie Ti and the bloke wants to do a straight swap, my shiny 6 year old Ni Brompton for a new T line.

Is he mad or am I mad not too ?

That's really weird.  Is the Ti one not selling, for some reason?

[Aunt Maud]

It's because I have a nickel plated one, which is so bling in the eyes of certain types that it is worth over twice what I paid for it 6 years ago.

I thought it was quite odd too.

[De Sisti]

After doing some critical thinking and admiring my nickel coated steed, I turned the bloke down and have decided to use my future employers tax efficient bicycle purchase loan scheme to buy a 4 speed T line instead.

I think that's called having the best of both worlds.

Any chance of a picture of it?

[Aunt Maud]

Any chance of a picture of it?

I can't remember how to post a picture...





There you go. Got some new bits coming....Son easy wheels and a black sotto voce Chris King headset.

[De Sisti]

Very nice, thank you. RZ has one for sale, which I'd buy if I knew I ride it a lot (I have three other
bikes that I rotate throughout the year).

[rogerzilla]

I saw a Ti Brompton yesterday on the train back from That London, and its owner let me pick it up to feel the weight.  I was quite impressed.  This was an L-type in old money, with mudguards, but it felt lighter than my part-titanium Brompton with no mudguards and titanium seatpost, which is already only about 21.5lb.

The tubes are clearly oversized and they've done something with the stem clamp too - it has chunky ribs on either side.