I’m a first time brompton owner, I bought it second hand off eBay for my commute. I’m still getting used to the build and smaller wheels compared to a standard bike.
Is it normal that the front wheel feels light and difficult to control? I feel particularly nervous when I try to cycle one handed and indicate because the front wheel feels wobbly.
(Also this brompton is a 3 gear M handlebar made in 2021 – can anyone identify the specific modal / line?)
Thanks in advance!
by Existential_Peach_95
16 Comments
It takes a little bit to get used to. I had about a 3-4 ride adjustment period. Welcome to the fold.
Bromptons do have very sensitive steering. I’ve never gotten the hang of one-handed riding, but I barely even notice the sensitivity if I keep two hands on the bars (and after a couple minutes of adjustment from riding other bikes I own).
I fell off mine first time out.
They are very twitchy. You get used to it.
You do have the saddle set quite low though. Raising it up (if you can!) will move your weight forward and help.
Alternatively, people say that fitting a bag to the front block also calms the steering a bit, never tried it myself.
The Brompton handling tends to be nippy, manouverable and fun due to that small front wheel, but one handed cycling or standing is more of a challenge compared to a ‘normal’ bike.
It is possible something is loose though, so if you bought it second hand, worth taking it to a Brompton dealer for a service just in case.
Two things: The center of gravity is lower than a regular bike due to the design/wheels and yes it can be more twitchy, which IMO is better for city rides as you can dart around potholes easier. Second, because you bought it second hand I would recommend taking it to a Brompton dealer for a regular service/inspection just to make sure nothing funky is going.
It’s normal, but you get used to it quickly. After a while, you learn to micro adjust without thinking and have to get out of your way to make it twichy.
It also helps a lot if you have a loaded front bag, the effect becomes much less noticeable then.
Try adjusting your seat slope forward to increase the amount of weight on the handlebars
Yes, it is a bit squirrel-y. Putting a bag with weight on the front block helps stabilize it a lot as well as your own getting used to it.
No hands-free riding on these, and one-handed riding takes getting used to.
Very common problem with small wheeled bikes. They are far more sensitive than you’ll be used to. Don’t worry, it won’t take long to get used to and you should find that it is very agile as a result.
UM, are you sure that’s a 3? Looks (?) like a second cable on the LH side which would make it a 6-spd. If so, would call that an M6L (ie Mid Bars, 6-speed, L = fenders, ha) . ALSO: re steering… tire pressure affects handling. Brompton says: 100 psi which in my humble is for a 175 lb rider…. AND whatever PSI in the rear tire, do about 5 psi less in the front. If you weigh less than 150, maybe to 95 rear, 90 front to “settle” the handling down a mite. After a while on a Brompton, you will note that you steer it more with a little saddle lean than by pushing the bars… others have noted adjustments… esp. a too-tight or too loose headset can make the bike feel twitchy. Show it to a Brompton shop if you can. We’re in Philly, and while we check out your bike, you could visit the MUTTER MUSEUM and/or get a beer at FERGIES. Cheers, — mcget / trophybikes PHL (Brompton Specialists since, geez, 2003)
ur wheel berings might be loose.
Yes, it’s normal. It makes the bike very quick to turn even at low speeds. But it feels a little unstable at high speeds.
push your saddle a bit more to the front to load more weight on the front tyre. what’s your body stats? if u are lightweight, fit and like firm feeling on the front u should have gone for straight bar model (S-bar) aka Low
That was my experience as well. It definitely took some time to get used to but after a couple of months I got the hang of it. My balance isn’t the best anyway so it probably took me a bit longer than most to get used to. I just changed my routes (lots of left only and then walking across junctions to get back on route) until I got confident having taking both hands off for each direction.