No bike yet but some new pedals from Santa

No sign of my Brompton S6L yet. Been about 6 weeks from the date of my original order so I am hoping not too much longer now.

I am enjoying following the London Brompton Club and all their adventures documented on Twitter and Facebook, albeit it is making the wait for my Brompton that little more frustrating.

So no bike but I was lucky enough to receive some nice shiny pedals from Santa. I have always been a fan of clip in pedals and felt it must be my first upgrade. I found some Shimano XT pedals from Evans Cycles (buying the OE - 'original equipment' version, saved me a few pounds).

Shimano XT pedals  - first upgrade for my Brompton S6L

I am also looking at some Shimano MTB shoes (MT34), which appear to be a good hard-wearing leisure / trail shoe that are built for comfort and durability. They are also more suited for walking and better than my current MTB shoes, which I will continue to use for off-road adventures.

I hope to be back soon providing more news about the delivery of my Brompton S6L and further planned upgrades and accessories.

My other bikes and love of cycling

I love my bikes ...

Up to last week my collection was as follows:

• Ribble Gran Fondo carbon road bike with Campagnolo Veloce gearset
• Omega (now Enigma brand) Stealth titanium TT / triathlon bike with carbon aero bars and Campagnolo Record gearset and Fulcrum race wheels
• Ellsworth Epiphany full-suspension mountain bike with XTR gearset and tubeless XTR wheels
• Speclailized Langster singlespeed / fixed-wheel aluminium race bike

Carbon race bike - Ribble Gran Fondo

Omega Stealth TT bike with carbon aero bars (borrowed wheels)

My dirty Ellsworth Epiphany after a ride on the Downs

My singlespeed machine - recently sold (bitter sweet feeling)

Yesterday, I sold my trusty Specialized singlespeed bike to make space (and provide some funds) for the new Brompton S6L. To be honest although I loved the Specialized bike it wasn't as well used as my carbon road bike, which I would prefer to use for my commute.  

During the winter months my TT bike goes into hibernation. My Ellsworth Epiphany comes into its own and given I live very close to the South Downs I have some great riding within 10 mins of my front door.

This morning I was out on the Downs on a cold windy and wet day. It was a muddy affair but still great fun. Only just over 2 hours in the saddle and probably another hour cleaning the bike (and me) afterwards.

I see the Brompton S6L as a multi-purpose addition for commuting, flexible use when travelling (UK and abroad), some easy riding and longer distance adventures.

The new beauty - my S6L (on delivery for Jan 2014)

I enjoyed seeing details of the London Brompton Club's recent Christmas ride, which I hope to be a part of in future years. The idea of the Brompton World Championship also appeals. Hopefully my Ironman training will keep me fit enough to compete at a relatively decent level.

In future posts I will tell you a little more about my love of cycling and my triathlon exploits (covered more in my other blog Tri Hard Training).

Until then, 'keep the rubber side down', my friends.

Why I chose the S6L?

The beauty, yet the challenge, when deciding on a Brompton bicycle is the multitude of options in respect to colours, handlebars, gearing, mudguards & racks, tyres, luggage, suspension etc.

The B-spoke builder tool on the Brompton website is excellent and provides a great way of viewing the final product if you are lucky enough to have the luxury of buying a new bicycle. Fortunately I was able to access the Ride2Work scheme, recently made available from my employer, which really helped to soften the blow of the relatively high cost.

The colour combination is quite personal. Initially I was going to opt for all black but found it a little boring and similar to the colour of previous bikes I owned - I fancied something different. When I was playing around with the colours on the builder tool the yellow and black really stood out.

For me the gearing was the toughest choice. My original thought was 2 or 3 gears - the simpler the better, although I probably needed something more than a singlespeed. My first experience of riding a Brompton was a 3-speed (rented from Brompton Dock - more on that later). The only concern I had was the hilly terrain around the South Downs where I live. I didn't want to regret my decision later if there were some of the larger hills (i.e. Ditchling, Devils Dyke etc.) that would have been out of my comfort zone on a 3-speed.

I got the chance of trying a couple more Brompton bicycles when I visited the new store in Covent Garden. When I rode the 6-speed I was amazed at the range of the gears, I really do feel I could make it up any of the big hills (to try in the New Year!). I also liked the faster race position of the straight 'S' type handlebars, which given my experience of riding race and aero TT bikes, felt more my natural. For similar reasons I went for the firmer suspension block and the slicker and lighter Kojak tyres.

The mudguards seem to make sense from the outset as did the decision to opt for the 'S' bag, especially for commuting and plans for longer distance adventures.

I will cover accessories like lights, pedals, tools, shoes etc. and possible future upgrades in later posts.

All getting very exciting!

Folding power would have been handy today

This morning I wished I had my Brompton ...

I had to take my daughter's car for a MOT at the Toyota garage in Peacehaven and spent a good 10-15 mins taking the wheels off my road bike last night and packing it neatly into her small Aygo. I re-assembled the bike when I dropped the car off this morning (to be honest it didn't take me too long but definitely longer than un-folding a Brompton!)

It was only a short commute into Brighton where I work - about 11km. I headed for the undercliff pass, one of my favourite local routes - I had to stop for a couple of pictures as it was such a beautiful morning.

Morning Brighton

Undercliff pass

Later today I will be doing the return journey to pick up the car (hopefully it passes its MOT without any major issues). My road bike will be again packed in the boot (with the back seats down) but because of its size will be quite visible when I stop for some shopping on the way home. Again the beauty of the folding Brompton - it will easily fit in the boot of even a small car, all secure and out of sight!

London Brompton Club - Welcome to the Fold!

Welcome to the Fold!

After putting the finishing touches to my last blog post I thought I would introduce myself on the Facebook Group page of the London Brompton Club (LBC).

I was pleasantly suprised with the immediate response and welcoming tones - they all sounded very friendly. There was some amusement that I had titled my blog 'Bee-Brompton' and had gone for the yellow and black colour combination for my Brompton S6L B-spoke build. The reason is that there is quite a legendary member of the Club who goes by the name of Bumble B. I was aware of Bumble B beforehand - indeed it was his website and that of 'My Orange Brompton' that got me interested in creating my own blog and recording my future adventures.

I thoroughly recommend both blogs as they are great reading, especially if you are considering investing in a Brompton bike (like me!):

• The Legend of the Brompton Bumble B
• My Orange Brompton

I am discovering more good ones all the time but these are still my favourite.

Hopefully in the New Year I will meet the legendary Bumble B and Mr O and ride with them and the London Brompton Club. Meanwhile I will be following all their exploits via Twitter, their blogs and the Club website: http://www.londonbromptonclub.com/ and dreaming of the day when I get my own 'Brompton Stallion'.

One day I might even get a mention as one of the Club's featured blogs, something to aspire towards.

B-spoke order - cannot wait for delivery

So what have I ordered?

Well here is the little folding beauty ...

B-spoke order - awaiting delivery

I went for a S6L in yellow and black (like a bee), standard length seatpost, Brompton saddle, Kojak tyres (slicker and lighter than standard tyres), firm suspension and a S-bag and front carrier mount.

The 'S' stands for a straight handlebar and the 'L' for mudflaps with no rack. You might have also guessed it has 6 gears, which should help on those hills that are so hard to avoid around the Sussex countryside.

I have gone for the standard steel build. There is a titanium option (rear triangle and forks, not full frame) but it adds another £500 to the cost and saves a bit of weight. My build comes in at 11.4kg without luggage, which is quite a bit heavier than my carbon race bike, however I hope this little baby lasts a lot longer.

The S-bag is a slighter smaller bag than some of the other available options but is the recommended choice for the lower 'S' handlebar (provides full clearance). It is mounted to the frame (via a front carrier block) rather than the handlebars or fork, so there is no adverse effect on the handling of the bike.

I will cover why I chose this combination in a future post.

Hope you come back to read more ...

My new blog - what's it all about

Another blog - what's this one all about ...

I recently borrowed a Brompton folding bike for the day and loved it. Since then I have been researching the company, brand, bike options, and following a number of Brompton riders that seem to have some really great adventures.

That was my first impression of these classic machines - I certainly felt I was on a bit of an adventure and the positive experience left me wanting more.

For those that have followed my other blogs:

- Journey to Ironman Austria
- Tri Hard Training

You would know that my focus has been on triathlon training and enjoying a multi-sport discipline. My interest for the great sport of triathlon has not waned, however I am looking for other experiences and keen to explore the truly exceptional flexibility and portability of the Brompton bicycle - living the folding dream ...

I should say at this point that have I have not got a Brompton bike yet, although a B-spoke order has been placed for a smart looking yellow and black S6L. The colour may give you a clue for why I titled the blog 'Bee-Brompton'.

Over the coming weeks and future posts there are a number of objectives I have for this blog:

- Why Brompton?
- What is my personal Brompton specification and why?
- Planned adventures
- My story
- Meeting other riders
- Fitness
- Life balance
- Possible upgrades
- How to try a Brompton out?
- Special places and my preferred coffee stops
- Brompton World Championships

Hopefully if I am able to secure a few followers they might let me know what they would also like me to include in future posts.

Lots to cover and lots of ideas - I hope you will join me in my new journey and 'Bee-Brompton'