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The Brompton folding bike is the most famous commuting bike ever and the London based brand says that their Brompton G-Line is their most capable bike ever. To put the folding bike to the test we entered a gravel cycling event to see if the Brompton G-Line and Electric G-Line were up to a 66km gravel bike ride…
This video contains paid promotion on behalf of Brompton Bicycles
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0:00
There's no backing out now is there
0:06
Probably not what you normally put on a Brompton handlebar But there you go
0:11
Where have you left your bike? Oh no you left it on the train This is a Brompton G-Line
0:18
The most capable Brompton ever But is it capable enough for this
0:26
Oh yes! The other day I was on a train commuting and the person next to me said, how can you ride
0:34
across the city? Like I work on the other side. How can you make it that far
0:38
And I said, well, I just cycle across. It's much quicker than the bus or getting in a car or walking
0:46
And they said, but isn't it more than like six kilometres? I wouldn't want to ride a Brompton for that
0:51
And I think a Brompton is much more capable than a lot of people think
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So today is all about proving that. So me and Max, we've got a G-Line and a G-Line electric
1:02
and we're gonna use them for a 66 kilometre gravel event. I've got no idea how this is gonna go
1:13
Right, let's do it. Come on, this might be a really bad idea
1:18
Might be. Come on, let's go. Now you've got to go back and get your camera
1:27
Yeah. We are answering the age-old question of what do you do
1:37
if your commute is across one side of a forest to the other? I get asked that on a regular basis
1:42
I mean, if we can prove that they're capable of doing genuinely proper gravel
1:47
like this is a gravel event, there's some mountain bikes out there
1:51
and if we can prove it does that, then I think we proved that these bikes are more than capable enough to get across any city in the world
2:00
And they are in every city in the world. Brompton, even though they're all made and produced in London, have been since 1975
2:08
it is a worldwide company. And there's many imitators. There's only one Brompton
2:15
Well, actually, there's quite a few now, isn't there? There's G-Line, there's G-Line Electric. There's all sorts
2:23
Right Jamie, where are we? Because you phoned me up late last night and said, do I want to come do a gravel race on
2:33
Brompton bikes? And I've never seen you so excited. So this is Thetford Forest, about 40 minutes away from Cambridge
2:41
It's called the Suffolk Gravel X by Glorious Gravel. I like the Glorious Gravel events
2:46
They always seem to have quite a mix of people and a mix of bikes
2:51
and today we are adding to that mix. Jamie, how far are we going
2:56
I know nothing. 66 kilometers, so we're in the medium route today
3:01
There shouldn't be too much climbing, and I'm told that the majority of it is on fire roads
3:05
but as you can see, the weather isn't actually perfect. It is February when we're filming this
3:14
and we might find some bogs. Music to my ears, Jamie. Shall I tell you a bit about this G-Line
3:30
Jamie, I'd love to hear it. We've got four hours to kill. Nah, we'll be flying through
3:35
Three hours, I reckon. So, G-Line, I don't know if it's controversial
3:40
but Brompton's been expanding its line-up quite a lot recently with some electric versions, some gravel versions
3:48
And I was listening to some podcasts from the CEO on the way over here
3:52
And it was really interesting hearing him talk about them Because he completely gets that they not going to be everyone cups of tea But the aim with every new model is just to get someone else a different demographic riding a bike rather than
4:07
sitting in a two and a half tonne metal box to get across the city which i don't think it will
4:14
come as a surprise isn't really the most efficient mode of transport across the city and so this g
4:20
line they call it the most capable brompton ever and what that means is you get steel frame
4:25
that's still hand braised in London and then you've got 20 inch wheels which I've got a feeling
4:31
are going to come in handy today and obviously a bit more tyre clearance aluminium fork so this
4:36
one's 14.1 kilos now I don't know if you've had a chance to pick it up move it around and stuff
4:43
but it's still a genuine option to pick it up put it on a train it packs up about the size of a
4:48
briefcase well it is a bike we are moving I'm riding a briefcase yeah so we've got saddle over
4:54
the bottom bracket, that's excellent for performance. I've got a 54 tooth chainring
4:59
That's the same as on my road race bike. And how many gears? Eight. Okay. Which to be fair, I mean we
5:07
haven't hit anything steep yet but so far so good. I have all the components you've just told me about
5:12
Yeah. Plus the power of electricity. Fair enough. I'm not sure electric Bromptons should be a thing
5:18
like in a city, 15 mile an hour, get the exercise. Come on
5:23
Here's the thing, Jamie, I could do this in a suit, get to the end and not have broken a sweat
5:30
To be fair, sweaty commuting. Yeah, sweaty commutes aren't the one. Look at this
5:41
Oh, that's nice of them, to be fair. They've got the ambulances ready. Oh, our first descent
5:46
Oh, yeah. I do think that Brompton is probably the least intimidating bike on the market
5:59
And the funny thing is, everyone I know who has one, loves them
6:05
Yeah, 100%. And I think it comes down to Brompton aren't trying to sell multiple bikes to one person
6:12
Once you have one, people love them, they cherish them. people seem to hold on to them for like absolutely years designed as a tool often used as a toy
6:23
yeah yeah yeah absolutely what a swiss army knife of bikes though and they're built to last as well
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like there's no planned obsolescence like so much tech oh you missed that sign didn't you
6:36
jamie you're on the maps my friend there's a big pink signs but so many things that we use these
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days have planned obsolescence like a phone for example i brought a phone last year and the
6:49
batteries are really knackered and i can't replace the battery whereas a brompton you can go on to
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the brompton website you can still pick up parts for bromptons that they made 25 years ago do you
7:01
know what the funny thing is about bromptons is that you see them on your commute yeah but i've
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also seen them doing the mallorca 312 yeah london to brighton yeah people doing triathlons on them
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and then now there's us gravel riding. Yeah. So for whatever reason
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people trust their bike enough to take it absolutely everywhere. We're going right here, James
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We're going right. Right turn. I think Brompton, like they really did focus on product first
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and then I think the whole like Brompton being cool, being like
7:39
I think that's an accident to be honest. I think they're just concerned making a great product and then letting all of us lot do the
7:47
stupid stuff on them. No I agree. When I say about product first as well do you know that in that so
7:54
in the London factory every single bolt that is done up is obviously done up with a torque meter there a Raspberry Pi on every workstation they can tell you the tightness that every bolt was done up to on every single bike
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they produce it's all logged how crazy is that well i think they set a standard and they've not
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dropped it yeah since creating the company which just makes like a faultless product
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that stood the test of time but can it stand the test of glorious gravel suffolk x
8:26
We'll find out. Here comes the client, Jamie, and I think it might be time for a little bit of electric
8:37
Oh, no. I'm not ashamed to say that I might have to play my trump card early
8:44
Oh, Jamie. Oh, Jamie. Oh, no. Oh, it's just a tiny whirr, and you've turned into Pogaccia
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I think we're going to play it tactically today and every time there's a hill I think I might just
9:04
nudge it on for a little bit. I'm going to be cooked aren't I? I'm going to wear you down
9:09
Any idea how many extra watts the electric on this gives me? Because it kicks in nicely like
9:15
I'm cruising along. I will let's cut to some VO and I'll tell you all the stats
9:20
The chassis of the G-Line electric is very similar to my orange G-Line. However at the
9:26
rear you'll find a hub motor which can provide a generous 250 watts of assistance and is powered
9:32
by a 345 watt hour battery located at the front. That'll take four hours to charge fully and the
9:38
predicted range is displayed on the LED display on the handlebar. Brompton claims up to 50 miles
9:44
of range with the G-Line electric although with Max darting off on every incline would it last
9:49
until the end of our gravel event. Gravel, gravel, gravel. What would you say about someone coming to do
10:01
a gravel ride on a Brompton? I would say, well done. That's a good going night
10:08
Oh yeah, 35k done. 35k, that's not bad. So we're over halfway
10:13
A few flapjacks. We're going to have it done by lunchtime. Hour 33
10:19
You've got your electric power on again. I've got the electric
10:30
What gave it away, Jamie? I saw that hill coming a mile off
10:38
Bye, Jamie. Oh, no. This electric spec, I've only been using it on the hills
10:44
but you can see it makes a difference because I'm casually talking
10:49
as Jamie is probably shedding a tear back there. Quite rightfully so
10:56
See you later, sucker. So this electric version has a battery mounted at the front that clips in
11:04
and then at the end of the day you can unclip it, take it to your kitchen bedroom, charge it up
11:11
Next day it comes back and also acts as like a front-mounted duffel
11:17
which is quite handy because Bromptons don't typically have water cages although Jamie's has
11:26
a nifty feature to carry a water bottle and mine today is in my front duffel. I don't want to call
11:34
it a bar bag because it sits on the effective top tube or the steerer tube if anything. So it's quite
11:41
nice. It is quite big but obviously the power of the electric as you have just seen
11:46
outperforms the weight gain of having a battery. He's back. Hello, buddy
11:54
Aerotuck on a Brompton. We found some tarmac
12:14
There was a lot of commotion when Brompton released the G-Line. Do you remember how controversial it was
12:21
Like, oh, why do I need a gravel Brompton? But we're on the road now
12:26
they're rolling along very nicely. We're doing 18 mile an hour and there must have been so many
12:31
people thinking I really want a Brompton but the road's really crap by me or I live up a lane or
12:37
ah there's a bit of a towpath to get me into work through a tunnel to avoid that hill or whatever
12:43
it is and now if you don't need a G-line fine don't go and buy a G-line but Brompton have opened
12:51
up Brompton's to a whole new demographic. Or even just if you like commuting all year round and you just want a slightly bigger
13:00
tyre that can handle some of the stuff that ends up on the road
13:04
Yeah, it's slightly heavier than like the non G line Brompton. Especially like the, speaking of weight, have you seen the T line
13:15
Titanium Brompton. Yeah I did. Oh my word. Seven point something kilos
13:20
I might have to save up. They're not cheap, but my God
13:24
is that a nice bit of craftsmanship. Oh, they're on their e-bikes
13:33
Are they? Why is everyone on e-bikes? Hello, sir. Don't mind if I do. Ah
13:42
Here we go, proper gravel. We have some pretty bad roads but I'm pretty confident that this is worse
14:05
Proof that it's in a gravel, tarmac, now even sand. This looks faster and I'm not sure it is
14:16
Despite hitting the most technical terrain of the day in the final third, final third, we powered on and even started to catch some riders who had set off earlier in the
14:24
day. Like the people we met during the event, I had doubted whether it was even possible to finish
14:29
a fully fledged gravel ride on a Brompton. In truth, we hadn't just survived, we'd had a genuinely
14:35
good time. The bikes may not have been as capable as some of the dedicated gravel bikes and mountain
14:40
bikes, but neither had we found anything that the bikes couldn't handle, despite pushing the limits
14:45
of what you'd expect to come across on a folding bike. And what's more, Max still had enough battery charge left to get him home
15:00
Ah, thank you very much. Ah. Got a medal. Got a Finisher's medal
15:07
I'm giving that to the Brompton. There we go. well i certainly have a newfound respect of the capability of a brompton and i think quite a few
15:17
of the marshals and people that we met out on the course do as well and this obviously isn't the
15:23
ideal bike for riding on gravel like no one's trying to pretend that it is but if it can do this
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then it can definitely get you across any city in the world and be a weekend slash leisure bike for
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Parkes and Topaz for those that want a Brompton and all the portability benefits that come with that
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but still want a bike that feels a bit more like a standard size. If you want to find anything else
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about this G-Line or the G-Line Electric that Max has been riding head to Brompton.com where you can
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book a test ride at your local dealer and try one for yourself. If you like this type of content then
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please give it a like and subscribe to the Cycling Weekly channel and we'll see you next time
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