Packing A Brompton M3L Into An Airline-Approved Suitcase.

10/19/08 Update. According to poster snod911 below, a brommie with a rear rack WON'T fit in this case. Mine doesn't have one, but perhaps you can remove it before you travel if you do. Thanks, snod911.

8/2/08 Update. It worked! I just came back from a trip to Alaska and had no problems taking the Brommie in this suitcase. Upon check-in, the case weighed 42 lbs. The airline person didn’t measure its dimensions. They did tag me with a $25 2^nd bag fee (jerks). On the return trip, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) looked at it because they left one of their pamphlets in the case. No problems! I wrapped it crosswise with a luggage strap, but the case may not have needed it. BTW, I flew Northwest airlines.

As I mentioned earlier, I bought the Brompton M3L because I wanted to be able to quickly pack it in a suitcase and take it with me on my various business trips. After researching the various options on suitcases, I think I’ve found THE one: the Delsey Axiom Suiter 29”. It is a hard-sided suitcase. Even though many recommended the Samsonite F’lite, it was too small. The largest F’lite is 31” but even that was too small.

As you can see from my pix, the M3L fits nice and tight in there. Not loose at all. This should be an advantage as a bike that is loose in a case could tend to be more easily damaged in transit. Maybe I’ll pad it further with some clothes or foam to make it more snug. I plan to get a luggage strap to wrap around the case just to be sure it won’t break apart if some baggage handler launches it like a shot put.

I was a little disappointed that I had to remove the saddle in order for it to fit, but I guess that’s the compromise with going with an airline-sanctioned suitcase. I will have to pack a wrench to remove and attach the saddle. This is certainly better than the type of disassembly some folder riders have to do with their bikes, though. The Brompton weighs about 25 lbs and the case is about 10 lbs I should still be under the 50 lb limit.

The Delsey Axiom is widely available in most independent luggage stores in my area. I was able to take my Brompton and drop it in both the Delsey and the Samsonite to do a comparison test. Most online places sell the Delsey for around $200 but I was able to find it for a little over $100 at a luggage shop in New York (w/free shipping). Local shops wanted around $250 for this Delsey.

I have a big trip coming up in July to Alaska. It’ll be the maiden voyage for this case and Brompton. I’ll report back to see how it goes.

More Like a Road Dampener: Review of Thudbuster LT 3G

8/21/08 Update. At the suggestion of one of the Cane Creek guys, I switched to the softer elastometer combo (Blue-Brown). The result? It does give you a softer ride, but I still think you’d get the same result from a good sprung saddle. I expected the kind of ride you get from a full suspension MTB, but this does not approximate that.


MSRP: $139
Price paid: $120

I had heard good things about the Thudbuster LT 3G so it got me intrigued and I purchased one. Some reviewers said that it was like giving your bike a rear suspension spring. Others said that it was a great on MTB trails as well as urban jungles. My review is less than enthusiastic. I installed the Thudbuster LT 3G on my primary commuting bike, the Schwinn GSD. I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

First, it is important to make sure that your seatpost diameter is the same as the ones that Cane Creek (the manufacturer) sells. My first try was by going by the specs from Schwinn. These turned out to be wrong. Your diameter is usually engraved on your seatpost. That is the right size. Cane Creek also gives you shims in case you have a non-standard seatpost.

Installation is straightforward as you just remove the seatpost and put in the new one. It is a good idea to pre-install your saddle on the Thudbuster LT 3G before you put it in. I switched the QR clamp on my post to a bolt-on one to deter theft. (This is always a good idea in urban areas as saddles are thief magnets.)

The Thudbuster LT 3G comes with these cylindrical elastometers that are keyed to your weight. You must pair them up to give you the support you need. My weight is 170 lbs so I went with the blue/blue elastometer combo. Different colored pairs are keyed to different rider weights.

The ride after the Thudbuster LT 3G was a little underwhelming. I expected a springy type experience like a suspension MTB, but I didn’t get it. For example, coming from the sloped end of a driveway to the street curb is a significant bump. The Thudbuster LT 3G doesn’t really soften the bump. You still feel it. I still raise my rear when I leave my driveway. No different than before. If you go through a lot of those road veins/cuts/mini undulations that are not that high and in succession, the Thudbuster LT 3G will “dampen” the ride, but that’s about it.

I considered going to the softer elastometers, but Cane Creek warns against doing this. I guess they fear that a big bump will shred them esp. if your weight overstresses them. You could have an accident and Cane Creek would, theoretically, be liable.

All in all, I would recommend that you save your money and get a spring saddle. It gives the same effect at a reduced price.

Some mods/upgrades to the Brompton M3L.

I'm really enjoying my new Brompton M3L even though I have just a few miles on it. It is a solid riding bike. For a lot of new bikes, I always make adjustments after an initial riding period. Adjust the brakes, tighten something...not with this brompton (at least not yet). The only adjustment I've done is for fit. I moved the handlebars slightly towards me. The suspension, basically a rubber circle in the rear triangle, is perfect for my weight. Not too stiff and not too squishy.

Anyway, let me report on some upgrades/modifications. First, I replaced the stock brompton seat, which was hard and uncomfortable, with a Bell MTB bike seat. Ok, I bought this seat at walmart, but it has served me well on other bikes. It has an anatomical dimple/hole and no springs for suspension. I was kinda worried that I would have to invest in a pentaclip, which promises to make every saddle compatible with the brompton seat tube. As I mentioned earlier, Brompton accessories tend to be pricey. I didn't need to get the pentaclip. The Bell seat came with a saddle adapter that fit perfectly on the seat tube. These adapter clamps are also available at your LBS for about $2-3. They look like this:

Second, I ordered and installed the Brompton front carry block ($30), which allows you to fit a number of bags to the front of the brompton. I followed the instructions from Channell Wasson (see:). Channell is the top dealer (perhaps the only one?) for Bromptons on the west coast. Basically, you just have to tighten it so you won't lose the bag as you're riding. For my first bag, I purchased the folding basket ($99). This is a open basket with a built in lower support bracket. I can use it to put my work bag there as well as groceries or other things I can carry around.

The best thing about the front carry block is that it is connected to the frame, not the handlebars. That way, you can carry as much stuff in your basket/bag and it won't interfere with your steering. Most of the front baskets sold nowadays are attached or clip on to the handlebars. This affects steering and can make your bike ride more twitchy or wobbly. It's a weird feeling at first because you steer to the left and right and the basket does not move with it.

Brompton takes a lot of heat for its expensive accessories, but I'm really impressed with the quality and workmanship of these two items. So far these two have been money well spent.

It's all about the fold: Brompton M3L Review.

Pros: compact folding size, stays folded, surprisingly speedy, reflective tires

Cons: price/pricey accessories, saddle, plasticky shifter

I have only ridden this bike for three short rides and I am very happy with my purchase. I am surprised with the speediness of this bike. You make a pedal stroke and off you go. You also want to keep going. This is probably due to the high pressure tires of the Brompton. They take up to 100psi.

I had expected twitchiness when handling the bike as other first time Brompton users have encountered. I found little to none. I got adjusted to the ride rather quickly. The ride does feel bumpy when dealing with bumps and undulations of the road. Perhaps this is due to the saddle, which IMHO is low quality, or maybe the hardness of the high pressure tires.

Besides the saddle, the two little wheels that allow you to roll the bike kept interfering with my pedal stroke. That is a nuisance. I kept hitting those mini wheels with my heels. I’ve developed an inside-out pedal stroke to compensate for this when riding this Brompton.

Another negative is the shifter. It shifts fine, but it doesn't look that durable. The material looks like cheap plastic. I'm afraid that I'll hit a parking meter and I'll break it.

The fold is the best feature of this bike. There are other ultra portable folders like the A bike or Strida, but those are very small wheeled, funky looking bikes. They look like a stack of 2x4s held together. This is a true bike that folds small. If you want a compact-no mess-quick fold, this is the bike for you. The chain is enclosed in the fold so there is very little danger of staining your clothing as you carry it. It is the most perfect fold I've ever seen. It stays folded! You can carry it for short distances, but the weight is heavy (25lbs). You can also roll it when folded, but the wheels are rather small and this can only work if you had perfect flat pavement.

Here are some examples of multimodal commuting this Brompton gives you: You bike in to work, you don’t want to ride home, you take a cab home (with your bike with you). You ride a while, get tired, fold up your bike, take a bus or cab to where you’re going. You ride, have a flat, call a friend for a ride or take cab/bus to your destination (with your bike with you). A lot of other possibilities.

This bike is a 3 speed. This is my first internally geared bike. The rear hub is a Sturmey Archer. One thing I was not expecting was the clicking coming from the hub. It is not loud, but is different when coming from relatively quiet externally geared bikes. I understand this is quite normal with SA hubs. A three speed may not work in very hilly cities like San Francisco. You’d probably need more than 3 gears there. Here in DC, which is moderately hilly, the 3 gears work fine for me.

A definite negative to this bike is the price ($950 USD). I am hoping that Merc is able to sell their bikes here in the future at half the price of a Brompton. That way, a lot of bike enthusiasts can discover what a great solution a multimodal folder can be. Competition between the two can ensue and maybe Brompton prices will drop. Brompton keeps production of their bikes in England, which contributes to their high prices. Also pricey are the accessories to outfit a Brompton. You can’t simply swap a rail saddle to a Brompton. You have to buy a Pentaclip adapter ($30). Ouch. The same goes for a front carry bag, which will run you about $100 (a front “carry block” + bag). A positive about the accessories is that they can be retrofitted to older and newer models (at least Brompton has promised that).

The Brompton “parked” state takes some getting used to. The back wheel folds up and the bike rests on those small wheels. This is a “resting” position for the Brompton. I have gotten used to lifting all my other bikes (from the rear) when pulling them up a curb, moving them to get closer to a pole or bike rack etc. The bike rear wheel comes up as you lift it! There is a clip that prevents this, but, again, this is probably expensive. To compensate for this, I’ll try to lift the bike from the front wheel from now on.

My M3L is a 2007 model.

How I Came to Choose the Brompton M3L.

I do a fair amount of airline traveling and I have been considering taking a bike with me on my trips. I own the 20” wheeled Dahon Yeah folding bike (see: http://utilitycyclist.blogspot.com/2007/10/good-affordable-folding-bike-review-of.html ) but it’s portability is not super. It is fine for folding into the trunk of your car, but packing it into an airline regulation-sized suitcase is not that simple. I’ve seen pictures of this being done, but it requires a lot of disassembly. This involves removing the wheels, the seatpost, the stem and other sundry parts. You also have to protect certain parts from damage and (less important) scratching. Extensive assembly/disassembly is something I did not want to do. Ideally, I’d like to remove nothing, or maybe one part, to pack it in a suitcase. I certainly did not want to carry tools/wrenches with me on my trip(s).

Thus, I set about to look for a smaller wheeled (16”) folding bike that I could take with me on trips with minimal disassembly. Quickly, my choices came down to the following: Downtube mini, Dahon Curve (3 speed), Brompton M3L and the Merc 3 speed. I did see a Curve in person, but the folded state seemed a little bit large. Although I didn’t see the Downtube, I saw some good pictures of it on the 'net and the bikeforums site. Frankly, the fold did not seem as compact as a Brompton. The mini did have more than 3 gears (I think 7) a plus. The prices for the mini ($450) and curve ($350) were much lower than a Brompton. Even with the low prices, and the number of gears on the Mini, I did not think that either of these bikes would have been quickly packed in an airline-approved suitcase .

This left a choice between the Merc and the Brompton. Mercs are basically Asian-produced clones of the Brompton. Mercs are regularly available from an ebay called “Merc folding bike spares” based in the U.K. The folded state of the two bikes is the same. The Mercs components are not as high quality as a Brompton, but they do include extras like a front bag and a carry case. For the light infrequent riding I was planning to do, the Merc looked attractive.

As in many things, cost was a consideration. With the current weak dollar, a Merc would have cost $400 British pounds (shipped), which equates to about $800 USD. This Brompton cost $950 USD; $150 more. Brompton seems to sell its bikes for as close to U.K. prices here in the United States. This has something to do with the dealer network and the mass quantities it ships here. In the end, I decided to go with Brompton because of the “name” of the Brompton, even though it is more expensive. I surmised that the Brompton would hold its value better than a Merc. In addition, there is one Brompton dealer in my area, which can come in handy if I have any problems with the bike. A few years ago, with the dollar stronger, my choice would have probably been different.

I will post an entry of my folded Brompton in a suitcase when I take it on my first trip.

Review of the Next Avalon Bike.

4/24/08 Update: After riding this bike for approximately 25 miles, this experiment is over. I’m getting rid of this bike. I could never get quite comfortable in the cockpit. It truly did not fit me like it should. You may have to be around 5’ foot tall to have this bike fit you. After riding it, my quads hurt, my lower back hurt, it was difficult to pedal. I did the adjustments to the seat and the handlebars, but could not get this bike “dialed in” for me. Sorry, Walmart. I’m leaving my original review for reference purposes.

Pros: Price, chain cover, cushy ride, rack eyelets, bolt on wheels

Cons: Handgrips, fit (one size will not fit all), kickstand is too far back

First, I get really excited when I see commuter-friendly bikes. That was the case when I saw this Next Avalon bike. The thing that drew me to this bike was the chain cover. A chain cover! Remember when I paid almost $100 to put a chain cover on my current everyday commuter (see: http://utilitycyclist.blogspot.com/2007/12/chainguard-making-your-us-mass-market.html). For the price of this bike ($99), I get a chain cover with an entire bike attached to it! I had to buy it.

I did purchase it at the king of all mass-market retailers, Walmart. I know that a lot of bike enthusiasts have no respect for Walmart bikes. They are always panned for being shoddily put together. And, of course, Walmart pays its vendors peanuts. This should equal lower quality. Well, why not perform my own long-term test to see if what "they" say is right? That's what I will do. My plan for this bike is for short errand running or trips to the ATM or grocery store. I plan to add a trip computer to track the mileage and the kinds of problems that I encounter as the bike piles up the miles.

Thus far, I've taken it for a short neighborhood ride and the bike seems to perform like it should. The handlebars didn't fall off. Everything is ok. The brake pads were rubbing on one side of the rear wheel so I adjusted them. The ride is very cushy. It has a springy neoprene seat as well as and single spring rear suspension. It also has a suspension front fork.

I like that this bike has bolt-on wheels. This is a good wheel theft deterrent. All you do is tie your lock cable to the frame and not worry too much about your wheels being stolen. I probably won't like this when I get a flat, but I'll deal with that when it comes.

I've added the rack so I can put stuff back there. It does have rack eyelets by the rear dropouts, but none by the seat part. I attached my rack to the rear seat stay with some P clamps. I also plan to add some fenders to it when I find them cheap or used. I don't plan to put a lot of money into this bike. I will replace the hand grips, though. They are the hard rubber kind.

Transporting a Pizza: The Bicycle Version

I guess that you could carry a pizza using your free hand and the other hand to steer and brake. That would be easy, but slightly hazardous. What if you wanted to carry more than one pie? And, what if you had to travel a reasonable distance and wanted your pie to be as close to hot as it was when it came out of the oven. Voila! Here’s my method:

First, make sure you have a rack on your bike (mine is of the rear variety). Second, get yourself some kind of other square holder to put your pizza on. I found my holder behind a supermarket. I think it may have held bread or pastries that are sold at the supermarket. It is the perfect size as it can hold the large pizzas from Dominos. I fastened my bread holder to the bike rack using Velcro strap ties. These are sold at dollar and computer stores and are meant to tidy up the mass of cables coming out of your computer or TV set. Third, buy a “Hot/Cold” bag. I bought mine at my supermarket and it cost $2.99. You can also find them on ebay, but they are more expensive there. There are other cheaper ones, but I think I bought the most popular brand. They come in 3 sizes (Small, Medium, Large) and my kind is the Large. Finally, bungee straps hold the pizza to the bread rack.

As you can see, my pix shows a slight bulge at the top. I confess: I ended up getting the 6 piece wings (yes!). The max I have carried is 2 pizzas, but I think I can squeeze 3 pies in there.

I ride slow and try to avoid the bumps in the road when carrying a pizza. The first time I tried my method I had visions of the pepperonis sliding off the crust and on one side of the box. That didn’t happen. I just kept it slow and steady and didn’t make any sharp turns. Enjoy!