New Bike Day – Brompton C Line Explore

Today I received a Brompton C Line Explore folding bicycle. I’ve had my eye on a folding bike for a long time now, and when the C Line series went on sale recently, I jumped at the chance and ordered one from the Brompton website. It took only a few days to deliver via FedEx, nicely packaged and almost fully assembled. You can see in the photo above just how compact the Brompton is when folded. I pretty much just needed to attach the seat, unfold, and go for a ride!

Speaking of the seat, the C Line includes a black Brooks C17 Cambium seat, which is very nice. But I wanted to use my Brooks B17 from Sophie on the Brompton, so I made the switcheroo. (The black Cambium looks pretty sharp on the Peugeot, btw)

Next, I went to the elementary school parking lot so I could make initial adjustments to the seat and handlebar position. I also got used to the 6-speed shifting system, which worried me at first because the hub makes clicking noises even when pedaling (in most gears). I thought it might be defective, but a quick Google search told me that this sound is normal for that kind of hub. Whew!

After the seat and handlebar adjustment, I grabbed my helmet and headed for the hike and bike trail. The Brompton is so fun to ride! It’s unlike “regular” bicycles in that the wheels are much smaller, so the steering feels a bit twitchy, but I got used to it quickly. The tires are pumped up to 80 psi (maximum of 110 psi) so it rolls quite fast – much faster than I was expecting! But unlike my road bike, Sophie, the Brompton’s step-through design makes it very easy to get on and off of, so it feels like a super-convenient way to get around.

I only rode about 15 km, but I can tell this is the start of a lifelong love affair. 😄