My pal Jack reports on his Brit Brompton bicycle: "Mine is a six-speed titanium model - highly specced because a lot of the cost is being borne by the taxman under the government's Green Transport Plan: titanium extendable seatpost, rear rack, lowered ratios, beautiful little front hub dynamo, dual pivot brakes, rear standlight, roller wheels. All in all it comes to an eye-watering £1200.
"This is a great bike, but based on my experience I would settle for 3 speeds and no rack. I recommend the dynamo. It is a little gem: doesn't weigh much and when switched on adds little resistance. So far in a year's full use, mainly commuting with much folding and unfolding, the bike has held up well - not even a loose front luggage bracket, which is a typical maintenance item. I have my own customised - larger - front work-bag attached to a Brompton skeleton. I have added an extra folding pedal and a very narrow saddle so as to get the bike in the boot of my Porsche 911! Like you I use it to go to take our cars for their services. The Porsche garage is about an 8/9 mile cycle: from Boreham Street, to Wartling, down to Pevensey, then across the marshes to Cooden ie beautiful East Sussex countryside all the way. A bit different from your ride to the Smart/Merc dealer!"
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