Believe it or not, until recently, I had never ridden a folding bike. It’s not that I was actively steering clear of folding bikes; I’ve just never had a reason to ride one – or I didn’t realize I had a reason. But I know they are not only popular, but convenient in many ways. And the Brompton C-Line proved to be exactly that.
The folding bike world is full of passionate riders, just like every other segment of cycling. I mean, the Brompton Mafia is a thing. It’s a group of rabid Brompton users/lovers effortlessly flying all over the world with their bicycles. And it’s pretty rad.
The Sea Otter Classic even holds a Le Mans-style Brompton race every year. It’s really fun, irreverent, and quite the spectacle.
In fact, our Racing Tech Editor, Jordan, competed in the Sea Otter Brompton race this year and podiumed, ’cause that’s what Jordan does… doesn’t matter the bike. Fun times!!
I Got to Take it to MADE
Anywho, the opportunity to ride one arose this year, right before the MADE Show. I usually attend only two bike industry shows a year: the Sea Otter Classic and the MADE Show. I usually drive to both of these shows. Sea Otter is in Monterey, California, and only a 5-6-hour drive for me. And MADE is in Portland, Oregon, and is usually a 2-day drive for me… 3 days if I don’t want to kill myself.
But for this year’s MADE Show, I decided I wanted to fly up to Portland. Zach, my Editor-in-Chief, and I booked our hotel for the show, and it ended up being very close to the venue.
Getting in the rental car to make the short drive to the venue seemed wasteful and silly. And walking sucks, most of the time. So, Zach decided to bring his Tern BYB folder to ride to and from the show, and suggested I try to find a way to do something similar.
I wanted to bring my Wilde Rambler SL, but I didn’t have a proper travel case for it. And a bike that is made to easily handle navigating a crowded airport and flying with it sounded much easier. Plus, I wanted to try a folding bike, period. So, Zach suggested reaching out to Brompton, as we’ve never reviewed one of their bikes on the site before.
So I did.
Folding and Flying with the Brompton
I received the 16″ wheeled Brompton C Line 4-speed a few days before leaving for Portland. I also received the B&W Fold On Case. This hard-shell, suitcase-type case is the perfect size to check at the airport. And the bike fits effortlessly in that case.
The case is not cheap at $269.99 on the Brompton site. If that’s out of your budget, I will say there are a bunch of Brompton riders who will bring their Bromptons folded, out of a case, onto the plane as “carry-ons”. They just stow them in the airplane’s overhead compartment (though you should definitely confirm the airline allows this before trying it).
I opted for the hard case, just for convenience. I packed the C Line into the case, paid the regular “checked bag” price, and away we went. Zero issues. Not one.
Recovering it from baggage claim was just as easy. The case rolled well through the airport and was easy to wield and maneuver through the crowds – though one major difference between the Brompton case and the Tern is that it has two wheels instead of four. The Tern case was easier to wheel through the airport, but the Brompton case will likely be more durable. The handle also extends to a good length and is easy to manipulate up or down.
The Brompton C-Line weighs a claimed 26.1lbs. When packed in the case, it pushed the weight to a little under 44lbs.
When folded, I found the included rolling rack a game changer. It made it a breeze to roll the folded and partially folded C-Line around. The rack also functions as a kickstand, it folds up to rest almost as quickly as you could kick a kickstand.
Riding the Brompton C-Line 4-Speed
Overall, I enjoyed riding the C-Line 4-Speed. I will admit that there was a smidgen of a learning curve riding on 16″ wheels. I think I would’ve preferred riding a bike with 20″ wheels, like Zach’s Tern.
But after a very short time, I got used to its quick, albeit slightly twitchy, handling. The bike is long, so that’s where, as a rider, you find your stability. I will say that I did not care for the tall gearing.
Any hills? Get the 12 Speed Version
There are two drivetrain options for the C Line, a 4-speed and 12-speed. Both versions use the same 11-18t four-speed cassette, but the 12-speed drivetrain adds an internally geared hub with three speeds. The 12-speed version also gets a smaller 50t chainring vs. the 54t on the 4-speed. Granted, the smaller wheels make a big difference when considering chainring sizes, but the easiest 54x18t combination on the 16″ Brompton is roughly equivalent to a 36x20t on a 700c x 35mm tire. Hardly a climbing gear for casual rides.
That means the 12-speed offers much more range: 402% vs. the C-Line 4-speed’s 163%.
I live in the mountains, and that 4-speed gearing up here is a “no-go” for me. I’ve only ridden it a handful of times while home. It rides nicely, but climbing on it is no bueno. My options for review were limited with a short turn around time, but if I had to do it again, I would definitely choose the 12-speed version.
The only real downside to the 12-speed version is that it’s 0.28lbs (127g) heavier and $200 more. Worth it.
Fit
I’m 6’1″, and the bike felt comfy for me while not feeling cramped at all. Brompton does a stellar job of designing the bike to fit a wide variety of riders. You get your choice of low, mid, or high handlebars when ordering. This bike had the high bars, which kept the front end nice and comfortable even with the seat post extended almost to the max.
The proprietary rear derailleur seemed to work fine. When paired with the shifter, they delivered reliable, snappy shifts.
I liked Brompton’s proprietary clamp system that is used to secure the steering mast and for the mid-frame break.
Brompton C-Line 4-Speed Retail & Detail
Retail: $1,950
- Weight: From 26.12 lb
- Main frame: Precision-drawn, heat-treated steel tubing with hand brazing and selected auto-brazed joints
- Rear frame: Hand brazed cold-formed micro-alloy steel tubing
- Folded size: 25.3″ H x 23” W x 10.6” D
- Fork: One-piece carbon fork and steerer with magnetic pedal holder
- Pedals: Brompton folding left-hand and non-folding right-hand pedals
- Bottom bracket: Square taper
- Derailleur: Brompton Chain pusher
- Tires: 16 x 35C Schwalbe Marathon Racer. A puncture-resistant tire with a reflective sidewall
- Speed: 4-speed
- Chainset: 6061 forged aluminium crank with 54T chainring and integrated chainguard
- Rear cassette: 11-13-15-18 teeth
- Headset: Brompton headset
- Brakes: Brompton Dual Pivot Calipers
- Rear Wheel: Double-wall rim, 28 spoke, Brompton Wide ratio 2-speed internal gear hub
- Front Wheel: Double-wall rim, 28 spokes laced to a Brompton front hub
- Fenders: Included
- Rear Rack: Included
Riding in Portland
All in all, I found the Brompton C-Line a pleasure to bring along for the show. It rides well and packs down to an incredibly small and manageable package. And that is really the point here, right?
I mean, sure, the bike rides fine, but man, does it fold down small. Perfect for flying, storing in small spaces, and bringing it along in a small car without the need for an elaborate and expensive bike rack. It’ll just sit in a small truck, the backseat, or that spot on the floor between the front and back seat.
The only bummer, and it’s a small one, is how much of the Brompton uses proprietary parts. Not all of the parts, but some pretty important parts. I get it; they have one of the smallest folding bikes on the market when folded, so some parts are going to need to be specialty/proprietary parts.
And Brompton has a robust support system in place, so replacing and working on their proprietary parts when they break is not that big of a deal. But still, it would be great if you could use the parts that you really wanted when upgrading or repairing stuff.
In Conclusion
I would absolutely recommend this bike to anyone looking for an amazing folding bike that folds down in less than 20 seconds. It’s easy AF to fly with, and a great, fun way to get around at your destination if you decide to fly with it.
I can’t keep the bike, and I am a little sad that I have to return it. I could really use a folding bike in my life. You know, something super easy to throw in a case and fly with, or toss it in the back of my Jeep to just bring along. No racks and locks needed; it’ll easily fit in the back.
Well, as it turns out, after attending the MADE Show, I’ve worked something out for another folding bike review/story, so stay tuned here for that tomfoolery.
It’s going to be pretty awesome. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and hit the link below to check out the Brompton folding bike world.
