2011 Demo Brompton Is Here!

The Brompton folks require us to keep a demonstrator bike in the store at all times, so anyone who is interested can see and ride a Brompton. This year, when given the opportunity to order a new demo bike, I decided to bring in a bike that I consider pretty special... it's a S2LX, in Raw Lacquer.

What's that mean?




S = the straight, flat handlebars, which put the rider in a more aggressive, aerodynamic position than the other Brompton bars. As a bonus, they are the lightest of the three choices.

2 = two speed drivetrain. The rear hub has two sprockets on it, and there's a simple derailleur mechanism that moves the chain from one to the other. (The same mechanism is used on the six speed Bromptons, coupled with a 3 speed internally geared hub.)

L = Fenders only, no rack

X = "Superlight" upgrade. This means the front fork and rear frame are made from titanium instead of steel, along with the fender stays and folding pedal bolt, the seat post and headset are aluminum alloy, and the front wheel is lighter as well.

The resulting bike ends up around 21 pounds, a weight savings that is quite noticeable while carrying the bike, not as much while riding.

To cap it all off, I ordered the Raw Lacquer, a clear finish that shows off the construction details of the Brompton frame. You can see how each joint is brazed together, largely by hand. It's a really nice touch.






So what does a Brompton like this cost? Well, I'm not allowed to sell the demo bike until it's replaced by another one, but I can order one just like it for you for $2120. The same bike, in one or two of the "stock" colors (black, white, turkish green, hot pink), without the "Superlight" bits, would cost $1280, weigh a little over 2 pounds more, and not look as eye-catching. But it would still be a great bike!