BETA FEEDBACK
My daily personal transportation device. I use this bike to get anywhere on asphalt within a 30 km (20 mi) radius. Night and day. Any weather except snow.
It’s customized for speed, urban traffic and small folded size.
Depending on what’s in my backpack, I ride approx 30-35 km/h (19-22 mi/h) on flats, max 60 km/h (37 mi/h) downhill.
The bike folds into a custom backpack and travels with me on trains. Hides under restaurant tables and enjoys minimal techno in nightclubs. Disappears in taxis, flies overseas. Loves shopping and even training. Sleeps inside a wardrobe.
I got a new 2008 Brompton P3L in January 2008. I have then customized the bike to suit my needs and tastes.
Photo: current Anatoly IVANOV’s unfolded Brompton P3L / See my bikes gallery
Photo: current Anatoly IVANOV’s folded Brompton P3L / See my bikes gallery
Photo: current Anatoly IVANOV’s folded Brompton P3L with removed seat post / See my bikes gallery
| Main frame: | Brompton custom, folding, steel. |
| Front fork: | Brompton custom, steel. |
| Rear triangle: | Brompton custom, hinged, steel, with elastomer suspension. |
| Stem: | Brompton P-type custom, folding, steel. |
| Headset: | Brompton custom. |
| Handlebars: | Brompton S-type custom, aluminum, 48 cm (19 in) wide, slightly curved flatbar with high-density foam grips. I’ve replaced the original P-type “butterfly” handlebars. As a result, I have achieved the lowest and farthest handlebar position obtainable on a Brompton without sawing and welding. |
| Brake levers: | Brompton custom with angled cable exits. I’ve inverted the cabling so that the right hand controls the front brake and the left hand controls the rear brake. |
| Shift levers: | One Brompton custom shift lever for the 3-speed Sturmey-Archer SRF3 internal gear hub. I’ve slightly improved the positioning. |
| Front brake: | Brompton custom dual pivot caliper built by Alhonga. I’ve replaced the ordinary washers by double-sided star washers, as well as the Alhonga HJ 454-11 brake pads by Fibrax pads. |
| Rear brake: | Brompton custom dual pivot caliper built by Alhonga. I’ve replaced the ordinary washers by double-sided star washers, as well as the Alhonga HJ 454-11 brake pads by Fibrax pads. |
| Cables: | Low-friction, unknown brand (PTFE coated inner cable, lined outer cable). Cut to fit the P-type stem and S-type handlebars combination. |
| Bottom bracket: | ISO 6695 sealed cartridge, FAG 119 mm. |
| Front sprockets (chainset): |
One Stronglight 50 teeth with plastic chain stain protector. |
| Cranks: | Stronglight aluminum 170 mm. I’ve added a rare-earth neodymium circular 12 x 6 mm magnet inside the pedal hole to use with the Sigma pedaling cadence sensor. |
| Pedals: | Quick-release (similar to a high-pressure compressed-air coupler) MKS AR-2 Ezy with Soma double-prong toe clips (size Large) and Ale leather straps. |
| Chain: | SRAM PC1 (1/8 in), 98 links. |
| Front derailleur: | None. |
| Rear derailleur: | None. A Brompton plastic chain tensioner keeps the chain taut despite the changes in the distance from the bottom bracket to the rear hub when folding. |
| Rear sprockets (cassette): |
One 13 teeth sprocket (ISO 10230) non-derailleur, ½" x 3 mm thick |
| Front wheel: | 16 inch Alex Rim, Chosen hub, 28 spokes with side reflector, additional plastic locknut protector to improve comfort when carrying the folded bike in the backpack. |
| Rear wheel: | 16 inch Alex Rim, 3-speed Sturmey-Archer SRF3 internal gear hub, 28 spokes with side reflector. |
| Tires: | Schwalbe Stelvio HS350 16" x 1 1/8" ETRTO 28-349 slicks and Schwalbe inner tubes with Schrader valves. |
| Gear ratios (inches): |
47 - 61 - 83. |
| Gear ratios (meters): |
3,70 - 4,93 - 6,59. |
| Gear range: | 178% |
| Seatpost: | Brompton custom, steel, “extended seat pillar” (I’m 1 m 80 cm), cut to exact length for easy removal (undo the quick release clamp, pull out). |
| Saddle: | Fi’zi:k Vitesse with Brompton Pentaclip. |
| Front fender (mudguard): |
Brompton custom, plastic, with modified rudder flap (I’ve reduced its size). |
| Rear fender (mudguard): |
Brompton custom, plastic, with rudder flap. |
| Folding-specific features: | Narrow-profile Brompron roller wheels (I wear size 45,5 EUR shoes, so I used to hit my heels against the original Brompton roller wheels). |
| Bottle cage: | None. |
| Rack: | None. |
| Front light: | S-Sun 3-LED (3 AAA batteries). |
| Rear light: | Integrated, Brompton-specific, Spanninga Eclipse (2 AAA batteries) with reflectors. |
| Computer: | Sigma BC 1606L DTS Cadence wireless (display and sensors mounted with rubber rings). |
Photo: Anatoly IVANOV’s unfolded Brompton P3L as bought with options / See my bikes gallery
Photo: Anatoly IVANOV’s folded Brompton P3L as bought with options / See my bikes gallery
| 2008-08-26 | Corrected details and added missing brand information based on input from Greg SMITH, Brompton. |
| 2008-07-08 | Updated specs and photos to current bike configuration. |
| 2008-02-20 | First publication. |
Nice bike, and thanks for the info! Would be interested to hear how you get on with the cycle computer. I can’t find much online about the success of using a cordless computer, apart from the fact that the distance from the fork to the bars of the Brompton is often too much for them to work reliably. Have you had any problems? How easy was fitting?
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