The humble Brompton has an iconic form and folding mechanism that makes it recognisable nearly wherever. It’s now been 5 years for the reason that British model launched a battery-powered mannequin to its vary, now named the Electric C-Line, and we’ve spent the previous six months utilizing the Electric C-Line Urban for all the pieces from small grocery journeys to commuting 10 miles every manner from Bristol to Bath, and traversing lots of the hills the south-west cities are famed for. How does it carry out amongst the most effective folding electrical bikes in the marketplace, and is it worthy of our checklist of the most effective electrical commuter bikes? Read on to seek out out extra.
Design and aesthetics
Unless you’re an actual Brompton hater, it’s plain that the Electric C-Line is straightforward on the eyes. The beautiful turquoise color has acquired numerous compliments all through the testing interval (two different colors can be found), and since the battery slots onto the entrance the place there’s usually a bag, it’s largely indistinguishable from a daily analogue Brompton.
For these unfamiliar with the long-lasting three-part folding design, the bike includes a tab you press to launch the hinge for the again finish and tuck the rear wheel beneath. Undoing one other hinge allows the entrance finish to pivot to the again and facet, putting the wheels subsequent to one another, whereas a hook on the non-drive facet fork leg slots over the drive facet seatstay to carry it in place. Then it’s merely a matter of loosening a hinge clamp across the base of the stem, which sends the handlebars swinging diagonally down and fixing into place through a ball joint (the handlebar catch and handlebar catch nipple) that connects the stem to the opposite fork leg, and the dropping of the seatpost locks all the pieces into place. Finally, the left-hand pedal folds away, to make the unit simpler to hold with the suitable hand. Unfolding is way the identical in reverse.
The Electric C-Line Urban comes with a selection of two handlebar varieties: Brompton’s M and H (Mid and High, respectively). The H has a sharper rise and places the rider into extra of an upright place, whereas the M, which got here on our pattern bike, is barely shallower.
Some different particulars to notice, earlier than transferring onto the spec: when the bike is in its folded place, it’s designed to be rolled alongside, because of the inclusion of three small wheels. One pair is situated on the rear hinge, so that after you tuck the wheel away, the again finish rests on these wheels. The third wheel is hooked up to the rear mudguard.
Specifications
The Brompton Electric C-Line Urban is constructed round a metal body and fork. The 250W brushless DC motor is located within the entrance hub, whereas the 300Wh battery slots onto the entrance by the use of a bag (it’s essential to have one in place, and the battery can’t be used with out one). It’s merely a case of inserting the battery into the bag’s central cavity after which slotting the bag onto the holder. The bike alone weighs 13.1kg, whereas the battery provides 2.23kg, bringing the whole weight to fifteen.33kg.
This explicit mannequin in Brompton’s electrical lineup is designed for city use, like commuting and buying, and subsequently comes with fairly a easy 1×2-speed spec. It has two gears, with 12t and 16t sprockets on the rear, and a two-speed chain pusher to shift between them, operated through a two-speed single set off shifter. The solid aluminium crank comes with a 54T chainring and in response to the official spec, is supposed to function an built-in chainguard, to stop oil stains from reaching the rider’s clothes, nonetheless, this pattern mannequin didn’t include one.
It rolls on 16in wheels wrapped in 35mm huge Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres, which provide puncture resistance and have a reflective sidewall for low-light visibility, whereas mudguards with rubberised flaps come pre-installed. Battery-powered lighting comes by the use of Busch & Müller’s 40 Lux AVY LED entrance and rear lamps, and there are two completely different gentle settings out there on the battery unit: guide and auto. Auto makes use of a sensor on high of the battery unit to detect gentle ranges and modify accordingly.
Atop the seatpost is the usual Brompton saddle, which options an built-in carry deal with (primarily a tough plastic sheath beneath the nostril of the saddle that covers the rails and offers you one thing to wrap your fingers round), in addition to a mount for a Brompton rear gentle and saddlebag, neither of which was used for this review.
Tucked into the non-drive facet rear triangle is a Brompton pump, which is appropriate with each Presta and Schrader valves, and comes with a versatile hose — a crucial element to work across the tiny wheels.
Finally, the bike comes with a 1.5L Essentials bag, which holds the battery and includes a small pocket that may truly carry most of what you’re prone to want whereas working errands and travelling from level A to level B. For commuters and people wanting to hold a bit additional, there’s a 20L City bag out there individually, which I additionally put to good use and located to be extremely spacious. While commuting from Bristol to our Bath workplace, I used to be in a position to pack my laptop computer, lunch, a change of garments, some toiletries, instruments, a bottle of water and the battery charging cable. I additionally made use of this when travelling to go to household for a number of days, and was in a position to pack all the pieces I wanted. Of course, it’s value taking into account that whereas the bag has an honest capability, the extra you load onto the entrance of the Electric C-Line Urban, the heavier and extra cumbersome it turns into. More on this shortly.
Performance
First issues first, as soon as I unfolded the Electric Brompton and received into place, I instantly seen that the position of the brake levers was very awkward and uncomfortable for my small fingers. I think about that taller riders, who will doubtless tower extra over the cockpit, and have longer fingers, will discover it straightforward to use the brakes. I, nonetheless, with my quick torso and small fingers, need to put numerous effort into reaching ahead to get my fingers across the levers. As quickly as I realised this, I whipped out my multi-tool and rotated their placement in order that they have been elevated and simpler to achieve. However, when it got here to refolding the bike, I found that the brake levers want to take a seat flush with the remainder of the bike when the handlebar is tucked away, and my new brake positioning was getting in the way in which. So again they went. The levers themselves are adjustable for a shorter attain which is a blessing, however it’s extra the angle that’s triggered me some points. I’ve needed to get used to them, and whereas I can definitely plummet down the hill I stay on safely, it does appear that after once more I’m being punished for being a brief bike owner. The Brompton would positively profit from having completely different choices for stem size.
Setting off is twitchy enterprise, with the motor being situated within the entrance wheel. While there’s nothing inherently improper with this setup, a rear-mounted motor is at all times my choice, because it feels extra steady and affords extra grip, as a result of the facility is situated the place the rider’s weight is generally dispersed. Having the motor situated on the entrance, alternatively, locations the facility the place the steering occurs, and it simply feels very completely different.
Once you get going, nonetheless, the experience feels nice, particularly on the flat with the best energy setting; you in a short time speed up to fifteen.5mph (25km/h) and preserve that pace. The lowest energy setting is helpful when you’re needing to preserve battery energy and sticking to flat routes – you are feeling the pedal help however you’re nonetheless placing your individual energy down. As quickly as you hit any optimistic gradients, nonetheless, it’s positively a good suggestion to extend the facility mode.
One factor to concentrate on is that the facility mode button is situated on the battery unit, which is not the best to achieve whereas on the transfer. As a assured bike owner, I can lean ahead and alter it, however for anybody who would not really feel snug doing this, they should cease each time they wish to change energy mode, which generally is a large ache. The setup would positively profit from some form of distant on the handlebars.
In phrases of battery life, the claimed vary is 40-80km on a single cost, relying on which mode you utilize. When utilizing the bottom help mode, I’ve positively been in a position to obtain round 80km between prices and used the Brompton a number of days in a row for brief journeys and errands with no need to cost. When in probably the most highly effective mode, and climbing hills, nonetheless, I’ve seen it drain pretty shortly. It may very well be argued that the additional pressure on the battery to climb these hills is not one thing that it is designed for, so I’m not holding it towards it in any respect, however it’s value contemplating. Commuting to Bath (16km every manner), I discovered that the battery went from 5/5 to three/5, and wanted to modify to the bottom setting on the way in which dwelling with a purpose to make it with out it absolutely draining.
The hill I stay on is large, with a mean gradient of six per cent, with the utmost gradient hitting 10 per cent in locations. I’ve very a lot loved utilizing the Brompton Electric C-Line Urban to get myself up it, however let me inform you, it doesn’t make it ‘easy’. Once the gradient kicks in, even on the best energy mode, the experience feels sluggish, and I’m nonetheless placing in numerous climbing effort. It’s a mix of the smaller wheels and a medium-powered motor, and whereas it positively does the job, don’t anticipate to not nonetheless break a sweat when you’re planning to climb hills, although it definitely makes issues simpler.
Something that does concern me, and which has triggered a number of near-misses, is the truth that braking doesn’t lower out the motor prefer it does with many e-bikes. For probably the most half, this isn’t an enormous drawback, however I did encounter some haphazard stopping and beginning when making an attempt to cease. Many cyclists will put their weight onto one pedal whereas braking with a purpose to step down and are available to an entire cease. If you come to fringe of a junction or kerb the place you’re about to cross busy visitors, even when your foot isn’t in fairly the suitable place once you attain the top, you’ve often received a little bit leeway to place in a half- or quarter-turn of the pedal to do what you could do. Unfortunately, as I discovered on a number of events, when this occurs on the Brompton Electric, as a result of braking doesn’t lower off the motor, once you attempt to make that closing quarter-turn, you instantly begin to speed up once more. This has nearly despatched me out into the trail of a passing automobile greater than as soon as and is one thing that significantly must be addressed.
Otherwise, all different features of the experience are nice. The rim brakes do an amazing job of stopping and retaining your pace underneath management whereas descending, the shifting between excessive and low gears is immediate, and the lights do job of illuminating darkish roads and cycleways. I experimented with utilizing each guide and computerized lighting modes and located the auto setting to do a extremely good job of detecting gentle ranges and auto-adjusting. However, it’s value being conscious that the sunshine sensor is situated on the highest of the battery, so it’s vital that the bag strap doesn’t impede it. When utilizing the Essentials bag I had no situation with this, as I saved the strap very quick and simply tucked away. The City bag, alternatively, as a consequence of its dimension and bulk, is way simpler to hold with an extended strap, however when slotting it onto the entrance of the bike, it does get in the way in which. There’s a pocket down the facet that you should use to tuck nearly all of it away, however there’s additionally a magnetic clip on the highest of the bag that secures one facet of the strap in place, which implies it’ll mechanically cowl the battery unit.
It’s largely off the bike that my gripes come into play. Having travelled by practice with it a number of occasions, and having spent many extra evenings utilizing it for social gatherings the place a number of venues are visited, the fixed folding and unfolding turned extraordinarily tiresome for me. While the saddle comes with the “integrated carry handle”, it doesn’t do a lot to make hoisting this actually heavy chunk of steel up and down stairs, or out and in from underneath tables, any simpler.
Of course, the answer to that’s to maintain the bike partially folded with the intention to wheel it alongside, proper? Well, it ought to be, nonetheless this wasn’t as straightforward as I used to be anticipating it to be. I’ve expertise of utilizing an analogue Brompton (belonging to my accomplice), which has a rear rack and, consequently, 4 small wheels to roll alongside, as an alternative of three. This additional wheel makes all of the distinction, because it creates a steady base. With solely a single wheel on the mudguard of the Electric C-Line Urban mannequin, it’s much less steady and subsequently extra awkward to roll alongside. It is nonetheless appropriate with the Brompton rack, so when you’re pleased to have this added on after buy, this is able to be answer.
Adding to this awkwardness is the truth that the handlebar catch (which holds the stem to the fork whereas folded), appears to have weakened over time, and infrequently loses its grip. This leads to the handlebars coming free and, on many events, has triggered them to get caught on issues whereas in transit. In reality, probably the most vivid instance of this (and doubtless probably the most comical for passers-by) was once I carried the utterly folded Brompton to the highest of an escalator, stepped on, after which found that the handlebars had come free and have been caught on the facet of the escalator entrance. I used to be slowly descending in the direction of the practice platform, holding nearly all of the bike, whereas the handlebars have been clinging for pricey life in the other way. My solely remorse is that this was by no means caught on digital camera as a result of as soon as I’d gotten over my utter annoyance, I can admire that this was in all probability a hilarious factor to witness.
The particular mannequin I’m testing is about one and a half years outdated and had two testers beforehand, so it’s been put by way of numerous use. However it’s value noting that the handlebar catch might now do with being changed, and it calls the longevity of among the bike’s particular person parts into query.
Verdict
My expertise with the Brompton Electric C-Line Urban has positively been a combined bag. For probably the most half I’ve loved utilizing it, discovered it extraordinarily handy to get round Bristol effectively, experience dwelling after an extended day with a little bit of assist getting up the hill, and having the ability to journey by practice with out going by way of the limitless palaver of reserving bike areas (thanks for nothing, First Great Western). It’s nice not having to hold D-locks, and having the ability to shortly fold the bike away and plonk it within the nook underneath a desk and out of the way in which.
However, after a heck of numerous use, I began to achieve the purpose of feeling prefer it was extra problem than it’s value, particularly when you’re catching trains or going from place to put and having to repeatedly fold-unfold-fold-climb-stairs-unfold till you’re able to collapse into mattress. Throw in a worn-out catch and a few rebellious handlebars, and also you’ve received the making for a type-two comedic expertise.
Seriously although, I’d say that when you’re a city-dwelling commuter who both mixes up their modes of transport or has little area for bike storage, then a Brompton comes extremely really helpful. An electrical Brompton, although, I’d suggest with warning. If you want, or need, the additional increase and don’t thoughts numerous faff, then that is definitely an amazing and handy bike to decide on. If you’re on the fence about needing electrical help although, I’d positively suggest the analogue model for higher portability.
Tech Specs: Brompton Electric C-Line Urban folding bike
- Price: £2,875 / $3,550 / €3,320 / AU$N/A
- Folded dimensions: 585 x 565 x 270mm / 23 x 22.2 x 10.6in
- Weight: 13.1kg (15.33kg with battery)