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TECH NEWS

Brompton releases Nine Streets special edition folding bike

Two-tone fade finish is available in a limited run

Britain’s Brompton Bicycle has announced the release of a Nine Streets special edition folding bike that was designed last year to mark the opening of its Brompton Junction Amsterdam store. 

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The special edition features a new fade finish that’s said to be “inspired by the creativity of the [Nine Streets] canal-side district in Amsterdam” where the store is located.

Read our Brompton S6L review here

“The effect is a two-tone fusion of red and blue lacquer which is created by hand spraying each frame,” says Brompton. “The process leaves a unique finish on each Nine Streets bike, meaning no two bikes are the same.”

Check out 5 of the best folding bikes

Brompton has been able to add unique finishes to its folding frames since bringing its painting operation into its West London factory rather than having the work done off-site.

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Only a small number of Brompton Nine Streets will be produced, with prices starting at £1,225.

For more info go to www.brompton.com/ninestreets

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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13 comments

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Shades | 5 years ago
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I occasionally use a Folder (mainly for the train) and wanted a Brompton, but the supply time (few years ago) was so long that I went for a Mezzo (not available now-similar 'fold' to the Birdy); good bike and I've changed the cassette to give me lower gears.

Apart from when they're locked up securely or stored at home/office, these 'pimped' Bromptons must be tempting to thieves.  Your bike can be 'out of sight' when your on a train (luggage section); not heard of folders being nicked from a train but, even with CCTV footage, if the police can't be bothered to follow it up you're without a bike until you sort out the insurance and replace it.

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paulrattew | 5 years ago
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Any folding bike is going to be an act of compromise. After trying many different folders I opted for a brompton 3 years ago. I ride it most days of the week through central London and have clocked up several thousand miles on it so far. I've never had any problems with the ride quality - yes it is different to a full size bike but it is better than most folding bikes I tried. That combined with the super compact and secure (something that most folders can't match) fold makes it a really good compromise.

I've certainly never had any issues with the brakes - as long as I keep an eye on the condition of the pads I've always found the braking to be very strong with good modulation. 

As for looking silly, well, we are cyclists so I think that boat sailed a long time ago. I commute in my work clothes and I actually think that the Brompton looks rather fitting with a suit and tie. Yes a nice Dutch style bike may 'complete the look better', but I couldn't store that under my desk at work or carry it up to my 4th floor flat quite so easily

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slappop | 5 years ago
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I'm sure these Bromptons are all well and good, but the must-have for the folding bike enthusiast is surely the Bickerton. (Beloved of nuns and helicopter-flying playboys.)

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ktache | 5 years ago
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For me fluffed, when I looked into it, and if I ever need it, say a rail commute where I couldn't take a full size, and that I could afford it, it would be a Birdy.

Though this does have a nice paint job, I kind of like the ones with the exposed braising/welding too.

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Fluffed | 5 years ago
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Nice they included a dynamo front light, makes them OK value if you like the paintjob imo. They are twitchty, and you do have to watch where you are going, but I've never fallen off mine, and can be good fun to ride. My main issue with them is the brakes, which are kind of rubbish at stopping you quickly, although granted mine is a few years old (pads cables have been replaced though). If I was after another folder, I would probably look at one of the Tern's with disc brakes and slightly bigger wheels.

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fenix replied to Fluffed | 5 years ago
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fluffed wrote:

Nice they included a dynamo front light, makes them OK value if you like the paintjob imo. They are twitchty, and you do have to watch where you are going, but I've never fallen off mine, and can be good fun to ride. My main issue with them is the brakes, which are kind of rubbish at stopping you quickly, although granted mine is a few years old (pads cables have been replaced though). If I was after another folder, I would probably look at one of the Tern's with disc brakes and slightly bigger wheels.

I raced mine at the Brompton Worlds. The brakes on mine are great. Dual pivot - as good as any I have on my bigger race bikes. I'm sure you can upgrade to the new ones.

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Prosper0 | 5 years ago
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Nice fade. 

Still wont ride a Brompton though! I’m sorry to break it to you guys, anyone over 5 foot tall looks ridiculous riding one. 

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fenix replied to Prosper0 | 5 years ago
4 likes
Prosper0 wrote:

Nice fade. 

Still wont ride a Brompton though! I’m sorry to break it to you guys, anyone over 5 foot tall looks ridiculous riding one. 

Dude - we wear lycra out in public. I'm sure most of us don't care what we look like.

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Deeferdonk replied to Prosper0 | 5 years ago
4 likes

Prosper0 wrote:

Nice fade. 

Still wont ride a Brompton though! I’m sorry to break it to you guys, anyone over 5 foot tall looks ridiculous riding one. 

Wouldn't want to look ridiculous now.

*gingerly clip clops acoss road  and gets on road bike in bright neon skin tight lycra with visible padded underwear, coloured wrap around sunglasses and aero helmet*

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fenix | 5 years ago
1 like

Nope never been over the bars on mine.  I'd not ride into a pothole mind you.  I think the ride is a lot better than you'd expect it to be. 

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joules1975 replied to fenix | 5 years ago
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fenix wrote:

Nope never been over the bars on mine.  I'd not ride into a pothole mind you.  I think the ride is a lot better than you'd expect it to be. 

As a rule, I don't ride over/into pot-holes either, but sometimes there is no chance to avoid them without risking going under a vehicle, and so I'd prefer to be on bigger wheels (and also now nice fat WTB Horizen tyres) to make such instances much less unpleasant.

To be fair to them, as someone else has mentioned, they altered the geometry to deal with some of the handling issues, and it may well be that I was on one of the originals.

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joules1975 | 5 years ago
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I love the way bromptons fold so neatly ... by far the best folding bike available in that regard.

The way they ride though ... truely horrible.

If nothing else, given the british roads, there must be numerous brompton owners who have gone over the bars due to the tiny wheels disappearing into what on a normal bike would be an unpleasant but 'ridable' pot-hole.

I did that the last time I rode a Brompton - that was 15 years ago and I've never been over the bars before that or since on any of the vast array of bikes I've ridden (including other folders).

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Jezzag replied to joules1975 | 5 years ago
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joules1975 wrote:

The way they ride though ... truely horrible.

I shared your misgivings, a Brompton is the only bike I have been happy to sell on. I had one for a couple of years but sold it around 15 years ago because it was truly awful. But, six months ago I had a test ride on a friends and was truly surprised. They are FAR better than they were all those years ago. The wheelbase has been extended and that seems to make the ride feel a lot surer. The quality of the components is way higher than back in the day. Still wouldn't want to end up in a deep pot hole again but all in all they are a decent ride.

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