Where am I?:^mistymornings-->Cycletouring-->Equipment.-->Bikes and bags.-->Our Bromptons in 2007

Touring with Bromptons in 2007.

So far this setup works well enough. In a quest for more pack volume we have bought a couple of medium Ortlieb drybags to replace the rather small Sealine ones. We have noticed that putting weight on the back of the saddle makes raising and lowering the saddle more difficult. We have also had to tighten the saddle clamp at the bottom as the saddles have a tendency to sink when laden in such a manner. I suspect that this might increase wear on the plastic liner, so we will have to keep an eye on that.

In the picture on the previous page, I have my old Agu bag on the front. This works well allowing me access to all controls and allowing me to open the bag whilst cycling. It also provides space for a bidon, and has lots of handy pockets for mints and snacks. I can also carry longer tent poles under it as it, like Damae's grey Ortleib bag has straps on the underside. As you can see Damae makes use of her straps to carry her red rain jacket when not in use.

Stan's and Damae's loaded Bromptons

The pictures above show much the same setup. Unusually I have my Ortlieb handlebar bag on the front, this has both advantages and disadvantages. It does allow me to use the Ortlieb map holder which is handy, but as the mounting point is closer to the body of the bag it sits nearer to the handlebars. There is just enough space to operate the gear levers, but not quite enough space to be able to open the bag without removing it from the bike.

Both bikes have now had the 'jubilee clip' fix to reduce the bobbing up and down of the rear suspension. We both appreciate the improvements, the bikes feels stiffer and more secure on the road. Even better there seems to be no noticeable penalty in terms of ride comfort. We have ordered the new Brompton rear fork clip, as I find the bike starting to fold under hard braking rather disconcerting. It would also be handy to not have the rear wheel fold under every time the bike is picked up.

The sharp-eyed reader might have noticed the SON hub dynamos and twin headlamp setup. This is the best upgrade we have ever made on our bikes. The lamps were installed on a custom bracket by M-gineering near Groningen and do not stop the bike from folding. When folded they are pretty well protected from damage by the frame and handlebars. The light output is stunning and the rear lights (with stand-light) are very bright indeed. This does have a big advantage when touring with limited space. There is no need to take extra lights and batteries or charging systems. If you are wondering, no we don't take spare front wheels with us on every trip. We had had the SON's built into new wheels and had forgotten that we would have to cart the old ones round.

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