Brompton Electric Conversion

[Fuss]

Hi,
Has anyone a Brompton Electric folding bike.
How do you find it?
Did you convert a normal Brompton or buy a factory electric model?
Is it reliable?
Any downsides?
I'm thinking of buying an electric conversion kit.
Thanks John

[Kenomac]

It’s just a front wheel replacement kt. The front wheel is the drive wheel and then placement for the battery pack.

[a64pilot]

Look on amazon or EBay for a 20” electric bicycle conversion kit, if it’s a 20”.
Downside is weight and expense, wheel and battery weigh more than you might think.
Plus having that heavy wheel makes it a dog to ride as a regular bike, same for the battery weight.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Hi,
Has anyone a Brompton Electric folding bike.
How do you find it?
Did you convert a normal Brompton or buy a factory electric model?
Is it reliable?
Any downsides?
I'm thinking of buying an electric conversion kit.
Thanks John

Bromptons are great little machines. I think it would be a crime to electrify one, and would sort of defeat the point of owning such a primo folding bike. My 2 cents obviously.

This year I bought a halfway decent 20" folding bike (aluminum frame, 8-speed) for approx US$300. Not a Brompton, but it's only getting occasional use (and i have 3 other non-folding bikes ). I had a cheap conventional e-bike a few years ago, but it was a beast and too heavy.

If you're keen on having a folding electric bike, why not electrify a less expensive one? You could do that for well under a grand, and if you decide you love it, then you might consider an e-brompton.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Bromptons are great little machines. I think it would be a crime to electrify one, and would sort of defeat the point of owning such a primo folding bike. My 2 cents obviously.

This year I bought a halfway decent 20" folding bike (aluminum frame, 8-speed) for approx US$300. Not a Brompton, but it's only getting occasional use (and i have 3 other non-folding bikes ). I had a cheap conventional e-bike a few years ago, but it was a beast and too heavy.

If you're keen on having a folding electric bike, why not electrify a less expensive one. You could do that for well under a grand, and if you decide you love it, then you might consider an e-brompton.

Not a crime if the person wanting one has bad knees. IMHO

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Not a crime if the person wanting one has bad knees. IMHO

I only meant that the Brompton is such a sweet bike that adding electrics to it would negate so many of it's good qualities - especially weight and handling. There are folding e-bikes out there for much less.

Now... if one wants the best folding e-bike available and money is no object... I have little doubt that the electric Brompton is the one.

[a64pilot]

Well, you could do like I did.
It was meant to fit inside the baggage compartment of my airplane which it did, and I ran it off of Avgas, so no carburetor plugging problems.
It’s not particularly quiet though.

[Fuss]

Thanks for the replies,
Im thinking of getting the conversion kit off eBay, i Wonder if it’s reliable...
I see that in the states there seems to be a very good conversion company.