I've learned so much from watching your channel but I love the look of the modern raw titanium frame and modern fork on the T-Line. Yes, it's incredibly expensive out of the box and customizing it would require thousands of dollars more, especially if you want your Brompton under 15 lbs. I guess it depends on whether or not it's worth it to you. Besides your channel, I watch Brompton Family Time and 781 Brompton Premium Parts. All three of you have different values on what you want out of your Brompton and none of you are wrong. It's a learning experience.
As a Dane I bought a new 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton during high Covid19. for the vacation money saved. Since then I have changed near all the loose parts on my bike to carbon and titanium, the clamps on my mudguards, bolts, nuts and discs, axle in front, bolt and wedge holding the fork and handlebar, part of the brakes, and a slightly padded Selle Italia saddle. It now weighs below 9 kilo and still with mudguards! I have 6 gears and no problems with water and gravel coming in from the strange holes! So I wouldn't waste my money for a new bike. It is possible to buy a titanium frame from China, Taiwan and Korea by that. Finn. Denmark
@@SmallWheelWonder Well honestly you are hardly able to see anything Special on my Flame Painted 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton (Black Version), as the new Brompton shaped, titanium seat post and the carbon, M handlebar are still black. The brakes, though to a large part now titanium parts, also looks Standard, as all the bolts, discs and nuts on my bike are just now yellow and titanium, even the S.A. nut for the 3/6 speed changer control. A new and ligther fork-hook holds the original titanium stays and my new carbon brackets on top of my mudguards. I have a Ti bolt and new alu wedge holding the fork and a titanium axle in front, as all security parts on the wheels. I could buy a Ti, H type stempost, but honestly the gain from that is so small and I won't buy one without my - Flame Paint, as my model originally comes with. I want it to look just Standard, unless when being liftet! I have a Titanium crank with Ceramic balls, and a titanium bolt on my folding pedal. I don't like loose pedals, to eventually be lost, so I will rather have the small extra weight on my bike. And of course my fork and back-triange are originally Titanium, from the Factory Finn
@@philipfitton5660 Rather expensive but not even close to the price of T-line, with by then 4 gears. All nuts and bolts, black saddle pin, are now Titanium, also the axle in front! Clamps on my mudguards and the handlebar are from carbon, saddle and clamp (Selle Italia and AxeOffix) is slightly padded carbon. An H+H clamp or one from titanium may give a fraction less weight! Parts of the original brakes has also been changed to titanium parts, but still looking original. I have thought about a new H stem post (original, with an M handlebar), from titanium, but as my model is the former 2019 Superlight (6 gears) it has a post painted as the frame, and I look for a version which is also Flame Painted. The weight gain will be small though, for the price. It still looks quite Original untill you eventually lift it! The first thing to do when buying a new bike is to order a set of protective plates and a protective badge for it! I gave it an auto polish and found out that after 3 folds, it had near worn the clear tape "Factory protection" through to the paint! And as I like my bike to look like new, it became a first buy and a blaming note to the Factory! (I have a titanium, Ceramic balls crank) Finn
Hey, fantastic video! It's really inspired me to get a titanium Brompton. I’d love to hear your thoughts-do you think the 7-speed version is enough, or would you recommend something else? Also, what chainring size do you prefer? 39T or 59T? Appreciate your insights!
The Prodrive bike with the belt drive and carbon wheels is the best out-of-the-box option. If you opt for a Brompton, I recommend the steel-titanium P line with gradual upgrades to the wheels and stems. See my video on the topic: studio.ruclips.net/user/videoFT2ZEu4AaAA/edit. The bigger the chainwheel, the faster the speed. I ride on a 60 tooth.
So here in Europe, a self-built Brompron Titanium with high-end components would be significantly more expensive than the Brompton T-line. Finding parts, postage from Asia or America, customs, sometimes extremely long waiting times for parts, special tools for assembly. Skilled craftsmanship. I've already built a number of bikes... it was always more expensive than I originally thought. 🤔 That's just the price for an individual bike.
Only the waiting time is a nuisance, and I'm close to a T-line weight with my ordinary frame, and no problems from the strange holes in the new model, letting in water and gravel! Actually I sadly finds it less difficult, as a Dane, to buy Parts from China than from the UK. And the prices are lower for titanium and carbon parts than ordinary Brompton parts, from the UK. Finn
For the most part those "high end components" are greatly overpriced, aiming at the sort of person who already spent 5k on a Brompton and wants to "upgrade" some parts. H&H, Brompfication and Joseph Kuosak are prime examples. Excellent quality parts are available at a fraction of those prices if you look around and don't overdo it being a weight weenie. My complete titanium & carbon build, trispoke wheels, 7 speed with both caliper brakes weighs 7kg. If I based it on an original steel frame it would still weigh just 7.5kg and cost roughly us3,200 before tax. Yes the biggest problem is waiting times, and a bit of QC, which can be painful. I would not recommend doing it unless you are willing to invest some time. I had great fun doing it and learned a lot.
Sounds reasonable then, however, the P line has quite similar weight in stock, cheaper and for those who wants less risks that something goes wrong with AliExpress or so...
I absolutely recommend the P line as a starting point with upgrades of the steering column, handlebar and seat post in titanium and also, carbon wheels. That would be a beautiful and very light bike... way cooler than the standard Brompton titanium.
Hi i am from Singapore i built my own titanium bicycle after the T line came out . Spend about $4000 sgd . the weight was about 9kg as i couldnt find a light and comfortable seat also for my chain ring and cranks i went with both lite pro didnt feel the need to go carbon as the weight and price was too expensive .
I've learned so much from watching your channel but I love the look of the modern raw titanium frame and modern fork on the T-Line. Yes, it's incredibly expensive out of the box and customizing it would require thousands of dollars more, especially if you want your Brompton under 15 lbs. I guess it depends on whether or not it's worth it to you. Besides your channel, I watch Brompton Family Time and 781 Brompton Premium Parts. All three of you have different values on what you want out of your Brompton and none of you are wrong. It's a learning experience.
Keep in mind that BFT spent another 5K on his build AFTER buying the T line.
As a Dane I bought a new 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton during high Covid19. for the vacation money saved. Since then I have changed near all the loose parts on my bike to carbon and titanium, the clamps on my mudguards, bolts, nuts and discs, axle in front, bolt and wedge holding the fork and handlebar, part of the brakes, and a slightly padded Selle Italia saddle. It now weighs below 9 kilo and still with mudguards! I have 6 gears and no problems with water and gravel coming in from the strange holes! So I wouldn't waste my money for a new bike. It is possible to buy a titanium frame from China, Taiwan and Korea by that. Finn. Denmark
Would love to see pictures.
@@SmallWheelWonder Well honestly you are hardly able to see anything Special on my Flame Painted 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton (Black Version), as the new Brompton shaped, titanium seat post and the carbon, M handlebar are still black. The brakes, though to a large part now titanium parts, also looks Standard, as all the bolts, discs and nuts on my bike are just now yellow and titanium, even the S.A. nut for the 3/6 speed changer control. A new and ligther fork-hook holds the original titanium stays and my new carbon brackets on top of my mudguards. I have a Ti bolt and new alu wedge holding the fork and a titanium axle in front, as all security parts on the wheels.
I could buy a Ti, H type stempost, but honestly the gain from that is so small and I won't buy one without my - Flame Paint, as my model originally comes with. I want it to look just Standard, unless when being liftet!
I have a Titanium crank with Ceramic balls, and a titanium bolt on my folding pedal.
I don't like loose pedals, to eventually be lost, so I will rather have the small extra weight on my bike. And of course my fork and back-triange are originally Titanium, from the Factory Finn
How much was the tuning?
@@philipfitton5660 Rather expensive but not even close to the price of T-line, with by then 4 gears. All nuts and bolts, black saddle pin, are now Titanium, also the axle in front! Clamps on my mudguards and the handlebar are from carbon, saddle and clamp (Selle Italia and AxeOffix) is slightly padded carbon. An H+H clamp or one from titanium may give a fraction less weight! Parts of the original brakes has also been changed to titanium parts, but still looking original.
I have thought about a new H stem post (original, with an M handlebar), from titanium, but as my model is the former 2019 Superlight (6 gears) it has a post painted as the frame, and I look for a version which is also Flame Painted. The weight gain will be small though, for the price.
It still looks quite Original untill you eventually lift it!
The first thing to do when buying a new bike is to order a set of protective plates and a protective badge for it! I gave it an auto polish and found out that after 3 folds, it had near worn the clear tape "Factory protection" through to the paint! And as I like my bike to look like new, it became a first buy and a blaming note to the Factory! (I have a titanium, Ceramic balls crank) Finn
Hey, fantastic video! It's really inspired me to get a titanium Brompton. I’d love to hear your thoughts-do you think the 7-speed version is enough, or would you recommend something else? Also, what chainring size do you prefer? 39T or 59T? Appreciate your insights!
The Prodrive bike with the belt drive and carbon wheels is the best out-of-the-box option. If you opt for a Brompton, I recommend the steel-titanium P line with gradual upgrades to the wheels and stems. See my video on the topic: studio.ruclips.net/user/videoFT2ZEu4AaAA/edit. The bigger the chainwheel, the faster the speed. I ride on a 60 tooth.
also, would you recommend installing aFour Spokes carbon ceramic wheelset?
There are carbon sets for the Brompton that can handle a much wider range cassette than the original. They cost around 1000 USD.
So here in Europe, a self-built Brompron Titanium with high-end components would be significantly more expensive than the Brompton T-line.
Finding parts, postage from Asia or America, customs, sometimes extremely long waiting times for parts, special tools for assembly. Skilled craftsmanship.
I've already built a number of bikes... it was always more expensive than I originally thought. 🤔 That's just the price for an individual bike.
This means that there is a big hole on the EU market ready to be filled by new entrepreneurs such as yourself ;-)
Only the waiting time is a nuisance, and I'm close to a T-line weight with my ordinary frame, and no problems from the strange holes in the new model, letting in water and gravel! Actually I sadly finds it less difficult, as a Dane, to buy Parts from China than from the UK. And the prices are lower for titanium and carbon parts than ordinary Brompton parts, from the UK. Finn
For the most part those "high end components" are greatly overpriced, aiming at the sort of person who already spent 5k on a Brompton and wants to "upgrade" some parts. H&H, Brompfication and Joseph Kuosak are prime examples. Excellent quality parts are available at a fraction of those prices if you look around and don't overdo it being a weight weenie. My complete titanium & carbon build, trispoke wheels, 7 speed with both caliper brakes weighs 7kg. If I based it on an original steel frame it would still weigh just 7.5kg and cost roughly us3,200 before tax. Yes the biggest problem is waiting times, and a bit of QC, which can be painful. I would not recommend doing it unless you are willing to invest some time. I had great fun doing it and learned a lot.
So whats the total weight will be with this new combination? Can it go at least to 8-9 kg?
Yes, it can if you can afford the parts.
@SmallWheelWonder I mean the parts you precisely specified in video, which makes it even 1k cheaper
Those parts should get you to at least 20 LBs.
Sounds reasonable then, however, the P line has quite similar weight in stock, cheaper and for those who wants less risks that something goes wrong with AliExpress or so...
I absolutely recommend the P line as a starting point with upgrades of the steering column, handlebar and seat post in titanium and also, carbon wheels. That would be a beautiful and very light bike... way cooler than the standard Brompton titanium.
It's a simple brand change from Hummingbird to Prodrive!!!
Buying a Brompton is for nerds. (I might be one of them)
Buying a titanium Brompton for over € 4.000,- is for freaks.
But this video is next level🫣
:-))
Great, why have you avoided titanium stem? I am thinking of one. I am very interested in your views.
Thanks for sharing.
The titanium stem and build are discussed in a subsequent video.
Oh my goodness Daniel. Why are your videos so down on Brompton? What happened? Did Will Butler Adams steal your girlfriend?
He tried ;-)
Try to resell your homemade light weight Brompton. If you ever needed too. Bend over!
Buying the Brompton T line 12 speed.
I could probably resell it above the retail price of its parts because it is unique and far higher quality than its mass produced counterpart.
Hi i am from Singapore i built my own titanium bicycle after the T line came out . Spend about $4000 sgd . the weight was about 9kg as i couldnt find a light and comfortable seat also for my chain ring and cranks i went with both lite pro didnt feel the need to go carbon as the weight and price was too expensive .
Which frame did you use?
@@SmallWheelWonder a classic Titanium frame thickness 2.0 the normal brompton type .I bought it from tao bao .
Please contact me via email (about section). I'd like to know more.
@@SmallWheelWonder emailed
Hi @josephd9079 I am also trying to build a full ti brompton look alike. Would you mind sharing where you got the frame? Thanks!