Operation Brompton Clone: An Unusual Shopping Experience | Cost, Delivery and Quality
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Here's my follow-up video after having used the bike for 6 months: • Gem or Trash? Things I...
What can you expect if you want a folding bike, but you don't want or can't afford a Brompton? In this video, I'm going to tell you about my purchasing experience with Litepro, a Chinese manufacturer.
00:00 Why commute on a folding bike?
01:13 Cost breakdown
02:53 Delivery time
03:38 Bike quality issues 
Кино
Here's my follow-up video after having used the bike for 6 months: ruclips.net/video/_CFhOzGkLlk/видео.html
Quality was why i got a real brompton. don't want to deal with the headache you had. thank you for the sacrifice on buying the clone and shareing.
It's actually quite fun to ride, and I'm looking forward to comparing it with a Brompton.
Exactly what you're saying :-)
What Brompton did you get? Mine is loaded with flimsy plastic stuff that breaks. Didn't learn my lesson from the British cars I bought, Sunbeam and MGB, had to get a British bike and all the aggravation that goes with it. Now, if the Dutch would make a tri-fold that can be used as a cart, that would be a new addition to my stable.
Just bought mine Litepro trifold, same colour Red/Black Matt. I can say I am not disappointed.
Thank you, you have manage to spell out doubts in many clones we have in Malaysia.. Probably the only reason for me now to buy a similar bike, is if get stolen I could still smile that my brompton is save at home... Thanks
Thanks for sharing your Litepro trifold journey. I'll do the same if I didn't get a pre-owned unit. 2022 Bromptons are hard to source and crazy expensive. If I'm on your shoes I'll retain the frameset and wheelset while replacing all components with Brompton parts.
Thank you for the video. Lite Pro had a sale for the bike so I ordered one.
Great update and thanks for your perspective. We all have different purposes for a bike. I would go through all the headache for the price whereas my wife wouldn't. Every time in the city my wife makes me guard over her Brompton when popping into the shops. I prefer less stress and more relaxed. :)
The main thing is that you both ride bikes! Happy pedaling!
Nice video! Hope to get your replacement parts soon! I manage to avoid this kind of situation by just buying a 2nd hand Brompton. My 2016 S2L ( Lime Green ) cost a total of €700 including upgrades. Looking forward on your update video with the replacement components.
Thank you for sharing, I have 2 China made trifold bike, but through a vendor locally. The quality is good.
Thank you for making this video!
Since i can't afford a brompton, i settled for the clone one (3sixty). So far im happy with it. 😁
Wow, a lot of these comments aren't very friendly. Here you are a nice, upbeat guy who is giving people information for free that can help them. I don't understand the average person; so many haters. Well, at least I appreciate you.
Here's my Brompton tale: where I live in an expensive US city, pre-owned Bromptons are usually $1300 all the way to $4800!!! There is someone locally who is selling his for $4800, he paid $5900 and every single part has been replaced with titanium or carbon fiber. This reduces the weight to 21.5 lbs. But his bike is an ugly Berry Crush color, not that I could afford it if were lacquered raw aluminum anyway...
So I researched heavily into either getting a Pikes or a 3Sixty. I set up an Alibaba account and started emailing their sales department. I wanted the "Electro Silver" M6R 3Sixty but they're sold out. They also couldn't give me a straight answer on shipping tax and import fees. The base price for a single bike was $848. I too was budgeting ~$200 in import fees, potentially.
I emailed a dealer in Singapore who sold Pikes bikes, but he also couldn't give me a straight answer. Then I saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for a 2018 M6L with aftermarket grips and a Brompton T-bag for $1200. I jumped on it! If I wanted to, I could probably sell the T-bag for $150 on eBay bringing the price down to $1050 for an authentic Brompton.
If I had seen your video and knew that Litespeed was a decent clone, I would've probably bought one instead. The clones would be perfect for people who are going to do an 18" or 20" wheel upgrade, which forces you to get a new fork & triangle so you can fit disc brakes, since the cantilever brakes are sized for the 349 ISO wheel. If mine came damaged and they gave me $300 to fix the broken parts like yours, I don't see the harm. It just takes a little time and effort to make it run. I still might order a Litespeed and use my Brompton as a model to make the Litespeed as close to original as possible, then sell off the Brompton. It's more fun leave a $700 bike chained up while I'm in a pub than a $1200 one.
My Brompton is engineered well in that it doesn't creak when I ride it, it feels rigid, it shifts well, etc. But there's *a lot* of plastic on it for a bike that costs $1950 after tax in my local stores. The chain tensioner, the stem clip, the hook that holds the handlebar to the rear triangle, the shifters and so on are all plastic. If there wasn't such a high demand for them, I think the "true" retail price of a Brompton ought to be $100 USD for the M6R, maybe $1500 for the Titanium edition, and $2000 for electric. When people write in an tell you that you can make your money back when you re-sell it, as you said, what if you don't want to resell it? Or what if it gets stolen? And I think the price will come down in a few years anyway, so you won't make as much money back.
I'll subscribe to your channel to see how the Litespeed is treating you. Cheers
Thank you for sharing your experience.
When people don't agree with my points I don't take it personally. I actually love having open and honest discussions.
The tricky thing about bikes is that different people have different needs and different budgets, and you need to strike the right balance of budget/need/quality.
I'm looking forward to comparing my bike to a Brompton, especially in terms of quality and riding experience.
Lovely comments both of you! Yeah, I don't know why people need to be so negative & have hate on other people's post, if you don't have anything nice to or constructive to say, don't say it... it just goes to show the type of person you are. Ok, if you have a difference in opinion, then do it in a nice way.
Love your video, very helpful review, I just recently got the C-line 6 speed Brompton (yes it is expensive and I'm lucky to get it on a bike scheme and spread the payment over 12 months) and in the future, might even consider getting this Chinese version, I have no problems with that.
Glad to see that you did actually receive your bike. If s.b. wonders how such a clone can exist, check out the english wikipedia entry for Brompton. They had an agreement with a manufacturer in Asia in the late 90ies. And never were satisfied fully with the build quality. After the contract ended, tools were never returned back to Brompton. So chances are that the bike in the vid is based on the older models from back then.
In 2005 Brompton changed the frame size with their MK4 model. So modern Bromptons should be 5 cm longer in their frame and have a 3cm longer wheelbase.
On first sight there are quite some obvious differences in your bike with the real Bs, but I hope you have fun riding it, despite all the struggles you have gone through. And also I hope you stay safe, since the damage in the seatpost-area looked quite shocking.
Great video, interesting story.
Really helpful! Those bikes on the Chinese shopping sites show up on searches but I just assumed that there would be no service, and that customs would be a hassle/might not even allow the bikes into Europe or North America. It's better than I expected. If your bike could come through customs, I don't know why there isn't a distributor in Europe.
i built myself a full titanium one after i bought a litepro clone to check out the build quality to see if they had the frame right. its pretty decent for the price and good quality
I'm curious about his! I've noticed the titanium frame parts on Aliexpress. Did you buy the parts separately or buy a pre-built titanium bike? How much did it cost?
@@alexk1888 I got mine pre built from some guy in taiwan with chris king headset suncord carbon wheels cost £3000
Thank you
As an importer of many things from China I know that things take time! And I ended up buying the former top model: The original 2019 LigthweightH6LXBrompton instead of a similar Korean or Chinese model. The Brompton Patent has run out, but it is still kind of protected on the European market, so the Asian producers wouldn't sell a bike to me! But many special parts are sold as aftermarket, lightweight parts. And they do fit the Original bike also, mostly. Beware it seems that Brompton changes models and sizes of parts at intervals, so you just can't order a "chain tensioner", or brake parts and be sure it fits your bike.
But my much modified bike now weighs 9 kilo (mudguards) but with some ways of making it even lighter. The clamps on the mudguards are really "Heavy Metal" and may be changed into lighter, Asian parts, for less weight. I expect to be able to reach 8,5 kilo, as the original T-Line - with mudguards! Finn. Denmark
Nice Review!
Cheers. Thanks for the comment!
Value for money and affordable for the mass.
Your level of English is considerably better than a lot of native English speakers I've heard... especially on programmes like Love Island (which I don't watch I hasten to add!), but you get the drift, tabloid-level televisual "entertainment".
Crazy is leaving your bike anywhere where you can’t see it, for me.
I have three. Out of sight, out of mind.
NEVER leave your bike out of sight!
Good to know - I'm still tempted to get one from aliexpress and take a gamble it won't be messed up.
It worked even without replacing the parts (except the saddle). But you’re definitely not guaranteed a royal experience. I’m looking forward to comparing it to the real deal (an original Brommy).
Update: I ended up buying it and I think it's a decent bike, but I've never ridden a real Brompton to compare it to.
I have some buyers regret, but that's not to say it's a terrible bike - I more regret not just getting a secondhand Brom at a good deal instead.
Oh dang, the price on brompton's went up again. A couple hundred dollars this time here in the US since last fall
Thank you for sharing your experience with this purchase. I was tanted to buy a litepro too, but I live in Brazil, so, the bike would definatelly be delivered damaged like yours. Such a shame. The package for a product like that should be a wood frame, wrapped in cardboard and straps, like the used to pack motorbycicles. Can you talk about the seatpost inner tube? I guess in the Bromptons, has some finish to prevent from scrathing the seapost, considering it's a foldable bike, so it's a constant thing to put the seatpost in and out of the frame, so, by not having something to preventing the tube from scratching, will certainly create a play on the fit.
Well, I always wanted a Brompton, but here in Brazil, its the same price of an Yamaha NMax 160 scooter, which by the way, is a great scooter. Unfortunatelly, knowing that the Litepro is packed in a poor way, makes me givin up the idea of having one.
I'm on the market for a trifold too! They are indeed super difficult to get in Europe. I have my eyes set on a mint trifold, it has 9 gears and disc brakes! 550 euro for the bike, 300 for shipping, ouch!
Still thinking about that one haha
I'm lucky to live in Singapore where local bikes shops sell these for about USD$650. I got myself a Pikes Elements
I was interested in Bromptons for a long time but just couldn't afford/justify the price for one.
I have a litepro same as yours. The box was in the same battered condition but fortunately the bike was ok.
Now I'm waiting for an electric wheel conversion , it's somewhere in the East China sea. Fingers crossed 🤞.
please please share the kit!
@@TheUnknownNexus There's the Grin Tech in Canada, they sell good kits but there's shipping involved. There's a LOT of "good kits" out there that are the same quality or even better than the Brompton's official kit. But the bike will not turn into a super bike though.
Bromptons may be expensive, if you consider the built-in technology and some cheap-looking (plastic) parts. However, Brompton is the original. This means that you are not buying just any folding bike, but one that is developped and carefully improved over decades, one that is built in England with high labor costs, high working and build quality standards. One that is sturdy and long lasting. One that has a high resale value, should you ever want to sell it again.
Brompton, unlike some manufacturer of a cheap copy, has a good reputation to defend. They invest in their own tools and production facilities, in product development and warranty services. Imitators can save themselves all that.
In my opinion, it is not only the financial savings from which one (maybe) benefits that count, when buying a clone. It is also a question of ethics who you support with your money. Personally, not in my wildest dreams I would buy a copy of any product from any Chinese manufacturer. I always go for the original. I think the inventor deserves it.
I agree. Let these idiots make their own mistakes. I have bought and sold two…
I only wish you the very best but I’m afraid of quality issues in 6 months or one year of use. 800 hundred plus extras it is not enough difference to the genuine which is a solid rock with guarantee.
I'm planning on making some follow-up videos to see how it holds up.
great video, I am looking to do a brompton build with titanium from china. but also worried about quality issues
I'll give you a more in-depth video on the bike down the line. It's not a bad bike, but definitely not top quality.
OK, let's talk about the fact that Hungary charges 39% tax on that bike. The politicians there should wear masks with thefts like that.
Hey heroe, we are waiting for the second part.
I expect he hit a pothole, the frame collapsed, and he lost all his teeth, and is now too embarrassed to give an update.
Brompton
Vs
Brompnot : Litepro, 3sixty, Royale, Pikes, Aceoffix are trifold look alikes available in SE Asia.
litepro is the OEM factory of them .
it costs like 550USD here in singapore at a local bike shop. no hassle of shipping an warranty
Hello,Excellent video! I bought the same bike, all black with six speed in aliexpress, and i have similar problem. The box isnt correct to this bicicle. How can I contact you to help me with the problem?
what is the M bar on their website? Great video btw
Hi how’s the overall review of the bike? Wanted to buy but not much reviews in internet so really hoping can get honest review from you! 🥰
Singapore Royale also has Brompton clone for hslf the UK price
Thanks for posting the video.
Very helpful.
Could you tell any UK bike agent who sales the LitePro bike in the UK?
Thank you.
Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately I don't know any of them.
For a little more in the USA you can buy a Brompton A line. No some cheap Chinese clone. Current Price $1150 USD.
I ‘m very curious about the folding bolt, the clamps are weak aluminium types,and there is no metal or titanium copy, by a folding bike is that every day in use there becomes problems by folding and unfolding the bike and the aftersales seams not very well.
What model brompton is it cloning? An A-line is almost the same price brand new in the UK.
Any update on the replacement parts?
How fast this Litepro? What is your max speed and casual speed?
Did you ever get the parts? Still like it?
I don't need another bicycle but I need this one.
Please kindly tell me the online site name that you bought Litepro from China. Is it Aliexpress?
May i know the brand of your bottle holder thanns
How's the Litepro going? Did you get the free replacement parts yet? Also, how's the weight of the bike? A sales person from Litepro told me it's 16.5kg which I found to be much heavier than a Brompton. No wonder they don't mention the weight in their website.
the bike is 12kg
post an update pls
I feel bad for you about the bad packaging. That's why I will never order a bike directly from China (buying a bike online from local shops is mostly no problem).
It's like you pay over-price to the Brompton for its design and distinctive folding technique including high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Now, the copyright has been expired so any other companies can use it and produce the lookalike folding bike at a much cheaper price.
In Thailand, this brand is well-known as Backer Lite Pro and it's very cheap here. We can buy them from most local bike shops in town. Brompton's still best known for its top-notch. Chinese bike can't beat Brompton in every aspect.
Hello.. Thank you for introducing this product.. Do you think it is possible to take a trip on this bike..? And do you think that the rear basket can carry a bag weighing 10 kilos throughout the trip..? I saw some videos of the original Brompton Bike on the road and was able to.. Do you think this bike is the same quality and durability.. Thank you
yes ,i have one ,it is same as brompton quality
After 6 months, any rust or defect ?
Ouch, why send it in a box like that. It should be in like a wooden frame box or so. Imagine if you would have to pay the full price and import costs that would have been really bad. You should do a side by side comparison with the Brompton.
I'm planning on doing a Brompton comparison. In fact, one of the subscribes kindly offered to meet up to do it. A wooden box would be a bit of an overkill, but they should have done better.
How you bike now?
Thanks for sharing. That "litepro" on the frame is a sticker/decall or a painting?
It seems like a sticker, but it doesn't peel of very easily.
@@BikeCommuterHero Thanks. I m planning some type of operation for years. To build a custom bike with standard (or close as possible) bike parts and transmistion.
And how about flamingo bikes? They look like great clones
Where you brought,ya?
Where do I buy this?
It looks like the better Brompton clones are most of the price of the real thing with a less durable frame, so probably less good value than just buying a new low end Brompton
If the price of a litre pro bicycle is about a 1000 euro’s, is Mitch better to buy a Brompton B75, the after sales of lite Pro is on a very low level, lite pro promises a lot but give you nothing
Nice folding bike! Is it heavy or light weight?
it is 12kg .you can upgrate by yourself
The handling of international shipping is generally terrible at some point.
Brompton is on sale now and it is 20% off
It's hard to believe they would ship that bike like that! It's a shame to treat a bike like that.
what is the weight of this bike?
Approximately 13-14kg. I can't measure it now as it was presented in the video, as I've added an electric conversion kit to it.
Brompton actually went into partnership with a manufacturer in Asia to build Bromptons for that psrt of the world.
The manufacturer was provided by Brompton with all of the tooling, data, training and know how to build genuine Brompton bicycles.
However, when that partnership ended the Asian manufacturer retained all of that Brompton manufacturing equipment, which has been used to manufacture Brompton clones.
If your clone's parts are interchangeable with original Brompton parts it may well be that your bike was manufactured using the tooling that Brompton supplied or by copies of that tooling.
How strange that the manufacturer copies the bicycle but not the shipping box that protects it in transit, instead using a grade of cardboard box more suitable for shipping cornflakes!
Long term durability, reliability and quality are obviously of interest and only time will tell how that works out...
No point guessing!
Why did you buy clone when you can buy a real brand new Brompton for £850 from Brompton website
It's mostly to find it out what you can get, but also it's still almost half price if you get the 6 speed version with mudguards and a rack.
@@BikeCommuterHero the basic Brompton is far better and superior than the 6 speed clone bike. It was a bad choice however way you want to put it
OK :)
Thanks for demonstrating a bike that I could never recommend. It looks like utter trash. Even with refunds and replacement parts, you have still been robbed.
Blunt but interesting. It's acually a lot of fun to ride. Time will tell if I've been robbed, but I'll let you know after a few months of use.
A common mistake is to ignore cost of ownership. The resale value of that clone is probably close to zero in a couple of yours, so you’ve lost all your money, about USD800 down. But if you buy a Brompton at say $1500 you can probably sell it for $1200. Cost of ownership only $300. Even less if you buy 2nd hand.
True, but keep in mind that many people don't want to re-sell and if it gets stolen, you have more to lose.
Let's get real, the more these clones become easily available, the more people will realize how over priced Bromptons are. I've ridden one of these clones in Korea, and they are completely similar to my ML6 at more than half the cost. Not to mention it rolls so much better folded than stock Brompton, since it already comes with a rack and EZwheels.
Not true. There is a bottom cost trifold will not go under. Still a supply issue for brompton even now
@@2amRendezvous I've ridden a 3sixty for an 80km day and think it's fine. While the plastic clamps are probably not going to be as durable as Brompton's, the bike is significantly lighter to carry, which I like.
also the brompton parts are mostly proprietary so more expensive?
For me it isn't about the value of the bike, it's about the value of your life. What happens if it fails catastrophically on a fast downhill? Or when a car is passing? Sure, you can bend components back into shape but it's not a coat hanger, if it breaks you're in trouble.
Apart from the bent fender and the derailleur it seems to be pretty well constructed, thankfully.
Also bromptons have good resell value. Most people can resell their bikes and make back roughly what they paid for it so you aren’t losing out if you decide later on it’s not for you.
@@RenM908 Exactly. Buy one of these for $500 and find it's resale value is $50 after you've explained for the 500th time that, no, it's not a real Brompton, or you do you buy a real Brompton for $1500 and find you'll always be able to sell it for $1200 for decades into the future? I have a 1991 Brompton, and it is worth more than it originally sold for.
You haven't actually got it that cheap mate. I have a bought a couple of secondhand Bromptons each cheaper than what you paid for that. The atrocious packaging has also meant ongoing issues and to my eyes it looks as though the areas that will need regular tightening etc will not stand the test of time. A gear shifter that doesn't shift is not a gear shifter. You will probably have to buy genuine Brompton parts or good quality knock-offs to bring your bike upto a decent spec. Now that Brompton can be copied the Chinese think they have a market - they do but only for the unwary. Ironically both Hong Kong and China import genuine Bromptons as the buyers do not want copied crap but want the genuine article. The burgeoning middle-class drink Scottish Whisky and smoke Cuban Cigars not ersatz faux products. Buy nice not twice is the mantra for anything that you really want because you will always be hankering for the real deal. I have several Litepro products including EZ wheel extenders for all, I have 3, my Bromptons but I would never consider what you have bought but hey best of luck.....
$800euro for folding bike from China? That’s totally nonsense, Brompton A-line cost only around 950pound.
Sold out with no new stock date.
I'm happy with my British purchase I have to admit, Chinese parts never hold up to spec and you don't have any comeback with them either
I paid 500 for my Brompton new probably 15 years ago. Brompton are completely over priced… other bikes have remained similar priced. Bromptons have not.
Triple the price now compared to what I paid.. and it’s not justified… apart from the fashion and kudos a Brompton supposedly give you.
Once I compare this one to a real Brompton I'll be able to tell the difference. I know that they are expensive, but from what I hear, the bend over backwards for the customer, and that's a great thing. You don't have these quality issues with them, and if you think about it, this bike isn't exactly cheap either.
Yes, unfortunately people at the customs hate to work. Lazy as f.
Unfortunately buying such clones run a big risk to your mental health. I would not do it.
Yikes!
Another Chinese copy rip off. No one else can get away with it. If you can't afford a genuine one then I suppose you may have no choice.
包装太差劲了，就是在本地这包装也不合格，何况还要运输很远的路到国外。不知道商家怎么想的。很佩服UP主勇于跨洋过海购买我们中国的自行车，这需要胆量。
False economy - waste of money!?
Whether you find the following statement offensive or not doesn’t really matter to me but I DO hope your audience won’t find this statement offensive: you deserve this shiddy China made crap along with all the annoyances. There is a reason they copied the Brompton model - because it is worth the money! I didn’t even watch your whole upload because I DO find it offensive
Your reasoning is impeccable, your eloquence is second to none, and your good will shines forth like light in the darkness! Thank you for teaching us all something valuable today! You, kind sir, are a gentleman and a scholar!
@@BikeCommuterHero nice sarcasm! well done, patent is up, you can do whatever you want to do.