My sweet wife hooked me up with an incredible birthday present from Calhoun Cycle. Any bike-related gift is more than welcome, but the Brompton Toolkit is just plain awesome. Although I have been fortunate in the past 2+ years of riding my Brompton, on-the-road repairs could be quite the undertaking without a proper toolkit. Alas, here it is:
Here is the beautiful toolkit, ready to insert into the Brompton frame.
The toolkit is made of an outer sleeve and the tool carriage.
With the bike folded, the tool goes inside the front section of the main tube, between the front joint and the head tube.
The tool fits right in.
The toolkit fully inserted. The 15mm box wrench serves as the handle to insert/remove the toolkit.
Mostly unfolded.
Fully unfolded.
When fully inserted, the toolkit stays in place by virtue of a rubber endpiece, and feels secure. I am curious to see how well the tool stays inserted as I walk around with the bike folded. I may be tempted to remove the tool if I am worried about the tool dropping out of the frame. Time will tell. Until then, happy folding!
I have been absent from my writings in this space for waaaaaayyy too long. I have found that I generate content more easily via Instagram and the obligatory FB. However, I am lacking the therapeutic nature of compiling my cycling-related thoughts and projects in written form.
I have been a Brompton owner since mid-2010, and I have ridden the bike at every opportunity. My commute along the lakeshore path in Madison, WI while I studied my MBA, grocery runs, running the kids to/from school, and, more recently, my daily commute to work in Minneapolis are a few of my Brompton-based activities. Not to mention my racing accolades (insert jest). On most of my adventures, a friendly duck canvas enclosure parts the wind for the Brompton and its humble rider to pass through. I am, of course, speaking of the Carradice City Folder M bag, made specifically for M-type Bromptons.
Overall, I have been pleased with the bag's ability to carry a respectable quantity of gear, including a laptop in the suspended laptop sleeve. By suspended, I mean the sleeve holds the laptop off the bottom of the bag, so when the 16-1 3/8" wheels navigate potholes the impact to the laptop is reduced. I typically carry my Hulk lunchbox, Shower's Pass rain jacket, Rainlegs, and a few tools with room to spare. I'll take a minute to show you around the bag and to highlight some of the issues I've had.
Green Duck Canvas (cotton). The main straps are opened with plastic buckles semi-hidden behind traditional buckles to adjust length. Carry handle on top and shoulder strap.
The front of the bag has an open pocket directly behind the zippered pocket you see in front.
The back of the bag, as you can see, is designed very nicely around the Brompton bag frame. The rear pockets here fasten with the traditional buckles, making access cumbersome. I usually put a water bottle, keys, a camera, a rag, or other smaller necessities. I would prefer turnbuckle clasps like these from Acorn.
Reflective logo diamond on each side.
Once the top flap is open, the drawstring allows for various volumes of cargo. I have even used a nylon buckle strap on the wood dowel to hang a handled object, say, a lunchbox. The dowel us the support for the carry handle (more on this later).
The drawstring loosened.
The suspended laptop sleeve with what are supposed to be cable/accessory pouches. I have found them much to small to be of use to carry a charger.
The carry handle attaches to the wood dowel with a small screw, and is reinforced by stitching to the canvas (or vice versa?) Both the screw and stitching have failed, and have led me to rarely use this carry handle.
The front-facing reflective logo lost its adhesion some time ago. You can see the strange quality of the leather and stitching on the logo backing. Lackluster details for a $200+ bag, in my opinion.
More detail on the leather and stitching.
These were the stripped out holes from the carry handle screw. I had to rotate the dowel and reinsert the screws.
One of the shoulder strap rivets pulled through as well.
Since the top-flap carry handle is less sturdy than I would like, I often find myself using the Brompton frame to carry the bag. I also hang my helmet through this loop when I carry the bike into work and throw the bag over my shoulder. However, the corrugated plastic structure inside the bag prevent any practical use of this handle. I had to devise a solution.
I enjoy the bag, in spite of its shortcomings. Mostly because it is designed specifically for my Brompton, and also because it carries a decent quantity of cargo. Do I recommend it? Perhaps study the shortfalls I've highlighted and make the judgment yourself and contact Calhoun Cycle, Wallingford Bike, Peter White, or perhaps Carradice directly. Happy trails!
Whilst under the employ a few years ago of a bicycle shop in Utah, I was introduced to a peculiar bicycle that folded neatly into an elegant pretzel of frame, wheels, and handlebar. This bicycle is, of course, the Brompton. The customizable nature of the bicycle, along with its design and the culture surrounding the contraption are quite infectious. I was determined to own one (or two). As I was slated to depart said bicycle shop and embark on a graduate school adventure in the Midwest, I fully justified my way to purchasing what is called the M6L-X, or upright handlebar, 6-speed, fendered bike with titanium upgrades. I also opted for the [Schmidt dynohub and B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo R Senso Plus front /Spanninga rear] lighting system and the Brooks B-17 Special saddle. The only other changes I made were to install Brooks leather handlebar grips (which had to be shortened) and a Madonna del Ghisallo head badge.
Brief history complete. Moving on.
Minneapolis Bound
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin MBA program mid-May, moved to Minneapolis on June 1st, and saw that Calhoun Cycle would be hosting this year's US Brompton Championship on June 10th. I signed up post-haste. I moved to the right city (for many reasons).
The morning of the event arrived, and the temperature was a pleasant low-80's F (27+ C), comfortable if one were wearing lycra. Turns out this peculiar race of peculiar bicycles boasts a peculiar dress code. One must don a suit jacket, button and collar shirt, a tie of some sort, a helmet, and no visible lycra. What I describe is a formula for uncomfortable and copious levels of perspiration that began with the leisurely ride from my house to the event and ended several hours later. Alas, the race was set to begin.
After a brief rundown of the regulations by a UCI representative for the ensuing race, we staged our bicycles in folded form on the tarmac, and positioned ourselves in the distance in preparation for a Le Mans format start (run to the bike, unfold, and take off). Here are some pictures of the setup.
Prerace inspection of the racing machine. Yes, that's my 3-piece tweed suit.
Anxiously receiving instructions with fellow Brommie aficionado Chris Eidem.
Get a load of those legs...er socks.
The bikes are folded and staged.
That there is my bike.
And we run!
Such elegance and fine form.
The hunched over position as we unfold before pedaling our guts out.
And a video summary of the race start
I got out of the gate pretty quickly, and started pedaling out front for the first couple laps.
Pedro & Wallace worked to erase the gap, and we drafted back and forth until the final 1/2 lap.
On my tail
Wallace, Pedro, me.
As we made the final turn on 31st & Lyndale and headed back south, Wallace pulled away, Pedro finished 2nd, and I suffered across the line in 3rd.
Suffer face.
The podium.
Official race results here (forgive the surname typo).
After the race, we participated in a folding competition. Alas, I came out victorious.
My 1st-round folding competition bracket. The winner of each of the 5 brackets advanced to a final round.
Union Jack was a quick folder. My handlebar popped out, almost costing me a pair of Schwalbe Kojaks!
My original goal was to be in the running for best-dressed, which I was fortunate enough to win. I paid for it, though, during the race. That suit may look nice, but it's quite steamy in a race setting. I was afforded a custom shirt from local clothier Top Shelf. Looking forward to feeling pampered.
Here are some shots of the spoils:
The tweed, bow tie, and shirt w/ links.
Jersey and Schwalbe Kojak Brompton tires.
Podium badge.
Thank you to the team at Calhoun Cycle, who put together a great event to kick off the Minneapolis Open Streets event. The camaraderie fostered at the race was fantastic, and continued on through the day as much of Lyndale Avenue was open for bikes & pedestrians. Big thanks also to Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak who supported this event and the Open Streets festivities, and to John Meegan at Top Shelf. Many others contributed, and I apologize for not properly recognizing all involved! I look forward to following the stories of our US race winners as they compete at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England this August.
I was out for lunch with my brother (who was in town for graduation) and a classmate of mine at State Street Brats in Madison, WI when I saw something intriguing on the menu: a "Man vs. Food" challenge.
Optimistic me before the challenge:
The State Street Brats Man vs. Food challenge consists of the following:
2 lbs of hamburger covered in cheese
4 brats (2 red, 2 white)
1/2 lbs fried cheese curds
Huge sourdough bun (very dense)
32oz soda
30 minute hourglass timer
Here's what it all looks like on the bun:
Making progress:
Getting the "meat sweats" by now:
At long last, the timer ran out, with some scraps and most of the bun left:
After about a week, I still haven't pedaled off this terrible decision. Perhaps post-200k I could handle this, but probably still wouldn't try. I felt terrible!
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