Review: Brompton Puncture Pouch & Multi-tool - 16inch wheel version

While surfing looking for new things to get for The Brompton BumbleBee SE.

As any half decent cycle rider would always have a puncture repair kit with them at all times I thought I’d give new to me Brompton Puncture Pouch & Multi tool repair kit a try.

Review: EBUYFIRE ultra Bright Smart Bike Tail Light

• The Legend & N+1 needed some backup rear lights and I opted for this little find on Amazon.
  
  
  

Review: Garmin Edge 540

So after destroying my Wahoo Elmnt with my little tumble I thought it was time for an upgrade. I didn’t need anything to extreme as I’m not using all of the functions that high end cycling computers offered that I’ve had in the past.  After alittle research I was looking at getting the Beeline cycling computer but it was out of stock on Amazon for a good while. I did have a BeeLine a couple of years ago and thought about it again but in the end I went back to Garmin. So present for myself  (also The legends 15th birthday to day) was to get the  Garmin Edge 540

My first proper ride with it will be to the registration for the Brompton World Championships this coming weekend. Has a lot of features that i have to mess about with to get it just right but I’m enjoying it.

Edit: After the Brompton World Championships 2024 I have decided to return the Garmin Edge 540 & get the updated Wahoo Roam v2 (have to wait as AmazonUK don't have it in stock at time of writing Reason is cause it keeps crashing and freezing no matter what I do and to do navigation is a nightmare. 

it may take awhile cause amazon are out of stock unless I order from USA and pay taxes. Hell no I'll wait and just use my strava on my iPhone.

till the next ride, bee safe.....

My wahoo is dead :(

So today while I was commuting home on N+1 (Brompton C Line BumbleBee) and we had our first little accident.

We was riding home from a hard days work and it had briefly rained about 10 mins before hand and the roads where a little wet. I go though a park as a short cut and currently there are big works going on there and the cycle lane has been diverted across some grass using hard plastic sheets so it won't get to muddy. For the moment I don't have a proper GPS mount on the new bike so had it in my pocket to keep my miles logged for Strava etc. Well I went across the wet plastic boards and the front wheel stepped out and we went over. Lucky  I was going pretty slowly and banged my knee a little but nothing major. Well when I got home I took my Wahoo Elemnt out of my pocket and saw this. 

Oh well could have been much worst as in the same pocket I had my iPhone which is unhurt.

I guess I'm in the market for a new cycling GPS unit. I my go back to Garmin as I didn't really like the Wahoo Elemnt as I had to plan routes though my phone and not directly on the GPS unit itself 

Any recommendations for a nice cycling GPS? Been seeing a few adverts for the BeeLine Velo 2 which I did have a couple of years ago for a short time. 

till the next ride, bee safe.....

Review: Wireless Bluetooth Speed & Cadence sensor by POSMA

So my cadence and speed sensor died a good few months ago on the legend  and seeing recently I gave him a really good Spa Day at Brompton Junction London I thought I'd get him fully loaded again.

I use a cycling GPS (Wahoo Elemnt, which I may change to back to Garmin in near future) which can connect other sensors for heart rate, speed, cadence and others for more data gathering to help with your training and logging mileage.

Because of the Brompton design with the foldable rear frame you can't just buy any cadence and speed sensors. Most of the current designs are either 2 separate devices or a small all in one device but because of the design of the folding rear frame those all in one small devices won't work.You can also get sensors that attach to the wheel hub but I've never used or trust that design personally. 

I found the (PowerTap ANT+ Dual Speed Cadence Sensor) a the design could be used on the Brompton.  After +3yrs of used attached to the legend i had to change the battery but i found that the battery cover wouldnt lock anymore due to the plastic degrading. This particular sensor appears to be now discontinued. So went looking and found the POSMA Bike sensor which was very similar design to the PowerTap.

Attaching the sensor was just as easy with the original sensor. I actually attached it the wrong way round as the original sensor the larger box sensor was actually the speed sensor and the small part monitored the cadence.  So flipped it around and paired up within seconds to my Wahoo Elemnt via ANT or Bluetooth. 

Speed Sensor

Cadence Sensor

Fully mounted with zip ties

Please note you wont get speed data using this sensor when using Strava as Strava get speed data via GPS

Amazon Link POSMA BCB30 Bluetooth 4.0 & ANT Smart Wireless Waterproof Fitness Tracker Bike Speed and Cadence Sensor

For £40 UK Pounds you can't go wrong with this. Other designs I've seen are lot more cost and the design where they attach to the hub are alot more expensive & bulky.

till the next ride, bee safe.....

Water Bottle solution by Monkii

After the Rapha Nocturne 2017 event last weekend I was contacted by http://www.cyclemiles.co.uk/ who have been a fan of the legend for awhile.

They asked if I would do a review on their Monkii Clip and Monkii V Cage.

Monkii V Cages

From what I can tell it looks like the Monkii Clip has had a design update.

The clip itself is pretty simple design and even simpler to attach to the handle bar stem of your Brompton.

Monkii Clip

The clip has rubber pads to protect the paint work of the stem and allen key bolts to tighten so its very secure once installed. I would still put some tape protection on the stem anyway as you can never have too much protection on the paint work for the legend.

Now the actual cage itself that can hold different sizes of bottles cause of the velcro and rubber grip. When the bottle is in its pretty hard for it to fall out, so pretty damn secure.

Monkii Cage

Monkii Cage

I got to say I'm liking this Monkii system for holding the water bottle, its solid and I have yet to hear of the bottle popping out as I know a few of my cycling buddies also have this system.

monkii clip B – Brompton – For monkii cage, monkii mono, or monkii V wedge £17.95

monkii V cage bicycle bottle cage (Black, Bright Pink, White, Purple) £17.95

monkii cage bicycle bottle cage (Orange, Black, Pink, Pea Green, White) £17.95

Thanks to http://www.cyclemiles.co.uk/ for sending me the Monkii system for me to review, I also hear that they are very big fans of the legend. Well who isn't? :D


till the next ride, bee safe.....

Review: The "Bee" Travel Bag

Well many of you know how much the Legend & I love black and yellow.

An idea came to me one day when I saw people commenting that to travel on the EuroStar as you have to carry your Brompton in a travel bag of some kind due to the rules. Well I could easily get a IKEA bag which is the perfect size or an official Brompton Travel Bag but you know the legend, he always wants to be understated. *shakes head*

So I asked the very good and talented friend Valeria Lopes (Valeria's Bike Accessories) to see what we could come up with for the Legend.

What can I say Valeria came up with this....

Yeah your eyes are not playing tricks on you but yes a black and yellow striped travel bag for BBB.

As always the build quality is second to none and its made from the same tough wearing material with the other black and yellow items she has made for us. This also had a nice inner lining and very well stitched zip and handles.

Strong Zip goes 3/4 of the way round

Long handles for easy over the shoulder carrying

In we go

I wasn't sure on just looking if BBB would fit as he has clipless pedals and cow horn handle bars which make his profile a little wider than a normal Brompton but I didn't need to worry as BBB fit in just right and zipped up perfectly.

Snug as a bug

All packed & ready to go

The tough material made carrying BBB over my shoulder really easy. Even my clipless pedals or cow horn handlebars didn't poke me in the back and with the long shoulder straps made it probably the easiest and nicest way to  carry BBB.

The mark of quality & that personal touch.

I'm VERY pleased with how this came out and forever grateful to Valeria's Bike Accessories for turning an idea into reality.

So then folks if you're thinking of something for your Brompton that's a little special or an idea that's popped into your head but don't have skills to make it a reality I can't recommend Valeria's Bike Accessories enough to help you do just that.

Now I seriously can't wait to go travelling with the Legend to show of his custom travel bag. >:D


till the next ride, bee safe.....

Review: Vincita’s B203B "Office Bag City"

Another Brompton Bag Vincita sent me for review was the B203B Office Bag City for the Brompton.

Vincita’s B203B "Office Bag City"

Features

• Padded compartment for laptop
• Organizer compartment
• Two large safety reflective spots on both sides
• Removable shoulder strap
• Quick release mounting
• Raincover include

Dimension

• Width 36 cm
• Depth 14 cm
• Height 33 cm
• Volume 16 L
• Weight 2.1 kg

Pretty tough wearing material in person and feels it could handle just about anything thrown at it.

Removable shoulder strap

Big chunky shoulder strap so it can be  carried over your shoulder without any problems at all & is pretty comfy even with a load.

I do like the way the mounting plate can be covered with same material and the velcro sticks pretty well in place once in place. When not in use it hides away inside the zip compartment just above it.

Metal mounting plate

Mounting plate covered

Not the only way to be carried with this handy handle.

On the inside there are lots of little compartments to store all your office type items as well as a laptop.

My 15" Wide screen laptop doesn't fit inside the designed laptop compartment of the bag unfortunately. Maybe a non widescreen version would fit though. So bare that in mind if your needing to carry a widescreen laptop.

Wide screen laptop too wide

But does fit inside the main compartment though.

Wide screen laptop will fit in main compartment

Real World Testing:

Used the "Office Bag" at the Brompton World Championships 2015 back in August which managed to carry all my cameras, water-bottle & my now infamous black and yellow jacket.

Vincita B203B @ BWC2015

One thing I did find when the bag was heavy is that it touched the top of my SON Edelux II LED. Same problem I had with the Vincita Mini Front Bag I reviewed earlier in this blog.

Mounting plate

Overall its a good bag, well constructed & an alternative to the Brompton O Bag. Price is much less than an O Bag too which could be an issue with some. Plenty of space for your paperwork as well your laptop so long its not a widescreen.

Can order  from  South Downs Distribution for UK/European Distribution

Direct link: Vincita B203B Office Bag City for £139.99  (at time of posting)

till the next ride, bee safe.....

Review: Sigma Brake Stop Light

I heard about this brake light though the London Brompton Club and thought I’d give it a go.

The tiny efficient BRAKELIGHT is suitable for all mechanical cable operated brakes. The product is equipped with a Good visible Red LED and is operated by the brake lever on the handlebar.Mounting of the BRAKELIGHT is done by an Hex screw clamping onto the inner cable of the rear brake.Fitment is possible to almost all cable operated brakes. 

The Sigma Brakelight illuminates when the bike's brake calipers close together, alerting anyone nearby that your bike is about to brake.

Unlike my rear dynamo light that only lights up when the front wheel slows down. This could be a good thing especially if you have other riders behind you and want to give them a little more warning that you are slowing down and the rear dynamo may not register the braking til its too late.

Sigma Brake Stop Light

It’s actually quiet small.

The light is water-resistant and is attached using an Allen key to the rear brake cable between the two brake calipers. It is compatible with any cable-activated mechanical rear brake. When the calipers are squeezed together while braking, the device acts like a switch completing a circuit which turns on the LED.

The Brompton brake calipers are a different design to most other bicycle brake systems as the cable doesn't enter from the top of the caliper but from the bottom. So to fit on a Brompton you have to install the Sigma Brakelight upside down to the instructions given.
I am unsure if the water resistance accounts for this so I may put some tape over what is now the top of the light to ensure water doesn't get in and causes a short circuit.

Installed and ready for action

Here is a short video of the brake light in action.

Link here: E Bikes Direct on eBay
Also comes in green, blue & black (£9.99) with 1 X CR2032 battery.

til the next ride, bee safe…..

Review: B017B Mini Front Bag for Brompton from Vincita

Vincita send me some of their bags to review for the Brompton.

First up is the B017B Mini Front Bag for the Brompton

Vincita B017B "Mini Front Bag"

"A stylish and fun bag designed especially for the Brompton. The main compartment is an ideal size for you to get around town. It comes with a concealable bracket (for Brompton front carrier block) and a removable shoulder strap for using when off bike. Rain cover is also included.
Available in 5 colours, red with white polka dot, black&white check, black spring, red spring and chocolate spring."

Dimensions

• Width 280 mm 

• Height 250 mm 

• Depth 125 mm

• Volume 8 L

This small front bag is good for short day rides where you won't be needing alot of items to carry. I could get my spare set of cycling glasses, charger pack, a few energy bars, wallet, keys etc.

It clips in with ease into the Brompton front block just like any other Brompton specific bag.
This bag isn't fully waterproof on its own but it comes with its waterproof/showerproof cover. I personally don't think this cover would be up to the job of a heavy down pour but should be enough for light showers. Also comes with a easy removable shoulder strap.

Waterproof/showerproof cover

There is a small inside pocket to put keys, money or credit cards with a nice zip to keep everything together.

Inner pocket

It also has a small outside pocket with a zip

Outer pocket

The mounting bracket on this front bag is made out of metal which means its not as bulky as the plastic ones on the Mini O Bag.

Luckily Vincita have thought about this & built in cover for the mount with this cool little flap which tucks into its own pocket.

Flap designed to cover metal mounting plate

This is useful for when you use the shoulder strap so you don't hurt yourself with the metal edges, even though they are not sharp they could still do some damage.

Mounting plated covered

The biggest differences I found when comparing to the Brompton "Mini O" Bag is that this opens at the front not like the Mini O Bag that opens from the rear. I found this a little tricky at first but didn't take long to get used to it and its snap buckle.

Felt smaller to me than the Brompton Mini  O bag but it could be the dimensions are slightly different.
Vincita B017B Dimension - 280w x 250h x 125d (weights in at 958grams)
Brompton Mini O Bag Dimensions – 280w x 270h x 180d (weights 776grams)

Took me awhile to get used to it opening this way, I've had my Mini O Bag so long it seems second nature for it to open towards me.

Real World Test:

Mounted when B folded

On a recent ride it seemed to cope quiet well. Only problem I found was that the bottom of the bag would rest on top of my SON Edelux II LED Headlight and actually turn the switch. I could adjust my headlight so it doesn't rest on the light or bend the metal mounting plate of the bag but something to look out for. So if you have a headlight mounted under the Brompton block do check to make sure the bag is not going to rub on it which would make steering difficult.

Resting on the SON Edelux II LED Headlight 

Where the headlight rubbed :(

Overall it's a decent front bag for your Brompton. Not fully waterproof like Brompton's Mini O Bag & comes in different colors and patterns.

Can order  from  South Downs Distribution for UK/European Distribution

Direct link: Vincita B017B Mini Front Bag for the Brompton for £100 (at time of posting)

till the next ride, bee safe.....