NBD

 New Brompton Day!  

    I'd been toying with the idea of upgrading my Brompton with a 6 speed model for quite a while.  I was in the Chicago dealer (JC Lind) a few months ago and mentioned that.  The owner, Jon, told me to do it in the following six months because Brompton is changing the drive train specs and the six speed would not be an option for long.

    After looking at the new options, I decided the 6 speed was what I wanted.   I kept an eye on their website and snatched up a bargain before it disappeared. 

It's the six speed model marked down $200 with $300  in accessories thrown in.  I would have liked a different color, but red and black is OK.  In fact it looks pretty sharp for the strange bucket of bolts that is Brompton. Any way it's January,  so the first business was replacing the tires with studs, then rust proofing the frame with Cavity Coater, change the grips and give it a once over with turtle wax.

 

The first ride was on the snow but I like it.  I took it with me to Chicago, 

a few days later and the extra range is a real pleasure.  The six ratios are reached by way of a 3speed IGH with two external cogs. So. It's a 3 speed hub with a high and low range. The range is selected with this curious derailer. 

  With the 6 speed the range is 33-100 gear inches compared to the 3 speed range of 47-85.

Although the gear selection isn't really needed in Chi-Town, I leaned to the lower range riding the heavy, slow studs in the heavier icy sludge on the streets.  

    It was a sunny winter Saturday in the Loop and people were out and about making use of the cold at the Millennium Park skating rink.  

    By the time I returned home from the city, it was a dark winter night for the ride home and the optional light I'd gotten for free proved itself.  Not only is the 500Lm light (made for Brompton by Cateye) penetrating on a totally dark icy street, Having it that low to the ground over the 16 inch wheels provided details that really enhanced the safety for the few miles home.

    A new bike in January is tough to deal with, it just looks at you like a puppy waiting to go for a walk, but it will be held to grocery-getting until I take the studs off.  "It'll only be a few weeks, I promise."