How to Choose Gears for your Brompton Folding Bike

News & Updates

Hi! I’m Tim from Practical Cycle in Sacramento. Are you confused about all the gearing options to customize your Brompton?

There are 4 different types of gears that you can choose for your Brompton folding bicycle.

First option is the single speed, just one gear. This is the simplest and lightest option, and it keeps the bike and the handlebar looking clean, simple, uncluttered. This gearing option is great for riding in the city or on flat terrain.

Second option you have is the 2-speed. This is just as simple as the single speed but it does add a shift lever on the left handlebar. It includes a high and low gear for those occasional hills. It’s low maintenance, low cost, and it’s almost as light as a Brompton with the single speed.

The third option is the 3-speed bike. It has a lever on the right handlebar that you can shift while sitting still. This is a great benefit when you’re sitting at a red light and need to start up quickly. The three gears are useful for regular riding, riding uphill, or when you want to go faster. It has a rear internal hub which adds a little weight to the bike. It is still low maintenance and is the most popular option for Brompton owners.

The fourth and last option to customize your Brompton folding bicycle is the 6-speed. You have the 3-speed shifters on the right that you can shift at anytime, and additionally you have the 2-speed shifters on the left that you shift only while pedaling. This adds more weight and more complexity to the bike but it adds the most variety of speeds and gearing for all sorts of hills and terrain. Six gears are also perfect to go touring on the bike or for longer distances.

By the way, we can modify all of these Brompton gear packages with a different size front chamber. We can make it easier to pedal uphill or if you want to go faster, we can modify it for that too.

We hope that helps clear up the confusion regarding gearing options. If you want more info, try our Brompton Builder to craft your very own custom Brompton.

If you have any questions, gives us a call at 1-877-448-1110 or email us at [email protected] and we’d love to help.

Thanks so much for watching!

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