My Brompton Story?

My sister lives in Belgium in a lovely little village about 45 minutes by train from Brussels. She has lived outside the US for almost 30 years and, thus, has a very different perspective about public transportation and bicycling... and food... and beer. She speaks French, Dutch, and German, as well as English, like a true Belgian.

I visited her and my nephew last January for two weeks. During that time I visited Brussels, Leuven, Louvain le Neuve, Antwerp, and London. I used public transportation nearly exclusively (except for the time I missed the train in Brussels and so missed the last train to the village). I was astounded at the number of bicyclists riding in the cool, rainy Belgian winter weather. And even more astounded at the thousands of bicycles I saw parked in and near the train stations. One of the reasons I have a Brompton, well, two Bromptons, is watching the cool Brompton owners rolling their folded bikes along the train platforms and then standing waiting the 5 minutes for the next train. I road shank's pony. Everyone else road a very cool bike.

When I returned to the US, I had been encouraged to ride more, and I did. And the old Trek 700 Singletrack I had bought at a consignment shop for $16.00, converted to a commuter bike, and didn't really maintain, just was no longer up to the task. Broke some spokes, gear shift levels would no longer adjust, rust!, bottom bracket was grinding, front derailleur needed replacing... I decided it was time for a new bicycle. I lusted after the Breezer Uptown 8 with the Nexus 8 speed rear hub, but remembered those lovely little Bromptons. It's all about the fold!

In the US things are just father apart than in Europe. My sister can hit the commuter train with a rock from her front steps. I have a 5.25 mile ride to the train station. Trains run every 30 minutes all day past her house. There are four trains each day along the east-west corridor between Buffalo and Albany, and no trains run north-south in this part of the state. There's not even buses that run north-south in this part of the state... wait, that's not true... there's one bus a day. You can't get to the Syracuse Airport on public transportation except by taxi. I know, because I made a point of using public transportation to get from my home to the airport, and I walked the last 2 miles on very busy roads with no sidewalks. In my part of the US there is no problem with public transportation having too many people try to use it. It just doesn't go where I want to go most of the time. Yet, I can use public transportation to connect the distant places I want to get to if I can fill in the large gaps at the beginning and the end. I'm not talking about a 2-4 km ride like I hear people discuss in the forums and blogs. I need to fill in 10 to 15 km or more. And the Brompton works like a charm.

And I can fit two plus luggage in the boot of my car, providing for a great opportunity to ride someplace new like Long Beach Island. Many of my friends and relatives have thought I was a little crazy for spending so much on these little bicycles. I have been nothing but pleased!