Happy Fifth Birthday

I can’t believe it. I have been cycling on my Brompton for five years! Here are my favourite posts from when I was just starting out. The one thing that has changed is the weather as when I got the Brompton in 2008 it was mostly a warm and dry early Spring.

The first day
The first time in the West End.
Feeling sore all over. 
Bike lessons.
First messenger bag. 
Shopping by bike.
Brompton basket.
Passing the cycling proficiency test.

The Brompton has held up very well.  There are now some small chips in the paint work on the forks but given the run of bad weather (snow, rain, road grit for frost) and the little attention I give the bike it not surprising.  Despite the small wheels it can take small potholes which again were unavoidable in London due to the endless road works we have had over the past five years.  I have only had to replace the old style foam seat which split after a year.  Not fit for purpose in my view and the new one is much much better.  And I got rid of the original dynamo lights which were temperamental and wore out the rear tyre.  I hear that the new lights are better but for me not really worth the extra cost.  Best of all in five years I have only had one flat tyre to deal with. 

It was a big expense at the time but truly worth it.