The Brompton G Line arrived yesterday evening, resplendent in matt adventure orange and black. The G Line, henceforth known as Mr G, might be considered the big brother of the standard folding Brompton, larger 20″ wheels and chunky tyres, larger in size overall, with hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, an 8-speed Shimano Alfine hub gear, flat handlebars and feels and handles much like an ordinary bike, yet still folds up into a compact package as you would expect from a Brompton, though slightly larger and a few kg’s heavier. It also comes with a front carrier block, rear roller rack, mudguards and Ergon-stye handlebar grips. And standing next to the C Line, Mr G is simply enormous!
The stock G Line is generally perfect straight out of the bike, not forgetting a quick check that everything is working okay, all bolts are tight and so on and installing a few easy to fit parts like the saddle, quick release pedal and adjusting the seat post height with the saddle height insert which fixes your perfect saddle height each time you fully extend the seat post. However, there are one or two personal modifications I want to make right at the start. The first one is the tyres.
I’m not very keen on the stock Schwalbe G-One All Round 54-406 tyres. The main reason is while they might offer better grip off-road, which is not something I generally find myself in need off, they do not offer a good puncture protection or low rolling resistance and I really dislike tan wall tyres. Just looks daft and most definitely not for me. These will be replaced with the same tyres I use on my Ribble CGR SL and my Brompton C Line single speed, Schwalbe Marathon Plus 47-406 tyres which have better puncture protection and are faster running. In addition, I’ve added OKO sealant into the inner tubes for additional puncture protection.
As far as accessories go, a small bell was installed on the right-hand side of the handlebar, along with an Intralock mobile phone mount, same as all my other bikes and kick scooter. The G Line comes with a front carrier block which means I can use the same front bag I use on all my Brompton bikes. Same with my usual lights, both daytime running lights and night-time lights, all fit just fine.
For emergencies and any required routine maintenance in the field, I also carry a small pump (inside an old sock to stop rattles), tyre repair kit and the Brompton tool kit, though it does not fit into the frame tube like my C Line and is stored inside the front bag (also inside an old sock to stop rattles). A spare inner tube is also carried and two Velcro straps are fitted to the rear rack for additional luggage capacity. Did notice one potential issue where the rear brake/gears cables might rub on the chaining but easily resolved with a single cable tie.
So, why did I purchase the Brompton G Line? Well, that’s a good question. I was actually about to purchase a Trek Farley 9.6 fat bike but on further consideration and having been riding my Brompton single speed more than any other bike, and I must say I find the Brompton the most comfortable of them all, it seemed that another (different) Brompton was the way to go. And I know from experience of riding my previous fat bike, a Surly Pugsley, that back ache always seems to follow. I did consider an e-bike but that can wait until I really need one.
The G Line seems to be the perfect bike for my requirements. I play a game called Turf, where you visit various locations called zones and collect points. These zones can be anywhere, from urban streets to canal tow paths, coastal trails to remote mountain tops, covering just about every type of terrain you can imagine. I have a feeling that the G Line will simple be perfect, at least most of the time, nothing is perfect for everything. My short test ride this evening suggests that is the case and the ability to fold into a relatively compact package means easy to carry in the car or on public transport. More again in due course.
Copyright ©2025 Gary Buckham. All rights reserved.
