Brompton Electric

The Brompton Electric is a very good electric folding bike. While it’s my opinion that certain elements of the industrial design lack finesse, its extraordinary adaptability makes it suitable for all but the longest bicycle commutes.

Brompton hits a good compromise between storage functionality and city rideability at a price that makes it competitive among the folding e-bike market.

The Brompton C Line Electric folding bike is a great solution for short commutes in the city, especially for apartment dwellers or office workers. It’s small, fun to ride, offers a good battery range, and well-thought-out additional features.

All in all, the Brompton Electric is a pleasure to ride and the extra power means that, even on longer journeys, you won’t be working up much of a sweat if you don’t want to. But it isn’t perfect and I do have some issues.

If your circumstances dictate the need for a folding e-bike and you’re willing to pay a premium for quality, then the Brompton is a whole-hearted must-buy. However, its lackluster ride comfort and extortionate asking price shouldn’t be ignored.

The bike handles well, though it still suffered from a bit of wheelspin on steep ramps, but the overall feel is positive. There’s no overdoing torque so you always feel in control. The power delivery is good and the range impressive.

If you need the extra boost and don’t mind a lot of faff, then this is certainly a great and convenient bike. If you’re on the fence about needing electric assistance though, I would definitely recommend the analog version.

Overall, I liked the practicality of the Brompton Electric and its efficient motor.

It’s one of the most ingenious bikes I’ve ever seen. But it’s not very comfortable, and the motor is only so-so. It fits almost invisibly in the smallest room or car trunk. Tall people will not ride this clown bike.

They are a lot of fun and if you do commute and use public transport, this is an absolute godsend. It will get you around town much quicker than any other mode of transport.

Brompton makes a really high quality, well-built e-bike, but the price difference between that and other folding e-bikes with the same top speed and range is pretty significant. For me, the Brompton Electric would not replace my full-sized e-bike.

The portability of this thing, with the battery-in-a-bag design, is truly nice. My wife and I found the 250-watt motor to be plenty capable.

The person who I think this is for, is somebody who would benefit from a normal Brompton plus maybe someone who doesn’t have shower facilities at work, lives somewhere hilly, perhaps has a commute that’s a tad long.

A great advantage of the Electric is that you can get around town very quickly without a sweat. With the normal Brompton, on the other hand, you can get a good workout, you can carry a lot of stuff.

22 miles. I did everything that I needed to do this afternoon. I played tennis, I went to two supermarkets, went to home depot, came back home, went out again and I’m fresh and I didn’t have to recharge the batteries.

Do I like it? Yes, absolutely. I think it’s awesome. I would definitely buy it again, despite the few little idiosyncrasies. It’s a very good, very capable, very robust little bike.

Significantly easier than riding a normal bike with a massive hill. If you’ve got a whacking great big hill on your commute, that is the way to deal with it.

Same great folding mechanism. A bit heavier. More expensive. For short commutes, I prefer the classic. Electric is good for longer trips.

The Brompton Electric keeps the quintessence of the Brompton, while adding a good dose of electric assistance that impresses with the power available from such a compact motor. Brompton could turn what is a pretty impressive and relatively light folding e-bike into a great one.

On smooth paths the Electric is a lot of fun. It makes short work of bolting ahead to overtake slower riders. A lighter bike with a lower center of gravity just handles more adroitly, and that’s one major advantage to the Brompton.

Its 16-inch wheels give it great off-the-line and uphill acceleration, and the e-assist is smooth and gradual.

It may not be the fastest, smoothest, or longest-lasting e-bike I’ve reviewed, but it is without a doubt the one I have most enjoyed riding. If you can afford its hefty price tag, the Brompton Electric is an absolute joy.

The 250-watt motor in the front wheel made climbing the monster hills in San Francisco possible. This was an extreme test; real-world riding showed the Brompton to be a capable and enjoyable commuter. It’s definitely on the pricey side.

The mix of electric power and foldability is why this really does make this a game changer for your transport options.

Although the Brompton Electric C-Line is expensive, it is finely engineered and handcrafted and will last a very long time. It was quite remarkable how fast it went, and how quickly it got up to speed. Highly recommended.

The best folding e-bike we’ve tried, by a country mile – every urban home should have one.

“Is it as good as they say it is?”. Yes, if you can forgive the few seconds it takes for the battery to kick in. Brompton’s battery-powered nudge feels like a magic caffeine hit for cycling.

After a week with the Brompton, I didn’t really want to give it back. It’s a practical and fun alternative to a second car or those ridiculously expensive fares that Bath buses inflict on us. No, it’s not cheap.

The Brompton Electric feels retrofitted rather than innovative, and is hamstrung by the all too precious goal of making it identifiable as a Brompton. It needs to be lighter, but moreover it needs to be more balls-out powerful than this.