Brompton G Line E-Bike Review: Fun galore

I just had Fun to ride on a Brompton. Real, smile-inducing, adrenaline-filled fun on a folding bike. I’ve ridden many Bromptons and found them to be feats of ingenious, portable engineering for everyday commuting, but never particularly fun. But here I am, hurtling down muddy forest paths, climbing hills and bouncing over tree roots… on a Brompton.

My smile comes from the new Brompton Electric G Line, the most radical redesign in the brand’s 50-year history. It’s still unmistakably a Brompton; it still folds down to a third of its size, can be carried (barely) and pushed through train and tube stations with ease. But instead of the usual weight-saving, tarmac-friendly 16-inch tyres, the G Line has 20-inch Schwalbe G-One tan-wall tyres. To all intents and purposes, it’s a big-wheeled, folding all-terrain gravel bike.

The handlebars are wide, like a regular hybrid bike, and it has disc brakes (a first for a Brompton) and either a 4- or 8-speed Shimano gear system. It’s available in electric and non-electric models, in Forest Green, Adventure Orange and Traildust White, with or without racks and mudguards. There’s also a choice of small, medium and large sizes. With the standard Brompton you can choose the style and height of the handlebars, and adjust the seat height accordingly, but with the G Line, the ergonomics are adjusted to offer a better balance depending on your height. Just like a regular bike.

Soft operator

I’ve been riding the Electric G Line for two weeks now and it doesn’t handle like a Brompton. The wobbly steering is gone, as is the bone-shaking ride on any surface other than smooth tarmac. London streets are not forgiving, but the G Line soaks up every bump with ease.

This is further enhanced by the 250 watt rear hub motor (25km/h limit), which pushes hard when needed and takes any strain off flat terrain. According to Brompton, the new motor was put through its paces in a 24/7 durability rig, with over 20 motors covering a combined mileage of over 1,000,000 kilometres (62,137 miles).

I didn’t manage to hit those figures, but in real-world conditions the motor kicks in smoothly and helps you coast along with minimal effort. There are three levels of electric assistance, each of which affects the bike’s range, but for me the mid-power option offers all the help I need and makes riding fun, both on and off-road.

The redesigned battery pack attaches neatly to the front mount and offers 345kWh of power and a range of 30 to 60 kilometres. It’s easily removable and takes about four hours to fully charge. There’s also an app, and while it wasn’t ready for my pre-launch test, it will include over-the-air updates, power mode controls, distance tracking and battery life information.

On the Electric G Line, a nine-watt front light and one-watt rear light do a good job of illuminating the road or trail ahead. There are mounting points on the elongated front end and forks for bottle cages and backpacks, while the rear rack has ample room for more luggage. There are also a variety of luggage options, including generous bags with built-in battery storage. It will be interesting to see if this bike can carry enough for a weekend of riding or touring.

Heavy lifting

Until now, Brompton has been making city bikes. It has sold over a million units since 1975, and the combination of tiny wheels and an unrivalled folding mechanism makes them unbeatable for everyday commuting. They also fold down into a size small enough to take with you wherever you go. And you need to, because a chained Brompton in London won’t stay chained up for long.

But the G Line isn’t designed for commuters – it’s designed for the trails, and while off-road handling is assured, well-balanced, comfortable and offers a great deal of fun, the bike is heavier as a result. A small-frame, eight-speed, non-electric Brompton G Line weighs 13.9 kilograms, which is three kilograms more than a standard model (11 kilograms). The standard electric model weighs 16.6 kilograms, and the design I’ve been testing weighs 19.5 kilograms, including the battery.

That means carrying it for any length of time can lead to hernias, and it makes the Electric G Line difficult to carry up stairs. The way the folded frame is designed means the weight is at least evenly distributed, but there’s no doubt that it’s heavy. Realising this, Brompton has redesigned the castor wheels to include bearings, making it significantly smoother to push (or pull) than a standard Brompton. If you’re going to be taking your Electric G Line on public transport, be prepared to mix up wheeled and carry to take care of your arms.

That said, for a folding electric bike, the Brompton’s weight is in line with the competition. The price of £2,899 Volt Lite It weighs slightly less (39.6 pounds/18 kilograms with battery), as does the £1,299 model. ADO Air 20Although ADO has a sensational light Carbon model which weighs just 27.5 pounds (12.5 kilograms). However, neither of these bikes fold as elegantly as the Brompton or offer the same big-bike riding experience.

A pleasure to travel

While Brompton remains the champion of the folding bike sector, it is trying to catch up with the e-bike market. And while I’m not criticising the performance, the battery design seems a bit secondary. However, I hope that when that happens, the Brompton will be designed specifically for e-bikes (in titanium).

On my first impression, I thought the G Line was unacceptably larger than a traditional Brompton. The wheels are bigger and wider, and the frame is sturdier, but when placed side by side (see photos below) there isn’t really a huge amount of space, which is noticeable. I was worried about having to store the bike at home and take the G Line to an office or a bar (see comment above about London) and although it is heavier to lift, I don’t think anyone would really notice a huge difference in small doses.

It’s without a doubt the most capable Brompton ever built and is an absolute blast, especially off-road. I’m also interested in trying out the lighter non-electric version and seeing if the eight-speed gearing and smaller wheels are enough for serious gravel riding. I suspect they are, but whether it’s enough to tempt serious trail riders is another matter entirely.

Which leads us to ask who exactly the Brompton G Line is for. It’s certainly a high-end proposition, priced from £2,395 (my tester cost £3,495), but it’s a Brompton, so many people won’t be fazed by these prices. By way of comparison, the cheapest standard Brompton costs from £950The lightest titanium option costs from £4,250 and the star electric version, the P Line, costs from £3,695So you’re in good company.

I suspect the off-road fun will tempt many folding bike riders to ditch their tiny 16-inch wheels. There may be sacrifices in weight, size and portability, but the handling and ride are second to none.

For the first time, a folding bike has been made as comfortable to ride as a full-size model, while still being able to be folded up and stored in the trunk or under the stairs. It’s an excellent improvement and should attract the attention of a whole new audience to the brand.