This is definitely the thoroughest and most realistic comparison between the electric and standard version online, especially addressing to everyday commutes, thanks for the time and effort you put on your vids, great job!
Your testing methodology and analysis of the results are fantastic. This is the best electric vs non-electric Brompton comparison I've seen. Great job!
I just got the Brompton C line electric and it is magical. Some points I've noticed - You could still get a workout - the bike can be a regular bike cuz of the motor not having any drag. Thanks for the video.
Superb video. This video also takes the "wind out of the sails" from talking negatively about electric bikes. In view of my advancing age, an e-Brompton is better to use than no bike. 😊
I am riding a brompton electric. This video gives a very good impression on how it feels. Well Done! There is one thing I would like to add. Riding electric changes your perception of effort compared to speed. Your brain expects uphill riding to be effortless. When switching back to non electric riding these expectations are not fullfilled. This let you think you are getting weaker from riding electric when sitting next time on a non electric or switching off the motor. But it is only a change in perception.
To this point, there are at least a few studies suggesting that typical ebike riders burn at least as many or more calories from riding ebikes than typical cyclists do. Commuters and casual cyclists in particular tend to bike based on a stable effort levels and ebikes don't really change that -- they just men's you go further per effort. Granted, you'll burn less calories up a hill, but pedelec owners generally tend to ride significantly more often and further.
One of the most valuable presentations I’ve ever seen! Whatever advanced degree you’re pursuing, I hope your future job prospects see this presentation! You’re going far in this world!
I enjoyed watching this comparison - and you brought out key points :-) Because it is less sweat, the Brompton electric opens up the user-convenience and handiness of the bike beyond the standard one (if accepting the extra bike weight and less load-space/capacity of it). And it probably means that a change of clothing is not necessary after a ride. As journey times are reduced, it means the bike is more of an option more often for errands. Hop on and off you go! As a better speed can be maintained on inclines, it is safer to ride in busy traffic, and more roads become bike-usable. This in fact was the one most appreciated aspect I found when I rode a demo bike for an hour (in UK). I liked that at traffic pinch-points I could keep up a decent speed so as to reduce frustration for motorists. At times, I felt slightly super-human even - a great feeling! I am pleased that you mention the fitness aspects too. Someone who wants a “workout” as such might prefer a standard Brompton or a conventional road bike perhaps. But as I have seen, workout means different things to different people - electric can be an enabler for those who would otherwise not consider a bike at all (too much effort!) and does in fact enable them to have a workout at a different level - and enjoy it too. I mostly use my pedal-power Brompton for pleasure rides/fitness, so I am not looking for assistance for these generally. But I can definitely see a place for an electric one for just getting jobs done with less effort when that is the need. The freedom an e-bike can give has benefits beyond just physical fitness.
Just got back from my first decent ride [~22 miles / ~35 km] on my shiny-new electric Brompton. Saw the battery level drop by one bar pretty well every 7 miles. One recommendation I'd make to anybody considering a Brompton is to go for the 6-speed. On my non-electric 3-speed Brompton [with the gearing option for hills rather than speed] my comfortable cadence has me riding at around 12 mph, with the 6-speed [standard gearing option] I find I'm riding at 17-18 mph, so for a lot of the ride time, the motor isn't on...but the assistance going up hills means I reach that speed quite quickly. Love it!
Very nice video, as always. I got to test out a Brompton electric this weekend. It was lovely. Instead of doing 50-70 km on weekends, I can easily do 100 km, which is tempting. Two issues for me personally: first, when used in the highest power, I had to be extra careful. Bike paths in The Netherlands are nice, but the front wheel assist combined with small tyres and potholes can be dangerous on a more extended trip. I wish the motor were in the frame or the back wheel instead. Second and more important was the noise, especially when riding through quieter forest paths. It was a bit annoying; I can't imagine if I had to hear this noise for 5+ hours on a bike tour in quiet places. The motor noise in the city is not at all an issue. That being said, the bike shop was kind enough to let me take the bike for the weekend, I will give it another shot!
Was researching Bromptons to make a purchase. Was pleasantly surprised to find my Alma Mater as the testing grounds. Brings back memories. Keep the good contents coming fellow Ramblin Wreck. Go Jackets!
I'm from a very hilly city in the UK, I have a Swytch Brompton Ebike, it will literally get me up any hill, no hill has defeated the kit I'm an average weight male. I have had to sacrifice top end speed for lower gears, but I've managed to get to work in half the time. An electric basically negates hills, it pretty much like riding continually on the flat, I highly recommend if you don't won't to get to work hot and sweating, but you still get a medium work out. Great review by the way 👌
Excellent stuff. I have a Swytch conversion kit on my Brompton and get pretty much the same results. I even have the same type of commute (if a little longer and usually a lot wetter). There's no doubt the Brompton Electric is a slightly more refined ride due to the torque sensor as opposed to the Switch's cadence sensor and I think I'm going to have a tough and slow time getting anything fixed if anything goes wrong. However, the Brompton electric was just too expensive for me and I can't justify owning two bikes so a removable kit was the only solution for me. One benefit I soon realised though is as the battery for my Swytch is on the handlebars, I can still use my large metro Brompton bag, even with S type handlebars. I've yet to need 1- on my Brompton and am seriously considering buying the faster 54T chainring, so I can burn rubber/calories on the straights and leave the electric for the hills. Electric is definitely the way forward and e-Bromptons make Bromptons even more fun to ride than their non-electric versions.
This has quickly became one of my favorite channels. So much time and effort put into giving the people accurate information. I love it man keep up the good work!
Thanks! Great video, very helpful and clear! You answered to my suspicious that the dynamo actually add resistance to the ride, even when going down to an hill. That's way I opted for third market lights and a standard three gear Brompton. And I have to say: you made me smile with the last segment on the steep road :) You have my sympathy because, on my way home from work, the road is constantly rising and the last part (about 400m) is steeper and make me sweat and breath a lot! Thanks again.
What can I say: In my world, you are a genius. You show the recording setup in such a kind and nice way, you walk us through all the aspects and your findings as an expert really wanting to share. Thanks.
What you have done is absolutely fantastic. When I see reviews about ebikes I think that I would like to hear the sound of the engine, see the level of incline, etc., and you have done it perfectly. I hope you can continue doing this type of review with more ebikes. Thanks for sharing your excellent work. Subscribed!!!
Yup this definitely highlights the biggest wins with electric, not arriving at work/destination sweaty. over here in sydney a lot of the hills are 10% and would leave it on max power on the ay in and turn the power down on the way back or use the motor if there was a heat wave what i really appreciated was how easy it made hauling a full shopping load with the travoy behind me
This shows 2 things to me…how much quicker an ebike can be compared to a normal bike (depending on the route), and how much faster bikes are than cars in traffic! Thanks for the video, great & detailed comparison!
@@EverydayCycling In livello 3, l'assistenza elettrica riesce a supportare fino a salite con pendenza massima del 15%? E per quanti chilometri riesce a supportare salite con pendenza del 15%, senza che il motore vada in blocco e si spenga a causa del surriscaldamento eccessivo? È questa la domanda a cui il tuo ottimo test (su tutti gli altri aspetti), purtroppo, non da alcuna risposta.
Excellent video with great footage, graphics and information. Very well done. I have the Brompton electric M6L and love it. I find I use it much more than I used the normal Brompton. I live in Brussels which has some elevations and I find it opens up the city in a whole different way. I don’t think twice about popping to the stores as it’s effortless and fast. And on weekends I can use it to ride in the forest (paved road) for much longer distances. It’s great.
Thanks for the comparison nice effort in your production. Regarding the same level of exercise I suspect short term it may be the case that one would be more likely to get out and use the electric bike over no trip at all but long term I’m confident human nature would drive exclusive use of the electric bike, that sadly is a well studied and documented reality. Recently I set up a non Brompton bike up as a *gasp* single speed, I never thought I would ever ride a single speed, living in the Pacific Northwest we have some hills... The experience was not what I expected. Here are some things that happened: 1. Converting to single speed removed a dramatic amount of friction from the drivetrain, so the single gear I have feels easier than the equivalent on a geared bike. This could also be because I remove a significant amount of weight from the bike. 2. I changed my braking habits, using the momentum I generated to get over smaller hills more easily than on a geared bike where I was more likely to gear down and spin up. 3. Probably the biggest change in my mindset came with the big hills. As a mountain biker I was steadfast to stay on the bike and push harder! Turns out it’s just no big deal to hop off and walk for a bit. In fact, it turned out to be a benefit; I get to use different muscles for a few minutes and stretch out my legs. 4. My drivetrain maintenance has plummeted, there’s nothing to break a quick clean occasionally, and it’s ready, so simple. 5. Bike riding became even more Zen-like it’s remarkable to realise in not having to consider gear selection or if one is in the right gear. I can’t overstate this change enough it truly is inspiring. 6. I’m stronger and fitter. Riding single speed was so positively transformative that it inspired me to convert my Brompton from an S6L to a two speed. Why the two speed and not single? For a Brompton two or single speed components are nearly the same, the only additional parts to operate as a two speed is the rear shifter and the tiny derailleur. From a weight perspective I lost the vast majority with the internal hub rear wheel. The two speed offers a nearly similar zen-like experience to single speeding but allows me to tackle bigger hills faster, as my commuter and grocery getter this is important to me. All the other benefits I mentioned above also apply to the now S2L Brommie and carrying the now 23.5lb package when needed is that much more pleasant.
I cannot add anything to what has already been written other than to say, I bought my Brompton last week on the back of one of your vlogs. Thank you for posting such in-depth reviews.
Great video, really well designed and presented. Brompton will (or should) be linking to this! :-) The drag issue was also interesting. Some e-bikes I have tested have a noticeable motor drag when peddled without assistance - something significant to be aware of. The only additional thing I would like to have heard was how much of the battery range was used on the ride. A little curious as well to know what percentage of the time you now find yourself using the standard Brompton. :-)
BRILLIANT film and report!!!! Thank you!!! The speeded up section past traffic around the 4:20 mark had me wincing and leaning to the right!!!! SCARY!!!!!!!!
This clip is the best so far for this topic, no matter Brompton or not. I don’t have electric bike, only regular bike but always wonder what the feeling for bikes electric bike. Your clip is finally answering my question.
Absolutely the best comparison I've seen on this topic. Unfortunately I'm not about to go out to purchase an electric Brompton to replace my regular Brompton, albeit not the reason you might think. It's not the monetary reason, you can't even buy a new Brompton these days without possibly having to wait a full year!! So here's my suggestion Victor, find a way to borrow or obtain a regular Brompton that's been converted over to one of the many electric conversions out there and go through the same review. It just might spark everyone out there that is lucky enough to own a Brompton to convert over to electric. Just my two cents. Keep up the great videos!
I saw this video 3 years ago and found it interesting. I’m now about to buy a Brompton and find it invaluable. Thanks for the almost scientific comparison. Excellent 👌
This is the first comment I’ve left on a UA-cam video, I just feel compelled to do so because you did such a good job with this video. I’ve been deciding between a Brompton Electric and standard and haven’t been able to find a decent comparison. The direct cutting between videos on the same route, the gradient %, speed, motor sound and ambient sound I think is as good and in some ways better than me riding the two bikes myself. Really great job, and thank you :)
Well done ! Thank you so much for putting the effort into doing this video..., :) I am a Brompton owner and now - alas - I see a newer Brompton coming into my life.., :) HA.
This video answered so many questions. Absolutely well thought out comparison especially for the layman to easily digest and understand. Thanks, Victor! 👏😁
Speed on descent is also a function of weight. I have a midrive Tern GSD cargo bike, and I can get some serious speed on the downhill out of the neighborhood when I add my kid. My husband was snippy about my electric assist leaving him in the dust on the way to school one morning. Dude, me + bike + kid = nearly 300 lbs rolling down that big hill. I'm *riding my breaks.*
Excellent video and very well presented data which is meaningful. It's pretty impressive how well a foldable bike, originally built for flatter cities copes with hillier terrain, and the electric seems to make a massive difference. It might "only" cut travel times by about 25%, but it's night and day when it comes to the amount of effort required when faced with an uphill. Of course what the Brompton is also made for is mixed-mode travel. I'm guessing that the electric conversion doesn't change that too much; there's that bag and extra weight to carry around, but it doesn't look impossibly heavy.
I would have liked to see how the Brompton e-Bike folds compared to the regular folding Brompton. Perhaps you would consider doing folding video comparison in the future. Thx!
Excellent video as always! Valuable info showing what a boost the pedal assist provides. My only question is how much did the battery discharge on this ride and on the big hill? That would give a good idea of what to expect on a typical ride in hilly terrain. I really enjoy your work on these videos. They are meaningful and well thought out. Kudos!👍
Thank you for this video. I really found it super interesting and super well done. With all the technicalities and the graphs. And your explanations. And even the sound, wow amazing. Super good. Cheers from Spain (I'm a conventional Brompton owner).
Brilliant video comparison. I can see this took a lot of effort to put together, so thank you for that, it's the best video comparison on UA-cam! For the bikes, everyone has an opinion on their pros and cons and preference but if it wasn't for our electric bikes we wouldn't be able to cycle as often as we do and more importantly, cycle together as much as we do. A shared enjoyment has us both excited and looking forward to our next cycle ride. Would really like a Brompton electric but for now my current electric folding bike is putting the smile on my face.
Brilliant and reflects my experience between my Giant Explore E+4 E-bike and my standard hybrid exactly. And no it fit make you lazy, I still run 30+km a week.
Very good display video about the Brompton Electric. What you have shown is that the electric assist was quite sufficient to provide assistance regardless of how hilly the terrain gets. The distance for you to travel was very typical day to day distances, under 10-20km but the electric was there to make assistance adequate for the various hilly terrain..
Brilliant work ! I have the same 3 Brompton bikes . My conclusions were identical but it was interesting to see it ! My terrain is much hillier though . I recently set off and didn’t notice for 800 yds that I had not powered on the bike ..so yes , it feels like a Brompton with no drag .
I started watching this thinking, "I'm not interested in electric bikes". I am now. Without being indelicate, your point about sweating is a good one. I've cycled to a meeting, arrived looking too sweaty, so gone out and bought another shirt only to sweat through that one too. At the same time, 4kg does seem quite significant. The road surface doesn't look too bad to me. Where you have my sympathy is the arrangement at 12:45: road, parked cars, cycle lane, sidewalk. Why? I suppose it's a slight improvement on its London equivalent that someone has at least remembered that cars have doors which might swing open.
great movie Everyday cycling. It helped me a lot... I decided tot buy an brompton electric. Thanks!! Too bad you don't post any movies anymore. I wish you great hollidays. greets, marieke
I've got an S6L with SON dynamo (which has less drag than the Shimano), an S6Lx Chpt3, and M6L Electric. I find the electric just smothers hills and headwinds on level 2, and means you'll get a much more consistent average speed. I'm around 95kgs, and find Level 1 doesn't seem to add anything, and Level 3 whilst being noticeably more powerful than 2 doesn't add enough to warrant the extra power draw. For all the electric assistance, I find the Superlight is actually faster (for slightly more effort) over a typical 4 mile city ride; it sails past 15mph where the electric has stopped assisting and is starting to feel it's weight. Downhill over 15mph, the S6L with SON is actually noticeably faster than the electric, and the Chpt3 just demolishes both. I bought the electric just for riding to and from the office, to replace the older S6L which has been commuter hack for 3.5yrs. I was going to sell the S6L, but think I'll keep it - it will continue to be used for when I need to multi-mode on trains, and don't want to lug the electric around. The Chpt3 is just for fun and lazy summer days. So despite being the same bike, all three have very different roles. It is remarkable that what is basically one design can deliver such different end result just by adding/removing components.
Yes. Good comment. I bought a Swytch kit for my M6L before the bike arrived and after riding it for three months I have decided not to fit the kit because the M6L is just so easy to ride. I would like some assistance on steeper hills but I really want something small that I can clip on, maybe 100 watts and a 100 watt hour battery.
Great informative video, thank you so much for all the afford you make in your free time to create your videos. For me, after watching this, I am even more happy with my Standart 6 speed Brompton. The motor sounds to annoying for me 😂
One of the most well explained and thorough reviews with regards to the Brompton electric. Congratulations. I just wanted to ask, what is your experience in the rain/wet weather for the electric. Do you have any data with regards to the water resistance of the main electric components? Many thanks 👍🏼
Great detailed comparison! One thing worth mentioning is that the difference would be even greater if you add load like groceries. I recollect reading about a study from Netherlands which have shown that on non-assisted bike the maximum distance people were comfortable to travel was up to 7km. On the assisted bike it was 13km so nearly twice the distance. Mind that Nederland is very flat country.
A 10% drag due to dynamo hub seems very significant. If my calculation is right, dropping from 44km/h to 40km/h with a 100kg load would represent about 60 watts lost (?)This would be quite a headlight on that Brompton.
That assumes that the dynamo is very efficient, which they mostly are not. There is a lot of energy lost in the system. But, yeah, that does seem excessive.
The Shimano dynamo isn't very efficient. The much more expensive SON dynamo is clutched, and almost resistance free when there's no power demand on it. Even so, compared with the a non-dynamo hub it is noticeable.
Now that you mentioned, it does seem quite excessive. This was far from a scientific test... Tires are different and I'm not sure about the tire pressure on both bikes either, different time of the day, etc. Should probably have taken more care when saying that the "reason is the dynamo", even though the difference in drag is significant. I'll take more care next time. Thanks for pointing that out!
Wouldn't the extra weight of the motor and battery translate into more inertia on the ebike as you start to roll down hill? (And thus a higher speed rolling downhill on the ebike?)
@@EverydayCycling - Do you miss having the rear rack and the possibility to carry luggage up front? That is one of the major advantages of the traditional Brompton.
Another great Video! I customized my brompton with a motor but I‘m still not sure if it was the right decision. So many advantages getting lost. Now it is very heavy and not so easy to carry. I just decide - I need a second brompton like you. So I‘m looking for a very light one like a Chapter3 - but it will be a much cheaper version. A steel S6E with the Kojack tires. This one is for the speed drives and for the quick trips. But I have to wait because of the long delivery time!
11 dislikes! Why would anyone dislike this video. It is extremely well made. If it is the subject that the dislikers object to; what did they expect a video titled 'How much faster is the Electric Brompton on everyday rides' to be about?
Getting dislikes is a sign that the channel is growing, so I don't really mind them! I wish people would leave some constructive feedback along with the dislike, though.
standard and shimano dynamo making soooooooooo much drag, if someone still want dynamo and less drag go for SON, its nearly 2x more money but its feels like its no dynamo at all.
Great video ! Simple explanations and comparisons ! I'd rush back to you if you made a similar comparison between the 6s and 12s (electric of course) ! In the meantime, a big thanks ! 😊👍
Victor, this is by far the best comparison video of the electric Brompton and standard Brompton on the net. I'm hoping to buy an electric Brompton in the spring and your info has been so helpful. I'm about 5 kg lighter than you so the bike should take my weight. Thank you so much!
This is definitely the thoroughest and most realistic comparison between the electric and standard version online, especially addressing to everyday commutes, thanks for the time and effort you put on your vids, great job!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!
THANKS 4 THE FYI
First class presentations, as you say, as detailed as possible without using exotic measuring gear. 5 star.
Thank you!
Your testing methodology and analysis of the results are fantastic. This is the best electric vs non-electric Brompton comparison I've seen. Great job!
Thank you!
I just got the Brompton C line electric and it is magical.
Some points I've noticed
- You could still get a workout
- the bike can be a regular bike cuz of the motor not having any drag.
Thanks for the video.
Superb video. This video also takes the "wind out of the sails" from talking negatively about electric bikes. In view of my advancing age, an e-Brompton is better to use than no bike. 😊
Great point!
I am riding a brompton electric. This video gives a very good impression on how it feels. Well Done! There is one thing I would like to add. Riding electric changes your perception of effort compared to speed. Your brain expects uphill riding to be effortless. When switching back to non electric riding these expectations are not fullfilled. This let you think you are getting weaker from riding electric when sitting next time on a non electric or switching off the motor. But it is only a change in perception.
To this point, there are at least a few studies suggesting that typical ebike riders burn at least as many or more calories from riding ebikes than typical cyclists do. Commuters and casual cyclists in particular tend to bike based on a stable effort levels and ebikes don't really change that -- they just men's you go further per effort. Granted, you'll burn less calories up a hill, but pedelec owners generally tend to ride significantly more often and further.
How are you liking the electric i am thinking of getting one.
One of the most valuable presentations I’ve ever seen! Whatever advanced degree you’re pursuing, I hope your future job prospects see this presentation! You’re going far in this world!
I totally agree.
Agree too!!
I enjoyed watching this comparison - and you brought out key points :-)
Because it is less sweat, the Brompton electric opens up the user-convenience and handiness of the bike beyond the standard one (if accepting the extra bike weight and less load-space/capacity of it). And it probably means that a change of clothing is not necessary after a ride.
As journey times are reduced, it means the bike is more of an option more often for errands. Hop on and off you go!
As a better speed can be maintained on inclines, it is safer to ride in busy traffic, and more roads become bike-usable. This in fact was the one most appreciated aspect I found when I rode a demo bike for an hour (in UK). I liked that at traffic pinch-points I could keep up a decent speed so as to reduce frustration for motorists. At times, I felt slightly super-human even - a great feeling!
I am pleased that you mention the fitness aspects too. Someone who wants a “workout” as such might prefer a standard Brompton or a conventional road bike perhaps. But as I have seen, workout means different things to different people - electric can be an enabler for those who would otherwise not consider a bike at all (too much effort!) and does in fact enable them to have a workout at a different level - and enjoy it too.
I mostly use my pedal-power Brompton for pleasure rides/fitness, so I am not looking for assistance for these generally. But I can definitely see a place for an electric one for just getting jobs done with less effort when that is the need. The freedom an e-bike can give has benefits beyond just physical fitness.
Just got back from my first decent ride [~22 miles / ~35 km] on my shiny-new electric Brompton. Saw the battery level drop by one bar pretty well every 7 miles. One recommendation I'd make to anybody considering a Brompton is to go for the 6-speed. On my non-electric 3-speed Brompton [with the gearing option for hills rather than speed] my comfortable cadence has me riding at around 12 mph, with the 6-speed [standard gearing option] I find I'm riding at 17-18 mph, so for a lot of the ride time, the motor isn't on...but the assistance going up hills means I reach that speed quite quickly. Love it!
Very nice video, as always. I got to test out a Brompton electric this weekend. It was lovely. Instead of doing 50-70 km on weekends, I can easily do 100 km, which is tempting. Two issues for me personally: first, when used in the highest power, I had to be extra careful. Bike paths in The Netherlands are nice, but the front wheel assist combined with small tyres and potholes can be dangerous on a more extended trip. I wish the motor were in the frame or the back wheel instead. Second and more important was the noise, especially when riding through quieter forest paths. It was a bit annoying; I can't imagine if I had to hear this noise for 5+ hours on a bike tour in quiet places. The motor noise in the city is not at all an issue. That being said, the bike shop was kind enough to let me take the bike for the weekend, I will give it another shot!
The speed difference on those hills was a great demonstration. It's what puts a lot of us getting on a bike.
Was researching Bromptons to make a purchase. Was pleasantly surprised to find my Alma Mater as the testing grounds. Brings back memories. Keep the good contents coming fellow Ramblin Wreck. Go Jackets!
I'm from a very
hilly city in the UK, I have a Swytch Brompton Ebike, it will literally get me up any hill, no hill has defeated the kit I'm an average weight male. I have had to sacrifice top end speed for lower gears, but I've managed to get to work in half the time.
An electric basically negates hills, it pretty much like riding continually on the flat, I highly recommend if you don't won't to get to work hot and sweating, but you still get a medium work out.
Great review by the way 👌
Excellent stuff. I have a Swytch conversion kit on my Brompton and get pretty much the same results. I even have the same type of commute (if a little longer and usually a lot wetter). There's no doubt the Brompton Electric is a slightly more refined ride due to the torque sensor as opposed to the Switch's cadence sensor and I think I'm going to have a tough and slow time getting anything fixed if anything goes wrong.
However, the Brompton electric was just too expensive for me and I can't justify owning two bikes so a removable kit was the only solution for me. One benefit I soon realised though is as the battery for my Swytch is on the handlebars, I can still use my large metro Brompton bag, even with S type handlebars.
I've yet to need 1- on my Brompton and am seriously considering buying the faster 54T chainring, so I can burn rubber/calories on the straights and leave the electric for the hills. Electric is definitely the way forward and e-Bromptons make Bromptons even more fun to ride than their non-electric versions.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Swytch kit!
This has quickly became one of my favorite channels. So much time and effort put into giving the people accurate information. I love it man keep up the good work!
Thanks! Great video, very helpful and clear! You answered to my suspicious that the dynamo actually add resistance to the ride, even when going down to an hill. That's way I opted for third market lights and a standard three gear Brompton.
And I have to say: you made me smile with the last segment on the steep road :) You have my sympathy because, on my way home from work, the road is constantly rising and the last part (about 400m) is steeper and make me sweat and breath a lot! Thanks again.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce this video, we found it interesting and informative. Best Wishes. Neil and Anne
what a great review, no shilling, just honest high-quality well-prepared honest review. thank you for that.
What can I say: In my world, you are a genius. You show the recording setup in such a kind and nice way, you walk us through all the aspects and your findings as an expert really wanting to share. Thanks.
Thank you, Martin! I really appreciate your feedback!
What you have done is absolutely fantastic. When I see reviews about ebikes I think that I would like to hear the sound of the engine, see the level of incline, etc., and you have done it perfectly. I hope you can continue doing this type of review with more ebikes. Thanks for sharing your excellent work. Subscribed!!!
Awesome review! You have convinced me to buy the BE. There is a hill on my way to work and I definitely don't want to arrive all sweaty.
Absolutely fearless riding on roads like that
definitely a place that doesn't put much emphasis on safer cycling infrastructure
Yup this definitely highlights the biggest wins with electric, not arriving at work/destination sweaty. over here in sydney a lot of the hills are 10% and would leave it on max power on the ay in and turn the power down on the way back or use the motor if there was a heat wave
what i really appreciated was how easy it made hauling a full shopping load with the travoy behind me
This shows 2 things to me…how much quicker an ebike can be compared to a normal bike (depending on the route), and how much faster bikes are than cars in traffic! Thanks for the video, great & detailed comparison!
I rode my Brompton electric around my local park. It was nothing short of joyous, roll on springtime so I can enjoy commuting by bike too.
Thank you so much for using km/h instead of mph!
I wish I could have the dashboard in both units, but I couldn't. 85% of the audience of this channel is metric, so had to go with that.
Yeah really, gee, thanks 🤮
@@helmutsecke3529 cry us a river
I feel you😂
@@EverydayCycling
In livello 3, l'assistenza elettrica riesce a supportare fino a salite con pendenza massima del 15%?
E per quanti chilometri riesce a supportare salite con pendenza del 15%, senza che il motore vada in blocco e si spenga a causa del surriscaldamento eccessivo?
È questa la domanda a cui il tuo ottimo test (su tutti gli altri aspetti), purtroppo, non da alcuna risposta.
Nice simple, practical comparison I enjoyed that. I was surprised at the drag difference from a hub dynamo and the motor so thanks.
Excellent video with great footage, graphics and information. Very well done. I have the Brompton electric M6L and love it. I find I use it much more than I used the normal Brompton. I live in Brussels which has some elevations and I find it opens up the city in a whole different way. I don’t think twice about popping to the stores as it’s effortless and fast. And on weekends I can use it to ride in the forest (paved road) for much longer distances. It’s great.
Thanks for the comparison nice effort in your production. Regarding the same level of exercise I suspect short term it may be the case that one would be more likely to get out and use the electric bike over no trip at all but long term I’m confident human nature would drive exclusive use of the electric bike, that sadly is a well studied and documented reality. Recently I set up a non Brompton bike up as a *gasp* single speed, I never thought I would ever ride a single speed, living in the Pacific Northwest we have some hills... The experience was not what I expected. Here are some things that happened:
1. Converting to single speed removed a dramatic amount of friction from the drivetrain, so the single gear I have feels easier than the equivalent on a geared bike. This could also be because I remove a significant amount of weight from the bike.
2. I changed my braking habits, using the momentum I generated to get over smaller hills more easily than on a geared bike where I was more likely to gear down and spin up.
3. Probably the biggest change in my mindset came with the big hills. As a mountain biker I was steadfast to stay on the bike and push harder! Turns out it’s just no big deal to hop off and walk for a bit. In fact, it turned out to be a benefit; I get to use different muscles for a few minutes and stretch out my legs.
4. My drivetrain maintenance has plummeted, there’s nothing to break a quick clean occasionally, and it’s ready, so simple.
5. Bike riding became even more Zen-like it’s remarkable to realise in not having to consider gear selection or if one is in the right gear. I can’t overstate this change enough it truly is inspiring.
6. I’m stronger and fitter.
Riding single speed was so positively transformative that it inspired me to convert my Brompton from an S6L to a two speed. Why the two speed and not single? For a Brompton two or single speed components are nearly the same, the only additional parts to operate as a two speed is the rear shifter and the tiny derailleur. From a weight perspective I lost the vast majority with the internal hub rear wheel. The two speed offers a nearly similar zen-like experience to single speeding but allows me to tackle bigger hills faster, as my commuter and grocery getter this is important to me. All the other benefits I mentioned above also apply to the now S2L Brommie and carrying the now 23.5lb package when needed is that much more pleasant.
I cannot add anything to what has already been written other than to say, I bought my Brompton last week on the back of one of your vlogs. Thank you for posting such in-depth reviews.
Outstanding presentation, the best i’ve seen
I have an electric M6L and it's awesome
Great video, really well designed and presented. Brompton will (or should) be linking to this! :-) The drag issue was also interesting. Some e-bikes I have tested have a noticeable motor drag when peddled without assistance - something significant to be aware of.
The only additional thing I would like to have heard was how much of the battery range was used on the ride. A little curious as well to know what percentage of the time you now find yourself using the standard Brompton. :-)
Kudos for the refined and well thought editing.
BRILLIANT film and report!!!! Thank you!!! The speeded up section past traffic around the 4:20 mark had me wincing and leaning to the right!!!! SCARY!!!!!!!!
Me from wanting a top end road bike to wanting an electric Brompton instead after watching this. Very joyful riding!
This clip is the best so far for this topic, no matter Brompton or not.
I don’t have electric bike, only regular bike but always wonder what the feeling for bikes electric bike. Your clip is finally answering my question.
Thanks, I'm so happy to hear that!
Finally a very practical feel the ride video! Thank you for sharing
Absolutely the best comparison I've seen on this topic. Unfortunately I'm not about to go out to purchase an electric Brompton to replace my regular Brompton, albeit not the reason you might think. It's not the monetary reason, you can't even buy a new Brompton these days without possibly having to wait a full year!! So here's my suggestion Victor, find a way to borrow or obtain a regular Brompton that's been converted over to one of the many electric conversions out there and go through the same review. It just might spark everyone out there that is lucky enough to own a Brompton to convert over to electric. Just my two cents. Keep up the great videos!
I saw this video 3 years ago and found it interesting. I’m now about to buy a Brompton and find it invaluable. Thanks for the almost scientific comparison. Excellent 👌
That's the kind of content I want to see every time I open UA-cam. So useful 👍
Great video and most insightful for those considering an electric Brompton vs a standard one. Thank you for all your efforts.
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant! Captures all the reasons for owning a Brompton Electric. Thank you.
I'm glad you liked it!
Such a thorough and meticulously produced video. Thank you.
Hey @bromptonbicycle, maybe make this young man your American ambassador. His content is excellent.
Thank you!!
This is the first comment I’ve left on a UA-cam video, I just feel compelled to do so because you did such a good job with this video. I’ve been deciding between a Brompton Electric and standard and haven’t been able to find a decent comparison. The direct cutting between videos on the same route, the gradient %, speed, motor sound and ambient sound I think is as good and in some ways better than me riding the two bikes myself. Really great job, and thank you :)
Which have you decided to buy?
yes, i would be interested aswell, which one you ended up buying :-)
Well done ! Thank you so much for putting the effort into doing this video..., :) I am a Brompton owner and now - alas - I see a newer Brompton coming into my life.., :) HA.
Exactly what Brompton bike shoppers would like to watch before getting one , excellent job !
This video answered so many questions. Absolutely well thought out comparison especially for the layman to easily digest and understand. Thanks, Victor! 👏😁
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Hello beautiful report, the comparisons are excellent, very well done, I congratulate you on your phenomenal work 😊👍👌
Speed on descent is also a function of weight. I have a midrive Tern GSD cargo bike, and I can get some serious speed on the downhill out of the neighborhood when I add my kid.
My husband was snippy about my electric assist leaving him in the dust on the way to school one morning. Dude, me + bike + kid = nearly 300 lbs rolling down that big hill. I'm *riding my breaks.*
Thanks for sharing! I guess my next upgrade will be a kid. Just need to figure out where to attach him (or her) to the bike. 😂
Excellent video and very well presented data which is meaningful. It's pretty impressive how well a foldable bike, originally built for flatter cities copes with hillier terrain, and the electric seems to make a massive difference. It might "only" cut travel times by about 25%, but it's night and day when it comes to the amount of effort required when faced with an uphill.
Of course what the Brompton is also made for is mixed-mode travel. I'm guessing that the electric conversion doesn't change that too much; there's that bag and extra weight to carry around, but it doesn't look impossibly heavy.
I would have liked to see how the Brompton e-Bike folds compared to the regular folding Brompton. Perhaps you would consider doing folding video comparison in the future. Thx!
Excellent video as always! Valuable info showing what a boost the pedal assist provides. My only question is how much did the battery discharge on this ride and on the big hill? That would give a good idea of what to expect on a typical ride in hilly terrain. I really enjoy your work on these videos. They are meaningful and well thought out. Kudos!👍
Ottima domanda ma, a quanto vedo, dopo tre anni, nessuna risposta.
Absolute legend, thanks so much for this video. So well thought out, data so accurately captured. You sir deserve a medal. Thanks again 🙏🏻🙂
Great comparison video. Really helpful!
Thank you for this video. I really found it super interesting and super well done. With all the technicalities and the graphs. And your explanations. And even the sound, wow amazing. Super good. Cheers from Spain (I'm a conventional Brompton owner).
Brilliant video comparison. I can see this took a lot of effort to put together, so thank you for that, it's the best video comparison on UA-cam!
For the bikes, everyone has an opinion on their pros and cons and preference but if it wasn't for our electric bikes we wouldn't be able to cycle as often as we do and more importantly, cycle together as much as we do. A shared enjoyment has us both excited and looking forward to our next cycle ride. Would really like a Brompton electric but for now my current electric folding bike is putting the smile on my face.
Brilliant and reflects my experience between my Giant Explore E+4 E-bike and my standard hybrid exactly. And no it fit make you lazy, I still run 30+km a week.
Very good display video about the Brompton Electric. What you have shown is that the electric assist was quite sufficient to provide assistance regardless of how hilly the terrain gets. The distance for you to travel was very typical day to day distances, under 10-20km but the electric was there to make assistance adequate for the various hilly terrain..
Excellent presentation and I’m so glad I bought a Brompton Electric. Thanks for the comparison.
I have watched so many videos trying to decide between … and this one is the one that made my decision for me. All your videos are great. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Brilliant work ! I have the same 3 Brompton bikes . My conclusions were identical but it was interesting to see it !
My terrain is much hillier though .
I recently set off and didn’t notice for 800 yds that I had not powered on the bike ..so yes , it feels like a Brompton with no drag .
I started watching this thinking, "I'm not interested in electric bikes". I am now. Without being indelicate, your point about sweating is a good one. I've cycled to a meeting, arrived looking too sweaty, so gone out and bought another shirt only to sweat through that one too.
At the same time, 4kg does seem quite significant.
The road surface doesn't look too bad to me. Where you have my sympathy is the arrangement at 12:45: road, parked cars, cycle lane, sidewalk. Why? I suppose it's a slight improvement on its London equivalent that someone has at least remembered that cars have doors which might swing open.
Informative and very interesting, thank you.
great movie Everyday cycling. It helped me a lot... I decided tot buy an brompton electric.
Thanks!! Too bad you don't post any movies anymore.
I wish you great hollidays.
greets, marieke
Perfect video man. Thanks alot! 10/10 Helped a bunch!
I've got an S6L with SON dynamo (which has less drag than the Shimano), an S6Lx Chpt3, and M6L Electric. I find the electric just smothers hills and headwinds on level 2, and means you'll get a much more consistent average speed. I'm around 95kgs, and find Level 1 doesn't seem to add anything, and Level 3 whilst being noticeably more powerful than 2 doesn't add enough to warrant the extra power draw.
For all the electric assistance, I find the Superlight is actually faster (for slightly more effort) over a typical 4 mile city ride; it sails past 15mph where the electric has stopped assisting and is starting to feel it's weight. Downhill over 15mph, the S6L with SON is actually noticeably faster than the electric, and the Chpt3 just demolishes both.
I bought the electric just for riding to and from the office, to replace the older S6L which has been commuter hack for 3.5yrs. I was going to sell the S6L, but think I'll keep it - it will continue to be used for when I need to multi-mode on trains, and don't want to lug the electric around. The Chpt3 is just for fun and lazy summer days.
So despite being the same bike, all three have very different roles. It is remarkable that what is basically one design can deliver such different end result just by adding/removing components.
Yes. Good comment. I bought a Swytch kit for my M6L before the bike arrived and after riding it for three months I have decided not to fit the kit because the M6L is just so easy to ride. I would like some assistance on steeper hills but I really want something small that I can clip on, maybe 100 watts and a 100 watt hour battery.
Great informative video, thank you so much for all the afford you make in your free time to create your videos. For me, after watching this, I am even more happy with my Standart 6 speed Brompton. The motor sounds to annoying for me 😂
I hesitated for a long time but thanks to Victor's video I took the plung and got a black and white electric version !
One of the most well explained and thorough reviews with regards to the Brompton electric. Congratulations. I just wanted to ask, what is your experience in the rain/wet weather for the electric. Do you have any data with regards to the water resistance of the main electric components? Many thanks 👍🏼
Great detailed comparison! One thing worth mentioning is that the difference would be even greater if you add load like groceries. I recollect reading about a study from Netherlands which have shown that on non-assisted bike the maximum distance people were comfortable to travel was up to 7km. On the assisted bike it was 13km so nearly twice the distance. Mind that Nederland is very flat country.
That was amazingly filmed and reviewed! Well done!!
Brilliant comparison. Thanks so much for all of the filming and editing effort. Really appreciated.
A 10% drag due to dynamo hub seems very significant.
If my calculation is right, dropping from 44km/h to 40km/h with a 100kg load would represent about 60 watts lost (?)This would be quite a headlight on that Brompton.
That assumes that the dynamo is very efficient, which they mostly are not. There is a lot of energy lost in the system. But, yeah, that does seem excessive.
The Shimano dynamo isn't very efficient. The much more expensive SON dynamo is clutched, and almost resistance free when there's no power demand on it. Even so, compared with the a non-dynamo hub it is noticeable.
Now that you mentioned, it does seem quite excessive. This was far from a scientific test... Tires are different and I'm not sure about the tire pressure on both bikes either, different time of the day, etc. Should probably have taken more care when saying that the "reason is the dynamo", even though the difference in drag is significant. I'll take more care next time. Thanks for pointing that out!
@@EverydayCycling, headwind variations could certainly be a factor. Love the new logo btw.
Wouldn't the extra weight of the motor and battery translate into more inertia on the ebike as you start to roll down hill? (And thus a higher speed rolling downhill on the ebike?)
Very nice and useful video! I have a question: after how many kilometers do you need to recharge the battery?
Thank you very much
Really interesting, thank you. I am so pleased with my electric Brompton. The only downside is the increased weight if you need to carry it anywhere.
Yeah, that's true. I don't feel that much of a difference, but I'm pretty heavy myself.
@@EverydayCycling - Do you miss having the rear rack and the possibility to carry luggage up front? That is one of the major advantages of the traditional Brompton.
@@Michou007 i installed a rear rack, and i carry luggage at the front all the time!
Good reason to keep multiple bikes. I have to many bikes.
OMG this video is amazing. Well done Victor!
Thank you, David!
Another great Video! I customized my brompton with a motor but I‘m still not sure if it was the right decision. So many advantages getting lost. Now it is very heavy and not so easy to carry. I just decide - I need a second brompton like you. So I‘m looking for a very light one like a Chapter3 - but it will be a much cheaper version. A steel S6E with the Kojack tires. This one is for the speed drives and for the quick trips. But I have to wait because of the long delivery time!
Excellent and echoes my sentiments as a new owner of the electric Brompton - thank you!
Would be interested in seeing your Chest Go Pro setup, those shots look lovely.
Awesome recap of both Bromptons and your grade graphics and presentation were excellent and very informative
What a fantastic comparison, well done for producing such a detailed report if the two bikes. I'm surprised at the drag from the front dynamo hub.
Excelente video , thank you for taking the time to show us the differences between each other
Loved your video, measures and presentation overall. I'll buy my brompton electric soon!
Very useful video, many thanks Victor
You are welcome! Thanks for watching
11 dislikes! Why would anyone dislike this video. It is extremely well made. If it is the subject that the dislikers object to; what did they expect a video titled 'How much faster is the Electric Brompton on everyday rides' to be about?
Getting dislikes is a sign that the channel is growing, so I don't really mind them! I wish people would leave some constructive feedback along with the dislike, though.
Nice video, many thanks for producing it!
This is one professionally-made video. 👍🏼
Best comparison I have come across between those two bikes. Very informative..
One of the absolute BEST comparison videos I've ever watched. TY. You should branch out into other things, you are that good.
Superb comparison! Loving the very descriptive dashboards ;)
Glad you like them!
standard and shimano dynamo making soooooooooo much drag, if someone still want dynamo and less drag go for SON, its nearly 2x more money but its feels like its no dynamo at all.
What a fantastic video!!!! Like always your content is relevant to what we need as a Brompton community. Thank you again !!!
Glad you think so, Victor!
This video is fantastic!! More live rides with jazz and narration please 👍
All right, will do then!
This is the best test of an electric bike I have seen.
Great video ! Simple explanations and comparisons ! I'd rush back to you if you made a similar comparison between the 6s and 12s (electric of course) ! In the meantime, a big thanks ! 😊👍
Thank you for this great video and for using the metric system!
Victor, this is by far the best comparison video of the electric Brompton and standard Brompton on the net. I'm hoping to buy an electric Brompton in the spring and your info has been so helpful. I'm about 5 kg lighter than you so the bike should take my weight. Thank you so much!
Love this analytical video.