I Tried Brompton’s New Bike—and It Changed My Mind on Folding Bikes

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Folding bikes have a reputation for being convenient—but not exactly capable. The Brompton G Line folding bike aims to change that. Built as an all-terrain folding bike with upgraded components and a more stable ride, it promises to handle everything from city streets to gravel paths. After testing it on pavement, dirt roads, and light trails, one question stood out: can a folding bike really replace a full-size ride?

Brompton's G-Line is an all-terrain folding bike that beefs up almost all of the components to make it a competent off-road traveler. You aren't going to be doing any serious mountain biking (or any, really) with this lightweight and durable bicycle, but mild trails, gravel roads, and any manner of easily accessible off-roading is fair game.

You get Brompton's same, clever folding design that's on all of their bikes, and it's easy to maneuver once you remember the trick—it all hinges on pulling up the seat post. Once you've got that locked in your mind, deploying and refolding is a cinch that can be done in under 20 seconds. 

The frame has been re-engineered to more closely mimic the feel of a full-size bike and is a mix of steel for the main frame and aluminum for the fork—the steel gives a tiny bit of flex which helps soften up the ride a bit. You also get Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano 8-speed hub, puncture-resistant Schwalbe 20-inch knobby tires, wide and grippy platform pedals, and rear rack and fenders. A front rack block is included that will accept a wide range of Brompton baskets and luggage. The custom handlebars are wide and comfortable with ergonomic grips which made tricky turns on uncertain off-road terrain easier to deal with. 

I was thoroughly impressed riding this bike around town, on greenways with varied off-road portions, and on dirt roads through a friend's farm. The whole thing made me feel confident when crossing washed-out ruts from recent heavy rainfall, deep puddles on the sides of paved trails, and just tooling around town. I have tried to off-road a regular Brompton in the past (nothing crazy, just grass and trails) but it didn't perform well at all on the skinny tires and short frame. The G Line, though, is the first folding bike I've ridden that I feel can truly stand in for a full-size hybrid bike meant to take on different terrain. 

The only negatives for me was no suspension seatpost at this price, which would greatly improve off-road performance and feel. And there are no retention clips (or option for) on the cables running from the front to back—they hang out a bit and I could see them getting hung up or snagged on something, especially riding off-road. If I owned this bike I'd definitely figure out a way to tuck them out of the way that didn't interfere with the folding operation.

The price is steep, but if you just need one bike—and don't have much room to store it—the Brompton G Line is the one to get. It's high quality, well-built, and cleverly designed—and is also a robust and sure-footed all-terrain bicycle that'll take you far.