RSSDon’t worry, we have a spare Brompton in the closet!
Aug 25
Brompton folding bikes Brompton compact bike, Brompton folding bike, folding bike No Comments
A folding bike comes in handy in all kinds of urban situations and that includes out of town guests. My wife and I have had a revolving door of last minute house guests over the past few weeks and wanted to share some new experiences with them. The challenge was they’d all visited New York City plenty of times before and we’d exhausted all or our normal must see destinations. Then it dawned on us. “Well, we do have an extra Brompton folding bike in the closet!”
The Brompton out in town
Suddenly there was a new way to share the New York experience with our guests while also avoiding all the crowds and long lines at the city’s multitude of tourist destinations. We were able to do something we truly enjoy as well and a spare folding bike was the perfect ticket. Even if we rode full sized bikes during the week, a folding bike adds a whole new element to small apartment guest accommodations. It can fold up and squeeze into the smallest of closets, especially if it’s an ultra compact folder like the Brompton, and easily pulls out when a friend or family member stops by for a little two wheeled adventure. It will fit right next to that old inflatable mattress bed. Just don’t forget the extra helmet!
We were able to unfold all the bikes and hit the pavement within minutes of each of our guests arriving. Not only was it nice to get outside for a ride, but it was doubly enjoyable to see their excitement exploring the city in a whole new way. We took the bike path down along the Hudson, enjoying all the parks along the Upper West Side and grabbing a quick bite at the Boat Basin Cafe, where they didn’t mind at all if we just folded up the bikes and set them next to our table. After a little refreshment, it was back to pedaling along the piers of Midtown Manhattan, taking in the view at the Intrepid Museum, being tempted by The Frying Pan barge bar and eventually pulling off to stroll along the relatively new High Line park in Chelsea.
Folding bike ride to the Intrepid Museum
The whole experience wowed our guests and left them eager to explore even more of the city on our folding bikes. For each of them, this was their first ride on a folding bike and while they were doubtful at first, they ended up loving it. That was especially true once they took a spin on the Brompton. At first glance, it may look too minuscule to be comfortable, but within moments their furrowed brows turned to smiles and childish giggling. The only problem then was getting them back off of it. The show finale came once we got home and they stared in amazement at how easily the Brompton folding bike breaks down and fits right back into the closet… ready for the next ride or house guest to come along.
