We have been doing an increasing amount of testing of folding bikes and often are asked for our recommendations for the best alternatives to a Brompton. So we thought we would pull together this buyers guide to help you find the right folding bike for your needs. These are all very different alternatives to a Brompton so hopefully something here for everyone.
List of the 3 Best Alternatives to a Brompton
- B’Twin Tilt 120
- Bickerton Argent 1707 City
- Change Bike DF-812 Trail Pro
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Cheapest Alternative to a Brompton
B’Twin Tilt 120 Folding Bike
Price: £249.99
The cheapest folding bike currently in the market. A huge difference in price between this and the Brompton so functionality wise they are in the same space but the Decathlon machine won’t last forever. That said as this is the cheapest folding bike in our list of alternatives to the Brompton it is an incredible package for under £250. It has a 6 gear system built into the hub and comes with mudguards and a saddle height that can accommodate all but the tallest of cyclists. Styling wise it steals much of its design from the Brompton but fails to fold down into quite such a small size when commuting.
BTwin Tilt 120 Bike Specification
| Frame | Steel |
|---|---|
| Fork | Steel |
| Suspension | None |
| Number of Gears | 6 |
| Shifters | Grip shifter |
| Chain set | 6-speed Shimano TZ20 14/28 freewheel |
| Pedals | fold-up pedals |
| Brakeset | Steel V-brakes |
| Handlebars | Steel low-rise bars |
| Grips | Foam |
| Wheelset | 20-inch, single-wall rims. Steel hub. |
| Tyres | 20 x 1.75 gumwall city tyres |
| Saddle | Comfortable, seamless foam saddle |
| Seatpost | steel seat post |
| Accessories | Compatible with the Tilt transport cover |
| Extra Features | Front and rear battery-powered lights |
| Weight | 14.5 kg |
Best Price for the BTwin Tilt 120 folding bike
Best price – £249.99 from Decathlon
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Bickerton Argent 1707 City Folding Bike
Price: £675
Go Outdoors have joined the folding bike band wagon and stock a number of models with the Bickerton the pick of the crop. For anyone looking to an alternative to the Brompton M3L folding bike this is a cracking option and an updated model from the 1808 Country model.
The Bickerton Argent 1707 City folding bike is a well specced lightweight bike weighing only 14kg. The bike uses a 7-speed internal hub gearing system for when you’re commuting giving good flexibility for inner-city cycling.
The lightweight aluminium frame folds simply and quickly. The folding mechanism means the bike can be collapsed in just 10 seconds. This means the bike is an all-round versatile option for riding and travelling on a variety of transport.
Bickerton Argent 1707 City Specifications
| Frame | Argent Platform, Aluminium |
|---|---|
| Fork | Steel Rigid Forks |
| Suspension | None |
| Number of Gears | 7 |
| Shifters | Shimano |
| Chain set | Shimano Nexus Hub |
| Pedals | Folding |
| Brakeset | Alloy V Brake |
| Handlebars | Quick folding |
| Wheelset | 20″ wheeels |
| Tyre | Schwalbe Impac Bigpac |
| Saddle | Comfort Gel Saddle |
| Seatpost | Aluminium |
| Weight | 14 kg |
Best price for the Bickerton Argent 1707 City
Buy the Bickerton Argent 1707 City Folding Bike from Go Outdoors for £675
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Change Bike folding mountain bike DF-812 Trail Pro
Price: £1799
Mountain bikes undergo more strain and challenge than a road bike. Hence traditionally it has been incredibly hard to create an effective folding mechanism. Change Bike have been tackling this and developed their DF-812 Trail Pro MTB that we have fully tested to ensure it was worth including in this list. A folding mountain bike may not be a practical comparison for a Brompton but we wanted to give a breadth of options depending on your needs.
The frame has a unique folding system with two quick releases on the seat tube, undo these and the frame folds completely in half. Take the front wheel out, again with a quick release mechanism, and this then attaches to a discreet fixing on the seat stay. The pedals also have a quick release mechanism for easy removal. If you are able to manage the larger folded size this is a no-compromise bike when on and off-road.
>>> Full review of the Change Bike Folding MTB
Change Bike Folding MTB Specification
| tem | Specification |
|---|---|
| Speeds | Shimano Deore 20 Speeds |
| Sizes and Colours | 17″, 19″, 21″ / Dark Green, Light Blue, Matte Black |
| Frame | Aerospace-Grade Aluminium 7005 Double Butted, Taiwan Made |
| Front Fork | FOX Performance 32 Float 27.5 FIT4, 1.5T Travel: 100mm |
| Shifter | Shimano Deore SL-M6000 |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano Deore |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano Deore FD-M6025 2x10s |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore RD-M6000 10S |
| Sprockets | Shimano CS-HG500 11-42T |
| Chain | Shimano Deore |
| Crankset | Shimano Deore FC-M627 38x24T 170mm |
| Brake | Shimano Deore BL-M615 |
| Wheels | Mavic Crossride 27.5 |
| Tyre | Kenda 27.5 x 2.1 |
| Handlebar | Aluminium, Barbore 31.8mm, Length 580mm |
| Stem | Aluminium, 31.8mm x 55mm, Steerer: 28.6mm |
| Seat Post | Aluminium, 31.6mm x 300mm |
| Saddle | Prologo Scratch Pro |
| Pedal | Wellgo Bearing QRD C-128 |
| Weight | 12.8KG |
Best Price for the Change Bike DF-812 Trail Pro
Buy the Change bike Folding Mountain Bike DF-812 Trail Pro for £1,799.00
