Dani's Brompton G Line Review!

Of course one spin around the block just wasn't enough, so as soon as we closed the shop I hopped back on and made as much of the limited evening light as I could.  On the imperfect pavement of Bloor street, the 20" wheels and gravel tires ate up streetcar tracks and potholes effortlessly.  Much smoother than my commuter bike. I searched out a bit of gravel and dirt close by and found a patch in Christie Pits park. The gravel crunch under my tires was great, but as soon as I got on to the dirt I let out a little "whee" to the delight of a small crowd walking their dogs.

I decided to test out the disc brakes in Bickford Park. To be honest, this made me nervous looking down a hill towards a solid wall on a bike I've never ridden before, but the brakes didn't let me down at all.  The wide platform pedals gripped my street shoes (wedge-heeled boots that are absolutely not traditional trail riding shoes) perfectly as well.

The sun was starting to set so I decided to rip down Shaw street to get to the lakeshore before it got too dark.  More potholes, more streetcar tracks, more of me just giggling at how comfortable it was to roll over them with the steel frame and fork eating up all of that rough pavement so I didn't have to.  

I made it to one of my favourite spots, the INUKSHUK at the entrance of Trillium Park, and took a moment to enjoy the breeze coming off the lake before heading home on the waterfront trail.  There's some pretty dark stretches of trail there, but I just tilted the Lezyne light a little bit et voila, no problem.

I made it home with a big grin on my face and was so excited to show it off to my partner.  They've never used a Brompton before but got the hang of folding it up pretty quickly.  Once it was parked in my living room (next to the aforementioned mtb) I kept looking over at it being amazed at how much extra space there was compared to when my commuter bike is parked there.  

In the morning I was so excited to get out on it again, and was delighted at how my lunch and thermos fit perfectly into the Borough roll top bag and with plenty of room for my extra sweater that I bring along for after the ride! The morning climb up my regular route was easy (and dare I say, pleasent?) with the smooth shifting from the Alfine hub.  

Overall: Do NOT judge this bike by its cover! The G Line has held true to Bromptons classically expert engineering while also making huge strides into the gravel riding world. It's wonderfully compact but the extra girth allows for one of the comfiest rides I've experienced in a long time. 

Curious? Join us this Saturday (March 22nd) for a Brompton G Line Test Ride Party!