For the first time since I acquired Basil, I went to New York City without him.
Nearly the first thing I saw when I arrived in Penn Station was a Turkish Green Brompton, folded, riding up the escalator in the opposite direction. I found the sight cheering. (The one below was on the wall at NYCeWheels; I didn’t move fast enough to snap the one on the escalator.)
Everything was cool until I walked into the lobby of the building in which I stay and looked across the lobby to the far wall where I’ve photographed Basil in the past, and felt a pang.
Separation anxiety; it was awful.
Given my antipathy to riding on NYC streets, the agenda for this trip (not very cycling-compatible), and the weather forecast (sleet and snow), it didn’t make any sense to travel with Basil. On my way elsewhere, though, I stopped in at NYCeWheels (who delivered Basil) just to see, if, by some miracle, my Brompton tool kit had arrived. It hadn’t, of course, but the fantasy, brief though it was, was lovely.
NYCeWheels, like many New York retail shops, has a rather battered look. This implies nothing whatever about what’s inside. Longing, as I was, for Basil’s company, I spent a few minutes communing with his kind.
Lovely Bromptons. Lots and lots of lovely Bromptons. See the yellow one in front? It’s 1 in the trial fleet, and, in fact The One, a three speed, that I rode when I took the NYCeWheels tour that convinced me that buying a Brompton was right for me. Well over 650 miles (and a winter) later, I’m still a very happy camper cyclist.
21 replies on “NYC, Without Basil”
Do you not think Basil would have enjoyed the trip, even if he were not taken out for a ride? He would have been able to see some friends, maybe relatives, but certainly fellow travelers.
Hmmm… I hope Basil won’t get the sulks when he senses that you’ve been with other Bromptons while he stayed home?
Not to worry, Ian — Basil’s not the sulking kind. I think he kind of liked the idea that I’d gone back to consort with his compatriots at his North American landing place. Also, he knows we’ll be cycling through all five New York City boroughs together in about a month, so he hasn’t long to wait before he’s back in the city, too.
I rest my case.
OK, OK — I’m guilty, Saul, I admit it! Basil’s clearly got some good friends on his side — I’d better watch my step in the future!
BTW, on my last trip to NYC I was on the look-out for Bromptons so that I could take some pics for Basil. Believe it or not, they were not to be found.
It’s rather curious, Saul. So far, I’ve seen Bromptons only within stations, folded up and being carried to the trains. NYCeWheels says that they sell up to 14 a day; “up to” can cover a lot of math, but their inventory seems to turn over rapidly (and they are undoubtedly doing a rousing business in custom orders, too — I’ve seen them unload trucks, and you can pack a huge number of boxed Bromptons into a small delivery truck!).
There’s a second Brompton dealer in NYC who also has a good reputation, and a third store that has just begun carrying them, in a third distinct geographic area in Manhattan. I see more Dahons than Bromptons, maybe because they are often locked up instead of in buildings (they’re heavier and bulkier than the Bs – but cheaper, too). But the question remains: Where are the Bromptons? Maybe we’ll see more this summer.
@The Brompton Diarist
I often see more folders of other ethnicities, but usually a few Bromptons which are more expensive. In this case, the additional price comes with much added sophistication and better enginerring. Price, however, is often a consideration, which is why Bromptons are generally in a minority, it seems.
Amortization is my secret, Saul, and I highly recommend it to all would-be Brompton owners! (Works for other well-engineered stuff, too.)
Over time, well-made Basil is unlikely to cost much on a per-year basis. (Less than many people’s Starbucks habit, actually.)
Though the initial purchase may involve some sacrifice (mac-and-cheese, maybe, instead of steak — or maybe Starbucks at home instead of in the coffee shop, for the frugally-minded more affluent), the pleasure is more likely to endure.
Never mind the health argument, which is particulary operant in this couch potato’s life: More portable and more easily stowed = far more frequent use. A great example of hidden savings!
You can see how easily a Brompton can become an economy . . . if only all the world knew. (Secretly, I wonder if Basil and his kind hope for world domination . . . )
I am in total agreement, as I am virtually sure you know.
This does not surprise me, Saul!
Quite a thread this entry has stimulated.
So it has!
Basil represents mindfulness; I doubt he is interested in world domination. As long as you put air in his tires and keep him clean enough, he will be one with the world, rather than seeking its domination.
You’re probably quite right about this, Saul. Basil lives for the bliss that is a cycle ride, and asks for little in return. For my part, though, I’m not sure that I’d object to living in a Brompton-dominated world . . . mindfulness at its most compact and accessible! How could it be bad?
Of course, a world in which Bromptons are dominant does not necessarily mean that Bromptons dominate the world. @The Brompton Diarist
True enough, Saul. A world in which Bromptons dominate? Good enough; I’d settle for that. Although a benign world dominance doesn’t sound so bad . . .
A recent group ride (with Will Butler-Adams (Brompton MD) & about 15 Bromptons) was a magical ride (sorry, it’s so hard to describe the feeling). When you look around at the various colours, models & riders, it’s a laughable contrast with a cycling club bunch ride; everyone clad the same & riding almost identical bikes (with average price tags treble that of the Brompton?) Will mentioned that there are 60,000 Bromptons in London – world domination next?
“Magical”? I’d say so — and even Will Butler-Adams along for the ride! I see photos of the London Brompton Club rides sometimes, and it’s always thrilling, all these thousands of miles away. It’s such a different type of biking; a different gestalt altogether, and so much more appealing to individualists, at least! And Bromptons are so perfectly what they are — as those marvelous colors telegraph so brilliantly. If nothing else, a pack of Bromptons is an aesthetic joy. (But there’s so much more!)
No one else in my club currently rides a Brompton, and the cyclists I ride with aren’t the racers, but I do love the motly assortment of bikes they bring to our (slower-paced) rides. It’s as a much a pleasure to see the varied bikes as it is to see the different people. (Though it’s true that Basil and I would be delighted to ride in a pack of Bromptons!)
60,000 Bromptons in London? I had no idea the number was that high! I’ve read that there are huge numbers in Barcelona, too. (And perhaps other cities in Spain?) The road toward domination unfolds, it seems. (So to speak.)
one ride, one neighborhood, one city, one country at a time
Hearts and minds . . . but in a much better cause, this time around.