Brompton P Line: Features of the P Line

The Brompton P Line is of a higher quality than the C Line, and this is done by improving many of the stock components on the bike. My previous Brompton was the M6R, and the components on the M6R are roughly equivalent to the new C Line.

Therefore, in this post I will highlight those components and features that are new for the P Line, compared to the M6R / C Line / Old Brompton.

S bar (flat handlebar) for a more sporty riding position. Also makes it easy to upgrade the handlebar if I want.

Handlebar height is 95 cm from the ground, which is the same as the Fnhon DB12 folding bike.

Lock-on foam grips, which is lightweight and easy to remove, unlike the glued-on type on the Brompton M6R.

Brake levers have a nice upward offset to improve ergonomics. The bell is also well integrated into the brake lever bracket.

Left side brake lever does not have a bell, but the shifter is integrated under the brake lever.

4 speed shifter with just one lever to shift up and down.

I like the new brake levers which are well integrated with the shifter and bell. Also, they are all black in colour which improves the appearance compared to silver or grey.

One major feature of the P Line is the external 4 speed derailleur, which improves pedaling efficiency, yet still retain a good gear range and lower weight compared to an internal hub.

Rear drivetrain of the P Line, with the new derailleur system. The rear triangle is made of titanium!

New derailleur design that uses a parallelogram to move across the 4 gears. The chain tensioner design looks the same as previous.

4 sprockets of 11, 13, 15, 18 teeth. Looks to be made by Sunrace, with the logo on the lock ring.

Derailleur is of the conventional top normal design, where pulling the cable moves the chain across to the larger sprockets (lower gears). The lower tension pulley slides along a shaft to self-align with the selected sprocket.

YBN 10 speed chain used for this 4 speed system. Means you can probably use similar 11 speed narrow chains as well.

The chain guide is made of aluminium which is very nice. Can be adjusted up and down to match different chain ring sizes.

Square taper crankset with 50T aluminium chain ring, and a chain guard that is mounted to the chain ring. Crankset is a nice anodized black with a sandblasted finish.

Unfortunately it still uses a square taper crankset, and not a hollow spindle type. I won't be upgrading the crankset, as it is super troublesome with chain line and clearance issues as I discovered on the M6R.

Left side pedal is a folding pedal, which is heavier than the right side pedal. This means there is a tendency for the left crank arm to rotate downwards when stopped.

Press down on the centre lever to fold the pedal. Easy to use, but it is a pretty heavy design.

Brompton down-pull caliper brakes, but in black to look better. P Line uses a titanium front fork for weight reduction.

Nice Continental tires, with a good width of 35 mm.

Plastic hook mounted onto the front axle, to hook onto the rear chain stay when folded. Aluminium axle nuts instead of steel hexagon nuts.

3 pairs of stainless steel stays to support the rear mudguards and roller wheel. Since I don't roll it around a lot, I can save some weight by omitting the rear rack.

Stock roller wheels are really nice and smooth. The rear suspension block is also wider, not the round type on the older Bromptons.

The lever to release the rear triangle from the frame is also made of aluminium. Feels much better than the old plastic type.

Quick release lever for the seat post clamp is also made of aluminium. Nice and wide for comfort.

Last but not least, the hinge clamp levers are also made of aluminium!

The main differences between the P Line and the C Line / Old Brompton is that many of the touch points are made of aluminium instead of plastic. These include the hinge levers, seat post clamp, rear triangle release lever, etc.

You will also have noticed that many of the components and hardware on the P Line are black in colour, which looks more premium and matches well to the rest of the bike. Examples include the hubs, spokes, pedals, crankset, etc.

Although there is a price premium going from the C Line to the P Line, the improvements are all very tangible and noticeable. For weight reduction, the front fork and rear triangle are made of titanium. For better visuals, most hardware and components are black instead of silver. For better hand feel, most touch points are made of premium materials such as aluminium instead of plastic.