Video summary

Can A Folding Bike Climb? Superbike Vs Brompton Challenge!

Main summary

Key takeaways

Sport

Summary: Amateur vs. Champion on a Folding Brompton

The video tests whether an amateur cyclist on a top-spec folding road bike can beat double national hillclimb champion Andrew Feather, who rides a folding Brompton, on a steep climb.

Location & Course

  • Where: Cheddar Gorge (South England)
  • Distance: 4.6 km
  • Gradient:
    • Averages ~4%
    • Includes steep ramps
    • Peaks at ~20%

Benchmark Performance

  • Fastest recorded time: 8:34
  • Set by: Andrew Feather
  • The video notes this is faster than Tour of Britain world tour pro times, despite those riders being drafted.

Setup / Handicap

To keep the contest fair, the Brompton rider is contextualized with:

  • Weight: 63 kg
  • Power: 5-minute power over 500 watts

Race Start

  • Both riders start simultaneously at the beep, after multiple countdown beeps.

Key Moments During the Climb

  • Early climbing dynamics: Andrew rapidly gains speed, particularly on the steep section. The narrator struggles with pacing and cadence.
  • Mid-climb moments: The climb levels slightly to around ~3%. The narrator tries to maintain cadence while monitoring Andrew’s position and continuing to adjust shifting.
  • Critical performance difference: The narrator describes being “spinning out” and notes the Brompton becomes twitchy at speed, before improving once properly adjusted.

Finish Results

  • Narrator’s time: just under ~11 minutes (described as around “11 minutes”)
  • Andrew’s time: Faster—framed as roughly about 2 minutes quicker on the Brompton than the narrator on the top-spec climbing road bike.

Outcome

Andrew Feather wins the hillclimb challenge, showing that climbing ability and rider power can outweigh even a top-spec bike advantage—especially when competing on a folding Brompton.

Presenters / Sources (as mentioned)

  • Andrew Feather (double national hillclimb champion; rider)
  • GCN (Global Cycling Network) presenters (collectively mentioned; individual names not provided in subtitles)
  • Psy (visiting to film a Brompton story)
  • GCN+ / Brompton documentary (referenced)

Original video