After hopping off the train, I headed straight to the workshop, which was conveniently right behind the station. My bike wasn’t ready just yet, but Inder — the bike guru — was hard at work. Knowing my bike was in Inder’s hands felt reassuring. My last servicing fiasco in Pune still haunts me: the servicing gone wrong, had me dragging the bike home after just a 40–50 km ride. It had shattered my confidence and left a cloud of doubt hanging over my Vietnam tour set to start in just two days. Thankfully, Inder agreed to squeeze in the service at the last minute.
After an hour, he was done and sent me off for a test ride. Smooth as butter. Finally, my bike felt ready, and I was out of time — and patience — for more breakdowns.
Just as I was leaving, a random thought struck me: I asked Inder if he knew anyone selling a Brompton. This legendary folding bike had been on my wishlist forever, but the hefty price tag always held me back. Why not try second-hand? A Brompton’s compact, cool, and perfect for traveling, but who knows how it would fit me in the long run?
Inder didn’t seem to get my excitement but handed over a contact anyway — Mahi, a guy from Lavasa, who apparently had one for sale. I wasted no time calling him, and sure enough, he still had the bike and promised to send pictures by evening. Back in Karjat, I dropped my bike, rushed to Pune to crash at my friend Yogesh’s place, and impatiently waited for Mahi’s message. With my tour starting a day after tomorrow, I was risking some serious last-minute chaos over a bike I hadn’t even seen.
Finally, at 10:30 pm, the photos came through, and the Brompton looked perfect. I texted Mahi to set up a meet for the next day, but I resisted calling so late. Dawn broke, no response from Mahi yet, but I convinced Yogesh to join me on the impulsive road trip to Lavasa. What are friends for, right?
By 6:55 am, Mahi replied, and we hit the road. Mahi turned out to be an amazing guy — a cyclist and traveler like me. Even if the deal hadn’t worked out, meeting him would’ve been worth it. But it did work out! After searching for over a year, I finally got my Brompton.
On the way back, I was hit by a wild idea: Why not take the Brompton on my tour? It looked solid, and Mahi assured me it was in near-perfect shape. Sure, he advised against it since I hadn’t tried the 16-inch wheels before, but my heart was all in. Folding bikes make travel a breeze, and I figured I’d get used to it fast. I called Inder to thank him and run my idea by him. He laughed, saying no second thought needed — “Brompton’s practically maintenance-free.”
Back home, I took it for a spin to lock in my decision. Yep, the tour was officially happening on my new Brompton!
PS: I’ve clocked over 3,500 km on the Brompton. Zero servicing, apart from a few flat tires. — “Brompton is indeed a maintenance-free bike.”
