The Brompton tri-folding bike design patent ended. This opened the market for Brompton clones, especially when Brompton’s cost so much. I have no problem with buying a clone to avoid the cost.

Let me offer my opinions: As you have noted, the two bikes are remarkably similar. But I found the Royale 9-speed (GT M9) had a bit of a flimsy feel. The shifters and breaks in particular did not feel like they would survive much wear and tear. The Brompton 6 speed had a much more solid ride and components. The Royale 10-speed (EX M10) felt much sturdier, with Shimano parts. I also preferred the shifting system (no internal hub) and the broader range of gear ratios. The Royale 10 speed with upgraded components was also forty percent less expensive than the Bromption 9 speed, which is a huge issue given the high cost of the Brompton. As noted by others, the Mobot folding mechanism tends to come undone to the point where I bought a strap to hold it together on buses and trains. Like the Brompton, the seat post is not long enough for my 183 cm, but fortunately the Brompton telescopic seat post extender will fit the Mobot (but it will set you back another S$150). I would have had to buy that for the Brompton regardless.

Further thoughts after having spent a month riding my Mobot Royale EX M10: The bike rides well–solid and smooth. I added a handlebar bridge for a phone mount and upgraded the Schwalbe tires from slicks to a touring tire. Although unlike the Brompton, Mobot does not come with toolkit, Mobot sells one that fits into the frame of the bike. I do not like the pedals, however, which are much smaller than standard pedals (I have UK size 10 feet, which are not particularly large). The rear rack, which is standard unlike the Brompton) comes with telescoping wheels for stability. Fantastic. But due to the strange triangular shape it cannot accommodate the VincIta Nash Bag (which has a wonderful mechanism to quickly attach the bag).

Pls share the tyre u changed to, its price n where u changed it. Thanks.

Sorry you can copy a design once patents expire. The Brompton patent expired long ago. The Dahon Curve D3 is a BI FOLD, folds in half like most folding bikes. The Tri Fold where the back comes up and under and the front folds back has been the trade mark of Brompton. They had a hold of the mark from 1975 until about 2010. Now there are several Brompton clones. Some of the clones have improvements, like 9 gears. You say BMW. Well anyone can make aftermarket BMW or Chevy parts, especially after the design has been out 10 much less over 45 years. Brompton did not invent bikes or folding bikes. They came up with a clever way to TRI FOLD, verses BI FOLD… Still a BI FOLD 20″ folding bike is better ride than a Brompton in many cases, but never will be as compact when folded.

Well Stolen is strong words. There are current three or four Brompton clones on the Market from China, Taiwan and Singapore. The patent on the Brompton Tri Fold expired about 20 years ago. So it was inevitable that people would say, hey good idea fold the back under and the front to the side. Most folding bikes fold in half, bi fold. So they are not as narrow when folded. However we are talking a few inches. Form most people that is not a big factor. If you are trying to carry your bike onto and off of trains and busses the Brompton is better. However other fold in half folding bikes especially 20″ tires give a better ride than the Brompton. So Brompton got a 20 year hold on the market and people will still buy them and pay almost double. Brompton is also shot ahead with the Titanium framed version the clones can’t touch.

Thanks for your condensed history lesson – perhaps you should also mention the murderous feudal Chinese dynasties, the Japanese Empire – not forgetting Genghis Khan or Attila the Hun.
Seems to me the Brits left their colonies in better shape than they entered them – democracy, healthcare, railways, education – Look at Africa now, for example, not done very well since Europeans were effectively kicked out in the ’70s.
They all want to come to Europe now, whether we like it or not.
Copying western technology is a lazy, cheating way of operation to make a quick buck. Better to try to advance humanity by original thought and the practical application of that.
Maybe then, when you come up with an original idea (apart from gunpowder) like the steam engine , the internal combustion engine, the electric motor, the linear motor,the jet engine, the digital computer etc. etc. Not to mention Tesla, Newton, Faraday, Davy, Curie, Einstein and the rest.
Wouldn’t want you to embarras yourself by having a blinkered, one sided view of the world.

Well, you should be proud that Asia has learnt well from the west. Western culture and pretty much its entire history has been about theft from all around the world. It is even in your history books. Everybody knows about The Great British Empire and how it is the single biggest looters, genociders all over the world. You might say, it’s all in the past, but the Brits and the Yankees are still at it Think Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, nobody said anythign about it.
In fact, the Brits are quite proud about it, the even call it The Great Empire. British Musems are fully of stolen artefacts displayed proudly too.

Perosnally when it comes to technology I think it’s ok for the betterment of humanity, that is how humans evolved, we have always learnt from each other.
Though I still think lootings, genocides committed by the west is way way way more grotesque, don’t you. So save your virtuous “holier than thou” antics please, before you embarras yourself in public for goodness sake.