Brompton P-line Subway Commute: Folding Bike Tips for Rush Hour

Daily · Published 10/27/2022 ·

To make the most of my Brompton P-line, I decided to try commuting by hopping on and off the subway with it.

Carrying a 16-inch laptop on my back while wedging a bike into a packed subway car turned out to be a real struggle.

I think I’ll need to push my morning routine a little earlier to avoid the rush-hour crowds.

I got on at Madu Station and got off at Anguk Station.

Even just leaving 30 minutes earlier would make things a lot more relaxed.

I should also steer clear of the cars near the Line 6 transfer point.

The crowds there were unreal ㅜㅜ

You fold the bike up neatly, stand it carefully by the door, and then basically shield it with your whole body.

And honestly, it’s less about protecting the bike than protecting everyone else — if someone gets chain grease on them, that’s going to be a really bad day.

As long as you watch out for that, though, it was a surprisingly great way to get to work.

It took me about 20 minutes to reach Madu Station, under 20 seconds to fold the bike, and a couple of minutes to get through the gates and onto the platform.

The one thing I hadn’t counted on was how long the gap between trains can be.

I waited around 15 minutes before boarding, and the ride itself took about 50 minutes.

I could actually cycle all the way to work in 2 hours 30 minutes, but since there are no shower facilities there,

I’m planning to just take the subway in the mornings and ride home in the evenings.

Winter’s almost here, so I probably won’t get to keep it up for long, though…

Contact: bumseok.view [at] gmail [dot] com