65km Round Trip to Jeongseojin on a Brompton Folding Bike

Cycling · Published 5/21/2024 ·

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Starting from Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu, a round trip to Jeongseojin comes out to about 65km — not exactly a short ride. And I did the whole thing on a Brompton, of all things. For those who don’t know, the Brompton is a folding bike with tiny 16-inch wheels. There’s really no angle from which it beats a road bike for long-distance riding. That said, with a reasonable level of fitness and a bit of determination, it handles a trip out to Jeongseojin — and even a long day of around 100km — without much trouble.

When I got to Jeongseojin, I propped the bike up, and the wind was blowing so hard that the bikes looked like laundry flapping on a line.

Jeongseojin is the course that runs from the Han River along the Ara Waterway out to the West Sea. It’s basically flat with almost no elevation change, and it’s a really popular ride for people in Seoul and the surrounding area. I’m not sure if the stretch heading toward the sea just happens to be a wind tunnel, but the headwind out there is brutal. The trade-off is that the way out is a grind, while the way back feels like someone’s pushing you from behind the whole time. On top of that, the scenery is gorgeous. Just imagine being able to ride a bike all the way out to see the ocean. At the destination there are restaurants and convenience stores, so you can grab a meal or stock up on a few supplies.

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Gimpo Airport is close to the route, so every now and then you get to watch planes taking off and landing. And since you’re riding alongside the wide-open Ara Waterway with no tall buildings around, that closed-in feeling just melts away and a lot of the stress goes with it. Honestly, every time I make this trip I come back feeling completely refreshed.

The section that got repaired after all that heavy rain last year has been freshly paved too, which makes for an absolutely perfect riding surface.

This is the view back toward the Deogeun district and Noeul Park, taken from around the south end of Gayang Bridge on the Han River. The Han River is way wider, of course… no contest there.

Taking a breather at a little rest spot. Here’s the Brompton T Line that somehow flies along on those tiny wheels, plus my friend’s P Line. Even at 16 inches, they really do get up and go.

And that wraps up my ride out to the Jeongseojin Ara Waterway course on the mini-velo Brompton T Line and P Line.

Thanks for reading.

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