Following the comments above regarding the ride: I really like mine. As stated it is a gear-reduced single speed, it has flat bars, longer seatpost, Shimano SPD pedals and Kojak slicks pumped to 100 PSI. Until fairly recently I hadn’t even fitted the mudguards to save a little more weight.
Your first ride on a Brompton will feel odd. The riding position and small wheels makes for very twitchy steering and the rear suspension (mine is the firmer option) and general lack of rigidity compared to a high-end conventional bike is a little off putting, but after a short while you should grow to love it. The twitchiness is actually great fun, you really can throw it about, and it goes far faster than you would ever expect (the Kojaks playing a big part here). I do really like mine and it has been great fun and the hills I’ve managed to get it up where I was expecting to have to get off and push a great surprise. The brakes are not as terrible as they were on earlier Bromptons either (this is my second, I had a three speed back when I lived in That London, I much prefer the single).
My only criticism is with the quality of hardware; why the hell it doesn’t have quick release skewers on the hubs and modern drop-outs etc is just beyond me. It is a very clever frame design and that aspect is very well made, but the rest is pretty much 1970s Raleigh Chopper grade technology, and I don’t find that acceptable on a bike costing about a grand. Even so I’d still have one over any other folder as they are cool and great fun!