Time provides new ideas. The current status here is three 5speed Brommies but from different starts.

BromTi has a Silverock 7speed wheel, running 5 cogs (11/13/16/20/24T) with varying spacers to match a Shimano XT shifter. (Works well; couldn’t get consistency with the XT with 6 or 7 cogs – & the chainline with 5 cogs isn’t so extreme?) Now with a Kinlin XR 18C wheel rim fitted (wheel initially came via eBay with Kinlin NBR 13C) & good spokes & nipples.

BB has a BrommiePlus custom build lightweight Hubsmith 2/3speed hub & fitted with a 5speed MiniMods UniBody cassette (11/13/17/21/25T).

Clarence has a Brompton 2speed wheel & a BrommiePlus 5speed freehub & fitted with a 3speed MiniMods UniBody cassette (11/14/17T) & additional cogs (21/26T).

The shifters for Clarence & BB are Sram GX 11speed.

I think the accurate machining of the UniBody cassettes is better for shifting than using separate Shimano 11/13T shouldered cogs (with seeming spacing inconsistencies?).

BromTi has a Thx4Ride parallelogram derailleur while the other two use similar H&H units.

So, there they are; all setup at different times with what seemed ideal (& available) then. At present, BB gets the favourite vote for simplicity & lightness – although for effectiveness, it’s a 3-way tie.

Lightish wheels with good gearing range & minimal hub drag.