Brompton owners

The ring will need a special tool.... I used a honking great screwdriver. Doddle to do just tease it out a but then up over the top. Then look on the floor for it.

Stick a rag over the top to stop it doing the 'oh shit it hit my eye' or 'fuck where'd that go' dance.

Brilliant bikes.co.uk

Free post and £8.

You complainting bout cheap spares?

Tried a screwdriver but it didn't budge. Of course if I knew which way to turn it that might help.

Ah ok, you don't turn it. It needs to be levered off....ie., find the ends of the spring retainer. Then approx 10mm insert a bog standard flat end screwdriver and lever the spring off. Be aware, it will try to ping all over....be that thru yer skull depends on the quality of the rag covering it.

Oh silly me, I see what you mean now. It's just held in with a circlip.
I thought that the end of the freehub body was some sort of proprietary castellated nut. I've been tapping the thing with a screwdriver and hammer! (thankfully not that hard)

Now I'm wondering if I can swap the 12/16 for a 13/15 somehow. I read that it's standard shimano pattern splines, right?

Hmm, depends on yer luck. However, a small file and little effort allows the shimano sprockets on.

Why not just buy the Brompton sprockets separate? 12/15 is pretty standard for badgers. You can get up to a 19t in with a little bit of filing of the rear fame.

There's a 2 speed to 3 speed bodge you can do...
https://bromptontalk.wikispaces.com/file/view/2+to+3+Speed.pdf

... so I guess there's no reason why you couldn't apply the same logic to different gearing on a 2 speed. I'm quite curious about the 2 to 3 speed conversion using the derailier. Although without messing around with the chainring, that ^ guys extra gear seems a bit pointless as I'd rather have a faster gear or a bailout gear.

Also, I've "won" a pair of these J&L Ti Hinge Clamp Levers. Totally unnecessary as what I really want is spring loaded ones like Bromptifications:

Has anyone made their own versions? I assume I just need the right type of spring and pop it on, right?

I want to do that. I've cut up a takeaway carton to make two plastic bits that sit under the clamps and prevent them turning. This would be perfect with springs to keep everything in the right place.

This might be a dumb question, but where actually do you buy springs?

I've ordered a replacement sprocket set for mine but got the one for the BWR 6 speed cos it has a 13 tooth sprocket. Either I can play with spacers to make the thing fit or I'll have to stick with my 12. Either way the 16t is the same. I will experiment with a 15 if someone wants to donate their old Shimano 8/9 speed cassette with one on.

but where actually do you buy springs?

EBay I guess. Although I'm still trying to work out what the search term for pushy-out springs is. As opposed to tension or expansion springs which seems to mean pully-in ones.

compression springs?

what diameter/length are they? You could try maplins or RS Components. At the end of the day a spring is a spring. As long as its the right size.

Brompton is back together again. I can confirm that the 13t sprocket sold for the 6 speed is completely interchangeable with the 12t from the 2 speed.
I'll report back on whether it improves the bike.

So now you are running a 15T and 13T on your 2-speed?

Anyone seen brompton tool kits for sale (the ones that fit inside the frame)?

Couldn't find a 15 from Brompton that fit the Shimano splines, so it's still got the 16. I'm not about to shell out on a cassette just to pull one sprocket off, so I'll revisit that when my road bike needs a new cassette. But I did replace the 12 with the 13 which reduces the main gear from 74 to 69, same as my fixed.

No, but there's a pretty bad review of them in one of the top Google hits. The guy sounds like a bit of a numpty, but he makes some good points.

Anyway I think some of them were recalled or they changed the design a bit to rectify faults or something. So it might be worth doing some reading around.

They do look incredibly neat though.

I can report 69 inch gearing makes the brompton so much more fun to ride through town, with much less knackeration. Win!

I'm in the market for a brompton, was going to get one through the cycle to work scheme, but am waiting for payout which could mean I could buy one outright straight away. Looking for the 2spd, with a front bag and mudguards.
Let me know..

@cornelius_blackfoot - How would you feel about black with pink extremities (ooo errrr) S2L? I reckon you're man enough Andrew :)

Purchased in Nov 2014.
Used only a handful of times before I realised I preferred riding fixed.

S-type handlebar - straight.
Ezy wheels for ease of transportation when folded.
Firm suspension.
Telescopic seatpost.
2 gears (standard ratio)
Mudguards.

Was looking for £770 but am open to offers as none of the bites have turned into a sale.

Sadly, I already sold the bag to Emile so can't help you there...

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I can rock the hot pink, I'm in touch with my feminine side. Sure we can come to an arrangement.
Let's chat this weekend. Will ring you..

I shall look forward to it

The LLFGSS Brompton Urban Challenge team are now famous: http://news.fitzrovia.org.uk/2015/08/01/women-on-folding-bicycle-challenge-explore-fitzrovias-streets/

Yesterday was awesome, will post some pictures when I'm by a computer.

well done you lot.

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