Brompton owners

How do bromptons hold so much value when there's so many of them?
A £1000 bike 11 years ago, now £700?

Very disappointed at the lack of carbon and titanium HHSFBs in this thread

(Hip Hop Slave Folding Bikes)

The day I forgot my wallet (that I needed) and only discovered when i got to work wasn't great. 33 miles, not pootling - bit grim. Still, I appreciate my tiny gear going up the col de Knights Hill.

Probably related to the design not changing year to year, and Brompton bumping up the RRp each year.

Mental. I'd love one, they're pretty fun and convenient but not for more than a couple hundred quid. Seems I'll never get one ha

How do bromptons hold so much value when there's so many of them?

People hold on to them even if they aren't using them. Small, chuck in the cupboard, forget about it. Technology doesn't move on much either, completely immune to bike snobbishness.

I think my bushings must be the things making awful noises too. Agreed that out of the saddle Bromptoneering is fine and would also note that 2 speed is fine for me getting from Tottenham Hale to Victoria and back on a daily basis. I don't have to carry my Brompton too far but would probably not want to carry any extra weight for more gears.

That or they didn’t put thread lock on the bolt.

Probably related to the design not changing year to year.

Best part about Brompton.

Had one booked in for a service from 1996 with SRAM hubs.

Cost around £170 to serviced back to feeling brand new again (2x modern brake cable, hinge replacement, chain and sprocket, and handlebar catcher).

Continual Improvement is the best part about Brompton and servicing them is still reasonably priced considering how much they are worth now.

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Facepalm. Why didn’t I think of that?

Is it just a case of swapping over the chainring and shortening the chain a bit?

Bingo.

You have 102 link in your current chain, just removed the two and you'll have 100 link for the 50t chainring, it need to be exact so it'll fold well without causing the chain to come off.

Edit: found this chart;

Thanks Ed, that's very helpful.

That green Brompton can't be from 1996

Why not?

That green Brompton can't be from 1996

Series number seemed to indicates this.

Got send back to Brompton for repainting apparently and some upgrade such as new handlebar, rear triangle, seatpost sleeve etc.

Triggers' Brompton.

My bad, I thought it was the newer hinge, for the post 2004 longer wheelbase frame, but zooming again it looks like it is indeed the old one.
I'm over 40, I need to wear glasses maybe.

Ah I have just fitted those new hinge on that Brompton in picture, and yes it is the short wheelbase one! (luckily the long wheelbase cable work just as well, just have to trim it to match the original housing length).

Got a pair of black Brompton Lock-on Grips (2017 model) going spare, PM if someone is interested

After a recent insurance payout, I'm thinking of getting a folder, but I have certain (esoteric and probably unsound) requirements: (a) fixed gear; (b) a front disc brake (no rear brake: the ugliest thing about a Brompton is the cabling); (c) bullhorns, and (d) a power meter (probably hub based). Bonus points for a belt drive. Ben at Kinetic suggests that this is buildable, but not necessarily rideable. Anyone currently riding a fg Brompton? Would you do it again, other than for the lols? This would be N=6 (summer, CX/turbo, TT, SS, FG/winter), so we're we'll beyond practicality considerations: the alternative is something exotic and/or italian, but that's a bit boring.

Pedal clearance/BB height means this is a stupid idea

Danstuff’s Brompton is fixed with the tensioner

Making anything that folds fixed gear is tough because most designs do not pivot around the B.B. so go through chain growth or slackening as they fold.

a)Fixed gear is possible but you may be limited to magic gear ratios. Note you will still need a tensioner for when you fold the bike.

b)Front disc is no problem. Ben at Kinetics will sort you out (at a price!).

c) Again should be no problem, has been done before. Make sure you get the right diameter, 25.4 IIRC. However fold likely to be fcuked. Ergon GP3 likely to be the best answer.

d) I know nothing about power meters. If it is front hub situated then the disc forks Kinetics make fit 100mm wide hub. If it is rear fitted, standard Brompton rear width is narrower than on a road bikes. Having said that, Ben at Kinetics can make you a 135mm wide rear triangle (with disc mounts) (for a price!!).

Re Belt drive. No, this will not work. Belt drive needs decent tension on the belt. The rear suspension on the Brompton will mess with this. Also, folding the bike will unhook the belt each time (as I doubt the tensioner will manage to wrap the belt comfortably. This will leave you with a belt waving around and then having to hook it back in when unfolding.

Which I understand is the point of the tensioner in this application: which only impacts anything when folded: ie Bad Things shouldn't happen when resisting the pedals while riding (unlike on a bike with an RD and a buggered freewheel). Right?

The pedal clearance point admittedly worries me a bit. I have 165mm cranks on my Dolan FXE, which provides plenty of clearance, but when first learning to ride fixed, I'd corner virtually upright before I trusted the geometry. Believe the BB drop is 280mm, but need to check this against the FXE.

There are full sus MTBs with Pinion Gearboxes and Belt drives. They use some kind of belt tensioner / retainer around the chainring.

Bonkers but possible.