Brompton owners

I have one. I still have to actually lift it cos 4'11 means everything drags on the floor!

I'm right in thinking that if I was to change from 'S' bars to 'M' bars, I would have to replace the brake cables with longer ones, aren't I?

Anyone interested in a raw lacquer M stem? Brand new, made a mistake ordering. They’re £160, would take £115 posted. (I’m in Yorkshire) that’s trade + vat + a few quid to cover post

You leaving the s stem on? That makes basically a h type...

The m stem is shorter, you will need random length cables.

If you just want to go to m type, £20 for a set of Joseph Kuosac mid rise bars, then you just need m type cables - fitted tonnes so can verify it’s a perfect set up. Wider too, 600mm, just trim to suit your preference

@amey will!

Thanks.
I didn't realise that the M had a shorter stem.
I've just taken delivery of these in carbon fibre:

And was toying with the idea of fitting them.
Thanks to your words, I'm not convinced that an H type set up is what I'm looking for. (or the faff with cable swaps)
On that basis the bars are likely to end up for sale on here.

@amey pls

I am out papi, this is now finished, the only thing I will do on it is ti seatpost, rear triangle and fork so gimme a shout if you come across anything

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@amey will not :(

So J&L front hubs, are they anygood?

Found for £13.50 posted... that’s dirt cheap. Can only see 20hole? No experience of them, I sell/use jtek ones and can only say good things. £54.99 on sjscycles.co.uk in black or silver with skewer 28h, also have them built to Brompton or sun c18 rims, or anything else you like!

Looking at building a cheap wheel and saw that hub. Didn't see the 20 hole thing.

Looking at building a new front wheel as I have very little faith in the brompton hub.

Needs more colours.

I think I have a spare jtek hub and Brompton rim, I think I have the spokes too, it was 2x and plan to rebuild radial... I’ll have a rummage... what’s the £££ you want to spend?

Thank you, but am alright at the mo. Have recently bought a new bromton front wheel and not to sure/comfortable with the having to strip, clean and regrease a brand new hub. Have the old front wheel that had new grade 10 ball bearings fitted. Then the single wall rim started to bend.

you will need random length cables.

#nobrommynochat I know but, are peeps really buying cables pre-cut to what Brompton says they should be? Isn't "random length cables..." what everyone does on a daily basis?

Yes people buy the correct cables because it’s 100 times easier and quicker. The cables are linear too, not just shimano ones, otherwise they feel like crap with a few curves and go to crap after a few folds.

@TM @maynardeames @jj72 Thanks for your replies. Really appreciate the info.

So any frame that could be knackered is obviously a no go. That idea partly came from a discussion with a friend who was working as a welder at Brompton who said he could easily access frame parts with slightly off welds, but that was donkeys years ago and not really an option anymore.

Work doesn't do cyclescheme and my ideal Brompton will be customised anyway so I still think that a frame from 2010 onwards with decent components that I can chop and change is the answer.

Something like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Brompton-folding-bike-3-speed-hardly-used-and-stored-in-my-Office/113287387612?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Worth pushing to set up a cyclescheme?

Would love to say yes, but it's a really small organisation with lots on it's plate and I just think it'd be unlikely to fly.

0% creadit card over 12/24 months would be a good option too .. the most money is in the frame/fork/rear triangle, parts are cheap but if you don't build it yourself then the difference between a £600 used (which requires work which means time and money) and a £1000 new isnt huge IMO.

I have done both, bought a brand new OTP S6L and built up S2L, I did the build mainly to demystify bromptons and for 'fun'.

The saving is paltry in most cases anyway when you account for the “taking ownership” fee. Interest free finance or credit card makes just as much sense unless you’re on a baller salary.

That blue one looks ok but lots of old bits that are much less nice than new bits (cranks especially and brake levers I expect).

I think I ended up getting about £300 off my Brompton with C2W when I worked it out

Just go work at an Evans on a Saturday for a bit and get a staff discount :’) - if you don’t top yourself first

Are you higher tax band/did your employer write off the final payment?