Brompton owners

Anyone after a cheaper build?

The frame has just started to crack, but tbh will be okay. Will have a replacement rear triangle and up to date kit on replacing the wheels, Chainset, brakes levers etc

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz24HOdUctA

Nice upgrade video.

Shame he just used the cheapo parts that aren’t really an upgrade!

yeah, its dogs dinner, unusable with those parts, nice to pose with, weigh and instagram it

I hope you have public liability insurance

1. I do
   
2. I’m going have it fixed
   
3. See photo for tiny crack currently!
   

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ha! its a nice video

Not as bad as I was expecting

As I say, probably be fine, I have a chap who can do a proper fox as I have had done previously so I’ll Get it sorted

T-line owners, what's everyone experience so far?

Going by Facebook it seems lots of people have had “issues”, aka very basic things that anyone with some bike knowledge could resolve and they go straight to social media rather than just solving it / going to bike shop.

One of the big issues is these bikes are being supplied by Brompton, not the dealers. Brompton build/assemble the bikes, they definitely do not PDI they completely.

I've seen this, but also noticed that some post has been removed to protect the image of Brompton as well (my theory anyways).

Owning a T-line I thought it would be very similar to my CHPT3 experience and using the knowledge I gain there I thought most of the stuff would be an easy fix. Unfortunately, there are some fundamental issues with this bike to a point where I have been told to stop riding and given back the bike back to Brompton HQ to inspect.

This wouldn't be an issue if it was like after a couple of months, but I had to return mine after a week and probably less than 100km on the bike, which is putting self doubt and most likely get a refund after this experience. Pity as I really enjoyed the bike and probably will get one in a couple years when they sorted out all the issues.

Wow what what?

You got to tell all Now…

Guess I won't be getting the CHPT3 cheap then :/

Well get a cuppa tea, this might take a while:

Cracked handlebar:

I don't know if this just me or just pure bad luck but somehow I've cracked the handlebar itself...(no bro, I do not lift)

It's not broken/snapped yet, but there is a visible crack occurred where it seems the initial QC check of the woven area seem a little off, which seem strange as I thought it would have been a one piece woven carbon, but from the looks of it it might be two pieces joint together (my theory again)

Seatpost:

Problem with this is the seatpost, hinge clamp and sleeve does not work together.

The recommended torque makes the seatpost slip constantly, I've been doing a 1/4 turns to the bolt to and from work to a point where the seatpost doesn't slip anymore.

(For reference, my cycle to work is 4.5km and it slipped 40mm on my first ride)

With the seatpost not slipping anymore, we have created a new problem where with hinge clamp being so tight to the point of potentially snapping the post, the seatpost does not release and self drop to the ground anymore and you need to push the seatpost down by hand. This in affect scratches the new seatpost, but what is worst is that the top and bottom of the seatpost where there is a lot of binding/scuffing of the carbon itself to the point where he black carbon is turning white.

Saddle rail:

The new saddle design, is probably the best thing about the new T & P line, the ergonomics on and off the bike is perfect.

The saddle rails and seatpost doesn't seem to work, and they need to find the correct torque setting of this part of the bike. The recommended torque is 10N and every ride I did it slipped back, I took it back to Brompton and made it 15N, this didn't solve the problem at all either as after a week it was slipping.

I'm not too sure if like fizik where the rails needs to have grip tape or grip paste, but currently when I was given this bike it had neither.

Stem:

Another beautiful feature of the Brompton was their stem being released and it drops into the holder and stays in place, this new stem design does not do that at all.

Instead you have to place this by hand manually as every time you release the stem it will will just rebound off headset and does not engage with the stem hole.

Pedals:

I don't know who is reviewing the QC side of Brompton but their pedal design does not speak a luxury 4k bike at all. The pedal does not spin on the axle at all smoothly and worst is that the drive side there is a constant mouse squeak of something binding on either the bearings or pedal body. (plus on my OCD side, why is one side of the axle black and the other side is sliver, did Brompton run out of money to paint the other side?) #matchymatchy

I think with this bike currently Brompton has went one step forward and a couple steps back.

Long story short, should have went with the P Line instead.

Thinking to mode it and make it lighter.

At least I know it will work.

Regardless of the official line.
The owners of this first release of T Lines are beta testing them in real world environments.
Why else are they offering owners free servicing at Junction stores.
Because the nearest store is in London I'm glad in some way to not have bought one and would wait for a later bike when they've rectified these teething problems.

Nice write up.
As Ryan suggests a lot of these issues are PDI ones not done by the store on collection.
There seems to be a torquing issue of nuts and bolts were fittings are dry and binding giving inaccurate readings.
A dab of copper grease on the Pentaclip bolt should ensure it's at the right torque setting.

The free service is more like a minor service where it is only a gear tune up and just tightening any lose parts.

Personally I would have expected a full strip down service tbh to soften this blow/justifying the cost of the bike.

This is an easy fix IMO, just surprised there was no carbon grip paste when I brought this from the shop, worse was when I brought it back and instead of applying paste they just increased the torque.

(Even though on their official YouTube video it was clearly state it should be applied...)

Yeah, clearly the training memo on working with carbon parts hasn't reached them yet!! 🤦

New brompton concept bike just leaked …😁

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I got a P line in January - the derailleur skips no matter what, BJ cov g said a new revision is being released soon that will 'fix'.
You had any issues like that with your T line?

This has happened to me already, which in respect to folding it annoying as if i was in the lowest gear/largest sprocket it won't allow the crank to rotate backwards due to the misalignment of the rear derailleur.

There is a current fix on the way for this part, but be careful as speaking to some guys at the shop it actually the rear triangle than the derailleur that is causing the the chain to skip. Just an FYI.