Brompton owners

I don't think there is much movement with it clamped up, but over any bump of any size I am getting a reasonably loud creak at this point from the hinge which is what's concerning me.

Got a video of the play?

Unfortunately not. I took it to Brompton Junction in Covent Garden tonight and they are going to replace the hinge pin from the sounds of it. They replaced the clamping plate but that didn’t fix it. Unclear if this will be covered by warranty too 🥲, my experience didn’t start so well - they seemed unsure if I even owned the bike and claimed this may be caused by a lot of off road riding (which isn’t true either)

It worries me that after ~1 year of riding a maximum of 45km a week (probably less than 2000km total factoring in holidays etc) this would need doing.

Curious what others think.

Sounds a bit like warranty work weaselling .
I may, of course, be totally wrong.

Whereabouts are you based?

I’d find a non Brompton shop, a dealer for sure who have been selling them for years. If they haven’t got the confidence, the tools and pins in stock and sound like they have a clue, walk away.

I’d not go to a junction shop for servicing.

Premier dealer is a Smokey mirror, the one I left claims to offer all servicing but they have no true mechanic…

I’ve already left the bike with Brompton Junction in Covent Garden. I’ll take it to Balfes (who looked at it this morning and claimed it was abnormal, but they suggested I went to Brompton Junction for ease) I guess if that doesn’t work.

Not really sure how to proceed otherwise

Anyone on here got a dynamo hub and lights on their brompton? I'm about to take ownership of one that needs a new front rim, and am thinking of upgrading to a dynamo hub wheel. But I'm a bit wary that the front light mounted on the fork crown would clash with the headtube bag mount.

Also, does anyone have a 2-speed rear hub going spare, and/or want a 3 speed hub?

I think Balfes would fall in the same category as Brompton Junction - at least in my estimation. The best Brompton dealers I've worked with have always been the independent, authorised, LBSes and not the chains. I've had wonderful experiences with Heales (E4/E17), Mamachari (E17) and Hub Velo (E5).

I hear what you’re saying. I guess I had some hope that being a Brompton Junction shop it might make the warranty process a bit easier. It seems that may have backfired. I guess we’ll see what they end up doing and go from there.

@sbbohr given your knowledge of Bromptons, have you any clue what may be causing a reasonably consistent/loud creak on a ~1.5 year old P-line going over bumps/any kind of uneven surface/if you “bounce” on the pedals as such (ruling out saddle).

In the end I just want it fixed 😃

I have a 2 speed rear wheel if you're keen?

@PhilDAS are you concluding that putting a flat bar on the stem from a pre 2017 M type would be terrible? Asking as the one I'm acquiring is of that type and that era, and I was thinking of chucking a flat bar on.

If it just ends up a bit shorter in reach that's probably fine for me. If it makes the handling to all rubbish then that's not great. But my guess is either way it'll feel like a small wheeled weird bike so whatever.

Possibly, but I am in Scotland and am on a budget, so it may not be worth your while. But happy to hear more.

I guess I had some hope that being a Brompton Junction shop it might make the warranty process a bit easier

You can reasonably consider the Covent Garden shop to be an outpost of HQ in Greenford. While the staff there can be a bit weird, I don’t see what value involving a third party retailer is. If they don’t fix it first time you can much more easily demand it get sent back to be looked at properly.

I found the combination of short reach and seat-to-bar drop too much to be comfortable, but that probably depends on your height. I replaced the flat bar with a Joseph Kuosac midrise which brings it up to the level of an S bar, it's much more comfortable.

I have a fairly chunky light on mine and have had no contact issues whatsoever. If you're worried get a smaller light like an IQ-XS, but I wouldn't be concerned.

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I’m running an e3 supernova on arson dynamo hub, and the light placement is fine under the bag mount and bag. Having the front light so much lower than I’m used to takes a bit to get comfortable with, but apart from that all good

I wouldn't be able to say but that seems to be the consensus online. I think it might be a bit twitchy but if you're not tall, maybe it's fine? Idk.
I've bought a flat bar and I'm going to chuck it on the Mtype I've just bought but I'm confident having measured the stem to be similar to the S type. (It could even be an S-type that someone in the past has put M bars on, who knows)

I'm also keen to hear more, after cupcakes of course

Thanks all. I'll get hold of it and measure the stem, as well as give it a test ride to see how the M bars feel. I'm afraid they'll be really high as I'm not particularly tall, but it might actually be fine.

Let me know about the wheel @coventry_eagle and if it's not going to work for me then over to @PhilDAS

It's always worth checking the suspension block on a Brompton, often the cause of creaks. Add a bit of grease between the mating surfaces if so.

https://www.eerdermetaal.nl/brompton_webshop.html#!/Brompton-front-light-bracket-for-SON-lights/p/508413003/category=85761002 there are special brackets you can get also

Here’s mine with the supernova under the luggage block

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That aside, My Cannondale One Si crankset arrived. I've already removed the inner ring and plan to run it on my Brompton. It's a 30mm spindle and so would work with the 'new' Brompton BB30 (just an FSA Megaevo) that comes with the carbon crankset.

Pleased with the results, so here's what I did.

• Got a Cannondale One Si Mk3 crankset (BB30) and removed the inner ring
  
• Swapped the default 109mm to a 119mm Cannondale spindle to match the Brompon JIS axle length. It's purple, but we don't get to see that.
  
• Used the FSA Megaevo BB that Brompton now uses for their carbon crankset (also 30mm).
  
  

No issues with the BB or cranks catching on the frame or anything. Dare I say it looks like a perfect fit. A few final changes were needed though...

• The 52t Cannondale ring has some stubby teeth in places, probably to aid shifting. Swapped it for a CX1 chainring that's been sat with my spares doing nothing for years.
  
• Changed from a 13/16 sprocket set to a 12/16 to keep my gear ratio closer to how it was (I used to run a 54t chainring)
  
• Mounted the chainring on the inner ring position as the chain line was too outboard otherwise
  
  

The best bits for me though: the project cost around the same as a new Brompton crankset*, and weighs about the same (nominal difference if my maths and data is correct) as their so-called superlight carbon crankset, which costs £250!?

• Parts only. I didn't have the right BB tool (despite having 4) or crank extractor in my arsenal, so paid a small amount to Heales - my LBS who've done similar mods on Bromptons - to make sure everything was done fitted, torqued, and lined up properly.
  
  

Not the best pics, but here you go.

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If you are going for warranty, then yes. If you want the job done post me the bike.