Brompton owners

Hub gears have flats because you don't want the axle rotating, and older ones have specific, narrower, dropouts to grip the flats. Newer ones have non-rotating washers that fit into normal dropouts.

It is easier to file the axle than the dropouts.

Bromptons officially have approval from the young.

I was wheeling mine round Lidl the other day, and a kid who must have been around 6 turned to his dad and said 'Wow, that bike is sick'. His dad just smiled.

^^^thanks Ed
^^thanks Bluequin

Elementary tech question - For my 2 speed what chain do I need to buy?

Can I buy any old 3/32 chain - 7, 8, 9 or 10 speed?

I'm a bit concerned about buying one that's a bit too narrow.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-altus-hg40-6-7-8-speed-chain/rp-prod38332?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gclid=CjkKEQjwlcSdBRD3wva3-KOAo80BEiQAjNIhiRQtmOE1zXdJtHKnzWIvRpng5QjmgGj_6-TXfgYq9Cjw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

That'll work fine, assuming you've got a chain tool to take off the extra links?

Thanks - yes I've got tools - sort of tempted to get a blingy gold chain to set off the brazing of my raw but this would be the sensible choice.

Three things I'll never get used to on the Brompton:

1) The wide turning circle when travelling at speed.

2) If you skid and the back swings wide, it's going to swing wider than you expect really fast.

3) Pedal strike!

Something about the Brompton always makes me treat it like a hire care... you know, just blast around recklessly as fast as you go. Yet I still haven't learned that it doesn't offer the same level of control as the rest of my bikes.

Brompton have been erratic re their production schedule. Timeframe has varied from weeks to months. The bike did not arrive yesterday, but received message from Scoble today "Alright James, your Brompton should be here tomorrow, it's now at our sister shop in Richmond awaiting transportation"

When I pointed out I turn 40 tomorrow he replied "Perfect timing for your mid life crisis" yet again, I binscobled. Am v excite.

I now have my folding bike. Am concerned that I will turn into a Brompton Wanker and will be incapable of calling it a bike/bicycle/cycle, and will instead only be able to refer to it as a Brommmpton. There seems to be a malfunction in anyone who has one of these small wheeled bikes, they have to correct anyone who refers to it as if it were a normal cycle with "my Brommmpton." Having said that, I am a wanker in most aspects of what I do, so will probably struggle not to become one with regard to this tiny wheeled machine.

Scoble insisted an upgrade to Kool Stop pads, and the brakes appear to work as a result.

pic of proud owner and his brommmpton please

bromptons aren't real bikes hence why people call them bromptons instead.

On a weight saving mission on the Brompton.
Swapped the 5 speed rear wheel for a single speed.
Got some Ti frame clamps on order (the ones that hold the clamp in position all the time).
Swapping the tyres for lightweight Kojaks.

Any other ideas without doing anything crazy? Can you get plastic mudguards?

Out of interest, is the single speed wheel a lot lighter? I'm half wondering about doing this too.

[I][/I]

On a weight saving mission on the Brompton.
Swapped the 5 speed rear wheel for a single speed.
Got some Ti frame clamps on order (the ones that hold the clamp in position all the time).
Swapping the tyres for lightweight Kojaks.

Any other ideas without doing anything crazy? Can you get plastic mudguards?

I now have my folding bike. Am concerned that I will turn into a Brompton Wanker and will be incapable of calling it a bike/bicycle/cycle, and will instead only be able to refer to it as a Brommmpton. There seems to be a malfunction in anyone who has one of these small wheeled bikes, they have to correct anyone who refers to it as if it were a normal cycle with "my Brommmpton." Having said that, I am a wanker in most aspects of what I do, so will probably struggle not to become one with regard to this tiny wheeled machine.

Small wheel syndrome: make sure you mention to everyone that you go "as fast as everybody else" although really no one gives a shit.

fold kit wankers?

The Swissstop Green were a present, happy mid-life crisis.

My Brompton stops better than my other bikes. On ordinary pads too.

Well, maybe my road bike would stop faster but I ride on the hoods most of the time so I'm never actually braking that efficiently.

My Brompton stops better than my other bikes. On ordinary pads too.

Well, maybe my road bike would stop faster but I ride on the hoods most of the time so I'm never actually braking that efficiently.

I remember all too well when it stopped so much better you broke your collarbone.

^^ it sound more like the brakes on your road bike were pretty crap, normal road caliper stop me quicker than the Brompton's own.

Too right.
It's a 2012 Trek 1.1. They don't even tell you what brand the brakes calipers are.

On a weight saving mission on the Brompton.
Swapped the 5 speed rear wheel for a single speed.
Got some Ti frame clamps on order (the ones that hold the clamp in position all the time).
Swapping the tyres for lightweight Kojaks.

Any other ideas without doing anything crazy? Can you get plastic mudguards?

Just getting rid of the hub gear is probably the most significant weight difference you are going to get, everything else is on the crazy/cost borderline.

Which bar type have you got? I recently got a stem adaptor, and switched to an Easton riser bar. You could do the same but go for a carbon bar. Not the cheapest solution, but would shave some grams off.

The new funky Brompton guards are plastic, not sure about the fittings and which frames they are for. Can't find them online, and I don't mean the new stock ones. Saw them at the Brompton shop.

The lifetime of the Kojaks put me off them.

Too right.
It's a 2012 Trek 1.1. They don't even tell you what brand the brakes calipers are.

Hah, I know those, defintely not tektro that I can tell you, you should get some Tiagra brakeset, it'll be a massive improvement.

Any other ideas without doing anything crazy? Can you get plastic mudguards?

http://http://www.lfgss.com/thread99086.html

Hah, I know those, defintely not tektro that I can tell you, you should get some Tiagra brakeset, it'll be a massive improvement.

I'm not spending any money on it. It's my "leave at the station all day" bike - not even putting a decent saddle on it. I had to change the pedals but that's it.

To be fair even with the bottom of the range kit, it all works really well and it's a really nice bike to ride.

With 8 speed,it should, bar the wheels, hubs should feel grindy by now.