Brompton owners

I think the 45t Alfine ones are very good: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-alfine-chainset-with-chain-guard/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=uk&utm_content=Shimano-Shimano_Alfine_Chainset_with_Chain_Guard-Black

A little more spinny than the original ones but much much stiffer

too spinny for me! sram apex with a 53t road ring will work great, costs about £70 with bb and rings - just need to get some singlespeed bolts - piece of piss to install too

i now run a 56t on the s2l balances out the gearing really nicely i think

i might actually still have a set in my toolbox if you're interested - i am a dirty crankset hoarder

photo 3.JPG by monomaniac(tom), on Flickr

Defo interested if you still have it!

got a KOM on strava this morning on my brompton... very pleasing

What mountain was it on?

vintage brompton:

http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2012/07/rare-old-beast-very-early-brompton.html

What mountain was it on?

col de Deptford

Nothing? Might have to get a Brompton superlight. Are they cartridge bearing? I can't use the same spokes can I? Even if I use longer nipples?

I've just seen a Moulton in a local bike shop with a seriously narrow Hope Pro front hub. The guy in the shop reckoned it was about 70mm but couldn't measure it to be sure as it was hanging off the ceiling. It was branded up as a 'Hope/AM', so you'd probably have to go direct to Moulton for one.

Doh, replied to the wrong post.

I've just seen a Moulton in a local bike shop with a seriously narrow Hope Pro front hub. The guy in the shop reckoned it was about 70mm but couldn't measure it to be sure as it was hanging off the ceiling. It was branded up as a 'Hope/AM', so you'd probably have to go direct to Moulton for one.

That makes more sense.

I've had my Brommie for a year now. Don't use it much. Once or twice a month. Not that many miles.

Front hub made a funny noise on a 6 mile ride recently (no noise before). I stripped it the following day and replaced bearings. Turns out the hub is pitted (from use) and therefore new bearings aren't going to help much. WTF? Its hardly used? I'm not the biggest fan of loose ball bearing hubs but they're not usually this bad. Absolutely shite durability.

I'm hoping this is a one off or a Friday afternoon hub build. I probably should have checked it sooner but it felt fine.
So I'm stuck with a dilema:
New hub and rebuild? Or will I just run into the same problem?
Or Superlight front hub (might require new spokes). Are superlights any good? Cartridge bearing?

Any other hub options? Can't find much apart from the Dynamo options. Shim Capero have a front hub but its only 20 hole (I think). Don't fancy that suspension hub either. Looks like a solution to a problem I don't really have.
What I really want is for Hope to make a 74mm hub!

This looks nice but probably a bit too expensive. http://www.calhouncycle.com/shopcast/?p=43#comments

Crap, what's wrong with me:

I've just seen a Moulton in a local bike shop with a seriously narrow Hope Pro front hub. The guy in the shop reckoned it was about 70mm but couldn't measure it to be sure as it was hanging off the ceiling. It was branded up as a 'Hope/AM', so you'd probably have to go direct to Moulton for one.

Now, that makes more sense.

haha, awesome. I've seen one like that before actually. From a chap who worked for Brompton.

Might give Hope a ring when I'm next in work.

Cheers.

Quick question, does anyone know of a lLondon shop that's got an S2L in raw in stock?

Nowhere will have anything custom in stock, unless it's an uncollected order, which is very unlikely.

Current wait is 14-18 weeks, but could go longer. I am impatient so got an S2L in black in 2 days after ordering through Evans. Great fun to ride, and I can see it replacing my Boardman CX as my general utility bike.

Cheers, I thought as much. I'm not keen on the satin finish, but need to get back on the bike asap, which is only really going to work if I can commute one way.

you could buy one in black then get it powdercoated in a different colour at armourtex if you so wished. would need to get it stripped down and rebuilt though. would still cost less than the raw option I reckon.

That's what I'm considering when I get bored of plain black

The main problem with that is the rear triangle, which uses hinges that can't be worked on easily at home, so you'll need your friendly local service point to help out with that.

This isn't the best of ideas. Brompton paint is especially hardy and can last extremely well protecting the frame in salt bath tests for hundrends of hours before showing signs of rust, powder coat is easily chipped and would last only a couple of minutes if tested in a salt bath.

@tiles... i may hit brompton up for their paint supplier then, I could use it on miracle :P

I've not seen one Brompton that was serviced at work with a scratched paintjob now that tiles have mentioned it.

Got a new Brompton S6 last October. Anyone else find that the pedals are not very long lasting? Mine started to creak after about 6 months. This was after riding in the rain which indicates poorly sealed bearings. I see the replacement rh pedal is about £6 though I can't bring myself to buy it as I know it will start creaking again. Tempted to just put normal flat pedals on it.

Overall I'm not that impressed with the quality of some of the components for a £1000 bike, but I guess new pedals and brakes would improve things.

In any case it has become my default bike as the front bag is so far superior to any other backpack/pannier option I've tried for commuting.

If anyone is going to lock theirs up I would recommend taping your D lock with bar tape, as my seat tube is really scratched up from doing this everyday. Paint is resistant to chips but not rubbing it seems. It really shows on the lighter colours (e.g. Sage Green).

Also watch the chain wear carefully - I left mine too long and had to change the small sprocket (which wears quite fast), after only a few hundred miles (again, riding in poor weather didn't help).

I freecycled a pair of those after about an hours riding. Your foot sits on that cylindrical bit in the middle - and as a result they are fucking lethal in the wet (and not much better in the dry!).

Brompton pedals are poop.
Switched to these now, good move.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&q=mks+promenade+pedals&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14133103368129495761&sa=X&ei=d-YgUO3DEMj80QXOjoCADg&ved=0CFsQ8wIwAQ#ps-sellers