Custom lots-of-titanium Brompton

this is the best customised Brompton I've seen. it looks amazing, and I particularly like the way you've kept it looking like a Brompton, rather than adding weirdly shaped handlebars, bizarre handlebar attachments, wheels with only 2 spokes etc.

out of interest, you can now get Ti raw lacquer ones from Brompton, so how does it compare on the cost front?

Thanks!

You can't get titanium frames from Brompton - the frame on mine is the standard lacquered steel one. The rear triangle and forks are titanium - I get almost all of my Brompton stuff from Brilliant Bikes and they'll have prices for all the titanium parts which are genuine Brompton parts.

When are you adding the power meter?

Proper job!!

When are you adding the power meter?

Don't tempt me - I have thought about it.

all that weight weenie ti and you put marathon pluses on!

needs kojaks

You're one to talk!

why

Probably best to retract my comment as I forget you ditched the Marathon.

No Kojaks on this bike. I've used Kojaks on a Brompton, and didn't enjoy it. I'm going back to them on the other Brompton, but those plans are deeply secret. Anyway, the great tyre debate was on the last page, so you're a bit late to that particular party.

Looks nice! I seem to be heading in a similar direction. I have the raw lacquer frame, to which I've added the Brompfication bits. I also added the seat clamp, which has eaten my hand three times already :(

I've fitted gold Jagwire outers, Weaponised gold jockeys, KCNC chainring bolts, Tioga Spider Twintail saddle, Spank gold grips and the same titanium seatpost... oh, and a gold bell (I do ride in London)

Looking to change the chainring as it's a bit bigger than my legs, and also looking at the bronze Bikefun chain tensioner.

I have some NisNas wooden 'fenders' to fit too, which I picked up cheap.

Wondering if I'm going too far... but who cares!

Looks nice! I seem to be heading in a similar direction. I have the raw lacquer frame, to which I've added the Brompfication bits. I also added the seat clamp, which has eaten my hand three times already :(

I've fitted gold Jagwire outers, Weaponised gold jockeys, KCNC chainring bolts, Tioga Spider Twintail saddle, Spank gold grips and the same titanium seatpost... oh, and a gold bell (I do ride in London)

Looking to change the chainring as it's a bit bigger than my legs, and also looking at the bronze Bikefun chain tensioner.

I have some NisNas wooden 'fenders' to fit too, which I picked up cheap.

Wondering if I'm going too far... but who cares!

i've had some nisnas for a few years but not got round to fitting till recently and mine are pretty shoddily cut, i'm having to mod them quite a lot to fit right

Hmmm, not what I wanted to hear. Hopefully they will be better now. I won't be fitting them until summer unless I apply some extensive waterproofing to the insides (which probably won't happen).

BTW, I mentioned the chainring above. I have what I thought was a standard singlespeed - should that really have a 54T chainring? If so, what does the taller geared one have??

54 is max on a strong light crank i think, i run 56 with sram cranks

Great looking bike - i am building something very similar at the moment. I am using Dura Ace track cranks with a 55T chainring - I have fitted it with a 118mm bottom bracket to get the clearance - havent ridden it yet but i know others have and works fine.

So what does it weigh now?

According to the scales last night, 11.14kg. That's with lights and a Garmin 500, but without the front luggage block (yet). Still quite porky, but that's due to the 5 speed hub, the Marathon Pluseseses, and the fact that I've kept things like mudguards and the chain guard. It's noticeably lighter than the rat Brompton.

Do you still feel the 5 speed block is a useful addition over the singlespeed option?

Yes, I think it does, although I'm still not convinced by the 5 speed hub. The real test will be the next time I ride up to Whitestone Pond. If I don't appreciate the gear range the 5 speed hub gives me then, then I never will.

3 speed cassette.

the only real doubt in my mind at the moment is the 5 speed hub. It seems very sensitive to cable tension adjustments and while I've now managed to get all 5 gears I'm still not entirely happy with it.

I fitted the same hub on a Moulton f-frame. Also had tension/gear selection issues. Spent ages trying to get it sorted, however after a little use I still couldn’t get the lowest gear and the others were skipping. The best I managed was 4 of the 5 gears. Not good enough.

Personal opinion is that the modern Sturmey 5 speed is a bit shite. Converted the Moulton to a single speed (fine for where I am in London) and will either get a Sturmey S5/2 for more gears or another bike.

Super Brompton btw.

3 speed cassette.

Ti Parts Workshop do a rather nice 3 speed kit with titanium sprockets and (I think) an aluminium replacement lever. Picture here.

I fitted the same hub on a Moulton f-frame. Also had tension/gear selection issues. Spent ages trying to get it sorted, however after a little use I still couldn’t get the lowest gear and the others were skipping. The best I managed was 4 of the 5 gears. Not good enough.

Personal opinion is that the modern Sturmey 5 speed is a bit shite. Converted the Moulton to a single speed (fine for where I am in London) and will either get a Sturmey S5/2 for more gears or another bike.

Super Brompton btw.

I think I'll persevere with it for a little longer, although the gear selection issues are a tad annoying. I really don't want to have to rebuild the rear wheel unless I absolutely have to though. I've already got a massive backlog of wheels to build without adding to it!

"According to the scales last night, 11.14kg"

I'm surprised. Mine is 10.1kg at the mo'. I'm running Kojaks and dinky lights, but I've still got original mudguards, chain guard and even the rear reflector (yes, I know it's got to go).

I know I'm being little anal (but not too much) about this, but mine is SO MUCH easier to carry about than my two colleague's standard M types...

BTW, my height stop on the seat post is lightweight insulating tape :o) I just read the instructions for that really expensive thing on the tat bazaar and improvised - works a treat.

The Sturmey is over 1kg on the hubs alone.

Wot Ed Said. The SA 5 speed appears to have internals made of Depleted Uranium, and weighs 1.06kg, and the Marathon Plus tyres are over twice the weight of Kojaks - 475g compared to 230g. It's still noticeably easier to carry than the Rat Brompton (largely standard M6L with Marathon Pluseseses) though.