# Which tyre should I get for a Brompton?



## JE201 (13 May 2020)

Hi guys, I am considering getting a Brompton for my commute in London (~5 miles each way, mainly on a cycle superhighway) and was wondering whether it is worth paying extra to get the Schwalbe Marathon tyres instead of the Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres that come as standard on the Brompton bikes?


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## Moodyman (14 May 2020)

I don't ride a Brompton, but have seen a few and changing a tube looks like a real hassle. Best go with M+. As the wheels are smaller the rotation inertia won't be as noticeable.


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## vickster (14 May 2020)

A friend of mine has a folder (similar small tyres) and she said the small M plus we’re an absolute nightmare to get on and off when she did get a puncture

Why not just see how you get on to start with the tyres on the bike. Make sure you learn how to change a tube with the hub gearing before going out


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## Gunk (14 May 2020)

The standard Marathon Racer tyres are fine, I personally wouldn’t pay to upgrade.


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## JE201 (14 May 2020)

vickster said:


> A friend of mine has a folder (similar small tyres) and she said the small M plus we’re an absolute nightmare to get on and off when she did get a puncture
> 
> Why not just see how you get on to start with the tyres on the bike. Make sure you learn how to change a tube with the hub gearing before going out


I have no idea how to change tyres or do any repairs on a bike. I thought the more puncture resistant tyre might be a good option to mitigate my lack of ability.


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## JE201 (14 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> The standard Marathon Racer tyres are fine, I personally wouldn’t pay to upgrade.


Have you experienced many punctures with just the Racer tyres on the bike?


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## jay clock (14 May 2020)

I agree re changing the Marathons. But P* visits rare

I am very attracted at trying these and suspect they handle massively better https://www.condorcycles.com/products/continental-urban-tyre-for-brompton?variant=29468363325523


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## JE201 (14 May 2020)

jay clock said:


> I agree re changing the Marathons. But P* visits rare
> 
> I am very attracted at trying these and suspect they handle massively better https://www.condorcycles.com/products/continental-urban-tyre-for-brompton?variant=29468363325523


Do these provide more protection that the Marathon one?

Are there any tyres that are pure rubber i.e. have no air tube and so cannot be punctured at all?


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## vickster (14 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Do these provide more protection that the Marathon one?
> 
> Are there any tyres that are pure rubber i.e. have no air tube and so cannot be punctured at all?


Tannus tyres are solid, don’t know if they do a 16” option. Where are you getting the bike, if you buy new tyres, get the shop to fit
edit, the do a Brompton option
https://tannus.co.uk/tires/shop/
I expect the ride isn't great, the cost is high, they’re hard to fit apparently..., I’d stick with tyres and tubes and deal with the occasional puncture!


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## JE201 (14 May 2020)

vickster said:


> Tannus tyres are solid, don’t know if they do a 16” option. Where are you getting the bike, if you buy new tyres, get the shop to fit
> edit, the do a Brompton option
> https://tannus.co.uk/tires/shop/
> I expect the ride isn't great, the cost is high, they’re hard to fit apparently..., I’d stick with tyres and tubes and deal with the occasional puncture!


I will likely either get it via Evans or Brompton directly. At Evans it comes with the Marathon Racer tyres, but they have the Marathon plus available for an extra £41.49 x 2 (https://www.evanscycles.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-flat-less-brompton-16-commuter-tyre-EV216356)

At Brompton directly, they charge an additional £25 according to their bike builder (https://www.brompton.com/bikes/build/bike-builder?id=9919602&cid=18), and I think the tyre they use is this: https://www.brompton.com/brompton-g...-marathon-reflective-strip/c-24/c-1031/p-1524. I think it may be different than the Marathon Plus that Evans use?


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## Gunk (14 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Have you experienced many punctures with just the Racer tyres on the bike?



none, and I regularly take the riverside path into town.


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## Origamist (14 May 2020)

jay clock said:


> I agree re changing the Marathons. But P* visits rare
> 
> I am very attracted at trying these and suspect they handle massively better https://www.condorcycles.com/products/continental-urban-tyre-for-brompton?variant=29468363325523



I have recently fitted these and like them a lot. I have not put many miles into them but they roll well and whilst I'm not expecting M+ levels of puncture deterrence, they do seem robust enough for urban commuting. Currently they are coming up undersize at 33mm on my rims, but I expect them to stretch a bit after a few more weeks. The earlier samples from what I read ballooned to approx 37mm and there were probs accommodating them with the rear mudguard.


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## JE201 (14 May 2020)

Origamist said:


> I have recently fitted these and like them a lot. I have not put many miles into them but they roll well and whilst I'm not expecting M+ levels of puncture deterrence, they do seem robust enough for urban commuting. Currently they are coming up undersize at 33mm on my rims, but I expect them to stretch a bit after a few more weeks. The earlier samples from what I read ballooned to approx 37mm and there were probs accommodating them with the rear mudguards.


How noticeable is the difference in roll/speed between the Continental and the Marathon puncture resistant tyres?


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## Origamist (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> How noticeable is the difference in roll/speed between the Continental and the Marathon puncture resistant tyres?



In the absence of comparative rolling test results, which renders my view purely subjective, I'd say they have better rolling resistance than M+.


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## Smudge (15 May 2020)

The Marathon Racer doesn't have bad puncture protection at level 4. Marathon + are highest level 7 PP, but will be a fair bit heavier than the Racer and will have more rolling resistance.
I would stick with the Racer and see how they go.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Smudge said:


> The Marathon Racer doesn't have bad puncture protection at level 4. Marathon + are highest level 7 PP, but will be a fair bit heavier than the Racer and will have more rolling resistance.
> I would stick with the Racer and see how they go.


The Brompton build a bike site said the more puncture resistant one is 0.162kg heavier. Is this likely to be noticeable? What do you mean by rolling resistance?


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## Smudge (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> The Brompton build a bike site said the more puncture resistant one is 0.162kg heavier. Is this likely to be noticeable? What do you mean by rolling resistance?



I've had M+ on a bike before and didn't like the feel of them, maybe psychological, but they did seem to have more RR than other Schwalbe tyres i've used. They are also not as easy to change.
I tend to go standard Marathon, Delta Cruiser, or Land Cruiser. I prefer these over M+.


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## Smudge (15 May 2020)

Also, the puncture protection on the 3 tyres i mentioned are only 1 level up from the Racer.
So i wouldn't change the Racer straight away, just see how does. I always at least give a tyre a chance for a while, unless i know that tyre is crap.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Smudge said:


> I've had M+ on a bike before and didn't like the feel of them, maybe psychological, but they did seem to have more RR than other Schwalbe tyres i've used. They are also not as easy to change.
> I tend to go standard Marathon, Delta Cruiser, or Land Cruiser. I prefer these over M+.


Is the M+ different to this tyre? https://www.brompton.com/brompton-g...-marathon-reflective-strip/c-24/c-1031/p-1524


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## Smudge (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Is the M+ different to this tyre? https://www.brompton.com/brompton-gbr/uk-store/parts/tyres,-wheels-mudguards/tyre-35-349-schwalbe-marathon-reflective-strip/c-24/c-1031/p-1524



Thats standard Marathon, level 5 PP..... M+ is level 7.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Smudge said:


> Thats standard Marathon, level 5 PP..... M+ is level 7.


Ah so this one is the Plus https://www.evanscycles.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-flat-less-brompton-16-commuter-tyre-EV216356

How much of a difference is there between level 5 and level 7? I don't have any experience in this so not sure if 2 levels is a big jump. If I order from Brompton the level 5 comes on the bike already, whereas buying at Evans they have the Racer on it and getting the level 7 would be extra.


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## Smudge (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Ah so this one is the Plus https://www.evanscycles.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-flat-less-brompton-16-commuter-tyre-EV216356
> 
> How much of a difference is there between level 5 and level 7? I don't have any experience in this so not sure if 2 levels is a big jump. If I order from Brompton the level 5 comes on the bike already, whereas buying at Evans they have the Racer on it and getting the level 7 would be extra.



I use the level 5 and i'm perfectly happy with that level. Extremely rare for me to get punctures.
But my advice is stick with the Racer for a while. I've not had experience of that tyre, but level 4 isn't bad, so i personally wouldn't change it without using it for a while.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Smudge said:


> I use the level 5 and i'm perfectly happy with that level. Extremely rare for me to get punctures.
> But my advice is stick with the Racer for a while. I've not had experience of that tyre, but level 4 isn't bad, so i personally wouldn't change it without using it for a while.


Is the Racer level 4? The thing is, if I buy from Brompton, I will get the level 5 because that is what they supply their bikes with (at least at the store I am buying from anyway).


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## vickster (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Is the Racer level 4? The thing is, if I buy from Brompton, I will get the level 5 because that is what they supply their bikes with (at least at the store I am buying from anyway).


Get the level 5 and ride your bike 

Do learn how to sort a puncture though and carry the kit with you, a puncture can happen anywhere to any bike at any time (obviously you can mitigate by avoiding big potholes, piles of glass etc)


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## Gunk (15 May 2020)

vickster said:


> Get the level 5 and ride your bike
> 
> Do learn how to sort a puncture though and carry the kit with you, a puncture can happen anywhere to any bike at any time (obviously you can mitigate by avoiding big potholes, piles of glass etc)



Or always carry £20 and just fold it up and get a taxi home.

I don’t wish to appear rude but I feel that you are over thinking this, if Brompton only offered one tyre you’d just ride away happy.


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## rogerzilla (15 May 2020)

Since they use Schrader valves, you could use faster tyres and inject slime.


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## vickster (15 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> Or always carry £20 and just fold it up and get a taxi home.
> 
> I don’t wish to appear rude but I feel that you are over thinking this, if Brompton only offered one tyre you’d just ride away happy.


Yes that too, or just walk home if close 👍
I’m personally a bit wary of cabs right now

Certainly agreed on the second point 👍


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## roley poley (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> I have no idea how to change tyres or do any repairs on a bike. I thought the more puncture resistant tyre might be a good option to mitigate my lack of ability.


to learn more watch" brilliant bikes" on you tube as they take off and change tyres on learn how to videos on bromptons


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## rogerzilla (15 May 2020)

I don't think it's possible to fix a rear Brompton puncture without getting very oily hands. The chain tensioner is an evil piece of design. Carry some latex gloves.


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## TheDoctor (15 May 2020)

IME it's usually possible to fix a tube without removing the wheel. The only times I've had to get the wheel off was to change the tyre. I've got standard Marathons on there and they've been trouble-free for a few years now.


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## roley poley (15 May 2020)

TheDoctor said:


> IME it's usually possible to fix a tube without removing the wheel. The only times I've had to get the wheel off was to change the tyre. I've got standard Marathons on there and they've been trouble-free for a few years now.


yep work on the non drive side to stay cleaner


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

vickster said:


> Get the level 5 and ride your bike
> 
> Do learn how to sort a puncture though and carry the kit with you, a puncture can happen anywhere to any bike at any time (obviously you can mitigate by avoiding big potholes, piles of glass etc)


Thanks for your help.


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## Profpointy (15 May 2020)

I bought a 2nd hand Brompton which came with old Marathons on it. As they were old anyway, and clearly not ideal for road use, having thick energy sapping thread, I went for smooth road-oriented Schwalbe Kojaks. Big caveat, not yet got 'em on the bike, so my choice was based purely on what I read.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Profpointy said:


> I bought a 2nd hand Brompton which came with old Marathons on it. As they were old anyway, and clearly not ideal for road use, having thick energy sapping thread, I went for smooth road-oriented Schwalbe Kojaks. Big caveat, not yet got 'em on the bike, so my choice was based purely on what I read.


Did you choose the Kojaks due to the lesser road resistance, or there were additional reasons? How much extra resistance is there on the more puncture resistant tyres? Like, is it noticably harder to pedal? (if that is the case, I guess the only benefit is you would get more exercise using them..!)


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## Gunk (15 May 2020)

The tan wall Kojaks look really cool, but £100 for a set of bike tyres, come on


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## rogerzilla (15 May 2020)

My Kojaks don't seem to roll as well as the old Stelvios, but they are lighter.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> The tan wall Kojaks look really cool, but £100 for a set of bike tyres, come on
> 
> View attachment 522456


If I had that much to spend I would probably try the type which cannot be punctured (someone linked to them earlier in the thread)


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## GM (15 May 2020)

Personally I would just use what ever comes on the bike, just pump them up to 100pi. I would recommend practicing taking the back wheel off at your leisure, perhaps in the garden on a warm day with beer or coffee.


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## Profpointy (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Did you choose the Kojaks due to the lesser road resistance, or there were additional reasons? How much extra resistance is there on the more puncture resistant tyres? Like, is it noticably harder to pedal? (if that is the case, I guess the only benefit is you would get more exercise using them..!)



Rolling resistance was my primary reason, whilst still being (supposedly) reasonably puncture resistant. There is absolutely no benefit in having tread on a road tyre, so the marathons made less sense, and as I mentioned they were very old anyway. 
I confess I've not yet used the tyres yet so my choice isn't based on personal experience, but on my other bikes have marathons (albeit less cleated than those on the brompton) on one, and reasonably light smooth tyres on the other - and the lighter tyred bike does roll better. Admittedly they are very different machines as one's a quite heavy Thorn tourer and the other's a more nimble fixie. 

Also I once put slightly cleated tyres on my old tourer and it was noticably harder to pedal so chucked them and went back to "road" tyres. This was a long while back and I can't remember the brands, but none of them were expensive


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

GM said:


> Personally I would just use what ever comes on the bike, just pump them up to 100pi. I would recommend practicing taking the back wheel off at your leisure, perhaps in the garden on a warm day with beer or coffee.


Thank you, if I had a garden I would! How do you measure the pi on a tyre?


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## Gunk (15 May 2020)

Buy a decent pump with a pressure gauge


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## GM (15 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> Buy a decent pump with a pressure gauge




...You beat me to it!


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> Buy a decent pump with a pressure gauge


Ah I didn't realise pumps came with them! This looks decent 
View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diyife-Pressure-Perfect-Glueless-Schrader/dp/B071GL9X8H?th=1


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## vickster (15 May 2020)

Get a track pump, far easier 
Eg Hilka Tools 89506008 High Pressure Cycling Track Pump, Black, Large 
View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0765FDZM8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NFPVEbWCE5FVX


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## 12boy (15 May 2020)

Standard Marathons are easier to install and remove than the Marathon Plus. There is a technique for installation described in earlier posts involving doing the tire part last that is by the stem. I've managed to put them on using only thumbs with this method. 
Very good idea to practice wheel and tire removal and installation at home with no other object than become familiar with the process.
If your bike has a Sturmey Archer hub, you will also need to know how to adjust that.
Learning this in cold, rainy and dark conditions isn't nice.
I have found tubeless tire sealant is less messy and clogs the stem less than Slime, while working very well.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

vickster said:


> Get a track pump, far easier
> Eg Hilka Tools 89506008 High Pressure Cycling Track Pump, Black, Large
> View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0765FDZM8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NFPVEbWCE5FVX



Ah, I looked at the other one because it was portable, this one looks good too!


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## Gunk (15 May 2020)

Get a Beto, I’ve had mine 10 years now


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> Get a Beto, I’ve had mine 10 years now
> View attachment 522482


I assume this would fit the valve on a Brompton? 
View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beto-Aluminium-Floor-Pump-Metallic/dp/B001R4BQAQ/ref=pd_sbs_60_6/259-7328673-2863943?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001R4BQAQ&pd_rd_r=982c7e1d-3d15-4d9d-b4d8-592bbe797ac2&pd_rd_w=hm3Ux&pd_rd_wg=khltx&pf_rd_p=2773aa8e-42c5-4dbe-bda8-5cdf226aa078&pf_rd_r=96JTZQRMV57G3VZD1C4M&psc=1&refRID=96JTZQRMV57G3VZD1C4M


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## Gunk (15 May 2020)

It fits both types


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## GM (15 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Ah, I looked at the other one because it was portable, this one looks good too!




You don't need to buy a portable one, Bromptons come with a pump.


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## JE201 (15 May 2020)

GM said:


> You don't need to buy a portable one, Bromptons come with a pump.


Yeah I just thought having a gauge on the portable pump was necessary, but just having one at home is sufficient.


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## SkipdiverJohn (16 May 2020)

Profpointy said:


> I bought a 2nd hand Brompton which came with old Marathons on it. As they were old anyway, and clearly not ideal for road use, having thick energy sapping thread, I went for smooth road-oriented Schwalbe Kojaks.



Sheer extravagance! I would have run the Marathons until the puncture protection layer started to show through the tread, and they'd actually be slicks by that stage anyway.....
If Marathons are "not ideal for road use" then what sort of surface were they actually designed for, considering they are clearly NOT an off-road MTB tyre?


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

I ended up getting the bike direct from Brompton so it has the Marathon tyre (not M+ or Racer). Just need the pump gauge and I should be good! Thanks to everyone for the advice!


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## Gunk (16 May 2020)

Post some photos when it arrives


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> Post some photos when it arrives


I went to the store to get it rather than ordering online, so already have it, I even cycled it home!


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## roley poley (16 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> I went to the store to get it rather than ordering online, so already have it, I even cycled it home!


welcome to the fold JE201


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

roley poley said:


> welcome to the fold JE201


They are a lot of fun to ride since they are so nimble. I went for the 6 speed one and I'm glad I did since there are so many more combinations depending on the gradient of the road. Not having to lock it up and leave it outside a shop/supermarket/etc. is a real positive.


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## vickster (16 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> They are a lot of fun to ride since they are so nimble. I went for the 6 speed one and I'm glad I did since there are so many more combinations depending on the gradient of the road. Not having to lock it up and leave it outside a shop/supermarket/etc. is a real positive.


Don’t forget to practice changing the inner tubes


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## 12boy (16 May 2020)

And getting the rear hub adjustment correct.


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

vickster said:


> Don’t forget to practice changing the inner tubes


Does this require taking the wheels off the bike? When I asked in store they said it costs £10-£20 to repair a puncture depending on if it's the front or back tyre.


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

12boy said:


> And getting the rear hub adjustment correct.


What does this mean?


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## 12boy (16 May 2020)

A patch is a buck or less. Tires can be patched while the wheel is on the bike if you can identify where the hole is. I take the wheel off and make a point of running my fingers along the inside of the tire to identify where the intruder is. Unfortunately, these bikes require that a wheel is mounted deflated, or loosening the brake cable so the tire will clear the brakes. I've replaced the 10mm bolts with Allen bolts so I don't need to carry a 10 mm wrench. Some folks carry an extra tube, so the punctured one can be patched at home in the warm and dry. Won't take too many flats at those prices to pay for a 15 mm wrench, tire irons, patches, a nice litle pump and a set of Allens or a multi tool. Replacing or fixiing flats, tires, brake pads, chains, cable and cable housing are things you can learn to do yourself, and are most of what normal maintenance consists of. Your LBS can cut cable housing, cables and chains to size if you bring in the old ones.


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## 12boy (16 May 2020)

The chain and spindle coming out of the rear hub is connected to the shift cable. It is adjusted so the rear hub shifts properly. There are many YouTube instructions on this, but simply, screw the shifter into the hub until tight and the unscrew it a half or turn or so so the chain coming out of it will bend with the pull. The shift cable has a housing that will tighten or loosen on the shifter and a nut to lock it into place. When in high gear the shift cable should be slack and that is when you adjust it. Then see if it shifts properly. If it doesn't, put it back in high gear and tighten or loosen it. If it won't go into a lower gear, tighten the cable adjustment and loosen it if it won't shift into high. After you do this a few times it is very easy. You have to unscrew the cable from the shift spindle coming out of the axle to remove the rear wheel, therefore the need to have it adjusted properly after the wheel is replaced..


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

12boy said:


> A patch is a buck or less. Tires can be patched while the wheel is on the bike if you can identify where the hole is. I take the wheel off and make a point of running my fingers along the inside of the tire to identify where the intruder is. Unfortunately, these bikes require that a wheel is mounted deflated, or loosening the brake cable so the tire will clear the brakes. I've replaced the 10mm bolts with Allen bolts so I don't need to carry a 10 mm wrench. Some folks carry an extra tube, so the punctured one can be patched at home in the warm and dry. Won't take too many flats at those prices to pay for a 15 mm wrench, tire irons, patches, a nice litle pump and a set of Allens or a multi tool. Replacing or fixiing flats, tires, brake pads, chains, cable and cable housing are things you can learn to do yourself, and are most of what normal maintenance consists of. Your LBS can cut cable housing, cables and chains to size if you bring in the old ones.


How long does it take to repair a puncture on a Brompton if I do it myself on the side of a road? And this would just be putting a patch on the outside of the tyre or on the inner tube? And when we talk about fixing a puncture, that is different to replacing the tube, correct?


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

12boy said:


> The chain and spindle coming out of the rear hub is connected to the shift cable. It is adjusted so the rear hub shifts properly. There are many YouTube instructions on this, but simply, screw the shifter into the hub until tight and the unscrew it a half or turn or so so the chain coming out of it will bend with the pull. The shift cable has a housing that will tighten or loosen on the shifter and a nut to lock it into place. When in high gear the shift cable should be slack and that is when you adjust it. Then see if it shifts properly. If it doesn't, put it back in high gear and tighten or loosen it. If it won't go into a lower gear, tighten the cable adjustment and loosen it if it won't shift into high. After you do this a few times it is very easy. You have to unscrew the cable from the shift spindle coming out of the axle to remove the rear wheel, therefore the need to have it adjusted properly after the wheel is replaced..


I'm going to be honest, a lot of that went over my head..


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## oldwheels (16 May 2020)

12boy said:


> The chain and spindle coming out of the rear hub is connected to the shift cable. It is adjusted so the rear hub shifts properly. There are many YouTube instructions on this, but simply, screw the shifter into the hub until tight and the unscrew it a half or turn or so so the chain coming out of it will bend with the pull. The shift cable has a housing that will tighten or loosen on the shifter and a nut to lock it into place. When in high gear the shift cable should be slack and that is when you adjust it. Then see if it shifts properly. If it doesn't, put it back in high gear and tighten or loosen it. If it won't go into a lower gear, tighten the cable adjustment and loosen it if it won't shift into high. After you do this a few times it is very easy. You have to unscrew the cable from the shift spindle coming out of the axle to remove the rear wheel, therefore the need to have it adjusted properly after the wheel is replaced..


Surely the standard way is put the gear lever in mid gear and tighten the chain until the end of the rod just shows level with the aperture. That should be it. No guessing.


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## 12boy (16 May 2020)

Hopefully the tire is still good, meaning it has only a little hole, but a big one, a slit, or ruptured sidewall probably can't be fixed. If not too big, then we patch the puncture in the tire. If the tire is damaged severely you are SOL. If you have never done this it could take a long time, especially in rain or snow and howling winds. That's why you practice adjusting the shifter in the rear hub, loosening and tightening brakes, removing and installing tires etc. In your well lit, warm and dry garage, kitchen or what have you. With a Brompton you can always take it home by taxi, bus or a friend's car and fix it there. In your case you might want to carry an extra innertube so as to minimize the on road repairs.​


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## 12boy (16 May 2020)

The adjustment of IGH shifters is something for which a good YouTube lesson is worth a thousand words.


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## vickster (16 May 2020)

If the inner tube is punctured, that will need replacing or patching too


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## roley poley (16 May 2020)

12boy said:


> The adjustment of IGH shifters is something for which a good YouTube lesson is a thousand worth a thousand words.


a cup of tea and a watch of bromptons own web site vids will save you money and give confidence in your abilities to do many routine jobs and as I have said before brilliant bike vids .You can always look on our folding bikes forum for info and post any problems you have for tips


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## JE201 (16 May 2020)

roley poley said:


> a cup of tea and a watch of bromptons own web site vids will save you money and give confidence in your abilities to do many routine jobs and as I have said before brilliant bike vids .You can always look on our folding bikes forum for info and post any problems you have for tips


I got an email saying my bike has already been registered. Do I still need to create an account on the "Owners" part of the site? I presume this is where the videos are?


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## Ming the Merciless (16 May 2020)

My Brompton has the standard own brand tyres on. In 5 years I’ve had just the one puncture. I average 15 mph on these tyres, so they roll well enough.


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## Gunk (16 May 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> My Brompton has the standard own brand tyres on. In 5 years I’ve had just the one puncture. I average 15 mph on these tyres, so they roll well enough.



I’m pretty sure that they are made by Schwalbe for Brompton, the tread pattern is similar to the old Marathon Racer


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## Ming the Merciless (16 May 2020)

Gunk said:


> I’m pretty sure that they are made by Schwalbe for Brompton, the tread pattern is similar to the old Marathon Racer



No doubt, anyway I’ve found them fairly robust and have even indulged them on light off road without issue.


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## roley poley (16 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> I got an email saying my bike has already been registered. Do I still need to create an account on the "Owners" part of the site? I presume this is where the videos are?


have a go the site should tell you if you exist on it or not and poke about you will find their vids


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## roley poley (16 May 2020)

still gotta stash o' the old yellow flash


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## Tenkaykev (16 May 2020)

roley poley said:


> a cup of tea and a watch of bromptons own web site vids will save you money and give confidence in your abilities to do many routine jobs and as I have said before brilliant bike vids .You can always look on our folding bikes forum for info and post any problems you have for tips



I'd also recommend taking a look at Brilliant Bikes YouTube channel. Lots of Brompton specific videos and tutorials.


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## mitchibob (17 May 2020)

Standard Marathons roll better than the M+ and M-Racer, and are pretty bullet proof. Takes quite a bit to puncture them.

That said, I tend to use Kojaks once the weather improves, only had a couple of punctures all year last year using them most of the time. Probably got 9,000km out of them.

Winner of last years Urban Hill Climb folding bike category was running the Continentals (acquired at the bike show), and they do look good.


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## JE201 (17 May 2020)

mitchibob said:


> Standard Marathons roll better than the M+ and M-Racer, and are pretty bullet proof. Takes quite a bit to puncture them.
> 
> That said, I tend to use Kojaks once the weather improves, only had a couple of punctures all year last year using them most of the time. Probably got 9,000km out of them.
> 
> Winner of last years Urban Hill Climb folding bike category was running the Continentals (acquired at the bike show), and they do look good.


How long does it take you to repair the puncture? Do you also change the tube or just repair the tube already in the tyre?

Congrats on the win! (Also, 9,000km?! How often do you cycle to get that much distance under your belt in one year?)


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## oldwheels (17 May 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> No doubt, anyway I’ve found them fairly robust and have even indulged them on light off road without issue.


I have been on some pretty rough tracks with the standard tyres. It is more a matter of keeping the speed down and picking the best bit of track. Got lost in the forest at Speyside once and bits were too rough so had to walk short sections. Even a MB would have struggled.


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## JE201 (17 May 2020)

oldwheels said:


> I have been on some pretty rough tracks with the standard tyres. It is more a matter of keeping the speed down and picking the best bit of track. Got lost in the forest at Speyside once and bits were too rough so had to walk short sections. Even a MB would have struggled.


The lack of a suspension would also make it uncomfortable over a long distance I suppose.


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## oldwheels (17 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> The lack of a suspension would also make it uncomfortable over a long distance I suppose.


Only do about 10 miles or so usually in those conditions and much attention is given to slowly picking the smoothest path so discomfort does not get me. Also I stop frequently to look at things or take photos.


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## u_i (17 May 2020)

There seems to be new tire available, Continental Contact Urban, but it may be too large for fenders.


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## Tenkaykev (17 May 2020)

u_i said:


> There seems to be new tire available, Continental Contact Urban, but it may be too large for fenders.


I have them fitted to my M6L, they ride really well, look the Bees Knee's and definitely not too large for mudguards 👍


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## roley poley (17 May 2020)

u_i said:


> There seems to be new tire available, Continental Contact Urban, but it may be too large for fenders.


I do remember them saying that but it doesn't seem to be the case I don't know what happened


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## Gunk (17 May 2020)

Marathons do come up cheap sometimes if you look hard enough. I picked up a brand new pair of Marathon Racers off eBay for £20


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## Gunk (17 May 2020)

Tenkaykev said:


> I have them fitted to my M6L, they ride really well, look the Bees Knee's and definitely not too large for mudguards 👍



They look like a good option


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## JE201 (17 May 2020)

Tenkaykev said:


> I have them fitted to my M6L, they ride really well, look the Bees Knee's and definitely not too large for mudguards 👍


How does the puncture protection compare to the Marathon and M+ tyres?


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## Tenkaykev (17 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> How does the puncture protection compare to the Marathon and M+ tyres?



I've not been out much since fitting them a couple of weeks ago due to the current situation. On the short journey I did they felt smooth, a bit like my Schwalbe Ones on my other Brompton.
The continental Web site says they are 6 out of seven for protection. 
https://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/commuting-touring/contact-urban


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## mitchibob (17 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> How long does it take you to repair the puncture? Do you also change the tube or just repair the tube already in the tyre?



Normally takes about 5-10 minutes maybe to fix puncture. I always carry spare tubes and CO2 refiller. Always just change the tube, repair later.



JE201 said:


> Congrats on the win! (Also, 9,000km?! How often do you cycle to get that much distance under your belt in one year?)



I didn't win... I was exactly halfway down the order. The winner had the Conti's on his bike though. I had kojaks. Plus I never wanted to be first or second... means you've got to do the hill again in the final, and really didn't want to do that!

Also, 9,000km is just what I did on the kojaks. It was more like 12,000km total last year. I cycle pretty much every day.


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## JE201 (17 May 2020)

mitchibob said:


> Normally takes about 5-10 minutes maybe to fix puncture. I always carry spare tubes and CO2 refiller. Always just change the tube, repair later.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would not have guessed a tube on a Brompton could be changed in 5 or 10 minutes, that is good to know.


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## Origamist (18 May 2020)

roley poley said:


> I do remember them saying that but it doesn't seem to be the case I don't know what happened



There are two batches. The earlier samples came up big and the rear mudguard in particular needed fettling to accommodate them or people gave up. The newer, final production version is narrower and fits fine. You can tell them apart as the newer version has a reflective sidewall strip, the sample version does not.


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## roley poley (18 May 2020)

Origamist said:


> There are two batches. The earlier samples came up big and the rear mudguard in particular needed fettling to accommodate them or people gave up. The newer, final production version is narrower and fits fine. You can tell them apart as the newer version has a reflective sidewall strip, the sample version does not.


thanks for that as I do remember them on sjs and the reviews by them said they wouldn't fit brommies and I thought they were missing a large customer base by sizing them so,now the site is recommending them and are selling for a penny short of £25 .Brilliant bikes have a set on test on ewechewb


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## Gunk (18 May 2020)

They’re obviously not yet subject to the special Brompton tax!


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## Kell (24 May 2020)

There’s a lot of good advice on this thread.

Without wishing to underestimate your skills, it sounds like you don’t have a huge amount of experience in bike maintenance.

Which is fine. Everyone has to start somewhere.

One of the best things you can do is to look at the things people have mentioned.

Ensuring you know how to adjust your gearing.
And removal and refitting the rear wheel.

These are very different skills to doing this on normal bikes, so they’re good to learn in the dry and warmth of your house/garage - rather than on a rainy, dark morning when you’re already running late.

Neither of these things is difficult, but they’re not exactly intuitive.

Here’s how to adjust the gears so they index properly.


View: https://youtu.be/-mGfuqxilO4


And here’s how you remove the rear wheel.


View: https://youtu.be/ZfsLis3_JLw


As for tyres, I switched to Marathon Plus once my originals had worn down as I was more interested in fit and forget ease of use rather than outright speed.

Having said that, I’m not exactly slow on my bike. Most of my commutes will average out at 15mph+ and my normal moving speed is about 17mph.

And I’m almost 50 and 16 stone.

Depends what you want from your bike. If you’re entering a Brompton race, then the lightest tyres might make sense. But for a commuter bike, getting where you want to be on time makes more sense to me.

Other people have different views, but I’ve not had an actual puncture in 4 1/2 years and 10,000 miles.

Good luck with your new bike.


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## JE201 (24 May 2020)

Kell said:


> There’s a lot of good advice on this thread.
> 
> Without wishing to underestimate your skills, it sounds like you don’t have a huge amount of experience in bike maintenance.
> 
> ...



Thank you, very helpful advice. I will mostly be commuting, I hope I get as far as you have without a puncture! 

You sound like you commute a lot on your Brompton. How many miles do you typically get before you have to change your M+ tyres due to wear?


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## Kell (25 May 2020)

JE201 said:


> Thank you, very helpful advice. I will mostly be commuting, I hope I get as far as you have without a puncture!
> 
> You sound like you commute a lot on your Brompton. How many miles do you typically get before you have to change your M+ tyres due to wear?



Unsure off hand.

I think I’m on my third set of tyres. And these ones look to have plenty of life on them.

What I would say about Marathon+ tyres though is what a lot of others have mentioned. They are very hard to get on and off as they do not have much give in them.

I carry metal tyre levers as I’ve snapped several plastic ones on these tyres.


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## JE201 (25 May 2020)

Kell said:


> Unsure off hand.
> 
> I think I’m on my third set of tyres. And these ones look to have plenty of life on them.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I got the slightly more puncture resistant ones than the Racers, but not as good as the Marathon Plus. I'm not intending to upgrade them, at least not while they still work anyway.


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## Tom... (21 Jun 2022)

@Tenkaykev How are you finding the Contact Urban's?


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## Tenkaykev (21 Jun 2022)

Tom... said:


> @Tenkaykev How are you finding the Contact Urban's?



I like them. They roll so much better than the M+ that they replaced. I cycle along a trailway as part of my usual route, a couple of miles of grit / gravel and so far no visits from the P*** fairy 🤞
I see they are now available in Tan Wall 😎


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## Tom... (21 Jun 2022)

Tenkaykev said:


> I see they are now available in Tan Wall 😎


 
Exactly what I'm ordering for the flame lacquer


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## tinywheels (21 Jun 2022)

continental contact urban 
I just fitted them
they are much better than the brompton supplied tyres 
rolling, cornering, comfort and looks to name a few plus points 
you can see how sexy they look in the picture 
done over a hundred miles so far and lovin em yeah baby


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## Tenkaykev (22 Jun 2022)

tinywheels said:


> continental contact urban
> I just fitted them
> they are much better than the brompton supplied tyres
> rolling, cornering, comfort and looks to name a few plus points
> ...



Yer nut looks a bit slack… 😉


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## Kell (14 Jul 2022)

I just fitted a new pair of Contact Urbans this week.

Too early to tell if they're faster or not, as I had covid last week so was struggling a little yesterday.

They feel faster, but one thing I hadn’t considered is that the Marathon+ are quite a narrow tyre.

Might be what makes them more uncomfortable, but I think the sidewalls are stiffer and straighter. Whereas the Contis are more balloon like.

Fitted them, forgot about them but when I went to brake yesterday, I found my brakes suddenly very grabby. But not consistently so.

Turns out that the brake block carriages were sitting a little high on the front and hitting the tyre when pulled but only on one portion of the tyre.

I moved one down and that’s now ok, but unfortunately, on the other one of them the hole for the Allen key has rounded off and I can’t even loosen it at all. So I think I’m going to have to drill it out or hacksaw it off to remove.

Ordered some new carriages.


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## Tenkaykev (14 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> I just fitted a new pair of Contact Urbans this week.
> 
> Too early to tell if they're faster or not, as I had covid last week so was struggling a little yesterday.
> 
> ...



Try a junior hacksaw across the rounded head to make a slot for a flat bladed screwdriver.


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## Kell (14 Jul 2022)

Yeah - it's gonna be tough to get off I think.


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## Tenkaykev (14 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> Yeah - it's gonna be tough to get off I think.



New bike then Kell 😉


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## Kell (14 Jul 2022)

Tenkaykev said:


> New bike then Kell 😉



It's the only answer.


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## 12boy (14 Jul 2022)

A Dremel can work too. You are very lucky you were not going down your 40 mph hill and having the brake pad cut through the sidewall.


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## mitchibob (15 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> I moved one down and that’s now ok, but unfortunately, on the other one of them the hole for the Allen key has rounded off and I can’t even loosen it at all. So I think I’m going to have to drill it out or hacksaw it off to remove.


How does that happen? Seriously unfortunate! Hope you find resolution


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## Kell (15 Jul 2022)

12boy said:


> A Dremel can work too. You are very lucky you were not going down your 40 mph hill and having the brake pad cut through the sidewall.



The one and only time I got a ‘puncture’ with my marathons was similar and on that hill. 

Front brake was loose and rocked forward under heavy braking. 

Went through the side wall. Luckily, as I mentioned earlier the sidewalls of marathons are very stiff and it held up enough for me to brake and slow from 30mph. 

Was wobbly, but I got away with it. 

Having put these tyres on, there’s no structural integrity to them. If the same happened with these then I’m sure they’d come off the rim and i’d be in trouble.


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## Kell (18 Jul 2022)

mitchibob said:


> How does that happen? Seriously unfortunate! Hope you find resolution



I think I must have rounded it off when setting it last time. 

All sorted now. I filed a straight bit in to two of the sides to give some mole grips something to grab and managed to get it off. 

However, when doing so, I've just noticed that the wear indicator is showing, so I'm not going to ride it till I get another rim.


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## Tenkaykev (18 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> I think I must have rounded it off when setting it last time.
> 
> All sorted now. I filed a straight bit in to two of the sides to give some mole grips something to grab and managed to get it off.
> 
> However, when doing so, I've just noticed that the wear indicator is showing, so I'm not going to ride it till I get another rim.



Good to hear you got it off ok. Will you lace it yourself?


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## Kell (18 Jul 2022)

Absolutely not. I can just about re-true something that's gone a bit off but starting from scratch... 

I think it's beyond me.


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## berlinonaut (18 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> However, when doing so, I've just noticed that the wear indicator is showing, so I'm not going to ride it till I get another rim.





Kell said:


> I think it's beyond me.


That's suboptimal. If your wheels are beyond you typically you've fallen off your bike. Possibly you should make use of the strategy you applied to your brake pad on building your wheels?


Kell said:


> I think I must have rounded it


until:


Kell said:


> All sorted now.


However, certain aspects are NOT recommended for building a wheel...


Kell said:


> Went through the side wall.
> 
> Was wobbly, but I got away with it.
> 
> there’s no structural integrity to them.


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## mitchibob (19 Jul 2022)

With way sealant tech for road tyres has recently improved, I do wonder about a proper tubeless option for brommies. Apart from anything else, can get your valves more on colour-scheme ;-) I have to make up for that at the moment by at least having Welsh flags on my dust-caps! Tubolitos would clash terribly.


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## Kell (26 Jul 2022)

What I can say about the new contis...

Initial impressions are that they are faster. I'd say a good 1-2mph faster.

But they also seem less stable. On my 40mph downhill the bike does not feel as planted.

Unfortunately, I've changed several things at once (including seat post) so it's possible it's my position on the bike that's changed and therefore affecting things... will have to wait and see.


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## Kell (3 Aug 2022)

> What I can say about the new contis...
> 
> Initial impressions are that they are faster. I'd say a good 1-2mph faster.



Ok.

So I know this doesn’t constitute ‘proof’

But for the first time in a long time this morning I did a longer ride from Wembley to work.

Got my fastest time for the complete journey by about four minutes.

Of course, no two journeys are alike etc. but I think it feels like the bike is a little easier to pedal at most times.

PS - it's only a KOM because it's a private segment


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## Kell (3 Aug 2022)

Two other things:

Ignore the power figure - it’s estimated, but I don’t know what on. When I change the bike to my mountain bike (even on this route) it doubles. 

Also, it’s dropped my average speed from the captured speed for the whole journey - even though this segment is the whole journey.


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## T4tomo (3 Aug 2022)

Kell said:


> Also, it’s dropped my average speed from the captured speed for the whole journey - even though this segment is the whole journey.



that's because a whole ride average speed uses moving time, so excludes stopped time (at junctions etc) but a segment uses the full time, so people cant "cheat" by having a rest halfway up a hill and then pressing on to steal a KOM


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## Kell (3 Aug 2022)

T4tomo said:


> that's because a whole ride average speed uses moving time, so excludes stopped time (at junctions etc) but a segment uses the full time, so people cant "cheat" by having a rest halfway up a hill and then pressing on to steal a KOM



Makes sense.


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## Kell (25 Nov 2022)

So, according to the MainTrack app, it took just 460 miles to get my first puncture in the Contis. Big piece of flint - where I live, lots of houses are brick/flint construction, so you get lots of little pieces of ultra-sharp flint everywhere.

One ride on my road bike at this time of year, I got five punctures in 40 miles. 

Switched back to the M+ for the winter.


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## T4tomo (25 Nov 2022)

the only punctures I ever got on my brommie were on the 2005 issue standard brompton reflective tyre. Once I switched to marathons (not the plus version) I was untroubled thereafter... but London streets, which was their main usage, is not very flinty!


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## berlinonaut (25 Nov 2022)

If flints are very common on your routes you won't be able to escape from punctures w/o Marathon Green, Marathon + or Tannus tires. Unfortunately the faster the tires are the more vulnerable are they and vice versa the less vulnerable/more massive the heavier and slower they are. Possibly in such an environment the Marathon Green is the best compromise in terms of minimizing risc to an acceptable level while maintaining an acceptable rolling resistance.


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## Kell (25 Nov 2022)

This is the first actual 'puncture' I've had on the Brompton - had the bike 7 years. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that the only other time I've had an issue was when the front brake calliper wasn't done up properly and rocked forward under heavy braking - enough to wear a hole in the sidewall.

I've always maintained I'd rather have a slower ride on M+ than a faster ride on something with less protection, but thought I'd give these a go.

Think this experiment has convinced me to make the Contis a summer only tyre when there's less debris.

It was absolutely chucking it down and dark when it happened too adn I didn't really fancy changing the tube by the side of the road. Instead of about a five minute ride, I walked about 25 minutes home.


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## tinywheels (25 Nov 2022)

The puncture is a brompton rider's worst nightmare. 
I've had 3 in as many years. How I wished I was on a bike with qr wheels on those occasions. 
I caught a taxi to avoid having to repair my last one. Did it over lunch in the warmth 😊


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## berlinonaut (25 Nov 2022)

Kell said:


> This is the first actual 'puncture' I've had on the Brompton - had the bike 7 years. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that the only other time I've had an issue was when the front brake calliper wasn't done up properly and rocked forward under heavy braking - enough to wear a hole in the sidewall.



Were you running M+ before or the standard Brompton Kevelar? If the flint situation has been the same over this period as it is now and you ran the Kevelar something less massive than M Green or M+ like The M Racer could also be ok.
Also one single data point of a puncture is not statistically significant. While it may seem logical to see the cause in the change of tires it may just be a correlation and the puncture the random one that hits once in ten years, no matter what.


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## ukoldschool (1 Dec 2022)

I put up with punctures and stick with Kojaks, the feel and lack of rolling resistance is worth the trade off to me (London roads)


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## Kell (1 Dec 2022)

The tyres I have on now are the ones I removed to put the contis on. 

Didn't see a need to buy anything new. Might just do what I do with the cars and run winter and summer tyres.


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## Kell (1 Dec 2022)

ukoldschool said:


> I put up with punctures and stick with Kojaks, the feel and lack of rolling resistance is worth the trade off to me (London roads)



It was noticeable moving TO the contis that they were faster. But it seems MORE noticeable now I've switched back. Feels like pedaling through treacle.



berlinonaut said:


> Were you running M+ before or the standard Brompton Kevelar? If the flint situation has been the same over this period as it is now and you ran the Kevelar something less massive than M Green or M+ like The M Racer could also be ok.
> Also one single data point of a puncture is not statistically significant. While it may seem logical to see the cause in the change of tires it may just be a correlation and the puncture the random one that hits once in ten years, no matter what.



Yes, the tyres now on were the ones I took off. My thinking now is just to run the M+ in winter and the conti in summer.


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## berlinonaut (1 Dec 2022)

ukoldschool said:


> I put up with punctures and stick with Kojaks, the feel and lack of rolling resistance is worth the trade off to me (London roads)



I do have a Brommi with Kojacs, one with M Racers, one with Scorchers and one with Marathon Green to choose from (And plenty of different tires and tubes as spare parts). So I can choose according to mood and circumstances and furthermore do have resilience/backup in case of a puncture. Admittedly a bit of a luxury solution.


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## rogerzilla (1 Dec 2022)

tinywheels said:


> The puncture is a brompton rider's worst nightmare.
> I've had 3 in as many years. How I wished I was on a bike with qr wheels on those occasions.
> I caught a taxi to avoid having to repair my last one. Did it over lunch in the warmth 😊


The nightmare would be watching one of the many loose fittings roll down a drain cover.


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