# Brompton puncture. a record 21 minutes and only one broken lever



## jay clock (8 Jun 2015)

Rather worryingly (due to no obvious cause) I woke up to a soft rear Brompton tyre (Schwalbe Marathons) today. Pumped up hard with track pump but by the time I arrived in Clapham on the train it was unrideably soft again. So I set my timer and 21 minutes later I was back in business. Last time took me 45. This time I photographed the rear mech to be sure how to refit

Only one broken lever (not sure of brand but got more of my fave Tacx ones on order) and no obvious thorn or glass (and in any case I think it was ok last night and I had not used it since Friday). I am now worried due to the unknown cause and keep checking it.......


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## Full Metal Sprocket (10 Jun 2015)

I wouldn't know how to fix one and yes I have a Brompton.


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## jay clock (11 Jun 2015)

Full Metal Sprocket said:


> I wouldn't know how to fix one and yes I have a Brompton.


I bought the bike 14 months ago and have had four punctures.

Week 1 on the standard Brompton tyre which I immediately changed for the Schwalbe Marathons.

Two mid year which were both caused by the odd shape rims allowing the rim tape to shift

Latest one for no known reason.

The alternative was take a train ride pushing the bike, so glad I went for the repair job!


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## StuartG (17 Jun 2015)

<Touch Wood> 9 years, one replacement rear tyre and awaiting her first tube visit. Standard Brompton Tyres (original green stripe and now white reflective) and original factory fitted tubes. Used to put in 80 psi, now 90 psi. Its travelled thousands of miles in the UK and France/Belgium/Spain and not always on the finest surfaces. Luck or what?</Touch Wood>


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## The Jogger (25 Jun 2015)

This saves me starting a thread with my tyre question, hope you don't mind JC

I have noticed I have to pump the tyres up every couple of weeks.as they seem to lose a bit of pressure, is this normal, I don't need to do it on my other bikes.

Incidentally I said to MrsJ this morning I think I'll take the trek to work today, her reply, no take the Brompton, she seems to think it's safer,as in slower, smaller etc? She also wants one when we move to Spain next year.


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## jefmcg (25 Jun 2015)

I had Marathon+ on my folder, got 3 punctures in <short span of time>. So got rid of the M+ and replaced it and put old tyre in shed. No further problems. When that tyre wore out, I put the M+ back on. Same tyre as before, same rim. No further problems. I rode on the M+ until it was showing more green than black and finally I had a flat. And it turned out that flat was a badly repaired tube, nothing to do with the tyre. 

These things sometimes just happen.


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## jefmcg (25 Jun 2015)

Oh, what a pain!



Remind me never to buy a Brompton.


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## The Jogger (25 Jun 2015)

on watching that, I'll be taking mine to the nearest bike shop.


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## oldwheels (26 Jun 2015)

Just back from holiday with Brompton. On last day about one mile from campsite got a flat. Weather threatening so walked back and just got inside in time before deluge. Easy to get Brompton tyre off. Puncture was a small slit on spoke side of tube. Very slight misalignment of rim tape in same area so put a couple of turns of insulating tape over whole thing and fitted new tube . Relatively easy to put on tyre again. Since I was inside in the dry this was fairly painless but have not ridden any distance since. But was this badly fitted in the first place or did the tape move? Since new this bike has done about 900 miles some on rather unsuitable surfaces such as rough forest trails! Don't see how this could affect rim tape tho'. Had a similar problem on a new MB some time ago with inner area punctures. Fixed that with rim tape.At least if same happens on other wheel should be easier to fix a front wheel. The video I have seen before and it was helpful.


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## jay clock (26 Jun 2015)

oldwheels said:


> Just back from holiday with Brompton. On last day about one mile from campsite got a flat. Weather threatening so walked back and just got inside in time before deluge. Easy to get Brompton tyre off. Puncture was a small slit on spoke side of tube. Very slight misalignment of rim tape in same area so put a couple of turns of insulating tape over whole thing and fitted new tube . Relatively easy to put on tyre again. Since I was inside in the dry this was fairly painless but have not ridden any distance since. But was this badly fitted in the first place or did the tape move? Since new this bike has done about 900 miles some on rather unsuitable surfaces such as rough forest trails! Don't see how this could affect rim tape tho'. Had a similar problem on a new MB some time ago with inner area punctures. Fixed that with rim tape.At least if same happens on other wheel should be easier to fix a front wheel. The video I have seen before and it was helpful.


I had the same issue with rim tape. On both wheels. The issue is that the design of the rim is a narrowish U shape rather than a flat based valley if that makes sense. So when you use rim tape approx 1cm wide in it it does not sit centrally but moves around a little. My solution one at a time when I got a flat was a couple of turns of electrical tape


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## oldwheels (26 Jun 2015)

I do not see what is so complicated in rear wheel removal. Watching the video again 2 things occur to me.One is if you just slaken off the lock nut a minimal amount on the gear change then unscrew the cable it is a simple matter to refit until tight and will still be in sync. Screw the rod back in just finger tight then slacken off so the chain will run on the rollers and not on its side,if that makes sense. I never undo the brake cable to refit the wheel. I slacken off one brake block and remove if necessary. Easy to refit and no worries about the cable slipping under tension. This all applies to most bikes with SA hubs and not just Bromptons.


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## cnb (26 Jun 2015)

Just watched the video...And that has curtailed any thoughts i had about treating myself to a Brompton...I very rarely get punctures, but when i do its always peeing down and freezing...That rear wheel looks too much of a faff...Ah well!! the other dream is a Moulton TSR.....


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## Blue Hills (28 Jun 2015)

It's not a great problem in practice cnb.

At least not in populated areas.

The bike folds. Put it on a bus. Fix at leisure.

i always carry a copy of the rear wheel removal instructions with me.

It might be a significant problem if it was your only bike, but not otherwise.

The usual thing applies as with any bike - regularly inspect your tyres for debris working its way in and you will massively reduce the number of punctures.


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## Glow worm (9 Oct 2016)

I wish I'd watched that vid before attempting to fix my Brompton rear puncture. I've just almost thrown the thing in a skip!
What a total faff.


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## srw (9 Oct 2016)

@jay clock - the only tyre levers I've ever found that reliably won't break on a Brompton/M+ combo are the solid metal variety. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why they've gone out of fashion.

@The Jogger - yes, my Brompton does seem to lose air more quickly than other bikes. Or perhaps slight under-inflation is just more noticeable with the smaller wheels.


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## the_mikey (9 Oct 2016)

Two years and I'm still riding on the original Brompton tyres... 

The only tyre maintenance I do is check for debris and things stuck in the tyre and always check the tyre pressure and top up to 80+ psi.


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## TheDoctor (9 Oct 2016)

What's with all this removing the wheel bollox?
I just remove the relevant bit of tube, patch, back in the tyre and off you go.
Last time I took the rear wheel off was to replace the sprockets, which I'll admit is tricky to do with the wheel in the bike!
And yes, metal tyre levers FTW.


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## steveindenmark (9 Oct 2016)

"You may not have a workstand out in the field with you". No sh1t Sherlock.

Lay all the parts out in the correct order. The last time I had a flat was on a muddy country lane, peeing down and blowing a gale.

I wonder if these guys ever get out of the workshop.


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## 12boy (9 Oct 2016)

After destroying a tire or two trying to get the last 1/4 of the tire back on the rim and even bending metal levers, I learned from another post to put the area with the valve stem on last. This allows getting the tire on the far side down in the valley between the rims, thereby giving some slack for those last cursed inches. I now can push the damn thing on with my thumbs, although to be honest, if I don't believe it will go on, it won't. Taking 3 nuts off and undoing the Sturmey Archer gear actuator is not a big deal nor is putting it back. I have been intending to adjust the brakes with the adjustor that goes into the brake out, so as to be able to put an inflated tire back, but I haven't gotten around to that yet and probably won't until I replace the pads.


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## Cycleops (9 Oct 2016)

There is a maker called 'Fly Cobra' who make a 'linear' tube which may help you lot considerably but to the best of my knowledge they only do them for 20" wheels. Have also seen similarly configured large sizes even down here.


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## simongt (9 Oct 2016)

Just watched the video. As my street bike has had a Sturmey 5 speed hub on for several years, the process is virtually identical, so no fears when I have rear puncture on my Brommy - !  BUT, I don't have to remove the selector rod/chain on the 5, but noticed that the presenter screwed down the locknut on the adjuster rod by several millimetres after he reinstalled it. Moving that locknut is something I'm very careful not to do when I disconnect the gear cable, otherwise it will alter the gear setting.  Mmmm - ? !


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## dellzeqq (10 Oct 2016)

@TheDoctor has it right - almost. If he'd written 'what's the problem, take it to Brixton Cycles and they'll fix it for a tenner' he'd have been completely right. 

That said..........two punctures (that I can recall) in over eight years. I've suffered far greater inconvenience when the gear change collapsed. Miles from civilization. And it wasn't my gear change. Anybody care to explain?


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## jefmcg (10 Oct 2016)

dellzeqq said:


> That said..........two punctures (that I can recall) in over eight years. I've suffered far greater inconvenience when the gear change collapsed. Miles from civilization. And it wasn't my gear change. *Anybody care to explain?*


not me. I can't parse this.


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## G3CWI (10 Oct 2016)

jefmcg said:


> Remind me never to buy a Brompton.



Loved the video "in the field you might not have the luxury of a workstand" - classic!


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## Dogtrousers (10 Oct 2016)

I carry a can of squirty gloopy stuff and tape my fingers into crossed position before venturing out of bus range on mine.

I have practiced wheel removal and replacement at home. I doubt I can remember any of it, apart from fearing that I was going to have to take it back to the shop and get them to put it back together.


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## TheDoctor (11 Oct 2016)

dellzeqq said:


> @TheDoctor has it right - almost. If he'd written 'what's the problem, take it to Brixton Cycles and they'll fix it for a tenner' he'd have been completely right.


This does,of course,open up the tinned annelid scenario that is 'being outside walking distance to Brixton Cycles'.
Walking from Chalet Reynard to, well, anywhere really would have had my happiness meter stuck on 'miffed' if not 'far from gruntled'.


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