# Brompton DIY full service



## confusedcyclist (4 Mar 2019)

Is there anyone out there does all their own servicing on Brommies?

I understand they have a lot of proprietary components and the fold means extra work on hinges etc, but having never had one in front of me, I was wondering how feasible it is to do all the maintenance oneself? I understand the hinge contacts wear, are these easy to repair/replace?


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## Kell (4 Mar 2019)

I have done all of mine so far. And I consider myself to be mechanically retarded. 

Most of it is common sense, but from what I've read, the hinge-bushes are technically possible for the enthusiastic DIY-er, but very hard and needs specialist equipment.


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## confusedcyclist (4 Mar 2019)

Kell said:


> I have done all of mine so far. And I consider myself to be mechanically retarded.
> 
> Most of it is common sense, but from what I've read, the hinge-bushes are technically possible for the enthusiastic DIY-er, but very hard and needs specialist equipment.



Any idea how much it's going cost to get a specialist dealer to do that job? I haven't paid a bike shop for labour in years, I'm competent enough to do wheel bearings/bottom bracket replacements etc. Paying sky high service costs would be a deal breaker for the brompton I have my eye one, cycling for me is all about super low travel costs for me, replacement proprietary parts are already quite expensive, but I could live with that for a special bike like this. Labour costs on top might be one step too far.

I don't ride much on trains, but the flexibility to pop it on the bus folded up after a session at the pub on a Friday night is appealing... too often I have had to turn down social stuff because of the full size bike I normally use.


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## rogerzilla (4 Mar 2019)

Done all the jobs except reaming new rear hinge bushes, for which the local dealer charged me peanuts. The worst thing is removing the old hinge bolts; it took me about an hour to drill the heads off them. Apparently it's much easier to saw through them. Once the rear triangle is off, you screw an M10 tap into the plastic bushes and drift them out from the opposite end of the hinge tube, That's the easy bit.

Brompton, increasingly, won't sell you spare parts. They are trying to protect dealer business, I think. I wouldn't buy another one because of this; the best thing about a B was that you could get everything for it, whereas a Dahon or something might be impossible to repair.


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## chriscross1966 (4 Mar 2019)

You need a couple of uncommon tools to do two of the less regular service jobs. The seatpost tube liner needs a 32mm reamer which is a socking great thing, but you might pick up one cheap on ebay, the job also needs a rather specialist glue. The hinge pin bushes might need reaming and that's a clearance fit on 3/8" IIRC.


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## chriscross1966 (4 Mar 2019)

A Brompton dealer should be able to do both seatpost liner and the hinge pin done in a couple of hours tops...


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## confusedcyclist (5 Mar 2019)

Thanks guys. I could probably live with having a local dealer do the occasional seat post liner and hinge repairs. I'm not likely to use the bike every single day, and I wouldn't bother folding at home, so based on some googling these particular maintenance jobs are unlikely to be annual affairs. In any case, I can't really complain, because the only real alternative to my needs is a personal car and all the expense that goes with that.


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## jiberjaber (5 Mar 2019)

Out of interest - what's the typical lifespan of these hinges and seat liners?


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## TheDoctor (5 Mar 2019)

I've had my Brommie for over 9 years. I've had to dribble some oil onto the centre hinge, and the seat post liner is still working fine.
I've replaced the tyres, brake pads, and the transmission - chainring, chain and sprockets. That's it.
@mickle is probably the best to advise about replacing the rear pivot, but I believe that's a once-in-a-blue-moon job.


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## jiberjaber (5 Mar 2019)

TheDoctor said:


> I've had my Brommie for over 9 years. I've had to dribble some oil onto the centre hinge, and the seat post liner is still working fine.
> I've replaced the tyres, brake pads, and the transmission - chainring, chain and sprockets. That's it.
> @mickle is probably the best to advise about replacing the rear pivot, but I believe that's a once-in-a-blue-moon job.



Given mine is a 2017 I suspect it's not something I have to worry about just yet then 

(I've already replaced the rear sprockets and a chain when it came into my possession... )


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## TheDoctor (5 Mar 2019)

I really ought to do the cables sometime!


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## Kell (5 Mar 2019)

Had mine almost three and a half years. use it pretty much every work day and, according to Strava, have covered 7,049.3 miles. 

I've not had to replace the hinge or seatpost thingy on mine. Although the drive side hex bolt did start to come loose and create some play. Tightened that up myself and it's been fine. I hop up and down the occasional kerb too.

I replace the chain, sprockets and chainring every six months or so.


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (5 Mar 2019)

jiberjaber said:


> Out of interest - what's the typical lifespan of these hinges and seat liners?



I've just had my seat post sleeve replaced after about four and a half years of commuting with my current Brompton. That's Monday to Friday on the train, three lots of folding and unfolding a day.

I can't give any idea of the lifespan of the hinge as I snapped mine after going up and down kerbs a bit too much. That tends to reduce the lifespan of the hinge somehat...

I think I've replaced the chainring, sprockets and chain twice in that time, the most recent at the same time I got the seatpost sleeve changed (although the sleeve and hinge I wouldn't be able to do myself.)


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## chriscross1966 (5 Mar 2019)

jiberjaber said:


> Out of interest - what's the typical lifespan of these hinges and seat liners?


Utterly dependent on usage, I've seen them ten years old and working fine and I know folks that knock out a set in less than a year.... I do about 4000kms a year and the seatpost liners will last me two years, hoping that goes up as my weight goes down, the hinge pins, the stock ones generally last me about 6000kms, the titanium one in there now seems to be doing a bit better than that..... frequently seem to get two pins through one set of bushes.... remember on other folders those parts are not designed to be sacrificial and replaceable, when they wear out, that's the frame done for...


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## sheddy (5 Mar 2019)

Do you know the age of your Brompton ?


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## Elybazza61 (5 Mar 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> Brompton, increasingly, won't sell you spare parts. They are trying to protect dealer business, I think. I wouldn't buy another one because of this; the best thing about a B was that you could get everything for it, whereas a Dahon or something might be impossible to repair.



Yep,they wouldn't supply the shp I work in as we aren't a Brompton dealer,we only do odd jobs on them now,(tyres etc) no servicing as such;we now tell people to take them to Halfords,,,


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## chriscross1966 (6 Mar 2019)

Btw, when we say hinges we mean the rear frame pivot, not the hinges in the main frame and handlebar stem... thos bits last forever, but Brompton will supply spares to a dealer if they need replacing.... I've only ever taken them out to have a frame repainted, and that is a far more likely reason to replace them that them wearing out. You can buy titanium versions of the rear frame pivot on ebay, ive been running on one for a couple of years now and it's been fine.


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## rogerzilla (6 Mar 2019)

I had mine resprayed (the factory paint fell off after a year of dry use* - Brompton aren't interested in paint issues) so the seat tube liner had to come out. I broke it out, cleaned up the inside of the seat tube and, when the frame came back, glued a new liner in with Extreme Power Glue (a glue that stays flexible - most places sell it). Didn't need reaming and works perfectly. Either I was lucky or it's just another myth to get a bit of work for dealers/factory.

The hinge pins in the stem and main frame don't need to come out for painting. The parts can just be painted as they are and worked free between coats. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what was done with mine, and it's still perfect after 10 years.

*apparently they now paint them onsite, which should be better; they used to ship them to Wales for powdercoating, which gave enough time for rust to get a hold before the paint was applied


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (6 Mar 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> I had mine resprayed (the factory paint fell off after a year of dry use* - Brompton aren't interested in paint issues) so the seat tube liner had to come out. I broke it out, cleaned up the inside of the seat tube and, when the frame came back, glued a new liner in with Extreme Power Glue (a glue that stays flexible - most places sell it). Didn't need reaming and works perfectly. Either I was lucky or it's just another myth to get a bit of work for dealers/factory.



I think you were lucky. I bought the parts to do my seatpost sleeve recently, and when I did a test run of the sleeve I couldn't get the seatpost back in, which is why I had to take it to a dealer to have it reamed and fitted properly.

(I say properly, the seatpost still slips a bit and they managed to get grease on the seatpost. I imagine the two are related but I don't have the time to take the saddle off and clean it all up on an evening so I'm going to have to look at that at the weekend.)


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## ukoldschool (6 Mar 2019)

Surely the 'reaming' doesn't do anything other than clean the surface up and make sure that the old pits of seatpost liner are gone. Its not actually taking material off in the traditional sense of the word (to make the hole larger) , all the 'wear' would be in the plastic so the approach above will work without the need for a tool


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (6 Mar 2019)

ukoldschool said:


> Surely the 'reaming' doesn't do anything other than clean the surface up and make sure that the old pits of seatpost liner are gone. Its not actually taking material off in the traditional sense of the word (to make the hole larger) , all the 'wear' would be in the plastic so the approach above will work without the need for a tool



That's not my understanding based on the Brompton installation instructions supplied with the sleeve(s). That mentions a reaming tool that is used after the seatpost sleeve is glued in.


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## ukoldschool (6 Mar 2019)

ah that makes more sense then, so making sure the plastic insert is reamed out to the correct diameter (sorry, was just my misunderstanding)


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## LCpl Boiled Egg (6 Mar 2019)

ukoldschool said:


> ah that makes more sense then, so making sure the plastic insert is reamed out to the correct diameter (sorry, was just my misunderstanding)



No worries. I thought the same thing until I tried to do it, then I went "Oh no." and phoned the local Brompton shop!


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## 12boy (6 Mar 2019)

If you want to get maximum use from the seat post, keep it grease free including skin oil from your hands. Have a bit of alcohol i a bottle and a rag near where it sleeps so as to wipe it down frequently. Don't tighten the QR for the seat post more than necessary. Overtightening it can damage the frame and/or ovalize the seat post. 
I am not sure if this actually helps but I have a tiny tapped hole in the frame that allows me to inject heavy oil in the rear hinge from time to time. 
The rear brake cable and housing can stick after a while so the brakes don't easily return to the open position. If you remove the brake cable housing you can buy housing by the foot and your lbs can cut you a new one. Jag End has some housing that is both wrapped, like brake housing, and linear like derailleur housing, that I have found works very well for the rear brake as the brake cable run is fairly complicated.
Other than new chains, tires and brake pads the bike is pretty durable. The 1-2 speed rear wheel has cartridge bearings and the wheels stay true well. I did replace my headset with a King Gripnut and that has worked flawlessly for years.


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## mickle (6 Mar 2019)

It's been 15 years since I last worked in a Brompton dealership. I cant speak of the modern era but back then the rear pivot used to be a strictly 'factory only' job. And they were always replaced FOC under warranty and the shipping cost covered by Brompton both ways too. I always thought that was a bit unnecessarily generous. 

Even when our vastly experienced and exceedingly competent senior mechanic offered to buy the factory tools and take the any necessary training they refused to let us do them in house. The impression we got was that they'd had one too many frames wrecked by cack-handed shop mechanics. 

The challenge I had as a not-profesh-but-fairly-competent mechanic was with the cable runs. Brompton more than any other bike I know of, requires that the cable lengths and their specific runs are absolutely critical to get right. I remember very stupidly pulling all the cables off a Brompton in one go (as you'd do with any regular bike) and then having to bloody well work out how they all went back on - without another Brompton to refer to. Doh. So replace them one at a time, make a mental note of how they run and cut the outers precisely to match the lengths of the originals.


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## confusedcyclist (7 Mar 2019)

mickle said:


> The challenge I had as a not-profesh-but-fairly-competent mechanic was with the cable runs. Brompton more than any other bike I know of, requires that the cable lengths and their specific runs are absolutely critical to get right. I remember very stupidly pulling all the cables off a Brompton in one go (as you'd do with any regular bike) and then having to bloody well work out how they all went back on - without another Brompton to refer to. Doh. So replace them one at a time, make a mental note of how they run and cut the outers precisely to match the lengths of the originals.



Great tip regarding the cables, and thanks for the historical context too!


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## rogerzilla (8 Mar 2019)

Definitely buy the correct length cable outers (or, cheaper, measure the genuine ones and cut new outers to exactly the same length; Brompton's Jagwire cable isn't the best and you could use Shimano cables, with the nice smooth drawn inner wires, instead). There are many variations according to handlebar type and SWB/LWB frame. If you get the wrong length then, at the very least, they won't lie neatly together and may catch on the chainring or other parts. If you fit SWB cables to an LWB H-type, the bike may not even fold.


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## Kell (11 Mar 2019)

There seems to be a lot of 'musts' and 'must nots' on this thread.

I originally bought an H-type with the really high handlebars, but with the intentions of fitting low risers bars to it as soon as I got it.

Which I did. 

The cables were clearly too long, but did not affect any operations at all. They just looked a bit daft.

So I shortened them all. Wasn't too difficult and I just used some guesswork. 

Here's how it started:







Here's what it looked like after I'd stuck lower bars on:






As you can see, the cables are clearly too long, but as they didn't affect anything, I left them until I had time to shorten them.


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## mickle (11 Mar 2019)

Kell said:


> There seems to be a lot of 'musts' and 'must nots' on this thread.
> 
> I originally bought an H-type with the really high handlebars, but with the intentions of fitting low risers bars to it as soon as I got it.
> 
> ...



Very good. Let us know how you get on when you cut them down to the right length.


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## rualexander (11 Mar 2019)

I put new cables on my brompton recently, didn't measure them, just made sure they were long enough for the fold to work ok.
No problems, works fine.
Also put a triple chainset and front derailleur on it, and a 16 tooth sprocket, and had to change the tensioner to the six speed version to be compatible with the larger sprocket.
Just back last week from a week touring in the Western Isles.


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## Blue Hills (11 Mar 2019)

Lightly packed.

Can i ask where you slept?


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## rualexander (11 Mar 2019)

.


Blue Hills said:


> Lightly packed.
> 
> Can i ask where you slept?



Hostels, and camping.
You can camp at the Gatliff hostels and use the hostel facilities, ideal situation.


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## User66445 (11 Mar 2019)

I read these and feel ashamed. Gave mine its quick and occasional spray of moving bits with wd40. and that was it. Forgot to check tyre pressure, but they looked OK. Gear change as sweet as a nut,


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## Blue Hills (12 Mar 2019)

rualexander said:


> .
> 
> 
> Hostels, and camping.
> ...


Even more impressed by the light packing.
Puts me to shame.


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## Tenkaykev (12 Mar 2019)

12boy said:


> If you want to get maximum use from the seat post, keep it grease free including skin oil from your hands. Have a bit of alcohol i a bottle and a rag near where it sleeps so as to wipe it down frequently. Don't tighten the QR for the seat post more than necessary. Overtightening it can damage the frame and/or ovalize the seat post.
> I am not sure if this actually helps but I have a tiny tapped hole in the frame that allows me to inject heavy oil in the rear hinge from time to time.
> The rear brake cable and housing can stick after a while so the brakes don't easily return to the open position. If you remove the brake cable housing you can buy housing by the foot and your lbs can cut you a new one. Jag End has some housing that is both wrapped, like brake housing, and linear like derailleur housing, that I have found works very well for the rear brake as the brake cable run is fairly complicated.
> Other than new chains, tires and brake pads the bike is pretty durable. The 1-2 speed rear wheel has cartridge bearings and the wheels stay true well. I did replace my headset with a King Gripnut and that has worked flawlessly for years.



Your observation about the seatpost made me smile.
When I got back from my first ride on my Brompton I gave it a thorough clean, including using baby wipes between the mudguards and wheels
Pleased with my efforts I decided to finish off by giving it a good polish with wax furniture polish. Oh how the paintwork gleamed, the Orange of the main frame contrasting with the shiny black seatpost.
Next ride I became aware that I was pedalling with my feet further forward on the pedals, I stopped when my knees were up around my ears. I had to stop and adjust the seat post a few times on my way home. Got the meths out and gave the seat post a thorough clean, but it took a few attempts before the post stopped slipping.


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## Kell (12 Mar 2019)

mickle said:


> Very good. Let us know how you get on when you cut them down to the right length.



Did it ages ago... someone's not paying attention. 




Kell said:


> T
> 
> 
> So I shortened them all. Wasn't too difficult and I just used some guesswork.


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## fixedfixer (12 Mar 2019)

Sorry, bit off topic.... I've a 6 speed that could do with a new chain, am I right thinking that a standard 6/7 /8 speed chain fits?


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## chriscross1966 (12 Mar 2019)

fixedfixer said:


> Sorry, bit off topic.... I've a 6 speed that could do with a new chain, am I right thinking that a standard 6/7 /8 speed chain fits?


Yes. Any normal 3/32 chain will.


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## Kell (12 Mar 2019)

You will probably find however, that you'll need to replace the sprockets too as the chain 'stretch' wears the teeth and then a new chain won't sit on them properly.

You should also replace the chainring at the same time, however I've read on here about rotating it forward a couple of spokes so the current teeth under pressure when you pedal are in the gaps. 

Not tried it myself as I replace chain, sprockets and chain ring every 6 months or so. I've had a couple of incidents where chain slip has caused me to come off my bike (including once when I broke my Coccyx) so I figure the extra money is worth it.


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## 12boy (12 Mar 2019)

You are on the money about chain/sprocket wear. A 12 tooth sprocket on a 16 inch wheel can go pretty quick. Being 1200 miles from my favorite Brompton dealer I buy 3-4 sprockets at a time because the shipping costs as much as the sprockets, and if I find the KMC Z chains I like on sale I will buy 10 of them too.


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