# Tyre advice for Brompton



## Wobbles (20 Oct 2008)

Due to recent job change, I find I'm using the trusty Brompton more and more and starting to get frustrated(in a nice way) with the lack of speed - mainly due to the fact I'd plumped for the 2 speed with which I simply run out of gears.
Anyway, I 'm converting to 6 speed which gives a better top end and am thinking of changing the tyres at the same time, to Schwalbe Stelvios.

Of course, I've come to love the robustness/p*ncture resistance of the std tyres and wondered whether anyone's had any experience of the Stelvios and how susceptible they are to the big P?
All my riding's done in London btw.(Broke Bottle City)

OT, but think I'll go for the Brooks leather saddle as a special treat


----------



## Origamist (20 Oct 2008)

Wobbles said:


> Due to recent job change, I find I'm using the trusty Brompton more and more and starting to get frustrated(in a nice way) with the lack of speed - mainly due to the fact I'd plumped for the 2 speed with which I simply run out of gears.
> Anyway, I 'm converting to 6 speed which gives a better top end and am thinking of changing the tyres at the same time, to Schwalbe Stelvios.
> 
> Of course, I've come to love the robustness/p*ncture resistance of the std tyres and wondered whether anyone's had any experience of the Stelvios and how susceptible they are to the big P?
> ...



I'd wait a month or two for the Schwalbe Kojak (32-349). Wider and more durable than a Stelvio IME, but stilll rolls well.


----------



## mickle (20 Oct 2008)

I have three Stelvios on my Speedy but haven't done enough mileage on it to know how P proof they are. If the Blizzards on my road bike are anything to go by they're pretty good. Faster than standard Brommie tyres to be sure.

That six speed conversion must cost a fair bit though eh?


----------



## Landslide (20 Oct 2008)

Not a Brompton alas, but I've recently started riding a folder that was initially horrendously undergeared. 
I now look on it as an opportunity to sit up, take it easy, and not arrive at work looking and feeling like I've just taken part in the Olympic Sprint...


----------



## Wobbles (20 Oct 2008)

Thanks for the replies chaps

Will check out the KOJAKs....I'd hazard a guess they're slicks("bald"?!!)

Re the costs.......not so bad: the 2 speed has the twin rear sprockets and derailleur/LH thumbchange, so all I need's the 3 speed hub and RH thumbchange. Think it works out about £110-ish.
I'd previously looked into just upping the size of the front chainring but had already maxxed out at 54 tooth - finding anything else just became a logistical headache, so have gone for the 6 speed option which, to be honest, is nice as it'll be a bit more versatile..........2 speed was still great tho

Change is as good as a rest etc.....

Stelvios aren't exactly cheap tho.


----------



## jack the lad (28 Oct 2008)

I only got my Brompton at the weekend and have ridden it twice and a grand total of about 5 miles, so this hardly counts as an expert view! 

Having read many tales of how Brommies were crap to ride and the only good thing about them was the fold, I was really surprised at how great mine felt to ride. It's a 2 speed with 8% lowered gearing (50T chainring) and Stelvio tyres and it fair whizzed along with no more perceived effort than a 700c bike on 25mm Gatorskins over the same route. It's certainly a lot less effort than my old 2 speed Moulton on same diameter utility tyres (can't remember the make) and seems better than I expected it tofrom my memory of the titanium 6 speed version on standard tyres, that I test rode before I bought. The only issue so far is that it gets a bit wobbly if you don't keep both hands on the bars (so no more hand signals!).

The gearing makes it ride like a single speed with a bail out gear for hills and seems a good trade off to avoid the weight and drag of a geared hub. 

People do love the cleverness of them don't they, even non-cyclists. Mine generated interest second only to what you get for a tandem. If they could get the price down to £80 they could take over the roads!


----------



## ufkacbln (28 Oct 2008)

The bad news with the Brompton design is that the rear wheel change is a swine!

I use Marathon Plus on mine and feel that any loss in performance is more than compensated by not having to remove this wheel on a cold dark wintry night!


----------



## Wobbles (4 Dec 2008)

Finally put the Brompton in to Condor and it came back with a 6 speed(13/15) conversion and a fab Brooks Pro Titanium saddle........wow; how gorgeous does that look?!!

First impressions after about 20 miles are great:
My old 2nd gear(top on 2 speeder) is about the equivalent of about 4.5th gear on the 6 speed so 6th is a blast.....I can really belt down hills now and even managed to draft a bus at one point which would have had me bouncing up and down at 200rpm before!
went up Blackheath hill from Deptford like a breeze(well.....perhaps a bit of wheeze too) so the lower gears are proving usefull too.

Unfortuantely Condor didn't have the Stelvios in otherwise I was going to put a pair on. I'll do that next week and let you know the difference, but I just had them pump the present ones up to 90psi and they felt great.

As Cunobelin pointed out; I do find the p*nct*re resistance quite comforting atm so will be prepared to change back if I keep getting flats.

Can you get Armadillos/Gatorskins for Bromptons?

Payback for the extra speed of course was that I felt knackered last night!


----------



## Wobbles (4 Dec 2008)

Oh....and second impressions are that my arse aches!.............(from the new saddle thank you....no sniggering at the back!)

How long does a Brooks saddle take to wear in?? Like riding a brick!


----------



## tyred (4 Dec 2008)

I've seen 200 miles suggested but I found mine comfortable from day one. It only got more comfortable as I went along. The only thing that irritated me is the squeaking noise that mine makes for no obvious reason.

Give it a good dosing with oil. There is a recomended oil but I didn't have it. I rubbed mine over inside and out with vaseline.


----------



## Wobbles (4 Dec 2008)

Nice one Tyred.

I'll try that out. Got the leaflet that came with it, so will swat up on the product.

Came in today with my bib 3/4s under my trousers and it felt fine. Bit hard, but still OK.
I don't mind too much as it reminds me I've got a fab new saddle. Keep ogling it - pure class!........think I'm developing a saddle fetish


----------



## Wobbles (11 Dec 2008)

Got the lightweight Stelvios on last night.....which actually made me look forward to getting up to come to work this morning!! What an exciting life I lead!
Observations are that the quantum change in speed didn't actually occur; bit nippier off the lights and felt less resistance when pushing along, but didn't feel I could magically got up a gear for the same input.
Constantly paranoid about p*nct*res for which now I have to carry a differnet pump to the statutory Brompton issue due to having to change to skinny Presta tubes to go with tyres......
Still glad i did it - well at least til I get a plague of p*nct*res when I'm late for appointments 

I'm not throwing away the old faithfuls just yet.........


----------



## rootes (4 Sep 2009)

Wobbles said:


> Got the lightweight Stelvios on last night.....which actually made me look forward to getting up to come to work this morning!! What an exciting life I lead!
> Observations are that the quantum change in speed didn't actually occur; bit nippier off the lights and felt less resistance when pushing along, but didn't feel I could magically got up a gear for the same input.
> Constantly paranoid about p*nct*res for which now I have to carry a differnet pump to the statutory Brompton issue due to having to change to skinny Presta tubes to go with tyres......
> Still glad i did it - well at least til I get a plague of p*nct*res when I'm late for appointments
> ...



old thread...

but the brompton pumpis reversible for presta/schraeder..

also i found the stelvio lower your gearing compared to marathons.. also went from 2 punctures a year to 2 a month!

going to try the new Kojak tyres


----------

