# Pimped Brompton weirdness



## rogerzilla (1 Sep 2019)

Ignore the trispoke wheels and plum paint...what happens when you backpedal to brake? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/323899026652


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## chriscross1966 (1 Sep 2019)

The chain jumps i expect. Folks have built working coaster brake Bromptons, Steve Parry did one but he put a horizontal dropout on the triangle so you tensioned the chain to taut at normal position. IIRC it had locked out suspension and a very light rider..


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## Cycleops (2 Sep 2019)

I think I'll keep my £2k, and I suspect everyone else will too.


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## fossyant (2 Sep 2019)

£2k for a second hand bike....


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## Drago (2 Sep 2019)

Devalues it with all that very, very niche crap and a paintjob that would leave even Barbie feeling queasy, and he thinks that somehow justifies doubling the price? Jeez, if Mark Carney should see it that'd be enough to downgrade the countries economic forecast for the next quarter, it's that hideous.


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## berlinonaut (3 Sep 2019)

I had a bigwheeled bike back in the 80ies that had a Torpedo 3-speed hub with a coaster brake and was modified by me to a 6-speed halfstep setup like the one Brompton offers, using a derailleur. Sachs offered an upgrade kit for that back then. So it was a coaster brake with a chain tensioner, quite similar to the one on the pimped bike. The coaster brake still worked but it was very frightening as it took ages in terms of time until the brake started braking as the travel way of the pedal had increased massively due to the derailleur/chain tensioner. Additionally the brake had gotten way softer through the modification. I did not like that and added another caliper brake. No way that I would ride with such a brake as the only one available. Quite dangerous, to say it frankly.


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## TheDoctor (4 Sep 2019)

Dear God that's awful.
there's a special place in Hell reserved for wheels that mismatched.


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## Kell (4 Sep 2019)

I used to have a Raleigh Strika with a coaster brake.

Hated it.

Was brilliant for doing skids mind.

ETA: this is not my bike by the way, this looks like it has rim brakes.

ETA (again): According to wiki, early models had coaster brakes AND rim brakes.


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## rogerzilla (4 Sep 2019)

Coaster brakes are quite good for all-weather commuting but not with a chain tensioner! It will probably snap under hard braking.


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## Cycleops (4 Sep 2019)

I see it's been withdrawn on eBay now.


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## steveindenmark (9 Sep 2019)

Its awful but I think Kinetics make coaster brakes for Bromptons. If they do they will work.


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## simon.r (9 Sep 2019)

steveindenmark said:


> Its awful but I think Kinetics make coaster brakes for Bromptons. If they do they will work.



So they do...http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/folding-bikes/brompton/brompton-duomatic-kit/


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## the_mikey (9 Sep 2019)

Aside from the coaster, it doesn't have any other brakes, I wouldn't dare ride it.


You have to admire the chutzpah of whoever thought that could be sold, at that price tag, without any scruples about safety or anything else?


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## Drago (9 Sep 2019)

Or idiocy.


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## tom73 (9 Sep 2019)

What the heck is that ?
To think it was a good idea and then to top it off with 2 grand price tag is a total act of brass neck.


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## rogerzilla (10 Sep 2019)

steveindenmark said:


> Its awful but I think Kinetics make coaster brakes for Bromptons. If they do they will work.


They're using a custom tensioner - the pimped one looked to have the stock plastic one. I imagine there is a lot of extra lash in the action, since you have to pull the tensioner straight before the hub changes gear or brakes. I have a real Duomatic 102 (not the modern SA version) but it's on a Raleigh Twenty.


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## ukoldschool (13 Sep 2019)

I had a striker, just a rear coaster no other brakes 

The lad that did this bike was on a facebook group the other day, it was an old swb model that was rescued and done for a bit of fun


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## Cycleops (14 Sep 2019)

ukoldschool said:


> The lad that did this bike was on a facebook group the other day, it was an old swb model that was rescued and done for a bit of fun


Seems his sense of humour extended to the asking price too.


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