# New Brompton H6L 2019 Folding Bike making continuous clicking noise



## max8 (13 Dec 2019)

I just purchased a Brompton bike on a deal (ex-display) that looks brand new. I have chronic neurological health issues and was not able to use the bike for 2 weeks after purchase. I gave it a try today to go to my local library, and as soon as I started using it I was annoyed by a constant clicking noise from the cassette/rear hub. I am used to bikes making that noise only when free wheeling, but what I am experience is permanent loud internal hub clicks even when pedalling. 

Needless to say for a £1000 bike, this is a pretty big deal and disappointment for me. 😢 I had to save money for a very long time in order to make this purchase. I have seen some users online saying it is normal after 6 months or so, or that it might be because of the 6 gears option... any truth to that?

I called the shop (Evans Cycle) and they said it sounds like it is the cassette and they could have a look at it by booking the 6 weeks free service earlier. But what if once I reach the 6 weeks other issues arise and they tell me I have to pay to service the bike this time? If it is a fault, a new bike should not have this issue when riding it for the first time like this. Isn't the 6 weeks service check meant for after the bike has been used for 6 weeks?

I knew the potential cost of maintenance and the burden of doing repairs was going to be part of the experience eventually, but I find it hard to swallow when the complications are happening on the first ride.

Any advice and information from Brompton bike users on this forum will be much appreciated, thank you! 🙏


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## mitchibob (13 Dec 2019)

Could just be that the gear puller cable just needs a little tightening. Evans 6 week service don't do much anyway, except do these kind of adjustments, so I don't think you're really sacrificing anything taking it in early if you're unable to figure it out. You can easily find videos showing how to do it.


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## annedonnelly (13 Dec 2019)

That cable came unscrewed on mine when it was brand new. It's an easy thing to check & could save the hassle of taking it back to the shop.


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## midlife (13 Dec 2019)

Even being ex display it should come with the usual warranty of a "new" bike.


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## TheDoctor (13 Dec 2019)

Internal hub gears always tick while pedalling, so I suspect this is normal.


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## Rocky (14 Dec 2019)

The Doctor is right. My M6L’s hub still clicks and whirrs even after 5 years of quite high mileage.


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## alicat (14 Dec 2019)

Just go in and say that the bike that they sold you is making a funny noise. Don't refer to the phone call. It doesn't matter that you didn't ride it for two weeks. If they do the 6 week service, don't sweat it. You can fix anything that comes up later on (with our help, if needed).


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## Pale Rider (14 Dec 2019)

I sold my six speed a while ago, but if I recall it tended to click more in one of the gears.

Possibly second on the hub.

Or perhaps that was on the over-run.


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## Fab Foodie (14 Dec 2019)

As others have said, hub gears tick on all but one gear (the direct drive one) I find it quite a comforting sound!


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## gizmo1994 (14 Dec 2019)

If Evans think you have a problem with your cassette then I would be a little concerned. A Brompton has no cassette. All hub gears make a gentle clicking noise, but far less than a freewheeling hub on over-run. Run it downhill while freewheeling and then just select a different hub gear (you don't need to pedal to change the gears remember) You should hear a different clicking noise in each of the 3 hub gears - Perfectly normal. Learn how to adjust your gears yourself (a really quick and simple job, done in seconds) and, in doing so, you will learn how to appreciate the bike a little more. Good luck.


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## max8 (14 Dec 2019)

Thank you all for your answers, and yes I will need to start looking at video tutorial on how to tune my bike and take care of it.

I made a video here: 
View: https://vimeo.com/379466644

At the beginning and end you can clearly tell the freewheel clicking sound is there while pedalling. Changing gear makes it more quiet, but my first ride made me feel like something is wrong. Let me know what you think, thanks

I think I will drop by Evans early next week and see what they say.


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## Schwinnsta (15 Dec 2019)

Normal


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## gizmo1994 (15 Dec 2019)

Sounds good. Often 3rd gear will be quietest while under power but be ratchety on the over-run. 2nd gear will click while under power and a little quieter than 3rd while freewheeling. 1st gives gives a lovely thrumming sound while under power and a quieter freewheel. Search on 'Sturmey Archer exploded view' to get an idea of what is going on in there. A little bit of historical magic really.


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## 12boy (16 Dec 2019)

This clicking is normal. Failure to shift gears or slipping once shifted is not. I have adopted oil lubrication by putting in a few ccs of synthetic 5/20 oil and the clicking is greatly mitigated. When the clicking returns, another cc. of oil is inserted, since the hubs ooze oil. Old SA hubs actually had an oil port. Since new ones do not, put the oil in through the drive side axle. This will give you an opportunity to practice removing and installing the shift linkage in your nice warm home, after reading up on it. Very good idea to become familiar with this process before you try to figure it out on a rainy night in the dark and the wind when fixing a flat is required.


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## TigerT (26 Dec 2019)

Just to confirm what others have said. This is completely normal. When I got mine, the bike shop pointed it out as they had had many people bringing them back in and asking about it.


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## rogerzilla (1 Jan 2020)

Sturmey-Archer hubs drive from the left-hand side in low gear (sprocket clutched to gear ring, gear ring pawls tripped out by the clutch, gear ring drives planet cage and the planet cage pawls drive the shell). There is no noise when pedalling in that gear.

In medium gear, the sprocket is clutched to the gear ring and its pawls drive the shell directly at the right-hand side. The planet cage still rotates but, because the shell is turning faster than the cage, the planet cage pawls are overrun and make the ticking noise.

In high gear, the sprocket is clutched to the planet cage, which drives the gear ring, and the gear ring pawls drive the shell as above, but faster than the sprocket turns. Again, the planet cage is turning slower than the shell so you get the ticking noise.

Your hub is quite normal. What often surprises people, if they haven't ridden a Brompton before but have ridden hub-geared bikes, is how fast the ticking is. This is simply because of the small wheels. On a bike with full-size wheels, the ticking when pedalling is quite slow and easily distinguishable from the freewheeling sound.


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## Mark pallister (1 Jan 2020)

max8 said:


> Thank you all for your answers, and yes I will need to start looking at video tutorial on how to tune my bike and take care of it.
> 
> I made a video here:
> View: https://vimeo.com/379466644
> ...



If that’s normal I’d be taking it back and getting a normal bike 
I couldn’t live with that racket


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## roley poley (17 Jan 2020)

to ease your mind ask to ride the demo bike and see if it sounds the same


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## Kell (21 Jan 2020)

The reality is that they all do that, but once you're out on the road, with other noises, I'd be surprised if you even notice it.

I'm normally too busy worrying about what cars, lorries, taxis and pedestrians are liable to do to concern myself with a little bit of ticking.


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## Wadey (21 Jan 2020)

I've got Brompton (it's my favorite bike) and having watched the video, I can say it sounds perfectly normal.
Btw: Good advice from @12boy re. 5/20 oil


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## rogerzilla (21 Jan 2020)

It'll get quieter as it gunges up with age. The older SA hubs run in oil rather than grease and can be much louder, especially if the oil has evaporated. A loud dry tick from an older hub means it's time to add a few drops of oil.


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## 12boy (21 Jan 2020)

The new ones run fine with oil, as well.


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