# Brand new Brompton squeaking



## richrboo (8 Jul 2020)

Hi

I have a brand new Brompton that squeaks. The squeak only occurs when pushing down on the left hand pedal when out of the saddle, going uphill.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lmKRdrVpW8


I'm trying to figure out what it might be to tell Brompton. Any ideas? 

Rich


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## Tenkaykev (8 Jul 2020)

Check the suspension block. That would be my first choice. 
There's a video on Brilliant Bikes YouTube channel showing how they come apart and it mentions putting a dab of grease on the bolt to prevent it squeaking.


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## Rocky (8 Jul 2020)

It might be the folding pedal. Try a drop of chain oil on the bearings. I’ve had that problem on my bike.

(It can be the pedal bearing running dry - not the folding mechanism)


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## rogerzilla (8 Jul 2020)

It is usually the suspension block. Brompton assembly is not always very good. A friend has just bought a new one and couldn't get the pedals off because they were fitted with no grease. The wheelbuilds can be atrocious. I pulled mine apart and rebuilt them.


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## Tripster (8 Jul 2020)

rogerzilla said:


> It is usually the suspension block. Brompton assembly is not always very good. A friend has just bought a new one and couldn't get the pedals off because they were fitted with no grease. The wheelbuilds can be atrocious. I pulled mine apart and rebuilt them.



not good to hear. Shame really, I liked the bromptons but maybe one to stay clear of if thats the case. Has anyone ever fed that back to Brompton customer service and received a response I wonder. Rebuilding a new bike after paying premium money would pee me right off


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## rogerzilla (8 Jul 2020)

They can easily sell more than they can build, so I don't think they're bothered.


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## fossyant (8 Jul 2020)

Blimey, the rest of the noises sound far worse ! Sounds like a bag of spanners.


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## Tripster (8 Jul 2020)

fossyant said:


> Blimey, the rest of the noises sound far worse ! Sounds like a bag of spanners.


I thought they where a good little bike. What a shame


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## Gunk (8 Jul 2020)

Tripster said:


> I thought they where a good little bike. What a shame



They are a very good bike, they just rattle a bit, part of the charm!


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## Tripster (8 Jul 2020)

Rattle in a good way or rattle in bits dropping off way 🤪


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## Gunk (8 Jul 2020)

Nothing falls off, they’re just a bit loose!


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## rogerzilla (8 Jul 2020)

Sturmey-Archer hubs also tend to rattle, more so if well-worn. The modern ones with the "no intermediate gear" mechanism have an additional thin steel component which can rattle insufferably.


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## berlinonaut (8 Jul 2020)

richrboo said:


> I have a brand new Brompton that squeaks.


Though the others are probably right about the suspension block as the most probable root cause I'd make this the dealers problem. A brand new bike must not squeak and if it does it is the dealers job to fix it as par of the warranty (and to become red faced for not having done a proper inspection before delivery). In case you got the bike posted it might be more comfy to fix it yourself but if dealers or the factory are not notified of problem (and have do deal with them) there is no chance that they will learn to avoid them in future.


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## mitchibob (9 Jul 2020)

Gunk said:


> They are a very good bike, they just rattle a bit, part of the charm!



Yeah, as some guy who rode up to me during last year's Dunwich Dynamo said, "Ah, the unmistakable rattle of a brompton", but it was on that particularly rough bit of carriageway going to towards Epping.

They rattle less if you don't stop pedalling ;-)


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## Tripster (9 Jul 2020)

Have to look for a youtube video and listen to this rattle....


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## Kell (9 Jul 2020)

It's most likely to be the suspension block and when i had a problem with squeaking everyone told me that it was definitely the block that would be causing it. 

But I eventually pinned mine down to the fact that the rear triangle had worked loose. 


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RYbrBmqh0U


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## Tripster (9 Jul 2020)

H


Kell said:


> It's most likely to be the suspension block and when i had a problem with squeaking everyone told me that it was definitely the block that would be causing it.
> 
> But I eventually pinned mine down to the fact that the rear triangle had worked loose.
> 
> ...




Noisy little bugger it tis !!!☺️


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## 12boy (11 Jul 2020)

I disagree they are ill made. The rubber bung does squeak but is easily greased. Sturmey Archer hubs do make some noise ordinarily but mine do not because, being a luddite I lubricate mine with 5-20 synthetic oil. The rear triangle bushings do need to be replaced...but mine were good for at least 10 k. Can't speak to the pedals.....I use SPDs.


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## chriscross1966 (11 Jul 2020)

A Brompton isn't like a normal bike, especially if you are used to derailleur systems. There's the weird whirring from the SA rear hub, the incredibly direct but squirelly front end, and top of the list, the suspension block squeak. That's just Bromptons, welcome to The Fold


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## mitchibob (12 Jul 2020)

12boy said:


> I disagree they are ill made. The rubber bung does squeak but is easily greased. Sturmey Archer hubs do make some noise ordinarily but mine do not because, being a luddite I lubricate mine with 5-20 synthetic oil. The rear triangle bushings do need to be replaced...but mine were good for at least 10 k. Can't speak to the pedals.....I use SPDs.



23,000km and things I've had to replace so far are chains, sprockets, brake blocks, rear mudguard and a front rim. Never ridden with the original pedals, like you, changed immediately to SPDs. I also changed to superfirm suspension block, but not because the original one squeaked. Saddle stitching is starting to come apart, but I can't decide what to replace it with. Only done basic servicing myself, and regular drivetrain clean/lube. Could not say it was ill-made!


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## 12boy (12 Jul 2020)

Well, mine is a little bit modified...Chris King Gripnut headset, ergon, Velo Orange narrow leather saddle, 3 speed SA hub and 3 speed Bike Gang hub. (2 different rear wheels) new brake levers, different cable routing, oil port for the rear hinge, a Shimano 119 BB, Sugino 110 BCD cranks with 58 and 38 tooth chainrings, and of course, SPDs. Also have Schwalbe studded snows although I've never used them. As Fab Foodie has said if I could only have one bike this would be it. They are lots of fun to tinker with as well as ride.


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## Tripster (12 Jul 2020)

I sent a youtube link of brompton championship race in London to my mate, he loved it and said the bikes look to appeal to the eccentrics 🤣


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## Kell (13 Jul 2020)

Tripster said:


> I sent a youtube link of brompton championship race in London to my mate, he loved it and said the bikes look to appeal to the eccentrics 🤣



That reminds me that I never finished editing my footage from a couple of years back. 

What shocked me most about that is that before the race, I genuinely thought I could be near the front...

Then, when I was blowing our my arse at about 22mph the leaders passed me doing (I estimate) 28-30mph. Led by Emma Pooley though...


View: https://www.facebook.com/Kell.LC/videos/10155447673221021/


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## Tripster (13 Jul 2020)

Brilliant, love it 👍


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## Tripster (13 Jul 2020)

Kell said:


> That reminds me that I never finished editing my footage from a couple of years back.
> 
> What shocked me most about that is that before the race, I genuinely thought I could be near the front...
> 
> ...




good god 😳Where they riding the electric Brompton. Hells bells who needs a carbon road bike with Di2 jiggery pokery


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## mitchibob (13 Jul 2020)

No dress code for Urban Hill Climb folding bike category, so can use a skin-suit if you really wanted (I think someone did a couple years ago).


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## richrboo (29 Jul 2020)

Hello

An update. The dealer were incompetent during collection and bike setup, so I went straight to Brompton. They suspected the folding pedal. I changed the folding pedal to my spd pedal and squeak went away. I refitted the folding pedal to 30Nm and squeak gone. The folding pedal was on too tight.

I do have a very small amount of play in the pedal. Brompton kindly sent me another pedal and this behaves in the same way, a small amount of play. Law of averages suggests this is how it is, but I would be interested if other Brompton owners have similar play in the pedals, another video here.


View: https://youtu.be/BMzwD08RiyA?t=10


Rich


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