# Are Bromptons more prone to punctures?



## Pale Rider (16 Jan 2020)

A shiny new six speed Brompton in my local bike shop got me thinking again about my next bike purchase.

One thing causing me to hesitate is that when I had a Brompton I got quite a few punctures.

Given that I only do short journeys on any pushbike, my puncture to miles travelled ratio was poor.

My Brompton had ordinary Marathon tyres.

I replaced the rear in the hope a barely worn tyre would puncture less, but it didn't seem to make much difference.

So the question is are Bromptons more prone to punctures than big wheel bikes?


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## annedonnelly (16 Jan 2020)

Mine seemed to be when I was using it regularly. I have Marathon Plus on the Brompton & the same on the hybrid. I do the same commute on both & have more punctures on the Brompton. I run the Brompton with slime to get me home.

And, of course, the Brompton can fold and get on the bus if it has a puncture.


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## Kell (16 Jan 2020)

Not had one in 4 and half years and almost 9,000 miles.

Had several on my old bike in a couple of weeks.

I've got Marathon Plusses though.

Logically, the tyres should wear faster and get thinner more quickly, so the answer should be yes.


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## Tenkaykev (16 Jan 2020)

I have Marathon Plus on my Orange Brommie, and use Schwalbe inner tubes as according to the info on the Schwalbe Web site, each inner tube is inflated and left on test for a period of time to help ensure its integrity.

I've been following the discussions/ Holy war about the benefits/ drawbacks of running tubeless tyres and I've wondered if adding something like " Stans Sealant" to a Schwalbe inner tube inside a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre might be the ultimate "belt and braces" approach.


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## Rocky (16 Jan 2020)

I've got Marathon Pluses on mine. I've had it for five years, done three reasonable tours (Way of the Roses, Hook to Hamburg and back, Lille to Nancy via Brussels) and never had a puncture. They seem to roll well and are showing little sign of wear too. So in answer to Paley's question - no, my Brommie isn't more prone to puncture than my other bikes.


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## Pale Rider (16 Jan 2020)

Three good votes for Marathon Pluses - all of you do more miles than I ever will.

On t'other hand, @annedonnelly didn't do so well with those tyres.



Tenkaykev said:


> I've wondered if adding something like " Stans Sealant" to a Schwalbe inner tube inside a Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre might be the ultimate "belt and braces" approach.



No reason not to.

I think there are Brommie size Slime tubes available, which is something else I'm considering.


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## 12boy (16 Jan 2020)

I haven't had a flat on mine for years with regular Marathons, but they can be hard to get off for repair. My LBS recommended tubeless sealant in lieu of Slime and none of the four bikes with this have had flats. Easy to put in the tubes, but I have Schraders. 
My technique for reinstalling tires:
I use slender steel tire irons to get the tire off since it can be hard to insert thick plastic ones, and I've broken some.
I put the tire next to the stem on last since it allows pushing the tire into the rim channel and freeing up a little slack which helps a lot. I now can push on a Marathon using just my arthritic old thumbs. Not using a tire iron to get the tire back on has eliminate the tire iron punctures I sometimes feel got before.


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## roley poley (16 Jan 2020)

running a THIN yellow flash on rear and find that punctures more in the rain but that is how you would cut rubber with a wet knife but other than that no


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## rogerzilla (16 Jan 2020)

M+ only just fit (but they do).

A lot of B punctures are due to the rim tape, which doesn't really fit the well of the rim. Unless they've found a better supplier now.


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## Fab Foodie (16 Jan 2020)

M+ here and no particular P*ncture issues. Mixed surface usage.


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## oldwheels (16 Jan 2020)

I have had 2 punctures. One caused by faulty fitting of rim tape and the other by a shard of glass. No idea of mileage as I do not keep records but I have been using standard Brompton tyres on a great variety of surfaces from smooth tarmac to mountain bike stuff.


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## Cycleops (16 Jan 2020)

I've got Marathon pluses on my kiddie wheeler and they are almost worn out but still give excellent puncture protection


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## Schwinnsta (16 Jan 2020)

As was noted here already, tires wear out faster as their diameters decreases. As they wear they get more prone to flats. I used to run Stan's in my inner tubes, but I hit something sharp on the road, slashed the tire and tube open. The Stan's went all over. It made a mess. More trouble than its worth.


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## annedonnelly (17 Jan 2020)

Pale Rider said:


> Three good votes for Marathon Pluses - all of you do more miles than I ever will.
> 
> On t'other hand, @annedonnelly didn't do so well with those tyres.



Maybe I'm just unlucky.


Actually if you're looking to buy I've a friend who is planning to Ebay one - it's a few years old, but virtually unused - maybe 50 miles in total.


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## doginabag (17 Jan 2020)

~3 years on the standard Brompton tyres and the last ~1 year on kojaks and not had a puncture yet. 

Approx 3000 miles per year split evenly between London and more rural roads.


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## Pale Rider (17 Jan 2020)

annedonnelly said:


> Maybe I'm just unlucky.
> 
> 
> Actually if you're looking to buy I've a friend who is planning to Ebay one - it's a few years old, but virtually unused - maybe 50 miles in total.



Late used is certainly a consideration.

If it's a six speed, has the higher bars, and is tolerably local to us, it could be a contender.

I will want the lower gearing, but that's only the chain ring and a chain length tinker which my local bike shop could do.

Also depends what friend wants for it, but I'm not greedy and would pay good money for the right bike.

No ebay fees and no need for friend to risk dealing with the dodgepots that inhabit ebay.

I will ping you some contact details in case you think they are worth passing on.


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## Pale Rider (18 Jan 2020)

Turns out @annedonnelly's friend's bike is a six speed, but an S type.

I would want either of the two higher bars.

I did consider converting it, but I suspect the S cables will be cut shorter which would make a conversion in an upward direction too much of a faff.

Going the other way would be easier.

In terms of punctures, my local bike shop has sold a Brompton with Tannus solid tyres.

Remote feedback from the owner has been positive.

This being Sunderland, I am acquainted with him and was hoping to bump into him on the road.

Not happened yet, so I may have to resort to the telephone.

The slow burn search continues.


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## 12boy (19 Jan 2020)

I am undoubtedly a philistine and a bozo, but I do not get the concern for exact cable length. As long as it permits the fold mine work fine. I skipped the gatherer thing on the front brake and use a Vbrake noodle. Also buy cable housing in 10 and 20 ft lengths and cut my own. Easy peasy. I like my S bar height, but perennial bike shop in Minneapolis sells riser bars as an option for new S types to go between S bars and M bars. Hope you find just what you want.


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## Kell (20 Jan 2020)

It really isn't that difficult to remove and replace cables.

A standard set of M cables would work with riser bars on a S, if the S cables proved to be too short.

Even if they're a little long, it's cosmetic rather than functional.

I went the other way - from an H type to small risers and ran my original cables for months without issue before removing them, shortening them and refitting them.

And I'm a mechanical retard.

Looked untidy - but everything worked...

(Wish my bike looked that clean now.)


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## Kell (20 Jan 2020)

12boy said:


> I am undoubtedly a philistine and a bozo, but I do not get the concern for exact cable length. As long as it permits the fold mine work fine. I skipped the gatherer thing on the front brake and use a Vbrake noodle.



Do you have a pic of this in action as I was thinking of doing the same thing.


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## 12boy (20 Jan 2020)

Perhaps this is clear enough..


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## Kell (20 Jan 2020)

That's ideal.

Thanks.

Did you try running it without and it caused you problems or did you have this setup in mind from the off?


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## Schwinnsta (20 Jan 2020)

What handlebar and what effect on the fold do they have?


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## 12boy (20 Jan 2020)

The handlebar is a Soma moustache bar and is road bar diameter so flat bar (22.2) brakes won't fit. The advantage of the DiaComps is the have a QR type release which aids in pulling wheels. If I had some reverse levers I believe it would fold without using the handlepost QR to rotate the bars up to clear the brake levers which is what I do now. I have several hand positions and this is more comfortable for me than the flat bar and bar ends.
I went with the noodle because it smoothed out the curve I got when I got rid of the gatherer. The little nylon loop broke and I am hundreds of miles from anywhere I could buy one. Built an ugly bodge but then realized it would work fine without the gatherer.
God help me I just gotta fiddle around with bikes, trying this and that like a chimp in a cage.
Still, today it was 3 C with 10mph wind, brilliant clear blue sky, so I knocked off 20 on the Brompton and enjoyed the hell out of it. Bars were perfect.


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## 12boy (20 Jan 2020)

I lied. Those are Milan bars from Velo Orange but they rotated down with pressure, but very comfortable ergonomics. Now I have the Soma bars.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 Jan 2020)

4 years and one puncture on Brommie using the standard tyres that came with it. Does all sorts of lanes and bits of off road year round as well


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## slowmotion (20 Jan 2020)

I have a theory...…..and this is my theory......
Punctures are caused by sharp stuff getting driven through the rubber. It only gets driven into the rubber once every revolution of the tyre when "the spot" hits the tarmac. It must be that , with small diameter wheels at a given speed," the spot" hits the tarmac more frequently than with big wheels. This being the case, the Brompton stuff reaches the inner tube faster and punctures will be more frequent.

I can forward my bank details to the King of Sweden when he seeks me out for a Nobel Peace Prize.


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## mickle (21 Jan 2020)

I can't see that the susceptibility of a Marathon (or equivalent) tyre would necessarily increase with wear - unless you run it so long that it wears right through the tread rubber and into the blue polyethylene puncture barrier.


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## chriscross1966 (22 Jan 2020)

My Marathon Plus fitted Bromptons have only ever suffered punctures from bad rim tape and a couple of times in ten years from glass shards.


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## Dancetiludrop (3 Feb 2020)

I have had a Brompton for a year and a half and most of my cycling is across London (as well as forays into Wales and the Midlands for work) - it isn't true that the streets are paved with gold - they glitter with diamonds...oh wait! that's glass! 
I have had about 7 punctures (mainly back wheel of course!) and have had a kojak, kenda and currently a Marathon Plus fitted and this seems to be the most puncture resistant ... so far


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## 12boy (3 Feb 2020)

7 flats in a year seems a lot. You could try tubeless tire sealant. Since I've been using it I've had zero flats. I use regular Marathons on the Brompton but other tires on my other bikes and they have been flat free. Still, wet class's slicing action is different than thorns. My 20 inch bikes have Kendas and they do seem easier to get on and off the rim than the Schwalbes.


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## Pale Rider (13 Feb 2020)

I had a few words with my acquaintance who has Tannus tyres on his Brompton.

Although 'had' would be more accurate.

He told me they rode OK, but he wore them out.

Seems they 'squared off', so he has gone back to Marathon Plus.

He does do a lot of miles.

A pair would probably last me years.

A puncture proof Brommie with no need to carry a pump or repair kit is appealing.


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## Whereisjake (23 Feb 2020)

Only slightly late to the party here but thought I’d add my thoughts on the Tannus option. 

I’ve only had my Brompton (M3L) for 5 months and have had the Tannus on for 4 of those. I‘ll cycle a minimum of 50 miles a week, nearly all of which in central London.

The positive side is that I simply don’t have to worry about a puncture and they are marginally lighter that the standard marathons. 

The main drawbacks are that there is definitely more rolling resistance, (but in reality it just means that I push slightly harder and I doubt my ride takes any longer than normal), the thinner tyre profile makes turning at speed more unsettling, and the ride is definitely firmer. The latter isn’t really an issue in London, but my last mile down country lanes can be bone shaking if I don’t swerve every pothole.

I can’t speak for longevity yet but if I had the choice again I’d still fit the Tannus for peace of mind, just be mindful of the extra firm ride.


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## LKiwi (28 Nov 2020)

Pale Rider said:


> A shiny new six speed Brompton in my local bike shop got me thinking again about my next bike purchase.
> 
> One thing causing me to hesitate is that when I had a Brompton I got quite a few punctures.
> 
> ...



Ive had Brompton for quite a few years and Yes definitely more punchers! In London, with Marathon Pluses. Marathons just don't work for me, though I'm 110kg. Im so sick of getting punctures! 
Investigating Tannus, though would prefer a puncture-less inner tube and be able to change the tyre.
There is also the new Continental Tyre which the Mrs has, that seems alright so far.
Not a fan of Brompton and beginning to really loath Marathon Tyres.


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## Kell (29 Nov 2020)

Someone on here (I think) tried Tannus and switched them back out very quickly. 

I'm over 100kg also, but don't seem to have suffered in the same way as you. 

Obviously some of it is luck (or bad luck). Last time I did a big road ride on a thin-tired road bike I got 4 punctures in 50 miles.


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## oldwheels (29 Nov 2020)

rogerzilla said:


> M+ only just fit (but they do).
> 
> A lot of B punctures are due to the rim tape, which doesn't really fit the well of the rim. Unless they've found a better supplier now.


My experience as well re the rim tape. Other than that one puncture due to glass in 7 years on standard Brompton tyres.


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## mitchibob (29 Nov 2020)

A tubeless option would be nice, but I'm guessing the average Brompton owner wouldn't necessarily replace the sealant on a regular enough basis.

I tend to switch between Kojaks in summer, and standard Marathons for winter, although a lot of that comes down to running the Kojaks until they really need replacing, then sticking the Marathons from last winter back on, because they're fine! I did have one iffy Marathon, that puncture a couple of times, and then continuously punctured, and could never find the mysterious object that was causing it, but since then, been really lucky with Marathons going long distance between punctures. Been pretty lucky with the Kojaks in the last couple years too, to be honest, but I did have one awful couple of months a few years ago. Then bought a CO2 refiller and didn't have a puncture for months and months.


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