a.twiddler
Veteran
Further progress on my Brompton
and a painful lesson
12/2/22
The car is due for attention (again) so I take it across town to our usual garage. Fold the Brompton and put it in the boot. No issues, looking forward to testing the recently fitted low gearing set up of 44T chainring, 14T sprocket, BSR 3 speed, on the way home. Drop off car. Unload bike. Extend seat post, unfold handlebar, get the clamp in place and tighten it. Unfold frame, a swift flick and click of the rear triangle and wheel it out on to the pavement. Adjust the seatpost, brakes on, a quick pull and push on the bars to check that everything is tight, and get on and pedal. Getting the hang of folding and unfolding it in a reasonable time without making a prat of myself, I think to myself in a cloud of hubris.
Just covered a yard or two on the pavement, riding slowly, waiting for a white van to get past so I can get across the road when unexpectedly I find myself falling and hit the pavement, hard. It would be nice to be able to say that some witty phrase escaped my lips but apart from “gaargh!” then “Oww!” and then “OWW! I am a disappointment to the literary minded amongst you. As I spring up, shocked, the van driver stops, gets out and asks if I’m all right, mate. I tell him yes, though I’m aware of pain in my knees, and superficial pain on my inner right ankle and left shin, and generally feeling as if I’ve just had a good kicking. I idly think that The Helmet Lecture might follow, but I think he is as shocked as I am. A bicycle isn’t a comfortable thing to land on. Still, if anyone asks do 69 year olds bounce, the answer is, apparently, yes. I wonder if he has a dash cam which will make me notorious as the folding bike man on Youtube or similar. One second, a man riding on nothing, the next, inspecting the tarmac at close range.
I look at the bike. The frame hinge is tight, but the handlebar has folded while riding. I had tightened the handlebar clamp, and the top edge in the rather dim garage light looked flush. It seems that it is possible to tighten this hinge clamp when only one side is fully engaged and the other is just holding on with friction. Then a slight load on it causes it to let go.
The frame hinge clamp is easy to check as you look at it edge on and can see if it’s lined up. Looks like you need to lean down and turn the bars to confirm that the handlebar hinge clamp is properly engaged as it can be tight but not properly locked. I loosen up the handlebar clamp, carefully unfold the handlebar and make sure it is fully engaged before tightening. My confidence in the system has been shaken. The other folder I own has a similar handlebar clamp, though it does have a spring, and I’ve not come across this problem before in hundreds of foldings/unfoldings. I often wondered what would happen if something folded while in motion and now I know, I’m not in a hurry to revisit the experience. Perhaps I need to unclip the bag when unfolding to give a clearer view of the clamp in future. Something to double double check during future use.
I cross the road and walk with it for a short distance. The bike seems undamaged apart from a scuffed bar end. I am wary of mounting it now. I get on and gingerly ride off. My knees complain but as I ride further the discomfort diminishes.
I follow a level route travelling carefully along a segregated roadside cycle path slowly regaining my confidence. The gearing is more manageable than it was, and I’m able to use high gear easily rolling downwind, still keeping my speed down. Soon I come to a steep downhill leading to the river. I’m definitely feeling apprehensive now, and brake far more than I normally do.
I cross a dual carriageway, then the river, and start to climb. I manage the steepest leg of my journey without any fuss, then as the gradient eases I’m in middle gear. A level stretch for 1/3 of a mile then a long gradual climb. Middle gear is slightly too high, so I slow down and settle for low. Even so, I’m puffing by the time I reach the top, perhaps a combination of not enough cycling this year and the delayed effects of hitting the deck earlier.
A level stretch, left at some lights, downhill then up and down a bit to my back gate.
As I manoevre the bike into the garage I notice that the plastic horizontal part of the bag frame has a crack in it. Maybe I can repair it, or if the bits are available, rivet another one on. It’s a shame, as this bag frame has a useful handle at the top. Still, it will work for now with light loads. Taking the bag off the frame later reveals that one side of the frame is bent back where it probably absorbed most of the impact on hitting the ground. New (or pre owned) bag frame time it seems.
I check myself over once I get indoors. I don’t mention my recent downfall as Mrs T will only fuss unnecessarily. Surprised to see both knees have skin damage, as I expected only bruising. Still, the blood hasn’t leaked through my trousers before coagulating. Plaster applied to small gouge on inside of right ankle, probably chainwheel related. Scratch to left shin. Hands are OK, as I had gloves on. I’ve got off lightly.
Later, I set off to collect the car. My knees have stiffened up in the meantime but once I get rolling they loosen up. The gearing feels friendly in my slightly detuned condition. Still expecting something to give way any minute, and call me Captain Apprehensive. but the long downhill is not the carefree plummeting it was last time I came this way. Downhill again, across the river, across a dual carriageway and up a steepish cycleway remaining seated. More relaxed now, I enjoy the final undulating stretch, pick up the car then head home.
Object of the exercise: direct comparison of current low gear set up with previous set up over the same route. Result: success on a plate (or chainring). It will do the job.
and a painful lesson
12/2/22
The car is due for attention (again) so I take it across town to our usual garage. Fold the Brompton and put it in the boot. No issues, looking forward to testing the recently fitted low gearing set up of 44T chainring, 14T sprocket, BSR 3 speed, on the way home. Drop off car. Unload bike. Extend seat post, unfold handlebar, get the clamp in place and tighten it. Unfold frame, a swift flick and click of the rear triangle and wheel it out on to the pavement. Adjust the seatpost, brakes on, a quick pull and push on the bars to check that everything is tight, and get on and pedal. Getting the hang of folding and unfolding it in a reasonable time without making a prat of myself, I think to myself in a cloud of hubris.
Just covered a yard or two on the pavement, riding slowly, waiting for a white van to get past so I can get across the road when unexpectedly I find myself falling and hit the pavement, hard. It would be nice to be able to say that some witty phrase escaped my lips but apart from “gaargh!” then “Oww!” and then “OWW! I am a disappointment to the literary minded amongst you. As I spring up, shocked, the van driver stops, gets out and asks if I’m all right, mate. I tell him yes, though I’m aware of pain in my knees, and superficial pain on my inner right ankle and left shin, and generally feeling as if I’ve just had a good kicking. I idly think that The Helmet Lecture might follow, but I think he is as shocked as I am. A bicycle isn’t a comfortable thing to land on. Still, if anyone asks do 69 year olds bounce, the answer is, apparently, yes. I wonder if he has a dash cam which will make me notorious as the folding bike man on Youtube or similar. One second, a man riding on nothing, the next, inspecting the tarmac at close range.
I look at the bike. The frame hinge is tight, but the handlebar has folded while riding. I had tightened the handlebar clamp, and the top edge in the rather dim garage light looked flush. It seems that it is possible to tighten this hinge clamp when only one side is fully engaged and the other is just holding on with friction. Then a slight load on it causes it to let go.
The frame hinge clamp is easy to check as you look at it edge on and can see if it’s lined up. Looks like you need to lean down and turn the bars to confirm that the handlebar hinge clamp is properly engaged as it can be tight but not properly locked. I loosen up the handlebar clamp, carefully unfold the handlebar and make sure it is fully engaged before tightening. My confidence in the system has been shaken. The other folder I own has a similar handlebar clamp, though it does have a spring, and I’ve not come across this problem before in hundreds of foldings/unfoldings. I often wondered what would happen if something folded while in motion and now I know, I’m not in a hurry to revisit the experience. Perhaps I need to unclip the bag when unfolding to give a clearer view of the clamp in future. Something to double double check during future use.
I cross the road and walk with it for a short distance. The bike seems undamaged apart from a scuffed bar end. I am wary of mounting it now. I get on and gingerly ride off. My knees complain but as I ride further the discomfort diminishes.
I follow a level route travelling carefully along a segregated roadside cycle path slowly regaining my confidence. The gearing is more manageable than it was, and I’m able to use high gear easily rolling downwind, still keeping my speed down. Soon I come to a steep downhill leading to the river. I’m definitely feeling apprehensive now, and brake far more than I normally do.
I cross a dual carriageway, then the river, and start to climb. I manage the steepest leg of my journey without any fuss, then as the gradient eases I’m in middle gear. A level stretch for 1/3 of a mile then a long gradual climb. Middle gear is slightly too high, so I slow down and settle for low. Even so, I’m puffing by the time I reach the top, perhaps a combination of not enough cycling this year and the delayed effects of hitting the deck earlier.
A level stretch, left at some lights, downhill then up and down a bit to my back gate.
As I manoevre the bike into the garage I notice that the plastic horizontal part of the bag frame has a crack in it. Maybe I can repair it, or if the bits are available, rivet another one on. It’s a shame, as this bag frame has a useful handle at the top. Still, it will work for now with light loads. Taking the bag off the frame later reveals that one side of the frame is bent back where it probably absorbed most of the impact on hitting the ground. New (or pre owned) bag frame time it seems.
I check myself over once I get indoors. I don’t mention my recent downfall as Mrs T will only fuss unnecessarily. Surprised to see both knees have skin damage, as I expected only bruising. Still, the blood hasn’t leaked through my trousers before coagulating. Plaster applied to small gouge on inside of right ankle, probably chainwheel related. Scratch to left shin. Hands are OK, as I had gloves on. I’ve got off lightly.
Later, I set off to collect the car. My knees have stiffened up in the meantime but once I get rolling they loosen up. The gearing feels friendly in my slightly detuned condition. Still expecting something to give way any minute, and call me Captain Apprehensive. but the long downhill is not the carefree plummeting it was last time I came this way. Downhill again, across the river, across a dual carriageway and up a steepish cycleway remaining seated. More relaxed now, I enjoy the final undulating stretch, pick up the car then head home.
Object of the exercise: direct comparison of current low gear set up with previous set up over the same route. Result: success on a plate (or chainring). It will do the job.
As you DID talk about it you have to do it again. 
And not talk about it. And then do it a third time to make good for talking about it in the first place. 
