Plastic parts

[Drago]

Is suspect the grade of plastic used on a Brompton isn't used on, say, a Boeing 787.

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

Bromptons don’t fall out of the sky causing mass casualties. Boeings, on the other hand…

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Steel has carbon in it

 

[Drago]

Bromptons don’t fall out of the sky causing mass casualties. Boeings, on the other hand…

Aye, I should have said 737 Max

One a serious note, some of the Brompton knock-offs (rarely seen in the UK for obvious reasons) are made with better quality grades of cromo for the frame and better fittings. Shame Brompton don't feel the need to do so themselves.

 

[Ridgeway]

Why is it that people throw a fit over cheap looking plastic parts on Bromptons yet they seem to be perfectly o.k. with a £5000 bike whose frame is plastic?

Because the cheap plastic part in my Brompton gear selector needs frequent cleaning, often fails and has needed a modification to even make it work. The part cost is perhaps less than one € but i would have been happy if the bike cost €10 more and that part worked correctly. No interest in what material it is actually made from, just that it works.

Comparing that to a frame set🤔

 

[Schwinnsta]

Aye, I should have said 737 Max

One a serious note, some of the Brompton knock-offs (rarely seen in the UK for obvious reasons) are made with better quality grades of cromo for the frame and better fittings. Shame Brompton don't feel the need to do so themselves.

Care to name which brands these are?

 

[Drago]

Off-hand I couldn't say because it's been two or three years since I was looking to buy a foldie and was examining the options.

I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult for you to find if your search engines work in a similar manner to mine.

Edit - now you've got me thinking Mobot and 3Sixty might be two of them. If memory serves I was tempted by the 3Sixy as they do two frame sizes.

 

[simongt]

The issue here is assumption. the term 'plastic' covers a very wide variety of strength and qualities of this synthetic material, not just some cheapo goods from 'China or Taiwan'.
It's no different to just saying something is made of 'metal'.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Aye, I should have said 737 Max

One a serious note, some of the Brompton knock-offs (rarely seen in the UK for obvious reasons) are made with better quality grades of cromo for the frame and better fittings. Shame Brompton don't feel the need to do so themselves.

The quality of steel may not be as important as the quality of manufacture - it's easy to ruin the properties of a steel alloy by poor process!