The heretics guide to Brompton use - Part two - it is not a premium product!

[Time Waster]

Hmm... we have some old Rohloff hubs lurking in the wheel store; it would certainly remove all my current gearing issues although it'd probably not do much for the weight...

You will need a new rear triangle to fit it. Suggest Kinetic in Glasgow and I think if you go for their kit then you could always go for a disc conversion too I think.

 

[wafter]

Yes I know but it is a clunky system. It is not user friendly and the faff of switching from one type of shift to another. So you pedal to change the +/- then stop for the hub then pedal to switch the +/- then stop pedalling... I know it is easy to do each but lets be honest this is a crap system to get even spread of gearing. Then there are the situations when you need to shift two or more gears at once. You have to think a bit more about that I reckon. A good system uses one mechanism of change whether that is derailleur only or larger spread hub gear only. It would be nice to get an alfine on a Brompton for example.

It is clunky, but I find workable and OK to shift either setup under very light load as per my previous post. I also frequently shift two gears at once (when going from 2+ to 3- for example) and don't see this as an issue. This is somewhat analagous to shifting FD and RD at the same time on a conventional setup, but with less chance of dropping the frame.

In principal I agree about a single hub gear with a better range - certainly a more elegant solution but at the cost of additional mass, while the effiicency of the Alfine hubs really isn't very good. At least with the 2x3 setup you get good efficency in the two middle gears that get used most because the hub is operating as direct drive.

This also loses momentum if you are on a hill. Which goes back to selecting the gear before the hill to spin out until up the hill a bit. I live near some very steep hills and used to commute over one. It was that way or double the journey time, but that hill sometimes beat me on the Brommie. Usually if I got the gears wrong before the steep part. I got sick of having to push my brommie up that hill when I first got it until I worked the best gear out and how / when to go into it to push on ok.

That's fair enough - granted you shouldn't really be down-shitfting under load with any system but the Brompton is worse. I suspect you have more / worse hills to contend with than I do...

 

[Fastpedaller]

This also loses momentum if you are on a hill. Which goes back to selecting the gear before the hill to spin out until up the hill a bit. I live near some very steep hills and used to commute over one. It was that way or double the journey time, but that hill sometimes beat me on the Brommie. Usually if I got the gears wrong before the steep part. I got sick of having to push my brommie up that hill when I first got it until I worked the best gear out and how / when to go into it to push on ok.

You could always fit a front derailleur - I was surprised how easy it was and it doesn't spoil the fold. The most difficulty was the spacing of the BB to give a close chainline and still enable the fold. I think an A-line with a double chainring/front derailleur would be the best value for money entry into Brompton ownership.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Just found I can order Brompton parts through work, right down to the Pawls. springs, and yes, even the bearings I need to replace; I even get the staff discount...

Okay, as you were...

 

[Schwinnsta]

You could always fit a front derailleur - I was surprised how easy it was and it doesn't spoil the fold. The most difficulty was the spacing of the BB to give a close chainline and still enable the fold. I think an A-line with a double chainring/front derailleur would be the best value for money entry into Brompton ownership.

You could also add a third sprocket for even less money and lessen the spacing between gears.

 

[Drago]

Just found I can order Brompton parts through work, right down to the Pawls. springs, and yes, even the bearings I need to replace; I even get the staff discount...

Okay, as you were...

What is this "work" thing whereof you speak?

 

[Andy in Germany]

What is this "work" thing whereof you speak?

It's the place I get my bike parts and tools for half price...

 

[Drago]

You mean you pay for stuff? How quaint!

 

[Time Waster]

You could also get a birdy or even a bike friday foldit. Once you get into modifying a Brompton to make it work well that is. I am sorry but I do hold the opinion that Brompton has not innovated where there would be most benefit. It is also a brand that has made poor decisions on material choice. As a heavily engineered original product it has not continued that engineering innovation since the first commercial product offering (well perhaps a few tweaks to add 2x or slight variations of the same thing).

I do wonder if they would have been better served correcting a few of their clunkier elements or sorting out the dodgy material choice in certain components of the current models instead of developing a 20" version. Which would I rather have, decent bolts that do not rust so easily, paint that is not fragile and a gear system with 6 or more gears in one gearing system (hub or derailleur) OR a 20" bike that changes the biggest design success in the small fold??

 

[Andy in Germany]

You mean you pay for stuff? How quaint!

What do you think I am, a copper?

 

[Drago]

Us coppers had to pay for stuff, same as anyone else. That's what the stuff in the plain brown envelopes was for.

 

[Andy in Germany]

You could also get a birdy or even a bike friday foldit. Once you get into modifying a Brompton to make it work well that is. I am sorry but I do hold the opinion that Brompton has not innovated where there would be most benefit. It is also a brand that has made poor decisions on material choice. As a heavily engineered original product it has not continued that engineering innovation since the first commercial product offering (well perhaps a few tweaks to add 2x or slight variations of the same thing).

I do wonder if they would have been better served correcting a few of their clunkier elements or sorting out the dodgy material choice in certain components of the current models instead of developing a 20" version. Which would I rather have, decent bolts that do not rust so easily, paint that is not fragile and a gear system with 6 or more gears in one gearing system (hub or derailleur) OR a 20" bike that changes the biggest design success in the small fold??

That's possibly the case for any normal person, but given that I work in a bike shop, and that I'm supposed to be learning and building experience for my bike mechanic certificate, I may as well; in effect I'm becoming the Brompton specialist in the workshop....

 

[wafter]

Just found I can order Brompton parts through work, right down to the Pawls. springs, and yes, even the bearings I need to replace; I even get the staff discount...

Okay, as you were...

Crikey - lucky you!

Sadly it seems the rest of us plebs can't get a front bearing cone without buying the whole bloody wheel

 

[Andy in Germany]

Crikey - lucky you!

Sadly it seems the rest of us plebs can't get a front bearing cone without buying the whole bloody wheel

That's odd, when I can get it from the wholesaler for a customer in Germany.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I'm sure a lot of repair parts (for all goods, not just bikes) are withheld from the 'general public'. Can someone explain to me how a friend (despite searching all the 'net and suppliers) was unable to source a brake master cylinder or partial repair kit to fix his car, but when he paid top dollar to a main dealer it is miraculously fixed? Or is it just careful use of sawdust (some her should understand that pun )