2021 Brompton C-Line Explore
- Thread starter wafter
- Start date
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Indeed; I think some of it's just par for the course given how close to the ground many of the bits are. That said I think a lot of these issues could be addressed successfully at the design stage; for example using mudguards with better coverage and larger flaps..
What was up with the brakes - pad alignment? I'm considering sticking in some inline adjustors in the brake cables so that they could hopefully be slackened off sufficiently to allow wheel removal without depressurising the tyres... which is another quite frankly ridiculous failing of the current setup.
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tinywheels
Über Member
- Location
- South of hades
those jockey wheels are dreadful. Agree that a better design would cure crud issues.
These bikes need a fresh eye to sort out the numerous problems that linger. What was acceptable years ago is now just dammed annoying.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
I keep meaning to see if there's a better (non-OEM) solution for the rear derailleur/chain pusher as those wheels get absolutely caked on mine.
The solution I came up with is a small, flat-bladed screwdriver poked in through the slots on the sides.
View: https://youtu.be/E4nh0aEiBeI
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I’ve asked around, and researched and as yet not found an alternative. I use a toothbrush and degreaser.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
I do that after the screwdriver.
In fairness, mine is no longer as bad as it was in that video as I've changed my cycle route.
I'd suspected for a while that the savage abuse my bike got was in part due to the fact that I cycled quite close to the horse track around Hyde Park. The track's made from sand and my bike used to suffer from excessive chain wear and get clogged up.
now my route has changed, I'm convinced that was the issue. Fine particles of sand being thrown from the horse track and onto the cycle path. Which then get flicked up and mixed with oil to effectively form an aggressive grinding paste.
Today I evidently didn't learn from my lucky escape from the detritus-strewn tow paths yesterday..
Made it to Iffley OK, dodging the newly-flooded but manageable sections. The front end started feeling squiffy coming away from the lock; a quick glance down confirming that the tyre had barely any air remaining
About a mile from work I resolved to push it there and sort it later, however with the flat being on the front - with the bag's weight on it and little ability to support it - the tyre was having a really hard time so I stopped to fix it. Bike inverted, front wheel off, tube out.. found that a thorn had punctured through both sides of the tube so patched both areas and dug out the remaining stub from the tyre with my eternally-useful pocket knife.
I ran a finger round the inside of the tyre with no obvious issues so cobbled it all back together again and wrestled with my faithful if less-than-ideal Giant MTB pump to get some air in it. This obviously wasn't happening, so I pulled it all off again and slung in another tube. Finally on my way and about half a mile later the front started squirming again
Already nearly half an hour late for work I roundly thought f*ck it and pushed it the rest of the way. At work it all came to bits again, to reveal a veritable velociraptor tooth of a piece of flint sticking out of the tyre:
This was evidently responsible for knackering the second tube, while there were a couple of less deep gashes in the same area on the first one.. so it seems this and the thorn did for the first one; then I missed it (probably because it was only just sticking through the tyre, I was in a rush and thought I'd found the leak with the substantial thorn) allowing it to knacker the next tube
As a token gesture I put a patch over the inside of the gash on the tyre and yet again repaired the hammered tube that came out,
which is a mess and must have seven or eight patches on it. And I though buying the bulk quantity that I did was overkill..
This is now the sixth legit puncture I've had in six-ish months / 1400 miles and it's getting bloody demoralising. Sadly (if unsurprisingly) it seem that the tow path is significantly more hazardous than the roads thanks to the proximity of thorny bushes and its surface. I suspect it's worse in winter and should probably have known better / just kept going through town; however the canal is so much nicer.
Maybe just luck but it does seem that I've had more punctures on the east Oxford section of the canal, so maybe I'll do the north bit on the tow path (which cuts out the grottiest bits of road) then the rest through town - at least in the winter.
Not sure what to do with the tyre yet - it's holding fine and still has plenty of tread; however it's had an absolute hammering with a casual inspection a few months ago showing around thirty areas of obvious puncture damage around the tread. I've heard good things about flexible superglue so maybe I'll invest in some of this and see if I can get the wound to seal.
For now I'm just hoping it'll get me home without any further drama...
Made it to Iffley OK, dodging the newly-flooded but manageable sections. The front end started feeling squiffy coming away from the lock; a quick glance down confirming that the tyre had barely any air remaining
About a mile from work I resolved to push it there and sort it later, however with the flat being on the front - with the bag's weight on it and little ability to support it - the tyre was having a really hard time so I stopped to fix it. Bike inverted, front wheel off, tube out.. found that a thorn had punctured through both sides of the tube so patched both areas and dug out the remaining stub from the tyre with my eternally-useful pocket knife.
I ran a finger round the inside of the tyre with no obvious issues so cobbled it all back together again and wrestled with my faithful if less-than-ideal Giant MTB pump to get some air in it. This obviously wasn't happening, so I pulled it all off again and slung in another tube. Finally on my way and about half a mile later the front started squirming again
Already nearly half an hour late for work I roundly thought f*ck it and pushed it the rest of the way. At work it all came to bits again, to reveal a veritable velociraptor tooth of a piece of flint sticking out of the tyre:
This was evidently responsible for knackering the second tube, while there were a couple of less deep gashes in the same area on the first one.. so it seems this and the thorn did for the first one; then I missed it (probably because it was only just sticking through the tyre, I was in a rush and thought I'd found the leak with the substantial thorn) allowing it to knacker the next tube
As a token gesture I put a patch over the inside of the gash on the tyre and yet again repaired the hammered tube that came out,
which is a mess and must have seven or eight patches on it. And I though buying the bulk quantity that I did was overkill..
This is now the sixth legit puncture I've had in six-ish months / 1400 miles and it's getting bloody demoralising. Sadly (if unsurprisingly) it seem that the tow path is significantly more hazardous than the roads thanks to the proximity of thorny bushes and its surface. I suspect it's worse in winter and should probably have known better / just kept going through town; however the canal is so much nicer.
Maybe just luck but it does seem that I've had more punctures on the east Oxford section of the canal, so maybe I'll do the north bit on the tow path (which cuts out the grottiest bits of road) then the rest through town - at least in the winter.
Not sure what to do with the tyre yet - it's holding fine and still has plenty of tread; however it's had an absolute hammering with a casual inspection a few months ago showing around thirty areas of obvious puncture damage around the tread. I've heard good things about flexible superglue so maybe I'll invest in some of this and see if I can get the wound to seal.
For now I'm just hoping it'll get me home without any further drama...
Need to sort a decent high-pressure pump soon now the original one is dead, since the head on the Joe Blow at work is too large to fit between the Brompton's spokes and the Giant mini pump struggles to get acceptable pressure in the front tyre; let alone the back.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Thanks - I have a thread up requesting ideas for HP mini pumps but so far it's not yielded much in the way of viable options.
The tyres are the standard Marathon Racers. Tbh I'm sure for razzing it around fairly well-maintained urban streets they're fine.. however my route seems to be hammering them; understandably I suppose.
tinywheels
Über Member
- Location
- South of hades
Try the continentals, I've found them very good.
Thanks - what sort of terrain are you riding on?
I did consider something different however from what I've read they have a similar construction to the Marathon Racer (fibre-reinforcement for protection) and I think anything of this format is likely to struggle with the sort of punctures I've been having.
A marathon plus (with its thick protection strip) would probably fare better, but I'm not keen for the usual reasons..
T4tomo
Legendary Member
I generally think M+ are overkill, But....... wet weather and flint are a horrible combo and then throw in some thorns and poorly surfaced tow paths..., I'd be going M+ route in your wet shoes.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
I'd completely agree with the above.
I was of the mindset that I'd rather be slower and not have a puncture than try and go quickly and risk having to change a tube by the side of the road.
In around 10,000 miles I NEVER had a single puncture with the M+ tyres. I tried the Contis for the summer and had three in less than 600 miles. I mention the summer as it's normally wet/winter weather that brings the punctures.
When I replaced the M+ I have done so with the standard Marathon. not had them long enough to check their puncture resilience, but been running them since I swapped them out in around October last year. I think they're just one rating down from the M+ in Schwalbe's puncture resilience ranking.
What I will say though is that after running the contis briefly then switching back to the M+, it felt like there was something wrong with the bike. Like it was partially seized. they are a good couple of mph slower I'd say.
From Cycling Weekly
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