Brompton for beginners questions

[chriscross1966]

Yes, the three tyres you normally see are Bromptons own Kojak plus the two shorts of Schwalbe Marathon

 

[Fab Foodie]

I had the Standard Brommie tyres and found they rode well and until the rear got thin were pretty P* resistant. I replaced them when somewhere was selling Marathon plus cheap. BTW, they were not difficult to get on the rims.
I preferred the ride and feel of the Brompton tyres. The Marathons are a bit stodgier and skittish in the wet, but as I travel around and tour with this bike it's worth the extra security that the M+ should provide.

@chriscross1966 good chaps in Warlands.....

 

[John the Monkey]

I found the Brompton Greens to be ok (they're what came with the bike). since then, I've had Marathon Plus, and Marathon Green Guard (Brompton punctures are a PITA).

 

[12boy]

When you put marathons on a rim, put the part with the valve stem on last. Work the inner tube inside the tire all the way around and as you get closer to the stem area pinch the tire and tube on the area you did first so as to make them go in the narrow channel where the spoke heads are. This gives you a little extra slack to get over those last few inches on the rim. I destroyed a number of tires by ripping the bead with tire irons before I learned this. I also learned that plastic tire levers are too thick to work well and narrow steel ones work much better. By using the valve stem thing I can usually get a marathon back on with minimal tire levering and sometimes only with my thumbs. I have a 20 inch folder which came with Kenda Kwests and in comparison to Schwalbe they almost floated on. I have heard that using Stan's Sealant in inner tubes is far more effective than Slime, and will try that next fall.

 

[chriscross1966]

I had the Standard Brommie tyres and found they rode well and until the rear got thin were pretty P* resistant. I replaced them when somewhere was selling Marathon plus cheap. BTW, they were not difficult to get on the rims.
I preferred the ride and feel of the Brompton tyres. The Marathons are a bit stodgier and skittish in the wet, but as I travel around and tour with this bike it's worth the extra security that the M+ should provide.

@chriscross1966 good chaps in Warlands.....

Definitely, I've just ordered one of those Campagnolo branded spatulas for putting tires on carbon rims though, as sooner or later I will have to do it myself..

 

[mitchibob]

are the Brompton standard tyres any good? Schwalbe - worth the upgrade?

I found the rolling resistance to be better on the standard tyres than the Marathons, but I did get a lot of front punctures. They are really only suitable for reasonable good roads. After getting 3 in two weeks in winter, I switched over to Marathons. Not difficult to get on the rims, but are definitely heavier. Really need to keep them at 80psi+, otherwise they can feel like riding through treacle, and never quite certain of grip in wet around corners.

I might have to give the Kojaks a go in summer. But also semi-tempted to try solid tyres, and not carry a spare tube and pump at all.

As the alternatives are regularly on offer and wont cost much more than getting them with the bike, I'd say get the Brompton standards, if you're mostly ride on roads. However, if you're doing any slight off-roading, get the tougher Marathon or Marathon plus.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Or, if you live in a studenty area, get the marathon plusses. SO MUCH GLASS *sobs*

 

[TheDoctor]

Standard Marathons have served me very well for the last five years.
More visitation-repellant than the standard tyres, although perhaps a touch slower.
You definitely want to keep them pumped to 90psi or more.

 

[mitchibob]

Standard Marathons have served me very well for the last five years.
More visitation-repellant than the standard tyres, although perhaps a touch slower.
You definitely want to keep them pumped to 90psi or more.

I bought myself a track pump at the same as the tyres so that I could easily top them up to 90-95 psi each week or so.

 

[oxford_guy]

I wish they did Schwalbe Supremes in Bromptom size, I switched to 32mm ones of these on my full-size Hewitt touring bike about 3 years ago and absolutely love them, they're pretty hard wearing and reasonably puncture resistant, but the main thing is that they're so much nicer to ride on than standard Marathons and Marathon Plus tyres and much faster. They also come with a folding bead (so you can carry a spare easily, if desired) and are very easy to get on and off the rim. I had a set of Marathon Plus tyres and hated how they made the bike feel. Most of my touring is on roads, though, but they stand up to canal tow paths and the like.

 

[Kell]

I can't say I've noticed much wrong the the plusses I bought for mine.

My original Marathon tyre lasted about 2,500 miles on the rear before chunks just started dropping off it and revealing the green layer under the rubber.

 

[e-rider]

so, I just picked up my new Brompton! It looks nice, the welding is very good and all the decals are straight which makes my OCD very happy. However, I 've got a few minor problems. First, the handlebars are not in line with the front wheel - on a 'normal' bike this would eb easy to adjust but I'm guessing it needs slightly more thought here - please help.
I've noticed that the rear tyre (when folded) is pressed hard against the frame/BB area - is this correct? It looks like it will wear the paint away quite soon.

It's a M6L

 

[John the Monkey]

so, I just picked up my new Brompton! It looks nice, the welding is very good and all the decals are straight which makes my OCD very happy. However, I 've got a few minor problems. First, the handlebars are not in line with the front wheel - on a 'normal' bike this would eb easy to adjust but I'm guessing it needs slightly more thought here - please help.
I've noticed that the rear tyre (when folded) is pressed hard against the frame/BB area - is this correct? It looks like it will wear the paint away quite soon.

It's a M6L

Don't know about your bars - I'd be tempted to take it to the shop, my experience of my local Brompton dealer has been very positive.

On the tyre, IIRC, it does this in the parking fold (at least on my bike, S6L)- once the seatpost goes in, the tyre is held further away. There's a stop that sits against the post in that latter configuration that you may be able to adjust to make the tyre sit further away (by changing the angle of the rear triangle in relation to the seat post).

I would look at the bike carefully now, and protect the parts that suffer cable rub. IME, that's the side of the seat tube that the rear brake & gear cables run along, the underside of the bb shell that these cables rub when the bike is folded, and the area you've identified as being rubbed by the tyre in a parking fold.

 

[annedonnelly]

I've noticed that the rear tyre (when folded) is pressed hard against the frame/BB area - is this correct? It looks like it will wear the paint away quite soon.

Did you get Marathon Pluses? That's what I have - mine didn't used to rub there but did after I replaced the tyre. I think the "new, improved" Marathon Plus is slightly bigger than the previous version. I noticed a similar issue on my hybrid - the new improved M+ are more likely to rub on the mudguard which doesn't have a lot of clearance at the best of times.

And yes, it'll quickly take the paint off there.

 

[e-rider]

Did you get Marathon Pluses? That's what I have - mine didn't used to rub there but did after I replaced the tyre. I think the "new, improved" Marathon Plus is slightly bigger than the previous version. I noticed a similar issue on my hybrid - the new improved M+ are more likely to rub on the mudguard which doesn't have a lot of clearance at the best of times.

And yes, it'll quickly take the paint off there.

I have the Brompton tyres - seems like a design that could be improved as I can't see what benefit is gained from having the tyre touch the frame?