Calling all Brompton Mechanics...

[Kell]

So today, I cleaned my whole drivetrain by taking the chain off and cleaning the jockey wheels and front ring from all the horrible sludge that has built up over the winter.

While doing that, I figured I'd do the job that I've been meaing to get onto since I lowered the bars from H type to low risers.

And it's this... the three cables that run to the back of the bike droop down too much as the bars aren't as high. So I wanted to shorten them.

I managed to chop the rear brake cable and the internal hub cable, but I can't see a way to release the the one for the derailleaur.

I literally took apart the whole of the rear of the cable, only to realise that it looks like the whole thing is held together by a tiny grub screw in the shifter.

This was smaller than any allen key that I have (smallest is 2mm). So the questions are:

Is this the right thing to do?
If not, what is?

And while I'm at it, what are people using for replacement brake blocks?

 

[wisdom]

Ashima dual compound are my choice on the commuter.The stopping power is good in the wet and they don't leave too much crud on the rims reasonable price too.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

So today, I cleaned my whole drivetrain by taking the chain off and cleaning the jockey wheels and front ring from all the horrible sludge that has built up over the winter.

While doing that, I figured I'd do the job that I've been meaing to get onto since I lowered the bars from H type to low risers.

And it's this... the three cables that run to the back of the bike droop down too much as the bars aren't as high. So I wanted to shorten them.

I managed to chop the rear brake cable and the internal hub cable, but I can't see a way to release the the one for the derailleaur.

I literally took apart the whole of the rear of the cable, only to realise that it looks like the whole thing is held together by a tiny grub screw in the shifter.

This was smaller than any allen key that I have (smallest is 2mm). So the questions are:

Is this the right thing to do?
If not, what is?

And while I'm at it, what are people using for replacement brake blocks?

Just buy the S type cables. Which derailleur cable? The 3 speed or 2 speed?
The 3 speed is straight forward so I'm assuming you mean the two speed cable.

Take the cover off, take nipple off, pull the outer off, measure the outer, cut the outer, put the outer back over the inner and back into place, pull the excess inner through the shifter, put the nipple back into place (which is fiddly because the excess gets in the way), cut inner to length, pull out of shifter, solder the end up or it'll fray/splay, put back in shifter, shifter cover back on.
If you're lucky you won't have weakened the return springs in the pen casing at the back end of the bike or moved the pen casing (both can make the shifting persnickety).
Job done, then just sit back and regret not buying an original new cable set for a tenner, IIRC.

 

[John the Monkey]

And while I'm at it, what are people using for replacement brake blocks?

Aztec dual compound atm, as it's what I had in the bits box when the last ones wore out. They seem ok though.

 

[Brommyboy]

1.5mm Allen key needed for two-speed.
https://trade.brompton.com/Uploads/QPart/QPart-Datasheets/ds-cabdrset.pdf
shows how to work with the cable.

 

[Pale Rider]

My Bondhus allen key set has a 1.5mm.

Nice quality, and excellent value at around a tenner.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bondhus-109...&qid=1460362339&sr=8-1&keywords=bondhus+allen

 

[Kell]

Thanks for the links and stuff.

I ordered some swisstop brake blocks as they came up when I did a search for Brompton brakes and seem to get great reviews.

It is the derailleur cable I'm on about, so yes, the two speed.

Can't believe the amount of acronyms in that PDF...