Essentials I Need To Buy

[The Jogger]

Tubes, I need to get a couple of tubes which I was going to get when picking up the bag as I forgot to get when ordering the bike.

Easy wheels

What tools do I need to carry, Brompton tool kit or a couple of spanners?

Anything else?

 

[annedonnelly]

It depends on you route but I don't carry tools on the Brompton - if I can't walk home I'll get a bus. The rear wheel is a bit of pain to remove so no chance I'm doing that on the roadside

After a few punctures I run with slime in the tubes. Whether it's that it's used so often or something else it does seem more prone to punctures than my hybrid.

 

[srw]

You need Marathon plus tyres. If you've got them, then you don't need any tools with you - other than a phone and the number of a taxi firm if you're in the wilds. If you're in the city, then a bus timetable or a tube map will do.

 

[Pale Rider]

I carry puncture stuff but have never used it, despite having two punctures.

First one I folded and got a taxi to the nearest Brommie dealer.

Second one I limped home after putting some air in the tyre with the all but useless supplied pump.

I also carry a multi-tool.

Only time that's been used is to tighten the handle bar clamp on a bike belonging to a mountain biker I met on a ride.

Perhaps there's no point in carrying tools and puncture repair stuff after all.

 

[The Jogger]

You need Marathon plus tyres. If you've got them, then you don't need any tools with you - other than a phone and the number of a taxi firm if you're in the wilds. If you're in the city, then a bus timetable or a tube map will do.

It came with the marathon tyres but they are not m+ should I change them?

 

[mjr]

The rear wheel is a bit of pain to remove so no chance I'm doing that on the roadside

Why would you need to remove the rear wheel? This method isn't only for hub gears:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz33ozlTvdo


I almost always carry a very small tool bundle containing (AFAICR) small adjustable wrench, tyre levers, patches, multitool, chain tool, missing links, plant ties, cable ties and pump, totalling 450g. If travelling to a timed appointment, I also carry a sealant canister to give me an expensive "get me there" almost-no-tool option. (EDIT: if travelling far, I carry a spare inner tube.) I'd probably carry the bike the rest of the way or get a taxi only if it's not reasonably fixable (we have few buses and most have banned even folding bikes).

 

[mjr]

It came with the marathon tyres but they are not m+ should I change them?

I wouldn't. I find Marathons and even Delta Cruisers are almost as good for resisting punctures, a bit cheaper and a lot nicer to ride (I've used them all in the last few years). I think the biggest benefit of M+ is that they have tougher sidewalls if you often ride in the sorts of places where sidewalls get attacked (North Norfolk seems to be one).

 

[Drago]

Keeping your bike scrupulously maintained is worth 2kg of tools and spares.

 

[StuartG]

Multi-tool, 15mm spanner, 2 tubes, tyre levers & IKEA bag ('cos if you take the bus home option you just might come up against the one driver in the universe who won't let Bromptons on without a bag) - and if you are touring abroad another tube and a spare tyre - cos finding any replacements away from a capital city in a cycle shop is nigh impossible.

Touching everything - the puncture fairy has spared me the last nine years on ordinary Brompton green (now white) stripe tyres here and abroad. But a person I know who uses slicks can be guaranteed to show how to fix a flat every trip ...

 

[srw]

It came with the marathon tyres but they are not m+ should I change them?

I wouldn't bother. Marathons are almost as good as Marathon pluses, at least on-road. I'd happily take Marathons on most tarmac surfaces. I'd happily off-road on Marathon pluses.

Last week I did a 10-mile ride on my Brompton. There was about 500 yards of walking (because the potholes were just too big and the mud just too deep) and about 500 yards of busy on-road traffic. Otherwise it was all off-road tarmac/concrete/packed sand/gravel.

I had absolutely no qualms about doing it. I might have done on lesser tyres.

 

[srw]

Oh, and when the Marathons go phut (they will eventually), trade up.

 

[CopperBrompton]

For London riding, Marathon+ tyres is all you're likely to need, with a credit card as backup.

 

[TheDoctor]

Tyre levers and sticky patches in the frame tube.

 

[T4tomo]

I had two punctures on standard Brompton tyres and switched to marathons (Non plus) about 8 years ago and haven't had a problem since. All on road commuting. Never carry tools, just get to work or home. And. Fix whatever problem occurred, which are few are far between. Last one was pedalling the crank arm off the chain ring going past the Bank of England.

 

[MiK1138]

Gaffa tape and WD40