Favorite Brompton Tips, Tricks, Accessories, and Mods

[reppans]

Anyone care to share some of your favorite ideas and add-ons? This bike is so unique and versatile that it's got me all excited about bicycling again.


- Alphabet Cottage Adaptors & Zefal Mini/Half- Clips: Uses existing pedals, doesn't really impact fold, not too expensive, keeps foot planted, increases power stroke from 180 >270 degrees, no risk of trapping foot, doesn't drag when the clips are not used (bottom side of pedal, straight riding).

- Top of Shoulder 5-gal Water Cooler Jug Carry: Put a little pad on top your main tube, then grab the seat tube in the small triangle (thumb pointing down) with your right hand, rear wheel triangle with your left hand, and then lift and flip the whole thing upside down resting the pad on your right shoulder. For me, this keeps my back straight, profile narrow, and is the easiest way to carry the bike for distance, up stairs, through narrow hallways, and with a free left hand to open/close doors, etc. May need to squat through low clearance doorways, esp. if you are tall.

 

[chriscross1966]

Outboard bearing crankset. Using a Campagnolo Ultratorque bottom bracket and cranks is a revelation next to the standard ones. Not the easiest thing to fit, you need a lathe to make the chainring bolts, but wonderful in use.

Ergonomic grips, I have a set of PDW Whiskey grips, but Ergons are easier to find.

 

[Cycleops]

Ergonomic grips, I have a set of PDW Whiskey grips, but Ergons are easier to find.

I've always wondered why they are not supplied as OE when Dahons at half the price have them.
Perhaps you could say why the crank conversion is such a revelation. Just be interested.

@reppans sorry I could really follow any of that. Would it be possible to post some pics?

 

[reppans]

@reppans sorry I could really follow any of that. Would it be possible to post some pics?

Same way you'll find the water delivery guys carry those heavy lumps..

 

[Cycleops]

Ok, now I understand. Here in West Africa people carry heavy loads on their heads which if you think about it is very sensible, however you might get some funny looks in the UK.

 

[TheDoctor]

Keep those tyres pumped hard.
Playing with the Pentaclip position may mean you can just pull the seat post all the way up and it'll always be at the right height.
If you've got a heels-in pedalling style, turn the rear rollers round.
Make the folded bike a bit more unsteady, but nowhere near as unsteady as you'll be if you suddenly lose your shoe on a rear roller!

 

[Kell]

Jubilee clips on the rear rubber suspension block.

Flip the pentaclip to allow you to put the seat further back on its rails.

I see what you mean about the bike on the shoulder, but in the current weather, I'd end up with a line of black sludge down my jacket.

 

[Milkfloat]

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/...s/dimpa-storage-bag-transparent-art-10056770/

As if it was made to measure.

 

[TheDoctor]

Good one, I'd forgotten that. Bit sad, as I have two of those bags!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Use the frame tube for storage. Mine had a spare inner tube, a pair of latex gloves and a wee toolkit stored in it. Or you could maybe put in a towel / absorbent (pet house training?) pad for your shoulder to keep muck off while shouldering your Brommy.

+1 to fiddling with the pentaclp, seat height and position is very versatile for easier seat tube repositioning.

Topeak and Trelock respectively do front and rear light / reflector combo's that fit exactly as replacements for the original reflectors, giving you an always attached light option in addition to whatever other lights you use totally unobtrusively and with no weight/folding penalty.

+1 to flipping round the factory spec castors for avoiding heels clipping them, easy wheels are a minor improvement if you are wheeling the folded bike along seatpost up as a handle rather than carrying it on your shoulder.

I once saw a guy that made himself a wooden board with webbing straps through one side and strategically placed hooks on the other that his folded Bromley hooked solidly into and he carried it as a backpack.

 

[reppans]

+ 1 on storing stuff in the main tube. Here's one way to make sure you can move it in/out:

The seat tube is also great for storing stuff, assuming you have the rubber bung on the bottom. Someone on another forum mentioned the idea of using a thin women's tube sock be able to pull it all back out.

 

[chriscross1966]

I've always wondered why they are not supplied as OE when Dahons at half the price have them.
Perhaps you could say why the crank conversion is such a revelation. Just be interested.

@reppans sorry I could really follow any of that. Would it be possible to post some pics?

The bottom bracket that Brompton use is pretty rubbish, even when new, I've put a Campagnolo Ultratorque BB on along with a set of Centaur Carbon Compact cranks.... It was a trial and error job to fit, I've ended up ditching the wavy washer, and after tapping and facing the bracket I've used 2mm of shims under the drive side bearing cup to get the crank far enough over to clear the frame as it folds.... I also had to make my own chainring nuts.... but the ushot cost me around the same as a new Brompton BB and crankset (was needed, the old one was shot), buying most of the bits S/H on ebay... it feels a lot smoother, didn't notice how bad the brompton one was until I was riding a courtesy bike while mine was in having some work done, and the difference was remarkable.... the courtesy bike was only a month or so old and it felt grindy next to mine...

 

[TheDoctor]

The Brompton toolkit is really nice, but pricy for what it is.
The tools that come with an Aldi saddlebag fit perfectly in the front of the frame. Costs £4.95, and you get a saddlebag too!
You can carry stuff in the other part of the frame too, but you may have to go fishing for it with a piece of coat-hanger. DAMHIKT.

 

[The Jogger]

Would the ikea bag be good enough to transport the Brommie on easyjet or BA. I need to take mine on a one way trip to Spain?

 

[velovoice]

Topeak and Trelock respectively do front and rear light / reflector combo's that fit exactly as replacements for the original reflectors, giving you an always attached light option in addition to whatever other lights you use totally unobtrusively and with no weight/folding penalty.

Would love more details on this please - any links?