Finally have it M6R

[GeekDadZoid]

So after deliberating for a while on what bike to get for my 40th birthday I settled on a Brompton earlier this year. Well yesterday was my birthday so I finally got it.

Went out for a spin yesterday and did some shopping on it this morning. Very pleased with it and the UPSO / Carradice bag I got also.

I already had some Eargon GP1 Bio corks which I fitted and my friend bought me one of the nifty Garmin mounts.

Monday I have a 6 hour adventure around South Manchester planned, including a visit to Riverbank Coffee in Urmston ending up meeting my Wife near Southern Cemetery, where I can put it in the boot and drive home. So gonna visit some old haunts around Urmston , Stretford and Chorlton.

Tuesday I am off to Milton Keynes as described a other thread, no worrying about bike reservations or buses at the other end.

Love the flexibility of this bike already.

 

[12boy]

It is not a bike...it is a disease from which you may never recover.

 

[u_i]

Monday I have a 6 hour adventure around South Manchester planned, including a visit to Riverbank Coffee in Urmston ending up meeting my Wife near Southern Cemetery, where I can put it in the boot and drive home. So gonna visit some old haunts around Urmston , Stretford and Chorlton.

Your bottom might not take it well. For the sake of adapting to the bike's peculiarities, you should start on the side of short doses.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Your bottom might not take it well. For the sake of adapting to the bike's peculiarities, you should start on the side of short doses.

I'm going to take it easy, not planning on riding none stop for the 6 hours. But this is a rare day off whilst the kids are at school so going to make the most of it.

 

[rogerzilla]

Learn to fix a puncture before going on long trips, unless you can whistle up a flying carpet (i.e. your Mrs in the car). It is a bit fiddly with the various washers and other fittings. Pack a pair of disposable gloves with your spare tube, as the chain tensioner is filthy to handle.

 

[mitchibob]

Congrats on joining the slippery slope of owning one of the most practical bikes on the planet! Learning to fix a puncture goes for any bike, but if you already know how, getting the hang of putting the chain-tensioner back correctly on the 2/6-speed so the chain sits back in the little shifter is useful so easy to do roadside, as is getting the hang of the hub gear puller. But neither of these things are worth the premium that some bike shops seem to add to fixing a rear puncture on a Brommie.

I see you already adopted the benefit of frame fitted luggage. It's great, isn't it?

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Learn to fix a puncture before going on long trips, unless you can whistle up a flying carpet (i.e. your Mrs in the car). It is a bit fiddly with the various washers and other fittings. Pack a pair of disposable gloves with your spare tube, as the chain tensioner is filthy to handle.

Congrats on joining the slippery slope of owning one of the most practical bikes on the planet! Learning to fix a puncture goes for any bike, but if you already know how, getting the hang of putting the chain-tensioner back correctly on the 2/6-speed so the chain sits back in the little shifter is useful so easy to do roadside, as is getting the hang of the hub gear puller. But neither of these things are worth the premium that some bike shops seem to add to fixing a rear puncture on a Brommie.

I see you already adopted the benefit of frame fitted luggage. It's great, isn't it?

Good plan on the puncture repair / rear wheel removal and fitting practice.

The luggage options where one of the things that really sold me on the Brompton.

 

[12boy]

A Brompton inner tube is pretty small. Might be good to carry one instead of fooling around with the patch process in the dark/cold/ wet etc. Then when you get home it is so much easier to find the puncture and fix it. Another strategy which I use myself is an ounce or two of tubeless tire sealant which I find more effective and less messy than Slime.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

A Brompton inner tube is pretty small. Might be good to carry one instead of fooling around with the patch process in the dark/cold/ wet etc. Then when you get home it is so much easier to find the puncture and fix it. Another strategy which I use myself is an ounce or two of tubeless tire sealant which I find more effective and less messy than Slime.

I am certainly sold on carrying a spare tube, I ordered a few the other week so will make sure I have one in the bag at all times.

 

[mitchibob]

Another strategy which I use myself is an ounce or two of tubeless tire sealant which I find more effective and less messy than Slime.

Just give us tubeless rims and tyres! ;-)

 

[mitchibob]

Oh, and more you ride it, so that gear puller gets a bit of dirt on it (no matter how much you think you're good at cleaning drive-train), easier it is to see where to put it back to ;-)

 

[rogerzilla]

Just give us tubeless rims and tyres! ;-)

What would be the advantage on a Brompton? If you want to put slime in the tubes, that's easily done as they are Schrader valves.

 

[mitchibob]

What would be the advantage on a Brompton? If you want to put slime in the tubes, that's easily done as they are Schrader valves.

I'd expect similar advantage to any bike. Having had to temporarily stick a tube in one of my tubeless on road bike recently, due to a broken valve, I was really quick to get the replacement valve to get the tube back out. It just felt so different in a totally negative way. So, more than anything, I'm intrigued to know what a nice set of tubeless feels like on a Brompton in comparison to tyres with tubes, and a lot less bothered about puncture protection.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Excellent ride this morning including a trip to Barton Airport and the excellent Riverbank Coffee.

30 miles at a nice steady pace with lots of time to sight see and explore.

 

[southernmist]

Are bromptons more prone to punctures that aren't due to foreign objects?