berylthebrompton
Active Member
- Location
- Bristol
Sorry to start a new thread, but I would appreciate peoples opinions on this.
TL;DR - My 12 month old M6L started making a grinding noise. After months of troubleshooting (isolation sound to the hub, full hub service, replacement driver), the dealer spoke to Brompton who agreed to take the bike back to inspect it.
After almost a fortnight, the bike returned with a whole new rear wheel. Reading the report, it says the technician dismantled the hub and found evidence of wear on the axel and pawls. They also noted the wheel rim wear, and put all this down to "heavy mileage". They also noted that the chain oil appeared to be a "penetrative spray", and this would have accelerated wear. They conclude that the signs of wear would not be classed as a defect and not normally covered under warranty, but would replace the whole wheel as a goodwill gesture.
Firstly: "heavy mileage". I bought my bike in Sept 2015, and cycle to and from work. In total I have clocked up approximately 2,500 miles. My commute home is hilly (110m gain). However, when you read about Heinz Stücke and the likes riding Bromptons across country, I don't see that mileage on a brand new bike as "heavy". Opinions?
Likewise, this "penetrative spray". I have only ever used Muc-Off chain lube. Currently it is Muc-Off C3 Wet Cermaic Lube. Brompton show this brand in their cleaning guide and even run competitions with them. Surely this isn't a bad chain lube? And could it really migrate into the hub in large enough quantities and cause issues of this magnitude so quickly?
On one hand, I am thankful the issue has been resolved. But it feels like an anticlimax, as it feels like they are blaming me for using my bike just for commuting. And it has damaged my confidence that this hub isn't going to last another 2,500.
I would love your experiences and honest thoughts.
Cheers,
James
TL;DR - My 12 month old M6L started making a grinding noise. After months of troubleshooting (isolation sound to the hub, full hub service, replacement driver), the dealer spoke to Brompton who agreed to take the bike back to inspect it.
After almost a fortnight, the bike returned with a whole new rear wheel. Reading the report, it says the technician dismantled the hub and found evidence of wear on the axel and pawls. They also noted the wheel rim wear, and put all this down to "heavy mileage". They also noted that the chain oil appeared to be a "penetrative spray", and this would have accelerated wear. They conclude that the signs of wear would not be classed as a defect and not normally covered under warranty, but would replace the whole wheel as a goodwill gesture.
Firstly: "heavy mileage". I bought my bike in Sept 2015, and cycle to and from work. In total I have clocked up approximately 2,500 miles. My commute home is hilly (110m gain). However, when you read about Heinz Stücke and the likes riding Bromptons across country, I don't see that mileage on a brand new bike as "heavy". Opinions?
Likewise, this "penetrative spray". I have only ever used Muc-Off chain lube. Currently it is Muc-Off C3 Wet Cermaic Lube. Brompton show this brand in their cleaning guide and even run competitions with them. Surely this isn't a bad chain lube? And could it really migrate into the hub in large enough quantities and cause issues of this magnitude so quickly?
On one hand, I am thankful the issue has been resolved. But it feels like an anticlimax, as it feels like they are blaming me for using my bike just for commuting. And it has damaged my confidence that this hub isn't going to last another 2,500.
I would love your experiences and honest thoughts.
Cheers,
James