How do you change gears on a Brompton six speed?

[Sara_H]

Hello all,

My M6L is due to arrive on Monday.

I'm a bit befuddled about the gears though. I've little experience with hub gears and to add a derailleur in makes me go

So if I'm pootling along down hill, but approaching a hill, how do you go from high to low?

 

[jefmcg]

congrats!

maybe this will help ... http://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/811046-how-shift-6-speed-brompton.html

 

[Sara_H]

congrats!

maybe this will help ... http://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/811046-how-shift-6-speed-brompton.html

Thanks for that - I'm hoping it arrives early monday so I can spend the rest of the day working out the gears!

 

[annedonnelly]

I'm sure you'll have no problems, Sara. It didn't take me long to get used to it.

After you've used it a few times I recommend checking the little screw adjustment thingy that regulates the hub gears. Mine came unscrewed and meant I couldn't change gear. It's dead easy to put back together but it's a bit of a shock when you think something has broken!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I'm sure you'll have no problems, Sara. It didn't take me long to get used to it.

After you've used it a few times I recommend checking the little screw adjustment thingy that regulates the hub gears. Mine came unscrewed and meant I couldn't change gear. It's dead easy to put back together but it's a bit of a shock when you think something has broken!

Good advice, my gear cable slipped completely after a couple of hundred miles too, left me stuck in gear and wondering if there was something more serious gone astray. Luckily not but sounds like they are prone to newness niggles. I know it's unlikely to be wrong but check the brake blocks are properly tightened up too, my front ones fell to pieces luckily going uphill mid ride again after a couple of hundred miles, There was a slight clattering noise as the screw fell out and the blocks were hanging loose then the block and washers were behind me on the road.

 

[TheDoctor]

Easy explanation.
You've got a very wide ratio 3 speed hub gear on the right hand lever, and a close ratio 2 speed gear on the left. So to change down rapidly for a hill, or if you're stopped, use the right hand lever to change down on the hub.
To go up through the gears sequentially, go up on the left hand lever if you can, otherwise go up with the right and down with the left. It's much more intuitive than it sounds, and you'll soon get used to it. It's more faff then a 7 speed Nexus, but it is over a kilo lighter...

 

[Sara_H]

Thanks for the tips, can't wait to give it a go.

 

[Brommyboy]

You need to keep pedalling when changing gear, but must take the tension off the chain. I do this by changing as a pedal reaches the top of its stroke, when you are not forcing the pedal down. It takes a bit of time to get your sequence sorted! Start with both levers in the down position, for the lowest gear. Next change is left hand up. After that, right hand up and left hand down, then left hand up, followed by right hand up and left hand down. Lastly left hand up for top gear. This is best achieved by practice, training your hands! If you get it wrong, that is no problem except that your gear change has a big jump.

 

[Pale Rider]

. as a pedal reaches the top of its stroke, .

And remember the other pedal will be lower than on any bike you've had since you were a three-year-old.

I only mention this having had a fairly significant scraping on a corner incident a few days ago.

It didn't ping me off, but I now have a badly bent pedal.

At least it was the right, non-folding one, and has responded to a bit of straightening and filing.

 

[Sara_H]

Hope it comes early so I can spend substantial amounts of time riding round the park practicing changing gears. WooHoo!

 

[Sara_H]

It's here! I'm going out, I may be some time!

 

[Matthames]

I'm sure you'll have no problems, Sara. It didn't take me long to get used to it.

After you've used it a few times I recommend checking the little screw adjustment thingy that regulates the hub gears. Mine came unscrewed and meant I couldn't change gear. It's dead easy to put back together but it's a bit of a shock when you think something has broken!

Not a great thing to happen to you when needing to climb a hill whilst towing a trailer with about 15-20kg of kit.

 

[annedonnelly]

Not a great thing to happen to you when needing to climb a hill whilst towing a trailer with about 15-20kg of kit.

No, I can imagine. Do you tow a trailer with a Brompton?

 

[Sara_H]

I'm sure you'll have no problems, Sara. It didn't take me long to get used to it.

After you've used it a few times I recommend checking the little screw adjustment thingy that regulates the hub gears. Mine came unscrewed and meant I couldn't change gear. It's dead easy to put back together but it's a bit of a shock when you think something has broken!

Is this adjuster thingy the thing that looks like a chain coming from the hub.

 

[annedonnelly]

Is this adjuster thingy the thing that looks like a chain coming from the hub.

Yep, that's the one. Make sure the locking ring is tight - finger tight is ok. Else the whole thing undoes itself and comes apart.