New Brompton H6L 2019 Folding Bike making continuous clicking noise

[max8]

I just purchased a Brompton bike on a deal (ex-display) that looks brand new. I have chronic neurological health issues and was not able to use the bike for 2 weeks after purchase. I gave it a try today to go to my local library, and as soon as I started using it I was annoyed by a constant clicking noise from the cassette/rear hub. I am used to bikes making that noise only when free wheeling, but what I am experience is permanent loud internal hub clicks even when pedalling.

Needless to say for a £1000 bike, this is a pretty big deal and disappointment for me. 😢 I had to save money for a very long time in order to make this purchase. I have seen some users online saying it is normal after 6 months or so, or that it might be because of the 6 gears option... any truth to that?

I called the shop (Evans Cycle) and they said it sounds like it is the cassette and they could have a look at it by booking the 6 weeks free service earlier. But what if once I reach the 6 weeks other issues arise and they tell me I have to pay to service the bike this time? If it is a fault, a new bike should not have this issue when riding it for the first time like this. Isn't the 6 weeks service check meant for after the bike has been used for 6 weeks?

I knew the potential cost of maintenance and the burden of doing repairs was going to be part of the experience eventually, but I find it hard to swallow when the complications are happening on the first ride.

Any advice and information from Brompton bike users on this forum will be much appreciated, thank you! 🙏

 

[mitchibob]

Could just be that the gear puller cable just needs a little tightening. Evans 6 week service don't do much anyway, except do these kind of adjustments, so I don't think you're really sacrificing anything taking it in early if you're unable to figure it out. You can easily find videos showing how to do it.

 

[annedonnelly]

That cable came unscrewed on mine when it was brand new. It's an easy thing to check & could save the hassle of taking it back to the shop.

 

[midlife]

Even being ex display it should come with the usual warranty of a "new" bike.

 

[TheDoctor]

Internal hub gears always tick while pedalling, so I suspect this is normal.

 

[Rocky]

The Doctor is right. My M6L’s hub still clicks and whirrs even after 5 years of quite high mileage.

 

[alicat]

Just go in and say that the bike that they sold you is making a funny noise. Don't refer to the phone call. It doesn't matter that you didn't ride it for two weeks. If they do the 6 week service, don't sweat it. You can fix anything that comes up later on (with our help, if needed).

 

[Pale Rider]

I sold my six speed a while ago, but if I recall it tended to click more in one of the gears.

Possibly second on the hub.

Or perhaps that was on the over-run.

 

[Fab Foodie]

As others have said, hub gears tick on all but one gear (the direct drive one) I find it quite a comforting sound!

 

[gizmo1994]

If Evans think you have a problem with your cassette then I would be a little concerned. A Brompton has no cassette. All hub gears make a gentle clicking noise, but far less than a freewheeling hub on over-run. Run it downhill while freewheeling and then just select a different hub gear (you don't need to pedal to change the gears remember) You should hear a different clicking noise in each of the 3 hub gears - Perfectly normal. Learn how to adjust your gears yourself (a really quick and simple job, done in seconds) and, in doing so, you will learn how to appreciate the bike a little more. Good luck.

 

[max8]

Thank you all for your answers, and yes I will need to start looking at video tutorial on how to tune my bike and take care of it.

I made a video here:

View: https://vimeo.com/379466644

At the beginning and end you can clearly tell the freewheel clicking sound is there while pedalling. Changing gear makes it more quiet, but my first ride made me feel like something is wrong. Let me know what you think, thanks

I think I will drop by Evans early next week and see what they say.

 

[Schwinnsta]

Normal

 

[gizmo1994]

Sounds good. Often 3rd gear will be quietest while under power but be ratchety on the over-run. 2nd gear will click while under power and a little quieter than 3rd while freewheeling. 1st gives gives a lovely thrumming sound while under power and a quieter freewheel. Search on 'Sturmey Archer exploded view' to get an idea of what is going on in there. A little bit of historical magic really.

 

[12boy]

This clicking is normal. Failure to shift gears or slipping once shifted is not. I have adopted oil lubrication by putting in a few ccs of synthetic 5/20 oil and the clicking is greatly mitigated. When the clicking returns, another cc. of oil is inserted, since the hubs ooze oil. Old SA hubs actually had an oil port. Since new ones do not, put the oil in through the drive side axle. This will give you an opportunity to practice removing and installing the shift linkage in your nice warm home, after reading up on it. Very good idea to become familiar with this process before you try to figure it out on a rainy night in the dark and the wind when fixing a flat is required.

 

[TigerT]

Just to confirm what others have said. This is completely normal. When I got mine, the bike shop pointed it out as they had had many people bringing them back in and asking about it.