Crosspost from reddit.
So I bought a second hand brompton and I'm excited to use it. However there are some things I noticed I need to pay attention to and was hoping you all can share your experience.
First off, is it normal that the brake levers are pointing quite at a low angle? I tried to move it up a bit but the cables seem to interfere with the fold. So currently it seems that I would need to move my wrist up from the riding position to reach the brakes
I also spent the evening trying and failing to find the right brake lever reach (how far the brake lever is from the handle) for myself. The more I tried to bring the lever closer to me, the tighter the brake pads move to the rim of the wheel, so close that it starts touching the rim and the more I have to release the tiny allen bolt on the top of the brakes. This is a little uncomfortable as being someone with small hands, I need to shift my hands on the grip forward to reach the levers (currently finger nail reach). How is it for you and should I alter this some more or just leave it be?
When folded, there is no clearance of the front tire. I need to tilt it to the side of the rear tire in order to roll it around. And yes, the fold was done correctly. I read about Eazy wheels, but there seems to be several sources out there, which ones to go for and which diameter). Similarly, I do not have a rack, what is the best upgrade to make it easier for me to roll it around in grocery cart mode?
When folding, the cable from the brakes would touch the side of the brompton frame, should I be protecting this in some manner?
The hook part of the stem that hooks onto the frame. I really feel I should put something there to protect it from scratches when folding and unfolding.
Finally, I almost fell off testing this bike earlier as I was not used to the tighter turn angles coming from a much larger bike. Funny I didn't feel this when I tested a demo but this one's more on me to get used to. For my questions above, and for any other recommendations to a new Brompton owner, any input is appreciated!
Ps. Found a second hand T bag for sale for 50 bucks. Photos do not include the hi viz rain cover. Worth it?
So I bought a second hand brompton and I'm excited to use it. However there are some things I noticed I need to pay attention to and was hoping you all can share your experience.
First off, is it normal that the brake levers are pointing quite at a low angle? I tried to move it up a bit but the cables seem to interfere with the fold. So currently it seems that I would need to move my wrist up from the riding position to reach the brakes
I also spent the evening trying and failing to find the right brake lever reach (how far the brake lever is from the handle) for myself. The more I tried to bring the lever closer to me, the tighter the brake pads move to the rim of the wheel, so close that it starts touching the rim and the more I have to release the tiny allen bolt on the top of the brakes. This is a little uncomfortable as being someone with small hands, I need to shift my hands on the grip forward to reach the levers (currently finger nail reach). How is it for you and should I alter this some more or just leave it be?
When folded, there is no clearance of the front tire. I need to tilt it to the side of the rear tire in order to roll it around. And yes, the fold was done correctly. I read about Eazy wheels, but there seems to be several sources out there, which ones to go for and which diameter). Similarly, I do not have a rack, what is the best upgrade to make it easier for me to roll it around in grocery cart mode?
When folding, the cable from the brakes would touch the side of the brompton frame, should I be protecting this in some manner?
The hook part of the stem that hooks onto the frame. I really feel I should put something there to protect it from scratches when folding and unfolding.
Finally, I almost fell off testing this bike earlier as I was not used to the tighter turn angles coming from a much larger bike. Funny I didn't feel this when I tested a demo but this one's more on me to get used to. For my questions above, and for any other recommendations to a new Brompton owner, any input is appreciated!
Ps. Found a second hand T bag for sale for 50 bucks. Photos do not include the hi viz rain cover. Worth it?