Petulant Brompton questions..
- Thread starter wafter
- Start date
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1 Cheap and cheerful option- backpack. Brompton specific- front block bag or rack bag (2 versions- older, a little bit bigger, or new one). They are not cheap, but I guess at the end of the day worth the money (designed to fit when bike is folded and not).
2 The best security is having bike with you. In general nowadays most stores are OK for you shopping with unfolded Brompton. I noticed one area in London where I saw all sorts of Brompton bikes routinely locked outside. New A line or various 3-6 gear models. Well, guess what- my friend was showing me the video where he filmed someone suspicious tampering with one locked up Brompton. After the few minutes the chap was gone. There were plenty other brand bikes, but the thief went for a Brompton. I suspect that regular bike thieves hang out all the time by the places where are a lot of locked up bikes and go for the most expensive/easy to sell ones.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Just as an FYI - I was struggling with present ideas one year, so put the Brompton toolkit on my wishlist.
It's a lovely looking thing, but I don't think it's very useful. In fact all I've done with mine is carry it for about 6,000 miles. I don't think I've ever used it.
I know of several posters that have made their own version out of a rolled up cloth or old inner tube and carry the tools they consider to be useful.
It's a lovely looking thing, but I don't think it's very useful. In fact all I've done with mine is carry it for about 6,000 miles. I don't think I've ever used it.
I know of several posters that have made their own version out of a rolled up cloth or old inner tube and carry the tools they consider to be useful.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Mine main Brompton toolkit is a spanner for the wheel nuts. Everything else is just standard puncture repair
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
What it is is that the bike is too tall to go in the boot with the parcel shelf in. If it did, it would be really useful as that's where the Brompton's footprint is smallest. So it has to lie down.
And unless you have something to cover it, you can't place anything (you want to keep clean) over the top. So you're probably correct in terms of absolute volume, it maybe takes up a quarter of the space. But in actual use, it effectively takes up half.
And yes, the boots on many SUVs are surprisingly small. It was definitely a shock coming from an A6 Avant, to the Q5.
On the plus side, the Brompton fits almost perfectly in the boot of our convertible Mini. Which is a massive shock.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Also - lovely looking bike BTW.
Friend of mine just had to sell his version of that. If I had the funds, I would have bought it off him immediately.
Friend of mine just had to sell his version of that. If I had the funds, I would have bought it off him immediately.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I used mine recently to fix something on the works van, I had the bike with me and it was the only tool I had that had the correct size but. It’s a very useful tool kit. 😊
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Well I guess it's useful if it gets used.
Mine has never been used ergo...
It's missing the most crucial thing which is a 15mm spanner.
Mine has never been used ergo...
It's missing the most crucial thing which is a 15mm spanner.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
yes, in retrospect one would’ve thought that a basic requirement.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
How can the Q5 have a small boot, the vehicle is Ginormous?
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Ermmm...the Brompton toolkit comes with a 15mm spanner. Why on earth wouldn't it?
Yes, It's the means by which you pull it out of the tube.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
You are of course completely correct, I am a muppet. My confusion stems from needing to tighten the nut slightly on the seatpost clamp and not having a spanner for that. Fortunately, I was able to use one at a cycle station somewhere in Hungary
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Yes, I've had to buy a tool to tighten that one before. Poundland at Carlisle IIRC.
Envious of your trip BTW.
Envious of your trip BTW.
Kell
Veteran
- Location
- High Wycombe/London
Oops.
I misremembered. It only has the 15mm. But it’s too short to be of any use on the trails if you’ve tightened your nuts up. I carry a separate, longer 15mm.
I think last time I looked at it, it was the 10mm I wanted for the brakes.
By the look of it, some sites say it’s just for punctures.
Others say “The Brompton Toolkit fits inside your frame and includes all the tools you need for basic repairs and maintenance of your Brompton bike.”
Which I’d say is a bit of an overclaim. And at £65, it’s a bit punchy for a puncture repair kit.
All in all, I’d say I’m failing to see the value in it.
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