Rear rim's just cracked.

[Hugh Manatee]

The only time I have ever had anything to do with Brompton stuff is when I needed a rim to build a rear wheel for a Moulton I had saved. I wasn't impressed.

The first rim I got didn't have any holes in it. Well, it had the valve hole drilled but nothing for the spokes!

The replacement did have the correct number of holes but the join in the rim was very obvious and the whole thing appeared to be made from some sort of cheese.

I did manage to build my first wheel; easy as it was a Sturmey hub. The bike is now with my mum and potters in and back along the Totnes cycle path regularly.

Having read this thread, I'm going to check it next time I'm down there.

 

[srw]

In fairness, it's hardly some 'random' shop. It's an official Brompton dealer and it's where I got my bike from.

Not all Brompton dealers are created equal...

And a "brand-new" bike, if it's a stock build, might have been kicking around in the shop for a while, and might not be a current spec - though if it's been stored reasonably properly I can't imagine how the rims and spokes could have got into that condition.

 

[Kell]

Wasn't a stock build. Built to my spec. Never seen another like it.

H6L in Lime Green.

this was it on day one after I'd swapped the bars, but before I'd trimmed the cables.

I don't really know what to tell you about the condition of the wheels. It seems like you're doubting the fact that it's been used to commute on. Do you ride in London at all? Every bike I've owned and ridden in London picks up this horrible road grime which turns into a disgusting sludgy mess when mixed with oil.

The rear sprockets were caked with it when I replaced them and the chain, and the jockey wheels needed it scraping off so they'd roll freely.

It's certainly worse with the Brompton than my previous Dahon because everything is som much closer to the ground, but I don't believe it's unique to me.

 

[12boy]

Kell, I am sure you are right about the gritty filth you pick up on those streets. Sounds like grinding compound to me and it is no wonder your rims are abraded so quickly. I remember your terrifying video about going down the street at 40 mph and the braking needed to slow from that must be intense. If that grit is being imbedded in your pads as well it must contribute to the wear. Shame you cannot fit disk or drum brakes.

 

[rualexander]

2,200 miles seems a reasonable distance on small wheel rims, I've had Sun CR18 26" rims last about the same distance before the rim blew off (no wear indicator).
But equally I've had about 8,000 miles from other brands of 26" rim.
The rim isn't cracked, it's just the wear indicator groove appearing.
Your front rim looks like the wear indicator is starting to show through as well, so probably best to get it replaced at same time.

 

[Kell]

The rim may not look cracked. But there is about a mm in height difference between the top part and bottom. Plus, I actually heard it 'ping' when it went.

It's hard to see in the pics, granted. In fact when i took the wheel off and showed it to my missus, she couldn't see it until she put her finger on it*. It's also split in two separate places and covers around 1/3 to 1/2 of the wheel.

More research online has suggested that the too much PSI could be a culprit - especially on worn rims. The tyres were pumped up to their maximum PSI, but not over-inflated.

In conclusion, the guy in the bike shop said that the wear indicator may not have appeared, but the rims are concave, therefore they've shed material and are weaker.



*Yes, I'm aware this sounds rude. But I couldn't be bothered to edit it.

 

[Pale Rider]

More research online has suggested that the too much PSI could be a culprit - especially on worn rims. The tyres were pumped up to their maximum PSI, but not over-inflated.

The pressure exerted by inflating the tube should not be under-estimated.

I was on a long ride with a group when one of the others had a tyre blow off a rim.

It was a mountain bike running shallow tread tyres.

After refitting the tyre we put several cable ties around the blow-off spot it in a bid to keep the tyre on the rim for the few miles we had left.

While inflating the tube - with a hand pump - each of the cable ties pinged off.

 

[Kell]

Without going back through the thread and giving out individual thanks, can I just say a thank you to everyone that's contributed?

My frustration has not been with your comments, but with what is, in my opinion, a pretty short lifespan for something which is designed for daily use.

I hold up my hands and say I didn't RTFM - who does? - so didn't know about the rim wear indicator.

I think it's a combination of my ignorance, plus the fact that my chain and sprockets wore out about a month earlier, and diagnosing a horrible creaking to the rear swing arm and then finding out that Brompton see the rear-swing arm hinge as a wear and tear item too has meant that all in all, the last two-months have been a bit of a rude awakening.

I don't see any bike as a maintenance-free option, but I did expect a (relatively) expensive and well-respected commuter to last a little longer.

I've always been more of a 'fix it when it goes wrong' type of person though, rather than a 'spot it early and try and prevent it' type of person.

I guess I'm going to have to be a bit more pro-active.

 

[12boy]

As far as that rear hinge goes, I very carefully bored a small hole in the frame , and used a magnet to remove metal shavings as I went. I then dribbled in a little oil and then sealed the hole with some wax I use for chains which becomes fairly malleable when warmed between fingers. I got this idea from reading a post which advocated installing a Zerk fitting to allow heavy grease to be inserted under pressure, but I would hold off on that until it becomes necessary to have the hinge bushing replaced. Still, the hinge is silent and I can't see how keeping well lubed could hurt in any way. Other having to replace the rear cog fairly frequently and suspension elastomer once I find the Brompton to be pretty durable.

 

[Fab Foodie]

What are peeps thoughts on softer pads than the standard issue such as Koolstop Salmons to reduce rim wear?

 

[Kell]

I'm currently on Swissstop Greens after the original ones lasted about 1,000 miles.

 

[berylthebrompton]

Chain, sprockets and rims are all consumables, and I wouldn't expect any warranty to cover them beyond the first few weeks.

Consumable parts still need to made correctly. Just by labelling them "consumable" doesn't mean they can be poorly made. I work for a consumer electronics manufacturer - batteries are consumable. Doesn't mean they don't fail before their designed finite life. As a responsible manufacturer we can test and tell whether the end of life is normal or premature. Brompton, or the place of purchase, should be able to prove the wear is normal.

Kell - If it was less than 6 months old, I would have said to make a consumer law claim against the place of purchase. Unfortunately As your Brompton is older than that, the onus is on you to prove it wasn't fit. Based on the replies from everyone, doesn't sound like that would be easy. Better chalk this one up to experience.

 

[Kell]

It did make me spit out my tea while watching the Greg Wallace programme about Bromptons when the MD of Brompton mentioned that the wheels are built particularly strong to withstand abuse.

 

[Kell]

I was just looking for this thread to point someone else to, but thought I'd update that the replacement wheel was going strong up until a month or so ago, when I replaced the lot as the hub sounded awful. Grinding and general unpleasant.

Still not got around to fixing the old one, but have bought the parts. As I lost some of the bearings when I took it apart to see how it worked. D'oh.

What I would say is that I still think the original wore out too soon. After this thread, I started cycling that hill every day and the replacement wheel lasted a further 5,000 miles and didn't show any signs of wearing through...

 

[byegad]

ALL rim braked small wheels have a shorter life than 'full sized' rims.
Bromptons used to be known for lacklustre braking. Fitting a more aggressive block sorted that, but at the expense of wear on the rim. My badly treated commuter on 700C rims managed about 4500 miles before the wear indicator showed a new rim was needed. As 10 out of my 16 mile each way commute was on little used country roads, and 3 was on A roads, the real wear took place on wet days in town.