Winter taking its toll...

[Kell]

About once a month I have to strip down the drive train and clean, degrease and re-oil it.

Don't know if it's just because the Brompton is lower to ground, but it definitely suffers more than any other bike I've had.

This is just before a clean yesterday:

TP 52 - Week 09. Winter (dirt). by Kell Lunam-Cowan, on Flickr

 

[Kell]

I wouldn't normally take a picture of something like this, but I signed up to do a 52-week photography challenge and this week's theme was winter.

So this was one of my ideas.

 

[ianrauk]

I had massive problems with my Brompton gears in the winter. They are just not great for mucky winter wet weather riding.

 

[Kell]

Everything seems to work OK, you can just feel the bike getting harder to pedal as the chain gets clogged up.

The biggest problem is the dirt that builds up in the derailleur cogs.

I have to prise it all out from the side with a small flat-head screwdriver.

I keep meaning to look to see if there's a better alternative that doesn't get so bad.


View: https://youtu.be/E4nh0aEiBeI

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I ride fixed in the winter, I got the bike out at the end of October to start using it and fitted a new chain, I checked the chain the other day and its knackered, 0.75, I think winters hard on most bikes.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for this: it's good to know as I have wondered about getting a Brompton for work and I'd be riding it all year around.

 

[Kell]

Thanks for this: it's good to know as I have wondered about getting a Brompton for work and I'd be riding it all year around.

It's never really let me down, but does need far more regular maintenance than my old commuter (a full size folding Dahon.)

 

[Schwinnsta]

Faster to take it apart and clean, no?

 

[mustang1]

This winter is doing my head I. Every winter for last few years seems like I can cope with it less. Pile of crap.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Do you have long Mudflap’s on your mudguards front and back? Wider flap at front. That can stop a lot of crap getting thrown on the drivetrain.

 

[12boy]

There is a lot of stuff here and elsewhere on waxed chains, which in my opinion don't pick up grit as much as oiled and greased chains. The wax coats the sprockets and chain rings a bit which reduces their wear as well. Water, grit and salt are a lethal combination for chains and gears. I am puzzled why the Brompton would fare worse than a Dahon, though.

 

[Fab Foodie]

There is a lot of stuff here and elsewhere on waxed chains, which in my opinion don't pick up grit as much as oiled and greased chains. The wax coats the sprockets and chain rings a bit which reduces their wear as well. Water, grit and salt are a lethal combination for chains and gears. I am puzzled why the Brompton would fare worse than a Dahon, though.

Dahon has a standard derailleur set-up and sits on bigger wheels. The Brompton’s bespoke 2 speed (and 6) gear system* whilst elegant in design sits lower to the road and somehow collects dirt a lot more effectively - especially around the sprockets and tension roller (where it’s hard to get-at without removing the wheel - a bit of a faff). It’s part of the price for the Brompton’s unique abilities!

*the 3 speeds is simpler and a little more crud-proof....

 

[Gunk]

Best thing you could buy is a workstand pop the bike on it, blast the drivechain with plenty of degreaser and run it on the stand,(I stick an old towel under the bike) then wipe off and re-lubricate it. Everything comes up like brand new.

 

[Kell]

Best thing you could buy is a workstand pop the bike on it, blast the drivechain with plenty of degreaser and run it on the stand,(I stick an old towel under the bike) then wipe off and re-lubricate it. Everything comes up like brand new.

Cleaning the chain is easy enough.

Every two weeks I run it through a Park Tools Chain cleaner (you can just see it in the back of the shot above), then run it on the stand and blast it with disc brake cleaner. But it's no good just cleaning the chain if it picks up all the grit and grime from the chain tensioner.

Faster to take it apart and clean, no?

The chain tensioner?

I've done it in the past as goes, it just seemed a bit 'faffy'. But in terms of time taken, it might actually be quicker. Given my track record though, I'm bound to lose something crucial.

I am puzzled why the Brompton would fare worse than a Dahon, though.

Slightly lower - 16" wheels rather than 26" means the hub is 5" closer to the ground. The chain picks up more, the chain tensioner picks up more and, crucially, its design means that it clings onto the stuff it picks up making it harder and more time consuming to clean.

 

[Kell]

Do you have long Mudflap’s on your mudguards front and back? Wider flap at front. That can stop a lot of crap getting thrown on the drivetrain.

Yup - have the original on the back and one of those Fahrer Latz Race flaps on the front. The front mudflap has, in my opinion, not made the spray any better or worse.

The video above was made way before I fitted that, so the problem has always been there.