Those of you who ride Bromptons, what is your essential kit you carry with you on your travels? Picking mine up tomorrow for ride/rail commuting and don’t want to carry a load with me but need to be able to sort issues. What have you found essential other than the usual?

A small adjustable spanner – the wheels are bolted on, not qr. Otherwise just the normal stuff, multi tool, tube, pump or co2. And a sense of fun, they’re great 🙂

What he said. Practice taking the rear wheel out and setting the 3 speed gears.

Getting the tyres off is the hardest thing tbh so watch a YouTube video to get the gist – might sound daft, I can get an MTB tyre off with my thumbs but Brompton one’s are a bit of a nightmare.

I tend to leave a track pump, spanners and spare tubes at work and get the bus or taxi if I puncture. Only happened once or twice in 4 years commuting on it.

I bloody love mine, done a bit of touring, the Brompton world champs, bridleway riding, road rides in the peak district as well as commuting. It’s ace.

Look at the Brompton tool kit which fits in the front end of the beam.
Get Marathon plus tyres they’re essentially bomb proof.
Get a front bag so you don’t have to carry stuff on your back.
Err…. Pump the tyres up once a week, just ride it. That’s all I do.

I use Marathon tyres and don’t take anything.

It’s usually used in London or other cities, and as above, easy to use public transport if something does go wrong, or nip in a shop to get it fixed.

Also, i tend not to be wearing the sort of clothes i’m happy to get oily/dirty whilst trying to fix a puncture, and it is more of a faff fixing a puncture on a Brompton.

Aren’t they a nightmare with small wheels and big potholes? I nearly had an off this morning with a 26″ wheel in a pothole I didn’t see in time to dodge

No they’re fine. Just don’t ride into anything bigger than you are.

I use Marathon tyres and don’t take anything.

+1

not a brompton owner or regular commuter but a small pot.sachet of hand degreaser/cleaner at work in case you get oily hands on the way in.

A pair of latex gloves?

Marathon + tyres + a little bit of Stans

the strongest tyre leavers you can find, if the above doesn’t work getting the tyres off can be a pain

do they not still have a frame pump fitted as standard?

On my old one I went with marathons, on-frame pump, and little more else but wild abandon.

+ a bit of gaffer tape to stop the pump coming off (or being stolen on the train…..)

Marathons, and keep on top of your maintenance, especially tyre pressure. Oh, and always know where to find the nearest bike shop!

Normal Marathon on the front and Marathon Plus on the back, because getting the rear wheel off is a complete pain. Probably also good to ask the shop if it came with cheapo inner tubes and if so replace them with Schwalbes or similar – the marginal difference in puncture resistance is tiny at best but I reckon it’s worth it. A puncture out on the trail is one thing, but getting one while rushing for the train home is a different matter altogether 🙂

I think some still come with pumps but my straight handlebar 2-speed Ti one didn’t when I bought it about 5 years ago (the previous ones did). I carry a small pump in my bag, along with the Brompton toolkit and a couple of patches just in case. On the rare occasions I do get a puncture I have always been able to find a shop to fix it for me, but I like to have the option to do it myself. A small packet of wet wipes, and a pair of latex gloves, is also well worth carrying – my most irritating Brompton problem was when the wind blew a small plastic bag, the kind that you put fruit into in a supermarket, into my rear wheel and it got jammed around the sprocket and shifter. It was a complete pain to pull out and made a terrible mess, but I was at least able to keep going and clean up a bit.

I always use the front bag. The Brompton is designed to take a bag there, and it rides better with a bit of weight on the front. It attaches to the frame rather than the bars so doesn’t get in the way of the steering at all.

And don’t carry a lock – Bromptons are incredibly popular with thieves so it’s best not to be tempted to lock it up outside anywhere. I know people who carry a small cable lock for use on the train but I’ve never bothered, I just sit where I can keep an eye on it – mine is about a metre behind me right now….

If you look like this you’ve pretty much got it sorted

Especially the trouser clips!

Steel Bromptons have pumps, titanium ones don’t. The pump isn’t great, so I don’t bother putting pump pegs on my rear frames, they wouldn’t fit with disc brakes anyway.

Best bike upgrade you can get, to make the biggest difference with least cost, is the Brompfication catches. So much faster and easier to use than the standard ones.

Sam Brown belt, beard, paedophile glasses, helmet from the 1980’s, sandals, grey socks and some tupperware with something lentil based strapped to the pannier rack.

And def +1 for never take a lock.

Ive had one stolen that I locked up, and my replacement was locked when it was stolen in the care of my colleague as well.

TAKE IT WITH YOU!

Marathon + front and rear (if you don’t, you will after your first rear puncture)

Think there is a box multi spanner thing in my bag, last time it was used was by someone else for something. Don’t think I’ve ever needed it.

Don’t take a lock – it’s always somewhere near me.

Learn how to adjust the hub gears. Takes seconds and can save a ride. This is how you do it

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDKgKDfk7o[/video]

I have a few pairs of latex gloves in the bag as well. On the rare occasion you do need to do something, you’ll be glad of them. Bromptons get filthy on city streets alarmingly quickly

Keep tyres pumped up

That’s about it

I have an old-style S bag and the smaller pocket just fits a little dumbell spanner, little allen-only multitool, tyre levers, a pair of nitrile gloves and some Park patches.

If I have the time and inclination to fix it then it covers most things, if not then there’s always public transport.

biggest difference with least cost, is the Brompfication catches

I keep looking at those, but my word, they are mighty spendy for such little things

Well, yes. I keep thinking I should make a non-posh version, but don’t have time.

bencooper – are these the catches you mean? I’ve never really been bothered about the catches, but I’m prepared to be enlightened 🙂

I’ve got the Brompfication hinge catches and they’re good, the catch is always in the right place and you just undo, or tighten up. The downside is that the Brompton toolkit won’t fit into the front part of the beam as the catch nut is in the way 😈

munrobiker – Member

Sam Brown belt, beard, paedophile glasses, helmet from the 1980’s, sandals, grey socks and some tupperware with something lentil based strapped to the pannier rack.

YOU IN 25 YEARS LUKE?

Look at the Brompton tool kit which fits in the front end of the beam.
Get Marathon plus tyres they’re essentially bomb proof.
Get a front bag so you don’t have to carry stuff on your back.
Err…. Pump the tyres up once a week, just ride it. That’s all I do.

aP’s on my track. The tyres are low volume so they do need more attention than bigger wheels.

I took the pump off mine and threw it away and don’t carry any tools or spares – getting the rear wheel of a brompton is enough of a pain that I’d not want to do it at the roadside. If you do get a puncture take it home on the tube or get a cab. Doesn’t happen often enough to be an issue.

I’m seriously looking at a set if Tannus solid tyres http://www.tannus.co.uk/ for my brommie but have just replaced my rear Marathon so will be a while yet.

Even if you do get a rear puncture and you’ve got the Marathon+ tyres you can still cycle 10 or 15 miles on it, its just a bit slidey going round Hyde Park Corner in rush hour.

Brilliant! Cheers All! I’ve gone for the S2L so no hub gears to fanny around with, time will tell if I’m over-geared though, there’s always a chainring swap.
I’ve got normal commuting tools so will just carry those to be on the safe side. And Marathon Plus been ordered too. Luckily picked-up a very good condition used Ortlieb O Bag half price of new too. I think I’m all set for the first run tomorrow.

Erm, not sure if we checked this or not, but…..

You have already mastered the fold, haven’t you?

Few things are sadder than seeing, on an early morning train platform, a first day Brompton commuter on a gleaming bike, fumbling to fold it! Also, few things are funnier.

I’ll tell you tomorrow! I’ve been glued to You Tube! At least the good folks of Leeds will be entertained! So if you see me swearing at a lime green one tomorrow morning feel free to point! 😆

Stop looking at videos and PRACTICE! Seriously.

Once you know, it’s a second nature thing, but until you know it can very easily all go wrong!

*Sets up website for http://www.leedsbromptonfail.com event! 😉 *

I’ve gone for the S2L so no hub gears to fanny around with

To be honest they are no bother at all. found them to be less bother than the brompton derailleur to be honest.

Once you’ve practiced a bit, move onto the ‘Brompton Flick’ where you flick the whole thing open in one impressive* movement

*well, to those that can’t do it…

Leeds, tomorrow morning…

See also, Yentob;

Back when I sold Bromptons, and/or trained people to do so, one thing was absolutely sacred – No customer was allowed to leave the shop until they were happy folding and unfolding the bike themselves. OK, so sometimes it took a while, but always worth it. Many a customer would come back to say thank you for saving them from the embarrassment!

Used to see many a foldingfail from those with green frame stickers from a large chain in That London. To this day, I still feel it’s only fair to step in and help them!

:lol 😆

Excellent! Yes, I have been practicing lots this evening. I think I’ve got it.

I Echo the above. Did carry just an adjustable spanner but nowadays I have marathon Pluses so I don’t take anything. It’s quite nice roding with no backpack tbh as I don’t ride my other bikes without piles of tools in backpack.

Changing the rear wheel scared the he’ll out of me when I first got it but once I’d actually tried it I realised it’s actually pretty easy.

My brompton is easily my favourite bike, go anywhere, great to ride, feels indestructible.

Best mod I’ve done was to ditch the flat bars for some cut down risers.

Saddle looks a little upward pointing Lodders! Not desiring any mini-Loddriks? 😉

I’m all through with that.. 😉