Brompton Ranger

Brompton Hard Suspension

2010-02-11T12:57:00.003+00:00

Brompton have offered an alternative to the standard suspension block, in the form of the ‘hard’ block for sometime now. It’s available for ‘heavier’ riders or for riders who prefer a firmer ride. Now I’m not by any means heavy so I imagine that puts me in the second camp. I do prefer a stiffer back end, all of my previous bikes have either been hard tail XC bikes or rigid trials bikes. I thought for the price I could get it for, it would be worth a try just to see how I get on with it.
Just in case anyone reading this is considering getting one of these I usually either order my bike parts from SJS cycles or get direct from a suitable shop if I’m desperate, but SJS let me down this time, with P&P it would’ve worked out at £9! So I decided to test out Simpson Cycles which is based in North London. I ordered through the website on Sunday evening and received the block on Tuesday morning not bad for £3.70 plus free postage! Also, there was a hand written note thanking me for my custom and with the name of the person who had packed my order; a small thing but a nice touch. very little physical difference between the ’soft’ and ‘hard’ blocks, I think the difference I could see was just down to the softer block having been used. The only real way to tell the difference between them is that the ‘hard’ block has a small yellow spot on it; though from what I’ve read this will rub off fairly quickly. I fitted the block immediately, which is a very simple matter of removing the nut at the back of the current block and swapping the fittings over. While I was there, I wiped out all the old grease which was more dirt and salt etc and regreased. It’s worth greasing as the suspension block can be the cause of a curious squeak! I’ve since taken the Brompton out for a quick 2 mile spin to run some errands and the difference is immediately noticeable. Not only can you feel every lump and bump in the road (which, due to the cold snap are painfully frequent, more on that later…), but somehow the rear end of the bike feels much more in line with the rest of the bike. I think the hard block in conjunction with Marathon Plus tyres could be a lethal combination for my lower back. I will leave it on for a while and see if I get used to it. I do like being at one with the tarmac, but if it starts getting painful it could be a step too far.

In summary, for the lighter rider, the hard block does give the Brompton a much more positive and rigid feel but you pay the price and lose the ride comfort. If you’re umming and ahhing about changing to the hard block, I think for the money it’s worth buying it and giving it a bash and see if you get on with it. I will update after I have covered some more serious mileage…

New Tyres Please...

2010-02-09T17:08:00.002+00:00

I've finally taken the plunge and purchased some new tyres. I've had the yellow labelled brompton tyres on since I purchased my bike what must be a year and a half ago and I've been nothing but impressed with them. But I had a puncture last Thursday (only my second puncture in over 1500 miles) which really brought home how much I need my bike to be on the road and how much I rely on it! It was only a slow puncture so I could get where I needed to be using a series of 'pump stops'. Bit of a nightmare, but at least I could remain mobile!

So on Saturday morning I once again utilised Velorutions price matching (includes matching against online retailers) and bought a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. I was going to go for the normal Marathons but I've read nothing but good reviews for the Marathon Plus on the Bromptontalk forum (on Yahoo chat, if you've not been there, check it out). It was a bit expensive, but less expensive than time wasted walking somewhere with a flat or having to take an extra taxi/bus/train/whatever because I have a flat. So I set about putting them on when I got home, now I expected them to be a little difficult as I have an incompetency when it comes to dealing with tyres with a stiff bead, so I set aside a few hours. Well, two broken tyre levers and one self inflicted flat later I'd managed to get them on! They were noticeably heavier than the yellows before I put them on the bike, but now when carrying I can't really tell the difference. I've not done any mileage on them yet, but I will do an updated review as soon as I have got some miles under the rubber...In the meantime, if you're thinking of getting Marathon Pluses then do so, but for the sake of all that is holy, buy some metal tyre levers, take your time and don't pump the tyres up until they are back on the bike...Not that I did that...

Snowy January Ride!

2010-01-13T09:18:00.002+00:00

With nothing much of interest happening recently I’ve been quite quiet! This morning however, I awoke to a blanket of snow on London…Excellent you might think, another snow day. I however needed to be somewhere, which meant cycling to get a train from Clapham Junction. I left a little earlier as I was sure there would be some epic driving going on, and sure enough I wasn’t disappointed. Here are my personal highlights:
- The moronic Sainsburys driver who decided to tailgate me, flashing his lights and blasting his horn (which incidently was a lot quieter than I’d imagine a lorry of that size to be, perhaps it was over used…). I was cycling down the tyre tracks of the cars I was following, I couldn’t have been more than 15-20 metres away from the car in front, solid traffic in front of that and still he persists. I pulled over as I didn’t fancy getting killed today and he still manages to nearly kill me when I was pulled over. Sure enough less than two minutes later I sail past him as he’s stranded in the still traffic. Excellent work Sainsburys, you’re drivers are worth their weight..In what, I’m not sure..I would report him though I can’t remember the whole numberplate, rage/adrenaline and self preservation have clouded my memory, I believe it started KY59. If you happened to see a Sainsburys lorry driving like a moron down the A3 (Clapham Common West Side) or the A205 (The Avenue) this morning (13/01/2010) at approx 0750, let me know!
- The second gem was the woman in the clapped out Mondeo who’d only cleared one half of her windscreen in order to tackle the busy London rush hour. I doth my proverbial to you for a lack of effort. She cut across a lane of traffic following the car in front of her (who’d made the turn safely) resulting in her almost blind siding the car in front of me and me. We’d both preped for an amazing effort having seen the lengths she’d gone to to make sure her vehicle was ready for travel and no one was hurt.
This and other minor incidents happen in the course of a reasonably short 3 mile trip which takes approx 15-20 mins on a normal day. I may begin to chronical the more ridiculous as this method of sharing seems to calm the spleen.

Careful out there kids, and remember, they’re out to get you!

Wet November Ride

2009-11-24T11:41:00.001+00:00

I don't think November 23rd 2009 will go down as one of the best days for a cycle, but commuting is an all weather sport! The only good thing about the wet weather is that the fair weather cyclists are gone; crawling back to the sweaty warmth and "dryness" afforded by the buses and tube; leaving only the serious cyclists the run of the cycle lanes. My morning commute is usually a fairly aggressive affair through the busy roads of south west London but this morning was possibly the most mellow ride I've had in a long time. I don't know if it was the drivers being more cautious because of the wet weather or just that all the planets happened to align in the sign of the sun god Raa?! But there was space being given aplenty, no suicidal pedestrians appearing from behind parked cars and no doors being flung open into my path. I'm even going to go as far as to say I enjoyed it. My enjoyable ride was then punctuated by a managable train ride when the heavens opened. I thought it was too good to be true, but I gritted my teeth and clutching my waterproof trousers I arrived into Southampton. Then (it must be Raa again) the rain stopped. Quickly stuffing my trousers away I made it to work with a smile on my face for once, setup for what has turned out to be a shocker of a day, but at least I can look forward to the ride home...

Touring Pannier Update

2009-10-27T16:39:00.001+00:00

I've been living with the touring pannier for over a month now, so I thought it about time to share my findings!
The touring pannier has been an invaluable addition to my Brompton, in fact it has been so good I'm thinking of buying even more luggage; in the form of the C-Bag. The pannier has allowed me to do my shopping, carry ridiculous amounts of lunch, carry books, cat beds, spare clothing just about any load I could possibly imagine (upsettingly I did have to move some bags of gravel by hand/car, but they were about 20kg). The only initial downside was a slight sluggishness in the otherwise nimble Brompton steering, I soon got used to this and it is now fine. I sometimes have to remember that I can't fit in tiny spaces as I would otherwise do without the pannier on. i.e. between bumper to bumper traffic, it can be a little snug. The included rain cover can be a nightmare to get on due to its elasticy nature, but once its on its on and the rain doesn't get in and that's the main thing.
Now, the reason I'm considering getting a C-Bag is for the smaller trips. I have read some excellent things about the C-Bag, mainly that it is easier to find things in than the touring pannier due to the yellow liner (this can be a problem with the touring pannier as it is like a tardis, I found a multitool which I'd totally forgotten I owned). The C-Bag offers a far more streamlined shape. I thought some talk I'd read of luggage affecting the streamlining of the Brompton to be fairly laughable, but after a slog home in a strong headwind I wasn't laughing!
So I thoroughly recommend the Brompton touring pannier, if you carry a lot regularly it will be invaluable, but if you carry less and don't have thighs like Chris Hoy then you may want to consider the C-Bag! The C-Bag will definitely be on my Christmas list this year!

The Mayor of London's Skyride...

2009-09-24T22:46:00.000+01:00

I and 64,999 other people decided to go for a bit of a cycle around London on Saturday! Going by numbers alone, the Skyride seemed to be a success. The roads were indeed carless, priority was given to cyclists and the weather was good; all important factors when enjoying a ride. The only downside that I encountered was the amount of cyclists! There are a lot of people that should not cycle on the roads unless there are no cars and it is heavily marshalled; maybe these people would be good road racers?! There were some seriously unroadworthy offerings. One gentleman I saw had a rear wheel so heavily pringled that it was barely going through the frame. I felt most sorry for the bike doctor, that chap could not have imagined what was going to happen! In fairness he did seem to repairing approximately 14 different Apollo bikes at any one time; and I went past him a few times!
There was a good Brompton turnout, plenty of 2009 models. I'd not seen that many of the available colours in the 2009 matt finish, so it was nice to see some of the rarer colours (purple haze, cornflower blue, turkish blue, orange, baby pink and desert sand). I think the fact people are willing to spend an extra £25 or £50 just to make their Brompton individual speaks volumes about Brompton owners. Some people are not that fussed about what colour their bike is (or how useful it is: see Apollo), but Bromptoning is a way of life! I'm still yet to see a raw laquer Brompton up close; from the photos I think it may be my favourite finish along with cornflower blue. Maybe my next Brompton will be one of these colours. Seriously considering another Brompton, no I don't need one, but I really really want one!
Anyway back to Skyride, I would definitely do it again. I think it shows the amount of people that would be willing to cycle if the roads/cycle paths were safer. I also wonder if there are a finite number of people who should cycle in order to keep the number of road incidents down...

Brompton Related Luggage!

2009-09-24T22:43:00.000+01:00

I've never been one to like panniers and baskets and alike, but the time finally came for me to bite the bullet and let the bike do the heavy lifting. I usually use a Crumpler Weenie to carry all of my belongings and I must say it has worked excellently for over a year; but it's just not big enough. With the wetter weather due any day now I like to be able to carry the waterproofs just in case. Now, there are plenty of options out there depending on type of Brompton, type of load and fashionable leanings; but I purely wanted to be able to carry a flexable sometimes large load. I looked at the Carradice range of bags and I was very close to purchasing the City Folder, mainly due to its classic looks coupled with modern twists (leather buckled straps conceal quicker to use plastic clips), but it just didn't quite cut it on the volume stakes. I also considered the C-Bag and the older S-Bag, but I think these are more for the laptop carrying Brompton user. I've made it pretty obvious, but I purchased the front Touring Pannier and I love it. There are a two different configurations of the bag available with frame or without and its worthing making sure which version you're getting if you're buying online.
I intended on purchasing online, then I found out that Velorution (http://www.velorution.biz/) do a price match ("Don't feed Cowboys and Chicken") with any UK or European retailer, online or bricks and mortar and it just so happened I was going to be passing the following day! Bonanza! I went in and sure enough they had it and, I didn't even need to use the price match as it happened the price on the website was out of date and they were selling at the same price as online retailers.
I thought the Touring Pannier would excel in the cold/wet weather but it also has its upsides in the warm weather (as I expect, does the other luggage); these mainly revolve around not having something clinging to you making you sweat more! Also it means, if you go for a cycle in the chilly morning, you have somewhere to stuff the jumper come sunrise! I have nothing but praise for the front pannier, there is only one downside which I have found so far and that is the slightly slower fold time, as you have to remove the luggage pre-fold. I have found that you can re attached the bag once folded (though stability is seriously compromised with uneven or heavy loads) and push the Brompton around shops. I also usually carry my Brompton, unfolded, down steps etc and obviously (I say obviously but the first time I went to pick my bike up with the luggage attached I managed to make a complete hash of it) now I have to grab the frame a touch nearer the headtube. The stuff pockets at the front and sides are good for drinks and maps. The clippable pockets at the rear are good for more frequently used items and also smaller things that would get lost in the 28 litre capacity of the main pocket! The clips for the main luggage hold seemed to be in a bit of an odd place to me, semi submerged inside the side pockets. It works, don't get me wrong, but it took me a minute to find them first go! I was also happy to find a rain coat for my bag tucked inside the divided internal pocket, so should it rain, everything should stay dry. I'm officially converted into a pannier user and I can't see myself going back...

Improved breaking (sic)?

2009-09-24T22:35:00.000+01:00

For a while now my standard brommie brake levers have been accruing a type of unsettling wobble. Today I decided enough was enough and it's time for a change; so after some severe rummaging in my box of cycling spares, I found a pair of Avid SD5 levers. Incidentally the Avid SD5's are used on the unfathomly expensive (but in a way, very good looking) Birdy Hybrid Folding Electric Bike (see: http://www.cyclesense.co.uk/products.php?plid=m23b282s19p7631&rs=gb). Anyway, I digress; after some foraging on the internet I found no method for removing the current Brompton levers, so I got the tool box out and decided to do the leg work myself. And here's how it went (any queries then leave me a message):

Figure 1. How to release the lever from the bars

The bolt to release the Brompton brake levers from the handlebars is actually inside the lever itself. You have to squeeze the lever and slip a 4mm allen key in through the gap where the brake cable sits (see: Figure 1).

It's worth noting here that the barrel adjuster on the Brompton lever is different to "normal" levers. Normal levers have a split in them to allow the cable to be removed without having to undo the cable at the opposite end and pull it through...(See: Figure 2)

Figure 2. The unusual Brompton barrel adjuster

So, you have to undo the bolt which holds the brake cable to the brake caliper allowing the brake cable to be removed all the way through the barrel adjuster. You may also have to snip off the cable cap on the end of the cable. If you have to do this, ensure you are going to have enough cable left to setup your brakes when it comes to putting everything back together.

Thread the cable through the cable outer, making sure that all frame mounted routings are used and that the cable follows the same path as previously. If you take a new route, it may affect the fold. It's also worth squirting a dash of GT-85 down the cable outers just to keep the action smooth and to displace any trapped water.

Feed the brake cable onto the lever and ensure that all of the cable outers are seated into their fittings.

Re bolt the cable to the brake caliper and squeeze on a cable cap.

Now all you have to do is make sure that the brake pads are sat equidistant from the rim on each side. If not, lightly loosen the bolt which holds the caliper onto the frame and adjust the pads accordingly. Make sure you hold the caliper when tightening, else it'll just spin back to how it was!

So that's it, the only concern I have now is that somehow due to the increased power that something will give up and snap off. I have never had an issue with Brompton brakes previously and I think the calipers work excellently. This was not an adjustment due to necessity! Here's the finished article:

The image doesn't really do it justice, the levers do look remarkably fitting, with the added bonus that the brakes have become binary brakes!

If you follow my instructions, do so at your own peril, I can't be held responsible if anything bad happens!

Standard Brompton Tyres...

2009-09-24T22:32:00.000+01:00

There are mixed views in the world of the Bromptonaut about how useful the standard Brompton tyres ("yellows" due to the yellow label) actually are. Now I've had these on my Brompton for the duration of its life; which is well over a year now and I have only had one puncture in the rear tyre (frantically touching wood...). I ride through the mean streets of London on a regular basis, I do however do my best to dodge the glass and other unknowns in the road, I've only ever hit one pothole (read: crevasse) and that did more damage to my wrists than the tyres. I've had several near misses with cars, pedestrians and other mammals, requiring me to drop the anchors at short notice and come to a sliding stop. There is still a decent depth of tread and I am only just considering changing them to something else due to some slight cracks appearing. They've held up reasonably well in the wet, I never usually venture onto the road paint unless it's suitably warm and I do my best to avoid the ironworks; especially in the wet. So my view is that they are a totally acceptable tyre (I'm sure they wouldn't get through the Brompton QC if they weren't), but as with most things common sense is necessary. The big question now is which tyres do I get next...!

Light the way, hassle free...

2009-09-24T22:31:00.001+01:00

Soon, it'll be the time of year when lights will be needed again. Sorry to be the bringer of doom, but it's best to be prepared! I think I have the best lights for a Brompton, bar the official Brompton ones (though I would still tandem these with some auxiliary lights), the Topeak ComboLite lights. Now these don't seem much to look at but I can assure they do the trick. First off, they are cheap, admittedly not always a good start, but in this case I think it is. They are small, require no permanent fixings, batteries seem to last forever (manufacturers state 60 hours use on constant, but I'm sure mine have lasted longer than this), multiple functions and they weigh next to nothing. I think the best feature of these lights is the fact they can stay on the Brompton when folded. I'm a forgetful type and one of the things I always forget is lights, plus if you go riding during the day and end up staying out until the darker hours and you haven't remembered your lights you become one of those plums who ride in the dark without lights...Bonnet fodder. So I leave mine on, they've been on all summer, I've not used them but there they are, just incase! Another plus is that I use my rear light as a stopper to prevent the extended seat post from hitting the road when I fold. It's only a small thing but it helps speed up the folding process. Now I have got the rear light teamed up with a Cateye TL-LD170 as I was going through a period of severe invisibility but I think for the average rider the Topeak Combolites would suffice. Also worth noting is that SJS-Cycles sell these as well as lots of other Brompton goodies...Go on, treat yourself and don't get run over!

Upgrade those transit wheels!

2009-09-24T22:23:00.000+01:00

Shortly after I got my Brompton one of my transit wheels (read: wobbly little black cone) decided to split. I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but it did, so I decided to get some new ones! I did some research from others who updgraded theirs with various things from rollerblade wheels to the official Brompton "Eazy Wheels". I was tempted by the "Eazy Wheels" initially as they seemed to offer me a more robust solution, but then I also liked the idea of rollerblade wheels; as I guessed rollerblade wheels would be able to take a lot more stick. I read further into the idea of adding rollerblade wheels and what modifications would be needed and all it seemed to be was a shim for the wheel and a long enough bolt to attach. The only downside as far as I can see is the severe ankle damage which can occur when your bone meets the metal at speed! The Brompton is a carefully designed piece of engineering, so boshing some big wheels on is going to cause some issues. Plus they have a tendancy to look ridiculous. So that idea was ditched. Then I found these on ebay:

Now these seemed to tick all of the boxes. So I bought them. I can honestly say that these are brilliant in comparison to the cones that were fitted previously. They fit in about 5 minutes, with no problems at all, as long as your capable of turning a screwdriver. There are a number of washers in the pack so that you can space the wheels exactly how you like. I have mine spaced as wide as they can go as I travel frequently on trains with my Brompton so I require the extra stability. When I'm in a supermarket I like to push my Brompton around with my foot (a gentle push on the rubber stopper) and it does this very smoothly. The inevitable dirt is simply removed with a damp cloth and they suffer minimal wear if cared for; mine still have the fine grooves from production.

I thoroughly recommend these wheels if you, like I, are looking for something robust, smooth and reliable. They are only available from a chap called hans630_2 on ebay usually under the item heading of "Brompton solid light weight solid polyurethane transit wheels". I have no affiliation with this user and I am purely recommending the wheels from my experience.

Arkon PDA Holder...

2009-09-24T22:21:00.000+01:00

Now, I like a ride through uncharted territory as much as the next Brompton rider, but getting frustrated by getting lost can spoil this for me. So as something of a gadget lover I thought I would double my PDA up as my cycling sat nav. I have (read: had, I'll get to this in a minute) a Dopod 818 Pro, with TomTom 6 loaded and ready to roll. This is (was) a tidy little PDA and I'd used it as a sat nav in my car (this was when I realised it also planned routes for bikes!). So I punched my destination in a (20 mile jaunt through London) and off I went.
Now, when I pushed the PDA in I wasn't astounded by the security that it seemed to be offering. Yes, there are little foamy patches which stop any little scratches and allow for a squeeze fit, but there was a certain amount of play. I made it about 3 miles when I was directed through Rotherhithe tunnel. I wasn't that impressed with the idea, but I went with it anyway. I decided to trundle along the pathway, as the road is narrow and I didn't fancy a duel with my new kit onboard. I remember thinking this is a fairly rough piece of tarmac I'm currently travelling on, then "Ping". It was gone. My PDA had departed from the holder and decided to try and end it all. I managed to recover the PDA, and most of its constituent parts, from the side of the road. Bar a few scratches and grazes it was ok. I powered back up and went on my way, pretty annoyed, but determined to go for a pleasant ride.

The aforementioned "Ping" happened twice more during my trip. Once I noticed and again rescued the unit, but the second time I looked down and it was gone. By this time I was pretty hacked off with the whole arrangement! I retraced my steps and the first part I found was a battered battery cover. Now it took me a good 15 minutes to recover the rest of my PDA from the middle of a busy box junction. It had been run over by what could only have been an articulated lorry. It was smashed. Destroyed. Finito. And to think I was worried about the little scratches earlier in the day.

Now, the design is good as far as the handlebar mount goes. But the actual phone grip requires serious work. I'm considering getting an iphone or similar smartphone and all these phones have built in sat nav, but would I attach it to an Arkon holder? Only if I felt certain I could afford a replacement…

If you are going to get one of these, don’t. Get a holder where there are clips involved, don’t trust expensive bits of kit to little bits of foam…I think next time I’ll stick to the “A to Z” chartered territory.

Brooks B17 Champion Special Men's Saddle...Comfort or Calluses?

2009-09-24T22:17:00.000+01:00

Right, let's not beat about the bush here; these are expensive saddles. I used a standard Brompton saddle for about 6 months (the original foam saddle on pre 2009 models, not the new saddle with the hand grip on the nose). I thought this was a relatively comfortable affair, I did tend to "bottom out" (pardon the pun) onto the plastic pan over the larger bumps, but nothing too bad. There was some peeling on the nose of the saddle though, where I was carrying the bike around; so I thought it time for change.

I have tried several different saddles over the years on a variety of mountain bikes, but I've not sat on leather. It's always been "gel" and "ultimate comfort" and other such buzz words. So owning a Brooks saddle required a certain amount of trust after reading about the 200 mile bedding in period. I was concerned that I would be walking around the office like John Wayne but alas, the worry was unfounded, well...partially. The first approximately 20 miles were fine, nothing to report, no chaffing no obvious signs of danger. The next 80 were a little bit uncomfortable! (It's worth noting here that my frame is somewhat, aerodynamic, thus built in padding is minimal!) It wasn't really bad it was just a small battle of supremacy between the buttocks and the saddle. Eventually the moulding started to take place and I can happily say now that it is probably the most comfortable saddle I have ever owned.

I was slightly pre-emptive about carrying my Brompton around by the saddle as I was unsure of the consequences, after the peeling that had occurred to the previous offering, I definitely didn't want anything like this to happen again. So after struggling to carry my load using the frame, I just decided to just go for it. I've been carrying it around using the saddle for approximately 7 months now (general moving the bike about, including stairs at stations etc) and there is no damage at all.

As far as general saddle upkeep goes, I have applied one coating of proofide (coating applied with a duster, left to go cloudy and penetrate the leather, then remove with said duster and give a bit of a buff) and nothing more. I've not had any sagging, so there has been no need to touch the tensioning screw; he has pretty much looked after himself.

I thoroughly recommend this saddle if you do the mileage and are looking for a long term bottom investment. You may have to put up with people questioning your sanity (a tap of the knuckle on the saddle makes it sound anything but comfortable), but they don't know what they're missing, just let out a manly noise, safe in the knowledge you'll have a comfortable ride home...If it's bedded in of course!

Current Brompton Setup

2009-09-24T22:13:00.000+01:00

The photo below shows the current setup of my Brompton M3L, there are modifications from standard, Brooks saddle, Arkon bike PDA holder, Topeak white lite/red lite combo set and solid polyurethane transit wheels.

I will shortly be reviewing these modifications.