Brompton Durability

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

all bikes are built like mickey mouse watches.
It's best not to love them too much, you get the best out of them by
riding them to bits.
Of course, I could be wrong....

TJ

Sam Salt said:

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

I guess you should've got the yellow: mine's been okay.

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.

Not managed to break any spokes on mine, despite an occaisional MTB job
and it careering down a rough lane every time I get home.

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

Seems like maybe you got a Lemon. Everyone makes them from time to
time, but mine has proven far better than expected and I certainly
haven't been gentle with it. Must have had it about 5 years now and
it's my default hack bike.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:32:04 +0100 someone who may be Sam Salt
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

Get a black one.

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice

All of them, or just some? The rear wheel certainly rewards careful
adjustment, especially for heavier riders. Once it is adjusted
properly it can be almost indestructible.

Quoted message said:

and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.Under the
mudguard stay bolts has become milky white as if there is some corrosion
going on.

Most bikes with mudguards tend to suffer such corrosion.

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

The bearings, chain, gears, brakes and so on are something you
didn't comment on though.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen said:

On Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:32:04 +0100 someone who may be Sam Salt
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

Get a black one.

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice

All of them, or just some? The rear wheel certainly rewards careful
adjustment, especially for heavier riders. Once it is adjusted
properly it can be almost indestructible.

Quoted message said:

and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.Under the
mudguard stay bolts has become milky white as if there is some corrosion
going on.

Most bikes with mudguards tend to suffer such corrosion.

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

The bearings, chain, gears, brakes and so on are something you
didn't comment on though.

True I didn't as these have given no trouble but the components don't
feel like quality merchandise if you get my drift,a bit cheese like.

The bike doesn't get daily use either.

As for the paint,when it returned from Brompton they remarked that they
were surprised as green was the their most durable colour.

Sam Salt

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Sam Salt wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

I never had this problem on either of the Bromptons I bought (in Henry
Ford black)

Quoted message said:

I guess you should've got the yellow: mine's been okay.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.

Quoted message said:

Not managed to break any spokes on mine, despite an occaisional MTB job
and it careering down a rough lane every time I get home.

Never had that problem either and used Brompton I to bring my shopping
home off-road.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Sam Salt said:

True I didn't as these have given no trouble but the components don't
feel like quality merchandise if you get my drift,a bit cheese like.

The bike doesn't get daily use either.

I get your drift, but my point is that my bike which gets almost daily
use is /not/ obviously cheese, so while you appear to be unlucky and
that's a Bad Thing, it is not a general case that Brompton are building tat.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Sam Salt said:

My wife has a Brompton ( well we share it )that is just coming up to two
years old.Whilst I love riding it I do feel that the quality of the
components and the finish leave a little to be desired.

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

Mine's a green L3, about 6 years old and the paintwork has been _very_ durable.

There are a few sctaches but no chipping at all.
Either Brompton's standards have fallen you you have a duff bike.

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.Under the
mudguard stay bolts has become milky white as if there is some corrosion
going on.

I've had no trouble with the wheel, but agree about teh mudguards. Mine went
like yours after the first rains. Last week i cracked the rear guard as I
flipped the back wheel under to park - there was a loud 'crack' as it
splintered.
This morning I ordered a new set from my LBS.

John B

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sam Salt said:

True I didn't as these have given no trouble but the components don't
feel like quality merchandise if you get my drift,a bit cheese like.

The bike doesn't get daily use either.

I get your drift, but my point is that my bike which gets almost daily use
is /not/ obviously cheese, so while you appear to be unlucky and that's a
Bad Thing, it is not a general case that Brompton are building tat.

Pete.
--
One of the problems that I have had recently is the folding
pedal.which I mentioned recently on this N/G. the bearing wore out and
kept making clicking sounds 2x on every revolution of the crank.I brought
a new pedal for £30.0 but before I fitting it I checked the grease ,I
lifted off the oil seal and found that there was only a small amount of
grease in between the balls, this could have been the reason why it wore
out within 18 months of new.so I packed it with lithium grease that I
brought in a small tube from the cycle shop, and it is fine.I have also
had 2x spokes break and the headset bearing feels that it is"
indexing".Apart from that I woud not be without the Brompton....cas

In article <[email hidden]>, cas
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One of the problems that I have had recently is the folding
pedal.which I mentioned recently on this N/G. the bearing wore out and
kept making clicking sounds 2x on every revolution of the crank.I brought

Rather than wear out, the folding pedal on my Brompton broke after only
two years. A serious case of brie failure. The shop replaced it free of
charge once a replacement pedal was delivered.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

in message <[email hidden]>, David Hansen

(') said:

On Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:32:04 +0100 someone who may be Sam Salt
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.

Get a black one.

If the green paint isn't durable enough, surely Brompton ought to know
about that and use some that is? That's called 'quality control'.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice

All of them, or just some? The rear wheel certainly rewards careful
adjustment, especially for heavier riders. Once it is adjusted
properly it can be almost indestructible.

But Bromptons breaking spokes is, as they say, a known problem, and once
again decent quality control would have sorted this out.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.Under the
mudguard stay bolts has become milky white as if there is some
corrosion going on.

Most bikes with mudguards tend to suffer such corrosion.

Yes, but this is electrolytic corrosion caused by dissimilar metals.
Plastic mudguards with plastic clip-on stays would work, as would using
a fastener which insulates the frame from the stay. Again, it's quality
engineering.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

The bearings, chain, gears, brakes and so on are something you
didn't comment on though.

It's a peculiarly British disease, isn't it? We make a half arsed product
which is brilliant in parts but has some minor failings. We aren't
bothered to fix the failings, and sooner or later a foreign competitor
comes around whose product is maybe not so brilliant but does have
decent quality control, and then we're out of business and we whinge
about it. Thirty years ago Britain had a computer industry. Twenty five
years ago Britain had a car industry. Twenty years ago Britain had a
bike industry.

If in another ten years we want to have anything but a burger-flipping
industry, it's time we got serious about sorting out the minor quality
problems on the products we do still make.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

my other car is #<Subr-Car: #5d480>
;; This joke is not funny in emacs.

Simon Brooke said:

But Bromptons breaking spokes is, as they say, a known problem, and once
again decent quality control would have sorted this out.

So how come mine have been fine, my previous one was fine, my pal's two
have both been fine etc. I don't see that Broms losing rear spokes is
any more in evidence than on other machines.

Quoted message said:

It's a peculiarly British disease, isn't it? We make a half arsed product
which is brilliant in parts but has some minor failings. We aren't
bothered to fix the failings

Brompton continually fettle their work and use serious engineering to do
it. Look at what went into the hinge replacement a couple of years ago,
and that was something that was by no means a problem issue.

I don't see that there's a case for Bromptons being made of Cheese.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Simon Brooke said:

But Bromptons breaking spokes is, as they say, a known problem, and once
again decent quality control would have sorted this out.

What was the cause of the problem? I am just about to get a pair of
Brompton rims & new spokes to put onto a Moulton. I'm building the wheels
myself. so I'd like to make sure I get them right.

Mike

Mike Causer said:

Simon Brooke said:

But Bromptons breaking spokes is, as they say, a known problem, and
once again decent quality control would have sorted this out.

What was the cause of the problem?

Probably poor tensioning and/or lack of stress relieving.......

Quoted message said:

I am just about to get a pair of
Brompton rims & new spokes to put onto a Moulton. I'm building the
wheels myself. so I'd like to make sure I get them right.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/stress-relieving.html

~PB

Mike Causer said:

What was the cause of the problem? I am just about to get a pair of
Brompton rims & new spokes to put onto a Moulton. I'm building the wheels
myself. so I'd like to make sure I get them right.

There isn't generally. I have two Bromptons and neither has had broken
spoke (or paint or corrosion) problems and I'm not the lightest person
around.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Tony Raven said:

Mike Causer said:

What was the cause of the problem? I am just about to get a pair of
Brompton rims & new spokes to put onto a Moulton. I'm building the wheels
myself. so I'd like to make sure I get them right.

There isn't generally. I have two Bromptons and neither has had broken
spoke (or paint or corrosion) problems and I'm not the lightest person
around.

bloody thick (#13) spokes to compensate for improper wheelbuilding.
Build the wheel with care, maybe with washers to compensate for the
narrow flanges and the wheel should be very strong.

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Tony Raven said:

Mike Causer said:

What was the cause of the problem? I am just about to get a pair of
Brompton rims & new spokes to put onto a Moulton. I'm building the wheels
myself. so I'd like to make sure I get them right.

There isn't generally. I have two Bromptons and neither has had broken
spoke (or paint or corrosion) problems and I'm not the lightest person
around.

I think there may be more broken rear spokes than you think.

When it first occured I posted to the Yahoo Brompton forum and the
general consensus seemed to be that it was not unusual at all and one
chap said he is going through about a dozen a year,all on the rear
wheel. ( Post Number 25990 ).

As for the paint,not only does it chip easily but it is so soft ( or the
lacquer is so soft ) that if you catch your foot on the "top tube" when
dismounting it scratches.I have polished them out and applied clear tape
to protect it.

Sam Salt

On Wed, 07 Jun 2006 08:59:47 +0100 someone who may be Simon Brooke
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

But Bromptons breaking spokes is, as they say, a known problem, and once
again decent quality control would have sorted this out.

It is known to happen on some bikes, generally those with riders of
more portly dimensions. For them the wheel can be rebuilt with
thicker spokes and that tends to be that.

Quoted message said:

It's a peculiarly British disease, isn't it? We make a half arsed product
which is brilliant in parts but has some minor failings. We aren't
bothered to fix the failings,

Brompton are actually prime exponents of continuous improvement to
their vehicles. That is why a gathering of Brompton enthusiasts
tends to involve even more looking at bikes than a gathering of
(motor)cyclists.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Sam Salt said:

When it first occured I posted to the Yahoo Brompton forum and the
general consensus seemed to be that it was not unusual at all and one
chap said he is going through about a dozen a year,all on the rear
wheel. ( Post Number 25990 ).

But unless Brompton themselves are actually fixing his wheels, which I
rather doubt, it's churlish to blame incidences 2 through latest on
Brompton.

Quoted message said:

As for the paint,not only does it chip easily but it is so soft ( or the
lacquer is so soft ) that if you catch your foot on the "top tube" when
dismounting it scratches.

Mileage varies: mine doesn't...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Sam Salt said:

My wife has a Brompton ( well we share it )that is just coming up to two
years old.Whilst I love riding it I do feel that the quality of the
components and the finish leave a little to be desired.

The green paintwork chips just by looking at it.It went back to Brompton
about 3 months after purchase as I was dissatisfied but they said it was
OK.I had put clear tape over some areas subject to cable rub,Brompton
said these weren't necessary so I removed them and lo and behold the
paint on the front stem rubbed down to bare metal in a short period of time.

You need a black one. Touch ups are trivial on mine

Quoted message said:

The spokes on the rear wheel have broken twice and the mudguard stays
have long ago started to rust along with the fixing bolts.Under the
mudguard stay bolts has become milky white as if there is some corrosion
going on.

Went off-road with mine at the weekend (along a bridlepath). Have never
broken a spoke, but keeping up with son's MTB was not easy.

Quoted message said:

I just feel it is a shame that such a splendid little bike ( but not
particularly cheap ) should be let down by poor quality components.

Problems with mine have been

1) water staining of the shiny mudguards - due to stresses on rear
(it's an L6 so the guard takes a pound under folding). They were
replaced but I can't be bothered again. Going to switch to black ones

2) The SA threespeed hub has dulled and shows a little rust.

Perhaps you've been unlucky.

regards,
daren