The virtual odometer rolled over today and I surpassed 1000 cumulative miles ridden on the Brompton!! It was quite a chilly ride this morning, with the temperature at 36 degrees Fahrenheit. I was noticing new squeaking sounds on this morning's ride... wonder if it's the cold, the need for a tune-up, or even the Brompton toolkit (kinda doubt it). The squeaking disappeared and reappeared several times, which was odd.
Anyone done a tune-up to their Bromptons? What kind of schedule should I be following?
I service mine every couple of hundred miles by giving it a good cleaning, lubing everything that needs lubing (the manual tells you where those points are) and cleaning the chain. I remove the chain, clean it in odorless mineral spirits (OMS) and then put it back on. After that I lube it and I'm good to go. I don't think there's anything special at 1000 miles but I'd at least check the chain for stretching.
ReplyDeleteAs for squeaks, sometimes they just come and go. I find that on my Brompton the usual culprit is the rear fender stays. During handling/moving the bike around the fender gets knocked enough for the stay to JUST touch the rear wheel. Now that I know what to look for it's a simple fix - gently bending the fender back into position. Squeaks can be hard to isolate. Another source of squeaks on Bromptons I've read about is the rubber suspension block. Google it and you'll find lots of info.
Sorry about the long posting but once I start talking about Bromptons I just can't seem to stop. :-)
Congratulations on your 1000 miles! Maybe the only "special" thing to do is to take celebratory ride!
ReplyDeleteI only have 300 miles or so on my new Brompton, but I think I'm going to be careful about an annual stop at the shop to make sure everything's in tip-top shape.
If you're mechanically inclined, though, Ross and Karen's tips look like good ones, and there's also a maintenance guide in the back of Henshaw's wonderful "Brompton Bicycle".
Clean and oil the chain about every hundred miles in wet weather, or dusty riding or maybe every two hundred in dry. I now use citrus cleaner that I bought by the gallon for about £20. You need to dry it out afterwards though and then oil it.
ReplyDeleteThe Brompton manual tells you what else to oil and grease. They recommend grease for most things. You can download a manual here:
http://support.brompton.co.uk/home