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Bromptons to be recalled

(6 posts)

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  1. Rosie
    Member

    Brompton Recalls All Bikes Made in the Last Three Years

    Bike maker Brompton has been metaphorically knocked into the kerb by the dirty white van of fate, as it's been forced to recall all of the bikes it made over the last three years.

    That's 144,000 of the folding bikes, which need to be brought back in to have the bottom bracket -- the bit the pedals go through down at the underneath there -- replaced. It's quite a stroke of bad luck for the company, which says as few as one in 5,000 bikes have so far reported a problem, but seeing as it's a problem that could jam up the pedals and suddenly throw a rider off, it's been deemed serious enough to warrant a full recall.

    The specific part in question is the FAG Bottom Bracket cartridge, which users can check on the company's web site to see if they have, while listening to an apology and explanation from Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams. If a bike was built between April of 2014 and May 2017 it's going to need to be taken back to a retailer to have its bracket swapped out. [Brompton via Telegraph]

    http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/09/brompton-recalls-all-bikes-made-in-the-last-three-years/

    Posted 6 years ago #

  2. Tulyar
    Member

    I dumped the FAG unit over 20 years ago on my Bromptons - at 15 I belled out the threads on my first bike and did likewise in 1982 after 2 years riding on my new Pennine frame (stolen in a planned raid in Edinburgh - Albany Street - in 1985). The only b/b that withstood the loadings seems to have been the Nervex cast lug unit on my Rattray Scot.

    I've found a Shimano sealed bearing metal housing cartridge seems to last but ultimately I'd probably fit a Hope unit. Same applies to the headset - both @arellcat & I have replaced the Brompton offering with a sealed roller bearing unit but lust for a Chris King to eliminate the regular need to adjust the headset (given the leverage from the long steerer, hardly a surprise)

    Part of the problem might be the changing demographic of Brompton owners who are increasingly younger and perhaps fitter than the original average owner. At 1KW peak output and 110Kg I suspect I can be rather hard on any bike, and if I were younger that would be worse

    I'd suggest that there is not a massive urgency for most riders to rush for a replacement b/b but if you are a 17st rugby forward riding hard it might be advisable. Otherwise a developing failure will probably be evident from a creaking crankset when pedalling hard, well before catastrophic failure - after all its steel and most steel will hang on until 50% or more of the section has cracked apart, unlike aluminium.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  3. Arellcat
    Moderator

    The FAG bottom bracket is cheap and cheerful, but doesn't respond well to an excess of British weather. I was happy to get rid of mine when it went a bit gritty and started making noises, but that was a good while ago; my Brompton is seven years old and is currently rocking an Octalink v1 BB with FSA cranks.

    And like Tulyar's bike, I have an M-Part Elite cartridge bearing headset which has been a huge improvement.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  4. gembo
    Member

    Bad brompton they charge enough so should Put in a BB that withstands British Maritime climate

    Good Brompton that they are recalling

    Inbetween Brompton wonder how many will get folded up and posted back?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  5. wee folding bike
    Member

    I don't have a Brompton within the recall range but I did replace a BB 18 months ago… Common Wheel had to set fire to the old one with a TiG welder to get it out.

    I contacted Brompton and they said that replacement units are fine, only the factory fitted ones are at (tiny) risk.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  6. Tulyar
    Member

    Last time I removed a FAG b/b I had to resort to immolation technique for removal

    Posted 6 years ago #

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