Checking your Rear Hinge Pin - Brompton

#foldingbike #Brompton #RearHingePin
Sharing our tips on the Brompton Rear Hinge pin, whether you own a Brompton or are thinking of buying a second hand one, this part is really easy to check and also really important to keep an eye on for any movement. Let us know how yours is holding up! 😀👍
To see how the rear Hinge Pin is replaced check out Brians Video on I Bike Unfolded here; • Brompton rear hinge pi...

[@kalarpatar]

Good that you highlight the importance for all check the rear hinge regularly. I assembled my own bike sourcing parts from various suppliers, choosing a titanium hinge spindle (hope it can last). Just to add that the loosening could also be due worn out nylon washers. Besides the hinge spindle there are also two (bronze?) sleeve bush embedded in the rear triangle which can get worn out over time. You will need specialist tools to replace those.

[@CycleEveryday]

Hopefully the spindle will last then. Not sure on the bronze part. Got it replaced at a Brompton dealer though to make sure it was replaced correctly 👍

[@NoZenith]

Thank you very much for this video. In all my research before ordering my Brompton this seems to be one of if not the Most important thing that people just never speak about. I think Brian's video is the only one I saw that really explained the situation/ repair other than a passing comment on a Brompton inspection video and 2 others I cannot remember specifically (I have watched innumerable... I think all except the purely visual touring videos) Brompton/ random folder KZbin videos and read so much online content over a year + while intently researching this investment. Thanks for explaining this so well and I hope this video gets where it needs to be!

[@CycleEveryday]

Thank you so much! I am glad that it's been useful. Yeah I really only knew about Brian's video so based on that have been keeping an eye on mine the past few months. Just think it's worth letting people know what to expect. It really isn't a huge problem, but something that everyone that has a Brompton should be aware of and how to check for the play as well, so hopefully the video has done the job! Appreciate your comment and I hope you enjoy your Brompton 😀👍

[@Excess2007]

Oh thanks for this! Shall check mine later! Learning so much about the B!

[@CycleEveryday]

You are very welcome. Definitely something we keep an eye on more often now 👍

[@Excess2007]

@@CycleEveryday for sure, £75! A bit of a hit for the pocket but still cheaper than running a car.

[@CycleEveryday]

Certainly is when compared to other things I have fixed myself. But like you said it’s just one of those things to expect and defiantly cheaper than a car! Think that’s about one tank of petrol 😂

[@Excess2007]

@@CycleEveryday I'm still learning about maintaining my B and keeping costs low. So thanks to your channel and others on YT for making it easier. And yep £55 ish for a tank of petrol for a month

[@jonathanleach3914]

I’ve had two hinges replaced in 6 years of almost daily use. I do most of my own repairs and maintenance but this isn’t something I’d do myself. It is a key part of the structural integrity of the bike and it needs to be done competently by someone who’s done one before.

[@CycleEveryday]

Hi Jonathan. Thats interesting to know and thanks for commenting. Exactly the same reasons why I am getting it done at a Brompton dealer. Just a shame on the longer waiting times for parts at the moment, but fortunately have the second Brompton. Like you said, some things need to be done with the proper tools 👍

[@anthonyharding5]

Mine snapped a couple of months ago, luckily I was fairly close to home. I bought the Brompton new in 2017 and had done about 12-15 thousand miles on it before the hinge bolt snapped, including some off road riding with it, so they are a fairly robust item. But as you say, they are a consumable item. I had the top service done as the same time as the repair and it felt like a new bike again.

[@CycleEveryday]

Yeah think they are pretty long wearing to be fair. Getting mine done a bit earlier I suppose but glad to hear there wasn’t any major damage to yours when it snapped. Guessing there was a bit more play in it than mine?

[@anthonyharding5]

@@CycleEveryday I agree with you though and will be looking out for play from now on, as it has the potential to cause more damage than just replacing. Thank you.

[@LaureanoLopez]

You were told the pin would cost £75. My bike has over 7,000 Km "on the clock" and the spindle was quite worn. For your reference, this is the line showing its cost on the invoice from the legendary Brilliant Bikes: Q102708 Brompton Advance Rear Hinge Spindle Assembly - P Line / T Line £4.17 Depending on your location and pandemic conditions, there were probably additional costs involved, or even other parts that I did not require?

[@handsonbrompton7875]

Very useful… 👍

[@CycleEveryday]

Thanks 😀

[@tc-mc2ns]

thanks for doing video. took me a little bit figure out where my issue was. my bolt loosened; i guess the loctite gave out. so every few rides, i have to tighten it. kinda a pain in the ass. has anyone taken the screw out and and applied adhesive? i ride for exercise, so i probably have one more full season to catch up to your mileage. i tried shaking my rear triangle, and luckily it was till tight. thanks again for the video.

[@CycleEveryday]

That’s good to hear. Over time the nylon wears out, so if yours is still tight sounds like it might be the lock tight. Not taken the screws out personally, but might be someone else that has 👍😀

[@kajukuja]

Great video, thank you!

[@CycleEveryday]

Thanks Juan! Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@davidpowell5437]

Good video! I'm rather dismayed by the relatively low mileage at which this has become necessary, but - stuff happens. In your shoes I wouldn't fancy riding it any more either. I had a similar problem with a motorbike many years ago and it totally wrecked the handling. I rebushed that swinging arm myself, and faced with a long delay I'd be tempted to have a go at the B but Brompton don't give their customers a choice - there are a lot of parts that they will only supply to dealers since a couple of years ago. Makes for safety I suppose. Another part that comes to mind immediately in this context is the plastic bush for the seatpost (not the one that you cut to length yourself!). Dealer only now as it requires reaming with an expensive tool for a proper fit. Except that there are comments here and there from riders who Diy'd it in the past and got away with it... I just make sure I always have something to hand for wiping a mud splattered seatpost... BTW: Avoid the new bike racks outside the Churchill Precinct - poorly sited and weak - one end is only in about 3" - and one has been kicked flat in the first week.

[@CycleEveryday]

Thanks David. It's not too bad I suppose but at the moment still more of a pain due to the long waiting time. Still waiting for the part to arrive at the moment so 5 weeks later! Looking forward to when it's fixed though. Good point on the bike racks. Don't have an issue in terms of locking the Brompton up personally as take it with me into shops, but good point for normal bikes! 👍😀

[@roysells]

Hi I’ve got mine fixed at on your bike in Sutton Coldfield they had the parts in stock so you might be able to get it done there a little bit faster

[@CycleEveryday]

Tried quite a few places and they have all got the same problem at the moment with spare parts unfortunately. Pretty sure I rang them as well and went through the online list from the Brompton website. Thanks for the suggestion! 👍

[@FortheLoveofCycling]

Good stuff

[@CycleEveryday]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍😀

[@adriansmith3116]

Handy you have 2 now.

[@CycleEveryday]

Definitely. To be honest I thought something like this might happen so that’s one of the reasons for getting the other one. Rely on it for transport so much now wouldn’t be able to do without a Brompton 😀👍

[@CycleEveryday]

So anyone else got some play or movement on their rear hinge pin? 🚲💨

[@Berindei_Stefan]

the front hinge that folds the frame in two can also be taken to the brompton service and get it fixed ?

[@CycleEveryday]

The front hinge can be replaced, although when I asked about this it can only be replaced two times. The bike shop I spoke to said that once that hinge has been replaced more than twice, it needs a new frame, however I am only going off what they said. They did also say that as long as the clamps are tighter properly and the Brompton is not overloaded, it is unlikely that the middle hinge would need replacing though.

[@Berindei_Stefan]

@@CycleEveryday the official brompton service said it can be fixed and replaced only two times? and thanks for the reply im asking cause im like 94 kg and id love to own a brompton but the hinges worry me alot :(

[@CycleEveryday]

Well it was an official Brompton approved bike shop, but I don’t use it as have been let down by them a few times. Actually I am still waiting for them to call me about the rear hinge pin that I ordered in October 2021. I was quite surprised by what they said about the hinge on the frames as well, but they shouldn’t wear out very quickly compared to the rear hinge pin. It’s the rear hinge pin that is designed to wear over time, where the other hinges are not designed to wear. The clamps do wear out over time though, but they are easy to replace. I don’t think those will be an issue though. Not had any issues with mine yet. Think you should be ok though as max weight for rider and luggage is 110kg so within that 👍

[@Berindei_Stefan]

@@CycleEveryday Thanks for the reply :)

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

I have bought a Titanium part for this?

[@CycleEveryday]

Maybe? Not sure there is a titanium part alternative. I am just using the Brompton recommended spares made by Brompton.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

@@CycleEveryday Well but Brompton like parts are produced at many places, and Brompton definitely haven't made any preventive measures to protect my nice and expensive flame painted paint from scratches during the use (Clear tape, to show that We in the Factory know where it will hurt!), so I as a first bought a set of plates from China, for my 2019 Superlight! I have changed most bolts and nuts to titanium + parts of the brakes and the front axle. I use a titanium seat post and will change my handlebar to carbon in a short time. As an old, now 75 years old, former bike builder, I do most work myself, and I have the tools to do much of the work needed. A Brompton is an absolutely horrible bike with those small, heavy rolling wheels and its only good side is its foldability! Mine is now down to 9,35 kilo, with mudguards, and still easy ways to become even, a little lighter! Finn. Denmark 😄

[@urbanmanc]

£75 Is a lot for a 15 minute job

[@CycleEveryday]

Should have become a mechanic 😂

[@NoZenith]

Go look at the tool prices online. That's part of the research I did. They are quite pricey for how little you're going to use them and also need to store them in a safe place. One of the biggest things you're paying for is a professional skill that they have built from experience to MAKE IT ONLY A 15 MIN JOB And the tools they have to purchase to do the job in the first place

[@07Mr.Yoso21]

If you have tools, knowledge and experienced you can keep your £75.☮

[@LaughingStock_]

15 minutes + the correct tools + the correct knowledge for a bike worth a shit load. Sorry, mate, there's the cost of something and the value of something. 75 quid is pretty cheap.

[@stevetaylor8698]

I watched the video on the pin replacement. I have to say, what an awful piece of design work.

[@CycleEveryday]

Not sure how else you could do it though and have it fold up so small? Other folding bikes wouldn't have the same issue but most of them only fold in half rather than thirds. Don't think most people would have a huge issue as would take years before it needed replacing.

[@NoZenith]

@steve taylor above I mentioned how much KZbin and online content I have absorbed in shopping folding bikes and almost no one has any issue with this design. There are people who have toured all over the world with cumulatively thousands of kilometers on more than one bike in their family and have yet to replace a hinge pin. It's robust but it sounds like they (Brompton) just aren't clear enough on inspecting this wear point (they mainly focus on hinge pins and clamps in maintenance videos). When you do find information it is abundantly clear that this is not a failure when it becomes sloppy but it is a warning to get it into the shop and replaced. We're talking thousands and thousands of miles/kilometers before there is significant wear and someone like Brian (ibikeunfolded) climbing up mountain with a significant amount of torque and side to side torsion and rough surface riding in his videos that he reminds us of, wasn't even disappointed when it wore enough to get sloppy. Most of us aren't going to be riding a Brompton up a mountain and there are other people on KZbin with gorgeous videos riding up into the Himalayas without any issues. As is mentioned in this video it is a wear item that is there to maintain the Integrity of the frame of the bike while maintaining the ease of functionality of an unimpeded Pivot Point. Not a design flaw just something you need to know about like the hinge pins and clamps that need to be maintained. Through all of my research this is the only thing other than the seat post sleeve (also an intentional wear item that is to maintain the Integrity of the frame) or actual frame damage that would mean professional maintenance/ repair is required. Of course you can actually buy all of the tools and equipment to do this at home yourself if you feel like it. That is very expensive and would require more mechanical experience than I possess to feel comfortable tackling so I, like everyone else here, will be taking it to the professional if I ever put enough miles and wear on it to need the job done.

[@NoZenith]

@@CycleEveryday I'm curious how immediate the professionals felt the repair was. Can you ride it in the meantime or do they think it's too worn to be safe?

[@CycleEveryday]

@@NoZenith They said that I could carry on with riding it and shouldn't be a problem. In their own words they said "we have seen much worse" 😂 If I only had this Brompton I wouldn't have much choice, as its used 22 miles each day to get to work and then shopping etc on weekends. But, seeing as I have the second Brompton, I would rather use that and reduce more play occurring. I have noticed in the last week it has got much worse. Would probably be fine though like the mechanic said. To be honest I have had 7.5k km out of it and it was second hand when I brought it so probably lasted about 8k km's. There will probably be lots of Bromptons out there that are 10 years old that have not had to have it done so all depends on how much you use it 👍

[@NoZenith]

@@CycleEveryday awesome. Thank you.